Following a backlash of controversy
from a 106-0 victory last week over cross-town rival Morningside, unbeaten
Inglewood (Calif.) is back in action Friday with perhaps the best first-round Southern Section playoff match-up of the night. The Sentinels travel to face
St. Bonaventure (Ventura) in a battle of 9-0 teams that were supposed to meet in a season opener, only to be canceled by COVID-19.
The visitors feature at least eight future Division I players, including quarterback
Justyn Martin, who last week committed to UCLA before throwing a state record 13 touchdowns in the win over Morningside. The 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior broke the California record of 10 set by David Koral of Palisades (Pacific Palisades) in 1999. The total was the second most nationally, behind only Arthur Smith of Nebraska, who threw 15 in a game 100 years ago in 1921.
Numerous governing bodies and high school officials publicly blasted the lopsided score and even Martin's record as three of the touchdowns came in the second half.
Inglewood quarterback Justyn Martin on the run during last week's game with Morningside.
Photo by Nick Koza
Inglewood Principal Debbie Tate tweeted an apology from the school and third-year coach Mil'von James, who has turned around the program from a winless team in 2018 to going 25-1 since he took over. During this season, the Sentinels had not scored more than 59 points in any game.
With the controversy apparently behind them, the Sentinels now focus on a very strong St. Bonaventure team and program that captured back-to-back CIF state Division III championships in 2007 and 2008. The Seraphs won 65 games between 2004-2008, before having to forfeit all 11 wins in 2009 for an ineligible player.
Todd Therrien, who guided the teams to the two state titles, coached three more years after 2009 and led the Seraphs to 32 more wins. Since then, St. Bonaventure has gone 52-34 with four head coaches, the last two seasons under Joe Goyeneche (13-1).
The current squad has outscored opponents 400-74, led offensively by running back
Delon Thompson (124 carries, 980 yards, 17 touchdowns), quarterback
Manny Rosales (1,568 total yards, 19 touchdowns) and wide receiver
Joaquin Johnson (31 catches, 376 yards, four touchdowns), all juniors.
St. Bonaventure leading rusher Delon Thompson during a 65-13 win over Crespi earlier this season.
Photo by Samuel Mawanda
Other top players for the Seraphs are 6-4, 240-pound tight end
Cody Hoffman (18 catches, 360 yards, eight TDs), two-way lineman
Larry Avila (6-2, 305) and linebacker
Ben Hall (team-high 55 tackles).
Besides Martin, rated the No. 24 senior recruit in the state by 247Sports, other top players for Inglewood are athlete
Clint Stephens (ranked No. 28, UCLA commit), linebacker
Joey Hickman (No. 46, Washington State), running back
Tomarion Harden (No. 66, UCLA), athlete
Damon Williams (No. 87), linebacker
Marshon Oxley (No. 90, San Diego State) and wide receivers
Justus Ross-Simmons (No. 115) and
Louis Brown (No. 131, Nevada).
