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CITY SECTION 3-A INVITATIONAL DIVISION



Garfield (10-3) vs. University (9-4), at Coliseum, 4 p.m. Friday -- Second-seeded Garfield, which defeated Fairfax, 7-0 in the semifinals, depends on defense and a methodical running game led by junior running backs Franky Diaz and Sergio Macedo. Diaz has 17 touchdowns and Macedo 12, and each has rushed for more than 1,000 yards.

Thirteenth-seeded University, which defeated Huntington Park, 29-14, in the other semifinal, also favors the running game, but the Wildcats expect to outscore opponents with their wishbone attack, which is led by senior speedsters Trayon Harris and Travis Rawls. Each has rushed for more than 1,000 yards, with Harris scoring 23 touchdowns and Rawls 16.

Speed is the one element the Garfield defense, led by senior linebacker David Lopez, has had trouble stopping. University does not have great size -- its largest listed player,



CITY SECTION 3-A INVITATIONAL DIVISION



Garfield (10-3) vs. University (9-4), at Coliseum, 4 p.m. Friday -- Second-seeded Garfield, which defeated Fairfax, 7-0 in the semifinals, depends on defense and a methodical running game led by junior running backs Franky Diaz and Sergio Macedo. Diaz has 17 touchdowns and Macedo 12, and each has rushed for more than 1,000 yards.

Thirteenth-seeded University, which defeated Huntington Park, 29-14, in the other semifinal, also favors the running game, but the Wildcats expect to outscore opponents with their wishbone attack, which is led by senior speedsters Trayon Harris and Travis Rawls. Each has rushed for more than 1,000 yards, with Harris scoring 23 touchdowns and Rawls 16.

Speed is the one element the Garfield defense, led by senior linebacker junior defensive tackle Franklin Nicholson, weighs 225 -- and its defense can be worn down if has to stay on the field for long stretches.

Both teams lost to San Pedro. Garfield beat Fairfax, but University lost to the Lions, 14-8.

A low-scoring game Friday favors the Bulldogs, who won a 2A City title in 1981 and lost the Invitational title to Eagle Rock on a fumble last year. University has never won a City football championship, losing in the last final game in which it played, the 3A, to Westchester in 1987.

--Mike Terry




Wildcats expected to throw a 'bone at Bulldogs

Since L.A. University Coach E.C. Robinson moved Travis Rawls from blocking fullback to running back alongside Trayon Harris two months ago, the Wildcats' wishbone running attack has become more potent and harder to defend.

In six games before the move, the Wildcats (9-4) averaged 28 points a game. In the seven contests after the change, the scoring average jumped to 31. But the difference has been more dramatic during the Invitational playoffs, when University has averaged 38 points.

"By having both Travis and Trayon running instead of Travis just blocking, teams have not been able to key on one guy," Robinson said.

Robinson hopes that Garfield (10-3), his team's opponent in the Invitational championship at 4 p.m. Friday in the Coliseum, isn't overly familiar with the wishbone. That said, the Bulldogs "may be the most balanced team we've seen in the playoffs," Robinson said. "They are very solid defensively, and they can score. They execute well on both sides of the ball."

-- Mike Terry

Hernandez some prior knowledge of Robinson's offense

Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez has never coached against University's coach, E.C. Robinson, or the wishbone offense that Robinson runs.

But Hernandez will bring some previous experience to Friday's game when the second-seeded Bulldogs (10-3) and the 13th-seeded Wildcats (9-4) play for the City Invitational championship.

"When I was a kid playing at Huntington Park, he was coaching at Locke," Hernandez said of Robinson. "We were playing them for a conference championship. And it was the same offense, same everything.

"It will be interesting to see the same thing on Friday that I saw growing up as a kid."

-- Mike Terry









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By RON GUILD, Sports Editor 06.DEC.07

For Garfield High School, it’s better a year later than never.

At least that’s the hope of the Bulldogs, who have earned a return trip to the City Section Invitational Division football championship game where they’ll play University at 4 p.m. Friday at the Coliseum.

They hope it goes better than a year ago when they lost to Eagle Rock on a late touchdown. A fourth-and-one run up the middle turned into a fumble Eagle defensive Josh Jovanelly picked out of the air and returned for the game-winning touchdown.

“We were really torn up not being able to get that half-yard for a first down,” Garfield coach Lorenzo Hernandez said. “It took a lot out of us for about a month as a coaching staff. It was tough losing a heart-breaker like that, which is why I feel blessed to be back.”

A different approach has paid off for the second-seeded Bulldogs, who take a 10-3 record into the City’s lower-division title game.

“We’re trying to focus more on the game and less on the hype,” he said. “We’re telling the kids we’re going to prepare like it is any other game. Last year I think we were a little nervous going in because we didn’t know what to expect.”

While Garfield is a considerably higher seed than the No. 13 of its opponent, Hernandez is not taking University lightly.

Veteran coach E.C. Robinson has the 9-4 Wildcats on a roll in the playoffs by posting wins over Marshall, Franklin and Huntington Park.

Containing University’s speed is the main concern.

“The way they run that wishbone, you have to respect their speed,” Hernandez said. “Their two running backs (Trayone Harris and Travis Rawls) are big, fast and powerful. They don’t go down easy, either.”

