Crenshaw Ends Birmingham’s 55-Game Winning Streak in City Section Playoffs
The streak is over. Crenshaw relied on tenacious defense and an efficient passing attack to end Birmingham’s 55-game winning streak against City Section teams and earn a spot in next week’s Open Division championship game with its gritty 12-7 semifinal victory Friday night in Lake Balboa.
“It’s all about heart … I thank my O-line and my defense — they dominated,” said junior quarterback Danniel Flowers, who played with a fiberglass cast on his left hand to protect a broken wrist he suffered Oct. 10 in a 32-0 shutout of Washington Prep. “We came in here with a lot of confidence and all I did was read the zone and throw it right behind where the defender left.”
Crenshaw’s Kyion Rattler leaps in front of Birmingham receiver Jimmy Renteria to intercept a pass during the first quarter Friday night.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Crenshaw’s Road to Victory
The sixth-seeded Cougars (10-1) have reeled off eight consecutive wins since a 23-6 defeat to Hamilton on Sept. 5, and their latest triumph counts as the 300th for longtime coach Robert Garrett, who has been on administrative leave since the start of the season and was not on the field to celebrate the milestone with his players.
In two playoff wins, the-bend-but-don’t-break defense has given up only seven points — a one-yard quarterback sneak in the first quarter by Birmingham’s Kevin Hawkins. Crenshaw blanked third-seeded San Pedro 30-0 in muddy conditions in the quarterfinals.
Birmingham’s Streak Comes to an End
The second-seeded Patriots (8-4) had their chances, but a 38-yard field goal on their first drive of the second half was blocked. Their last gasp came on a fake punt with 2:30 left when Paul Turner stretched out to snare a fourth-down pass from Jimmy Renteria only to have the ball jarred loose on a punishing hit by Flowers at the Cougars’ 15-yard line.
Birmingham’s Braylen Morgan runs for a first down during a City Section Open Division semifinal playoff game Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
What’s Next for Crenshaw
Crenshaw will try to pass another test Nov. 29 when it faces No. 1-seeded Carson, which routed Garfield 40-7 in Friday’s other semifinal, at 6 p.m. at Southwest College. The Cougars have won six City crowns and one state title since Garrett took over in 1988, and they have all the motivation they need
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