Carson beats Banning for the 7th consecutive time!

Sula runs for 245 yards and three touchdowns to carry the Colts to an easy victory over their rivals in a Marine League opener.

By Craig Currier
Daily Breeze Correspondent

Carson coach Mike Christensen has joined the Colts at the right time.In its first season under Christensen, Carson has won four of its first six games, including Saturday afternoon's 41-21 victory over rival Banning at Long Beach Veterans Stadium in the Marine League opener for both teams.

Carson (4-2, 1-0) has now taken seven straight meetings with Banning (2-4, 0-1), which has not won since 2000's 26-10 triumph in the L.A. City Section championship game at the Coliseum.

"I'm glad we could continue that run," Christensen said. "It's what high school football is about. The rivalry makes it fun for everyone. The fans, the community, it's great for everyone involved."

In Jack Sula, Christensen has inherited one of the City's best running backs.

Coming into the game, Sula was averaging just over 173 all-purpose yards per game to go along with eight touchdowns this season.
On Saturday, the 6-foot, 183-pound junior tailback ran the ball 19 times for 245 yards and three touchdowns, topping his 221-yard, two-touchdown performance in last week's win at Bishop Amat.

"I keep giving it up to the offensive line," Sula said. "They work all week. They pounded it for me today."

"He's special," Christensen said. "That's what he does. He's probably the best running back I've ever coached."

Sula scored twice on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter, pushing the Colts ahead, 19-0, with 9:40 to play before halftime.
Carson's brawny running attack made Banning co-coach Chris Ferragamo's return to the rivalry an unpleasant one.

Ferragamo had not coached in a Banning-Carson game since 1986, when his undefeated Banning team was stunned by Carson, 21-11, in the title game. Ferragamo left the Pilots soon after for Harbor College.

After the game, a visibly upset Ferragamo said this year's loss was more disappointing than his last.
"We stunk worse than that," Ferragamo said. "We didn't play football. That's it."

After getting outplayed in the first half, Banning opened the second half with a promising drive that ran 9:16 off the clock in the third quarter. But the Pilots had one touchdown-scoring play called back and were flagged on a 30-yard Joe Avery run that would have moved the ball to Carson's 5-yard line.

Anthony Rodriguez fumbled the ball on fourth-and-8 at the Colts' 25-yard line, giving the ball back to Carson and keeping the score at 27-7.

The Colts then took the ball 75 yards on just five plays, scoring on a Mike Cortez 7-yard run to put the game out of reach.
"We can go all the way to the Coliseum," Sula said. "We just have to cut down on mistakes."

Banning scored twice in the fourth quarter on runs by Rodriguez and Joel Panteau, cutting the lead to 34-21, but could not get any closer. Sula added his third touchdown for the final margin.

"We just have to work harder," Banning running back Josh Limosnero said. "They are a good team. They proved it today. We've got to get better to win in the league."

Limosnero was impressive for the Pilots, running 18 times for 96 yards and a touchdown while absorbing a number of pounding hits. The tailback also passed for 21 yards, finding Tanner Carazo open on a fake punt that kept Banning's long third-quarter drive alive.
Rodriguez completed 12 of 20 passes for 97 yards, but was intercepted three times as he struggled to get Banning's passing game going.

For Carson, Dominique Blackman was 9-for-10, throwing for 115 yards and one touchdown. Morrell Presley was his leading receiver, catching four passes for 64 yards. The Colts' passing game was set up well by play-action fakes to Sula, opening up receivers down the field.

"We fought offensively today," Christensen said. "It's good to get a win like this to open league."
It was the 57th meeting between Carson and Banning. Carson leads the series, 35-22.