Robinson, who has spent the last six years at Uni after 25 years as Locke’s coach, said, “Both of our running backs are being recruited by Pac-10 schools. If you’ve got two good running backs and a good quarterback (Adam Clark) running the option, you can get it done as a team.”

Robinson has plenty of respect for the Bulldogs.

“They’re probably the best 3-A team I’ve seen all year,” he said. “I think they’re a step above Franklin and Huntington Park. They’re real tough and physical and remind me of some of the teams I had at Locke.”

While both teams are run-oriented, there is a contrast in styles.

While Uni relies on deception with its option attack, Garfield runs right at you out of the power-I.

Franky Diaz has 200 carries for 1,165 yards and 17 touchdowns and Sergio Macedo has 164 carries for 1,098 yards and 12 scores while sharing the running back duties for the Bulldogs. In a 7-0 win over Fairfax in the semifinals, Diaz ran for 116 yards and Macedo had 96.

Safety Roy Fonseca’s 32-yard interception return accounted for the game’s only score on a muddy field.

Harris and Rawls are both 1,000-yard rushers. Rawls has been especially hot of late with 600 yards in the three playoff games. Junior Nicholas Franklin anchors a strong Wildcat line.

Defensively, junior cornerback Chazz Miles is a standout. He has three interceptions and 79 tackles. End Dominic Reed, linebacker Justin Camacho and safety Armando Dupree are other standouts on that side of the ball.





Garfield Repeats in City Finals—Hopes for Better Ending

Mario Villegas
Exclusive to EGP

A year after letting a 10-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter of the 2006 City Section Invitational finals, Garfield High School returns to the Coliseum looking for redemption and a title as the Bulldogs play University for the Invitational championship at 4 Friday afternoon.

For Garfield, the road back to the finals has been bumpy, and includes an emotional loss to Roosevelt in the East Los Angeles Classic. But the second-seeded Bulldogs (10-3) avenged the loss to their archrival by defeating the Rough Riders in the first round of the playoffs. They beat El Camino Real in the quarterfinals and Fairfax in the semifinals.

“Getting back to the Coliseum for the second time is tough, and after losing a heartbreaker like we did last year is why I really feel blessed to be going back,” Garfield Coach Lorenzo Hernandez said. “That loss last year really took a lot out of us as a coaching staff.”

Garfield appeared to be on its way to its first City title since 1981, when the Bulldogs took a 17-7 lead over Eagle Rock early in the fourth quarter of a game that it had for the most part dominated. But Eagle Rock scored two touchdowns in the final 5:17 with the last one coming on a 41-yard fumble return to score a stunning victory.

“We’re going to have to stay focused for four quarters to finish the deal,” said linebacker David Lopez, whose All-City caliber season has keyed Garfield’s return to the finals.

The Bulldogs, who have allowed only 26 points in three postseason games, needed four quarters of stellar defense to defeat visiting Fairfax, 7-0, last Friday on a rainy night and mostly muddy field.

Garfield survived a late scoring threat in the closing seconds. After a long pass completion, Fairfax had the ball at the Bulldogs’ 20-yard line in the final minute of play. But after a short completion, the Lions could get no closer as time expired two plays later.

A 32-yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter by cornerback Roy Fonseca accounted for the game’s only score. An interception by safety Mark Torres deep in Garfield territory also stopped a Fairfax scoring threat in the second quarter.

Shutting down University (9-4) appears to be an even tougher task. The Wildcats are averaging 38 points per game in the playoffs with victories over Huntington Park (29-14), Franklin (48-43) and Marshall (37-29).

“You have to respect their (overall) speed and their running backs are fast and powerful,” Hernandez said.

The Wildcats are led by running backs Trayone Harris and Travis Rawls on offense and a Division I college prospect in cornerback Chazz Miles on defense.

University is coached by E.C. Robinson, the dean of coaches in the City with 31 years of service. Robinson spent 25 years at Locke coaching against Garfield for 20 of those before moving over to University, where he is now in his sixth season.

“Garfield is probably the best 3-A team that I’ve seen,” Robinson said, using an old term for Invitational. “They remind me of some of the teams that I had at Locke. They’re real tough and physical.”

The Bulldogs, like Locke, are also led by a pair of running backs in seniors Franky Diaz and Sergio Macedo, both of whom have rushed for over 1,000 yards. Diaz has racked up 1,165 yards and 17 touchdowns on 200 carries, while Macedo has gained 1,098 and 12 touchdowns on 164 attempts. The offense is directed by junior quarterback Patrick Vargas, who is hardly visible behind center Justin Estrada. The Bulldogs also start Efrain Gonzalez and Fausto Salazar at the tackles and Oscar Torres and Edwin Mejia at the guards.

Robinson praised the play of Lopez, the senior who is being recruited by several Pacific 10 conference colleges, including USC. Torres has 147 tackles, including 94 solos and seven sacks.

“He’s the best linebacker I’ve seen all year,” Robinson said. “He can get it done. I’m looking for this to be a great game.”

Afterward, top-seeded Birmingham will play No. 2 Carson in the City Championship game at 8 p.m.