The Greatest Team in Cavalier.
Sender
Robert Jackson
Posted On
2006-02-24
Year
1989
Memoir
..History. In a battle of undefeated Southern Section powers, Gardena Serra defeated Lompoc, 34-31, Saturday December 10th 1989 to win the Div VII championship before a crowd of 6,000 at El Camino College.
Behind the running of fullback Dennis Gerard, who rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns, the Cavaliers were able to outlast Lompoc and star running back Napoleon Kaufman.
Lompoc scored first on a 46-yard field goal by Tommy Thompson, that was set up by and 18-yard interception return by Jason Berthal.
Serra was able to unleash its ground game in the second quarter after bringing in backup junior quarterback Alex Marcelin, who effectively worked the cavaliers' short passing game with receivers Donald Godden and Tim Trahan.
With Lompoc leery of Marcelin's passing, Gerard rushed for 22 and 25 yards to set up a 13-yard touchdown run by Fred Safford (RIP), giving Serra a 6-3 lead.
The Cavaliers added to their lead when Gerard ran untouched for a 27-yard score and Marcelin connected with Safford on a 40-yard touchdown pass to give Serra a 22-3 lead late in the second quarter. It did not take Lompoc long to answer when Kaufman returned the kickoff after Safford's catch 95 yards to make the score 22-9 at halftime.
Gerard finished the first half with 125 yards rushing in only nine carries.
The Braves scored on their first possession of the second half when Kaufman ran two yards after setting up the play by catching a 28-yard catch from Jason Garife.
After an exchange of punts, Gerard took over once again with a 35-yard run, and followed that with a 37-yard touchdown gallop.
Kaufman answered Gerard's score with a 58-yard touchdown to trim Serra's lead to 28-23.
Serra opened its lead to 11 points with a five play 42 yard drive that featured the running of Jerald Henry, who had two carries for 26 yards, including a 12-yard score.
But Kaufman and Lompoc came right back, with a 12-play, 76-yard touchdown drive. Kaufman rushed for 24 yards in the drive with a seven-yard score and after a two point conversion pass from Girafe to Moose Mau, the Braves trailed by only three points.
Serra was able to run off nearly three minutes of the clock before running out of downs on Lompoc's 31 with 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Lompoc's last-ditch drive was ended Henry intercepted a Girafe pass to seal the victory.
Kaufman finished with 128 in 18 carries, with four TDs.
After the game, we had a food fight on our way back to the S-House with Money Hurt (Coach Hurt as we all know him) getting hit in head with a dozen burgers by himself. Hats off to all my teammates from the '89 team!!
Behind the running of fullback Dennis Gerard, who rushed for 220 yards and two touchdowns, the Cavaliers were able to outlast Lompoc and star running back Napoleon Kaufman.
Lompoc scored first on a 46-yard field goal by Tommy Thompson, that was set up by and 18-yard interception return by Jason Berthal.
Serra was able to unleash its ground game in the second quarter after bringing in backup junior quarterback Alex Marcelin, who effectively worked the cavaliers' short passing game with receivers Donald Godden and Tim Trahan.
With Lompoc leery of Marcelin's passing, Gerard rushed for 22 and 25 yards to set up a 13-yard touchdown run by Fred Safford (RIP), giving Serra a 6-3 lead.
The Cavaliers added to their lead when Gerard ran untouched for a 27-yard score and Marcelin connected with Safford on a 40-yard touchdown pass to give Serra a 22-3 lead late in the second quarter. It did not take Lompoc long to answer when Kaufman returned the kickoff after Safford's catch 95 yards to make the score 22-9 at halftime.
Gerard finished the first half with 125 yards rushing in only nine carries.
The Braves scored on their first possession of the second half when Kaufman ran two yards after setting up the play by catching a 28-yard catch from Jason Garife.
After an exchange of punts, Gerard took over once again with a 35-yard run, and followed that with a 37-yard touchdown gallop.
Kaufman answered Gerard's score with a 58-yard touchdown to trim Serra's lead to 28-23.
Serra opened its lead to 11 points with a five play 42 yard drive that featured the running of Jerald Henry, who had two carries for 26 yards, including a 12-yard score.
But Kaufman and Lompoc came right back, with a 12-play, 76-yard touchdown drive. Kaufman rushed for 24 yards in the drive with a seven-yard score and after a two point conversion pass from Girafe to Moose Mau, the Braves trailed by only three points.
Serra was able to run off nearly three minutes of the clock before running out of downs on Lompoc's 31 with 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
Lompoc's last-ditch drive was ended Henry intercepted a Girafe pass to seal the victory.
Kaufman finished with 128 in 18 carries, with four TDs.
After the game, we had a food fight on our way back to the S-House with Money Hurt (Coach Hurt as we all know him) getting hit in head with a dozen burgers by himself. Hats off to all my teammates from the '89 team!!