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RON GUILD interviews De’Anthony Thomas after Crenshaws big win



Thomas leads Crenshaw to repeat performance


By RON GUILD, Sports Editor

Story Published: Dec 11, 2010 at 5:34 PM PST

(Story Updated: Dec 13, 2010 at 2:34 PM PST )


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Saturday’s performance at the Coliseum could be looked at as the ideal closing act to a storied high school career or a preview of coming attractions for a future USC Trojan.

From either perspective, Crenshaw’s De’Anthony Thomas displayed all the skills that make him one of the nation’s top 10 prep football players in helping the Cougars repeat as City Section Division I champions with a 45-7 victory over Carson.

He rushed for 136 yards on 12 carries, scoring on a spectacular 12-yard run in which he had to completely reverse his field, and intercepted two passes, returning one 14 yards for a touchdown and another 18 yards to set up the scoring run.

“I was just trying to make plays for the team,” he said modestly.

Besides the two interceptions, the reverse-field TD run was the one that brought the crowd to its feet.

“It was supposed to be a halfback pass, but the receiver was not open, so I just tried to take it myself,” he said.

As for the fact he’ll be getting opportunities to do similar feats at the Coliseum in a USC uniform in the coming years, he said, “It hasn’t hit me yet.”

Crenshaw (12-2) demolished the top-seeded Colts (11-3) with a defense that forced eight turnovers, five on interceptions.

Alo, one of the City’s elite passers, was picked off four times, two of which were returned for TDs (by Thomas and Shaquille Shelton) in the first quarter. Earl Glinton put the finishing touches to a spectacular defensive effort by returning an interception of a Marcus Wright pass 64 yards for a TD with 2:04 left.

Linebacker Qujuan Floyd, who had a couple of tackles for losses, returned another interception 51 yards to the Carson 8-yard line to set up a 26-yard field goal by Jose Arias with two seconds left in the half.

For good measure, special teams came through when Yohance Salimu blocked a punt through the back of the end zone for a third-quarter safety.

Still, it took a 27-point outburst in the fourth quarter to finally break open a game that was marred by turnovers and penalties on both sides, leading to an unevenly-played contest.


Had not Carson’s Tracey Harris picked off passes in the end zone and at the five-yard line, Crenshaw’s first-half lead could have been huge.

“The first and second quarters, we came out real slow because we weren’t used to the weather,” Thomas said. “We’re not used to playing at 1 p.m., we’re used to playing at night. But we had a good halftime speech. We knew we had to come out and play better in the second half.”

“We played a great team,” Carson coach Elijah Asante said. “I think they can score anywhere on the field. I thought our defense did a great job, but their defense shut down our offense. Their defensive line (led by James Brock and Salimu) dominated us up front.”

Carson’s lone bright spot was a 19-yard scoring pass from Alo to Darreus Rogers (six catches for 60 yards) with 6:55 remaining.

Crenshaw responded with a four-yard scoring run by Shelton and Glinton’s pick-six.

Scoring summary
Crenshaw 45, Carson 7
First quarter
Cre-Thomas, 14 interception return (Arias kick)
Cre-Shelton, 37 interception return (kick failed)
Second quarter
Cre-Arias, 26 FG
Third quarter
Cre-Safety, Salimu blocks punt through end zone
Fourth quarter
Cre-Williams, 7 pass from McConico (Arias kick)
Cre-Thomas, 12 run (kick failed)
Car-Rogers, 19 pass from Alo (Lorente kick)
Cre-Shelton, 4 run (Arias kick)
Cre-Glinton, 64 interception return (Arias kick)

Statistics
Passing
Crenshaw: McConico 6-11-2 52, Thompson 1-3-0 11; Carson: Alo 32-4 158, Wright 0-1-1 0
Rushing
Crenshaw: Thomas 12-136, Floyd 9-46, Shelton 12-41, Roman 1-3, Thompson 1-3, Walker 1-2; Carson: Willis 12-44, Walker 4-14, Sparks 5-9, Johnson 1-2, Wright 1-(-8)
Receiving
Crenshaw: Williams 2-39, Thompson 2-12, King 1-11, Hatfield 1-6, Thomas 1-(-5); Carson: Rogers 6-60, Langdon 3-20, Willis 2-23, Sparks 2-21, Bennett 1-14, Johnson 1-16, Wright 1-4


















































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