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Carson Shuts Out Crenshaw 36 to 0, Claims City Title and Punches Regional Ticket

By
Felicia Enriquez
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Photo by Kendall Howard

LOS ANGELES CA — Under the lights at LA Southwest College, two sides of the stadium filled fast. Carson families stood strong in navy and white on one end and Crenshaw alumni crowded the other, ready to lift their Cougars. Two historic LA programs and two proud communities filled with tradition met with everything on the line. Crenshaw entered at 10 and 1 with one of the hottest streaks in the city and the confidence of a team that had overcome adversity with an interim staff. Carson arrived at 9 and 3 as the number one seed carrying Marine League discipline and a first year head coach looking to prove this team belonged back on top.

Once the whistles blew, the Colts proved it.

The scoring opened early in the second quarter when Zack Brock pushed through for a 12 yard rushing touchdown to give Carson an early lead. The momentum grew fast. Darron Patton flipped the stadium with a 35 yard punt return touchdown that stretched the lead and sent the Carson crowd into full celebration. Moments later, quarterback Chris Fields III dropped a perfect 42 yard touchdown pass to Royal Moore. Carson went for two and converted to push the margin to 22 to 0.

Photo by Kendall Howard

Carson kept pressure on Crenshaw. Craig Walker broke loose on an end around, taking the handoff behind the formation and beating the defense to the edge for another touchdown that expanded the advantage. On the next defensive possession, Patton struck again. He jumped a pass and took it back for a pick six that lifted the lead to 36 to 0 and showed complete control of the game.

Crenshaw tried to respond in the third quarter with its best drive of the night, but sophomore corner Bennie Saulter made the defensive play of the game. He intercepted a pass in the end zone and erased the Cougars’ only real chance at scoring. That moment ended any hope Crenshaw had of getting on the board.

After the win, Head Coach Lowe shared the significance of the moment.

“I feel great but I feel really good for the alumni and the kids and their parents and everybody that’s been waiting 22 years for this. I’m really happy for the kids.”

He praised the growth of his team.

“We have been getting better each week. It is a testament to their practice habits. Our kids practice really hard and it shows at the end of the year.”

On what comes next he added:

“We will play next week in the regional and then give them a couple weeks off and get back in the weight room. This shows our kids that hard work pays off.”

He also credited his staff.

“You are only as good as your assistant coaches. We have a really really good coaching staff. They coach all three phases really hard and it shows.”

Carson shut out a 10 win Crenshaw team and dominated from every angle which placed them back in the spotlight of LA high school football.

Photo by Kendall Howard

The Colts will host RF Kennedy from Delano in the CIF Division 3 A Regional Championship on Saturday December 7 at 6 pm at Carson High School.

Carson looks ready for the next stage.

Oregon handles the Washington fight

By
Jennifer Moore
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Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News

SEATTLE, WA — No. 6 Oregon leaned on a suffocating defense and a pair of explosive second-half plays to defeat Washington 26–14 on Saturday, Nov. 29, and keep its Big Ten title hopes alive.

The Ducks (11–1, 8–1 Big Ten) extended the nation’s longest active road winning streak to 12 games and secured their third straight season with at least 11 victories. Oregon also improved to 17–1 all-time in Big Ten play and 9–0 on the road since joining the conference, earning its first win in Seattle since 2021.

Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News

Oregon controlled the game from the opening snap, scoring first for the 42nd straight victory when doing so. Quarterback Dante Moore capped a steady second-quarter drive with a 1-yard keeper — his first collegiate rushing touchdown — to push the lead to 10–0. Moore finished 20 of 29 for 286 yards and a touchdown, marking the 10th game this season in which he has thrown for a score.

“We knew coming into Seattle that nothing was going to be given to us,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “Our defense set the tone early, and the guys never flinched. That’s the identity of this team — poise, toughness and finish.”

Washington closed within 19–14 early in the fourth quarter before Oregon answered immediately. Moore found Malik Benson streaking down the sideline for a 64-yard touchdown, the longest reception of Benson’s Oregon career and his first 100-yard receiving game. Benson finished with five catches for 102 yards.

Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News

“That touchdown to Malik felt like the moment we got control back,” Moore said. “Washington had just scored, the crowd was loud, and we wanted to answer right away. I trusted Malik to win that matchup, and he did.”

