Two touchdowns were all Centennial needed to advance to the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section’s Northwest Division playoffs as they took the rematch with their Pioneer League rivals, El Segundo, 14-10 Friday night at El Segundo High.
The teams met in week nine of the schedule, which the Apaches (5-7) won 27-14. However, the Apaches had to forfeit the win to the Eagles (7-5 ) after the Apaches used an ineligible player in the game. Although the Apaches ended the season in fourth place in the Pioneer League, they were given one of the three at-large slots in the playoffs.
The Apaches took an early 6-0 lead on a 10-yard pass from Jeremy Gaskin to Harold Johnson, but the extra point was missed. Ronald Reed scored the other touchdown for the Apaches, a three-yard rush then Johnson scored the two-point conversion to put the Apaches up 14-0. That would be all the Apaches need, but the Eagles started to come back before the half ended.
Eagles quarterback Lars Nootbaar, while still recovering from a bruised elbow suffered in last week’s 31-7 win against La Puente, hit Seth McKenna for a two-yard score. It would be the Eagles’ only touchdown of the game. Nootbaar completed 11 of 26 passes for 133 yards and the touchdown to McKenna. Jaime Stewart closed the lead to 14-10 with a 39-yard field goal with under three minutes left in the game.
Unfortunately, Nootbaar’s injury forced him from the game and Austin Brasher, who had rushed for 81 yards on 20 carries in the game, had to take over behind center, and the passing game, which had been making in roads on the Apaches’ defense, was replaced with a wildcat offense. The Apaches were able to contain the run the rest of the night. The Eagles also lost McKenna in the fourth quarter, further depleting the passing game.
The Apaches will return to Centennial High on Friday to host the Nordhoff Rangers, who eliminated the Whittier Christian Heralds, 51-28. Since 2007, the Apaches reached the Quarterfinals three times, but lost in all three appearances. They also were eliminated in the first round by Harvard-Westlake in 2009. The last time the Apaches and Rangers met was in the 2007 Northwest Division Quarterfinals, which the Rangers won 42-41.
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