Culver City put up a valiant effort, but its first half struggles were too much to overcome in a 30-25 season opening loss Friday night at West Torrance.
Culver City meets visiting Palos Verdes Peninsula Friday at 7 p.m. in the Centaur home opener.
The Centaurs trailed the Warriors 14-0 in the first quarter, and took a 25-24 lead with three minutes remaining in the game. After the Warriors big kickoff return, running back Barry Thomas scored his second touchdown of the game on a 34-yard run to put them up 30-25 with 1:48 remaining in the game.
The Centaurs marched down the field, but their drive was interrupted after quarterback Xan Cuevas threw an interception on the Warriors 23-yard line to end the game.
“We just didn’t make enough plays to win it at the end,” said Culver City High School head coach Jahmal Wright.
After the Warriors went three-and-out, the Centaurs scored their first touchdown on a one-yard run by Akili Skannal to end the half, 14-7.
Even though they were only down by seven points, the players seemed frustrated.
“We are only down a touchdown, just keep fighting,” Wright said to the team at halftime.
The Centaur defense intercepted a pass early in the third period, and nine plays later the Centaurs scored on another one-yard run but missed the extra point, 14-13.
All the momentum seemed to go to the Centaurs after Julius Wilson scored his second touchdown of the game on an 80-yard punt return, but the 2-point conversion failed to bridge the gap by five points, 24-19.
The Centaurs scored when Cuevas found wide receiver Sydney Dorsey on a nine-yard score to take a 25-24 lead with three minutes remaining. The Warriors responded, as Thomas went untouched for a 34-yard score to give them a 30-25 lead. The Centaurs drove down the field only to be stopped when Cuevas threw an interception with 1:28 remaining in the game. The Warriors took a knee to run the clock out.