Oregon’s defense did the rest. The Ducks, who have not lost a game under coach Dan Lanning when allowing 14 points or fewer, held Washington to 283 total yards and only 129 through the air. The Huskies completed just 15 of 30 passes and failed to record a first down on their opening possession for the ninth time in 12 games against a defense that has now given up only 90 first-through-third-quarter points all season.

Tight end Jamari Johnson contributed three catches for a career-high 60 yards, while Jeremiah McClellan added 78 yards on three receptions, including gains of 35 and 41. Oregon finished with 106 rushing yards, extending its streak to 25 straight wins when surpassing the 100-yard mark.

Photo by Jacob Teng / fi360 News

Lanning, now 46–7 at Oregon and 32–4 in conference play, tied Chip Kelly for the fourth-most wins in program history. The Ducks have won 39 straight games against unranked opponents and 12 consecutive November contests.

Washington still leads the all-time series 63-50-5, but Oregon has won the last two meetings as it continues its dominant start to Big Ten membership.

Dunn derails Pepperdine, 82-52 delivered by 27 team assists for USC second straight home win

By
Charle' Moore
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Los Angeles, CA- Senior Transfer Forward Kara Dunn racked up 19 points and Freshman Guard Jazzy Davidson chipped in 18 to lead No. 18 USC in a dominant fashion against Pepperdine, 82-52 on an early Friday evening at the Galen Center.

“I thought that was a really good challenge for us. Shout out to Coach Katie [Faulkner] who has turned Pepperdine around here pretty quickly,” USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “[Coach Courtney] Jaco did a great scout…”

While the coaches did their best on scouting, their team executed the plans efficiently led by Dunn whom finished the game 8-of-10 from the field, 3-of-4 from three-point line plus two steals.

“We tried to really execute. We wanted to hold them under 30% from three and we did that,” coach Gottlieb said. “We wanted to turn them over a bunch and we also did that. I thought we shared the ball well, 27 assists on 31 baskets is exceptional. [I’m] happy with a good team effort…”

Sophomore Forward Kennedy Smith held down the team’s facilitator role on offense, dishing out a career-high seven assists while starting point guard Malia Samuels sat out today due to what coach Gottlieb described briefly as a “lingering” injury.

Smith added to her stat line with nine points, three rebounds and three steals. Senior Transfer Guard Londynn Jones and Davidson was apart of ‘the sharing is caring committee,’ both handing out five assists apiece.

“I think Kennedy [Smith] is really elite as a disrupter, and I thought everyone else fed off of her,” coach Gottlieb said. “It helped us to kind of change the tempo of the game when it was a little tight there early in the first quarter.”

USC’s offense progressed tremendously over their past couple of games while continuing to build around their defensive rotations whether denying shots or passing lanes. Speaking of being denied, Davidson got three of the eight today, including a “pump  your brakes” one behind the arc on Meghan Fiso to close the first half, 47-26.

“I thought our defensive [and] point of attack was really good,” coach Gottlieb said. “Our bigs [were] guarding bigs that shoot the three and [were] dominating their matchup…”

While Dunn found herself in a bit of foul trouble with their concerted aggressiveness on defense, it did not slow down her momentum of attacking the Waves’ both in the paint and behind the arc.

“It goes back to having so many people be threats and be able to score,” Dunn said. “I think that having people that can shoot, people that can post up, it opens the floor up for all of us. I think having versatile team members and having multiple ways of attack is really good for us.”

The Trojans (5-2) led the entire game and never took their foot off the gas, riding the Waves(4-2) to the final buzzer. 

Elli Guiney led Pepperdine with 12 points and Fiso contributed 11. The Waves have never won against the Women of Troy as today marked  their 20th career loss. 

Pepperdine outrebounded USC by three boards but hit only one 3-pointer out of 13.

USC forced 18 turnovers and maximized on it by tallying 24 points. Women of Troy cashed in on 27 assists and robbed the Waves with 10 steals. Great showing of teamwork and maturity to sustain such effort, especially in front of hosting USC verbal commit, Saniyah Hall whom you could spot chatting it up with Women of Troy legend Cheryl Miller during halftime.

“It’s really good to have [ Londynn Jones and Kara Dunn]in the gym,” Sophomore Forward Vivian Iwuchukwu said about their team’s senior veterans. “And outside of the experience, people like Kennedy… have a lot of experience from last year. They’re really good outlets to go to… They are so composed in the heat of the moment and it’s really easy to go to them and ask them questions like that.”

