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click here to view Photo Gallery...Roosevelt vs LA Jordan...



click here to view Photo Gallery...Roosevelt vs LA Jordan...






click here to view Photo Gallery...Roosevelt vs LA Jordan...






click here to view Photo Gallery...Roosevelt vs LA Jordan...








click here to view Photo Gallery...Roosevelt vs LA Jordan...


Jordan tops Roosevelt this time

By RON GUILD, Sports Editor



Story Published: Oct 16, 2010 at 6:22 PM PDT

Jordan High School wasn’t about to let this happen again.

After losing to Roosevelt the past two seasons, the Bulldogs were determined to prevail this time. They did, defeating the Rough Riders, 29-3 Friday in convincing fashion in an Eastern League football game.

“The kids had this game circled,” Jordan first-year coach Sheron Butler said. “This is a big win because of the two-year drought.”

It’s also big because it puts Jordan (4-3, 2-1) back in the league title hunt. A loss would likely have relegated them to simply battling for a playoff berth and a likely road game in the first round.

Jordan got this win by changing its approach.

A week after launching 56 passes in a loss at Garfield, the Bulldogs mixed a running game (237 yards) with some welll-timed passing (167 yards) to hand Roosevelt (5-2, 2-1) its first league loss.

Abdul Castaneda, who rushed for 135 yards on 13 carries, including a 33-yard TD run and a 68-yard non-scoring dash, and added another 55 yards on two receptions, spearheaded Jordan’s attack.

“Abdul is an amazing kid,” Butler said. “We tried to give him the ball as many times as possible.”

Butler feels a more balanced approach is critical to success once the playoffs arrive.

“We want to keep teams off balance and we want to get ready for the playoffs and show teams we can run the ball.”

Jordan didn’t throw as often, but was still effective, as Justin Lewis went 7-of-14 and had scoring passes to Jackyle Cooper and Robert McCovery. The Bulldogs also got a 26-yard field goal from Jesus Sanchez.

Butler was quick to credit the defense, pointing to the job done by coordinator Mario Ybarra.

“I have to give him a lot of credit,” he said. “We made a lot (four of five) fourth-down stops.”

The Bulldogs also got a defensive TD when Leroy Kelsey picked off a screen pass from Andony Flores and returned it 61 yards with 26 seconds left in the half.

That was one of two passes (the other was incomplete) attempted by the Riders, who did rush for 204 yards. Flores gained 96 on 12 carries and Ricardo Estrada had 83 on 21.

Roosevelt was without its two best backs — Jesse Lira and Elgin Rosales — yet coach Javier Cid refused to use that as an excuse.

“We feel that whoever we put in there, they will do the job,” he said. “I felt this game would be close even with those two kids out.”

Roosevelt not only had the interception run back for a score, but lost a fumble and was stopped a couple of times deep in Jordan territory on downs.

“That hurt not scoring on those two opportunities,” he said.

Cid is looking forward to the bye week before returning to action Oct. 29 against Bell.

“We need the week off because we’re banged up,” he said. “We’ll use it to regroup.”