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Southeast...29....Roosevelt..36



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By RON GUILD, Sports Editor 23.OCT.08

In the view of Roosevelt High School coach Javier Cid, there’s only one way to slow down Jordan’s high-powered spread offense.

And that’s to play keep-away.

Cid’s theory gets tested Friday when the Rough Riders (6-1, 3-0) take on Jordan (3-3, 2-0) at Gardena.

Roosevelt, which has a half-game lead over Jordan and Garfield (3-3, 2-0), is coming off a 36-29 victory over South East. The challenge will be improving on that considering Jordan quarterback James Boyd is coming off a performance in which he passed for 424 yards and six touchdowns in a 42-0 rout of Bell.

“They’ve got a lot of speed and are very athletic, so we’re going to try and slow the game down as much as possible,” Cid said. “They have an excellent quarterback who makes things happen and five great athletes at wide receiver.

“We’re going to get in our jumbo package and try to run the ball, to possess it as much as possible.”

The Rough Riders are hardly hurting themselves from an offensive standpoint. Jesse Diaz completed 15 of 21 passes for 250 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 70 yards on nine carries to key an offense that piled up 486 yards against South East (1-6, 0-3).

Manny Ayon (seven catches for 104 yards, TD), Alex Ramirez (35-yard scoring reception) and Tino Lomeli (12-yarder) give Diaz some excellent targets to throw to.

But if Cid’s plan goes the way he wants, running backs Jonathan Alatriste (seven carries for 56 yards against South East) and Jose Guillen (four for 32, TD) have to be productive.

“We don’t want to get into a passing match with them,” Cid said. “We want to pound them.”

Boyd, who has thrown for 2,170 yards and 20 touchdowns in six games, will not make it easy for Roosevelt to carry out its game plan.

Receivers Deshawn Beck, Delvon Purvis, Brandon Caldwell and Robert Lewis have made life miserable for opponents once they get into space. Caldwell caught six for 120 yards and a touchdown and Purvis caught five for 81 and a score against Bell.

Cid feels fortunate to be heading into this game still undefeated in league.

South East, behind quarterback Jonathan Reyes (12-of-28 for 132 yards, two TDs), converted four fourth-and-10 plays and recovered an onsides kick in the fourth quarter to keep the outcome in doubt until the end.

Reyes had scoring passes to Jorge Lopez and Fernando Magana and Senen Carson rushed for 124 yards and another touchdown to pace the Jaguars.

“They almost pulled it out,” Cid said. “Jonathan Reyes did real well and so did their receivers. They’re 1-6, but playing pretty good football. That’s the best 1-6 team I’ve ever seen. They could have won that game.”