USC returns to hosting duties next Tuesday when they face another out of conference, in state university, Saint Mary’s.

Freshman Davidson’s double-double upturns USC over Tennessee Tech, 85-44

By
Charle' Moore
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Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News

Los Angeles, Ca- USC bounced back with blocks and boards to beat Tennessee Tech, 85-44 on Tuesday night at the Galen Center, following a tough last second shot loss against No. 24 Notre Dame over the weekend.  

“The team took a really tough loss the other night and came back with a concerted effort to be better,” USC’s head coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “The only thing we can do is continue to improve. And what I love about this group is we have so much exciting room for improvement, and I thought we saw some of it tonight.”

Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News

Freshmen Guard Jazzy Davidson once again ignited her team on their home floor, dazzling on both ends of the court, with her first double-double of the season, 20 points and 16 rebounds, a career high, leading her team to victory.

“We’re still tinkering with a lot of lineups, but we know Jazzy is capable of impacting in so many different ways,” coach Gottlieb said. “And with her unique abilities, we were able to put Londynn in some spots that she made shots.”

Women of Troy began on a 9-0 run, closing the first quarter, 22-8. From there, USC scored slightly over 20 points per quarter to lead the entire game and cruise through the second half given coach Gottlieb another opportunity to empty her bench at home after another lopsided victory.  

Senior Guard Londynn Jones came off the bench, and was on fire for the night, shooting 7-of-9 from the field, including four triples, to finish with 20 points. Her final three pointer was like a nail in the coffin, putting her team up 42 points, 80-38, before subbing out the game. 

“A couple of things are happening right,” coach Gottlieb said about her team’s improved shooting the past recent games. “There’s a team, right, regression to the mean, where are our shooters have missed shots…will eventually even out. But it’s more than that, they’ve put the work in.”

Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News

Davidson caught a fire in the first half, shooting 6-of-9, including 50 percent from deep, and three assist without any turnovers. Both Jones and Davidson were in double figures by halftime with USC up 43-19.

“I’m playing at my own pace and not letting the defense speed me up is a huge emphasis for me,” Davidson said. “I’m learned that from Londynn and as I’m getting more experience under my belt at this level.”

Golden Eagles could hardly score, shooting 6-of-34 in the half, and finishing the game shooting 21.5 percent from field goal, 23.8 percent from threes, and 44 percent from the charity stripe.

Women of Troy had 15 blocks for the game which Coach Gottlieb announced during the postgame press conference “as the program’s second most in a game since 1984.” Ten of those ‘denials’ came in the first half. Redshirt -Freshman Forward Laura Williams led the block party with four, Junior Center Yakiya Milton added three and Davidson two.

Chloe Larry and Cam Mathews scored 12 points apiece to lead the Eagles (4-2). Reghan Grimes, Tech’s leading scorer, scored seven points almost half of her average, 15.2 points per game.

Women of Troy outrebounded the Golden Eagles, 49-38, as well outscored them in the paint, 40-16. Sophomore Forward Vivian Iwuchukwu poured in 11 points, a career-high, on 5-of-6 field goals in the paint along with three rebounds and two blocks.

Photo by DeAngelo Scruggs / fi360 News

“[Vivian] really seeks out the feedback,” coach Gottlieb said. “She is the first one to ask for film after the game. She has been in the gym a ton, and has been very hungry to get better. That progress is showing. She is a great example of continuing to progress. Watch the film, put the work in, and that’s when things improve.”

Next USC (4-2) returns home to face nearby university, Pepperdine, on Friday afternoon for the second straight home game out of six homestead.

Stafford Leads Rams To Blowout Win

By
Christopher Floch
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INGLEWOOD, CA– The Los Angeles Rams pummeled the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 34-7 at SoFi Stadium on Sunday, November 23rd. Matthew Stafford was sensational, leading the Rams to their sixth victory in a row.

At a mark of (9-2), Los Angeles sheer domination has them standing alone atop the NFC as the NO. 1 Seed, as well as a favorite to reach Super Bowl LX. Stafford has emerged as the MVP front runner; he completed 25 of his 35 passes for 273 yards and three touchdowns.

In what was supposed to be a potential player preview between two NFC division leaders, it proved to be a blowout from the kickoff.

Adams (17) Photo by Jevone Moore

After forcing Tampa Bay to punt on its opening possession, the Rams proceeded to march 80 yards down the field and cap off a 10-play drive with a Stafford touchdown pass to Davante Adams.

That was the first of two touchdowns for the duo in the opening half, while Stafford piled up three scores through the air overall.

Not to be overshadowed, the defense also got in on the fun. In the first quarter, corner Cobie Durant ripped the football away from tight end Cade Otton and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown.

Rams- Super Bowl bound? After the 34-7 mauling of Baker Mayfield and the Bucs-this team has the look. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Eagles blowing a 21-point lead to the Dallas Cowboys earlier on Sunday, has boosted Los Angeles to the top spot in the NFC coming out of Week 12.

Bucs Quarterback Baker Mayfield was knocked out of the game after he suffered a left shoulder injury in the first half, and would not return in the deflating loss. Dropping their third loss in a row, the Bucs record is (6-5) while their playoff prospects are in jeopardy in a congested NFC.

Photo by Jevone Moore

Stafford is the betting favorite to win NFL MVP, and it’s easy to see why. The Rams quarterback began the night completing his first 12 pass attempts, which allowed Los Angeles to easily build up a lead over the Bucs.

Including a brilliant no-look TD pass to Tight End Colby Parkinson.  The “MVP!” chants were loud and present at SoFi Stadium as Matthew Stafford was putting on the full display of what has turned his 17th NFL season into his best yet.

Hands down the play  of the night belongs to Rams Defensive Back Cobie Durant.

Durant ripped the ball away from Otton. As Otton bobbled the ball when trying to make the catch, the Rams corner was able to get his hands in there and rip it away. Durant then had a relatively easy lane to the end zone for a 50-yard pick six, which was more like a rip six.

This was Durant’s second career interception return for a touchdown. A relentless defense is what the Rams have displayed all season.

It seems as if we have finally found our kicker. Harrison Mevis is now 13-for-13 on extra points, and he got to try his first two field goal attempts and knocked those through from 40 and 52 yards.

The Rams run of winning six games in a row will be tested, heading to Carolina to face the Panthers in Week 13.

Bruins bypass shutout gets blown out by Huskies,48-14

By
Charle' Moore
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Huskies running back Jordan Washington (4) from Long Beach Jordan High School. Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

Pasadena, CA – UCLA’s upset of the unranked Washington did not unfold as they were unable to pull off a fairytale ending at the Rose Bowl for perhaps their final game as the crowd cheered while others veered their anger towards the Bruins’ AD, demanding his resignation as he stood by himself behind the team on the sidelines in seemingly disbelief or despair for such a disappointing loss, 48-14.

Bruins was down by two touchdowns leading up to halftime when a fake field goal attempt converted into a breakaway touchdown for the Huskies to go up 20-0. 

Nico (9) under pressure. Photo by Jevone Moore

Huskies extended their lead right out of halftime, to 34, while the Bruins piled on penalties with missteps by both teams, offense and defense, respectively.

“We just couldn’t stop the bleeding,” interim head coach Tim Skipper said. “They just kept making plays, and making plays. Turnovers are always going to kill you.“

UCLA continued to fight throughout the game regardless of the score disparity and forced a fumble in the final period that led to a 13-yard run touchdown. “

“Always much love for the fans that stayed throughout all four quarters, even on our Bruin Walk there were a lot of people, supporting us and things,” interim coach Skipper said. “That felt good…Tonight, the score wasn’t our way, but we kept fighting. We’ll need to do that next week also.”

Photo by Jevone Moore

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava did not return in the game after being sacked by multiple Huskies resulting into injury timeout then assisting him up on his feet to be escorted off the field. No update came about his status during the postgame press conference. He finished with a total of 69 yards off 16 of 26 passes.

“It’s unfortunate to see him go down again. I hope nothing but the best for his health and he recovers fast,“ UCLA redshirt senior offensive lineman Garrett DiGiorgio said. “It’s honestly a part of the sport we play and we’re forced to face those injuries. All we can do is try and get back as fast as possible and I know that’s what Nico is going to do to prioritize his health and get back to the sport he loves.”

Then entered Luke Duncan, UCLA backup quarterback, came on the field in the third and completed five of 11 passes for 81 yards including a 37-yard touchdown in a play action across centerfield to Mikey Matthews. 

Omari Evans catches toss receiver reverse. Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

“It was huge. Anytime you can create some momentum is good,” UCLA redshirt sophomore defensive back Cole Martin said. “We played our butts off the entire game, and that play sparked us for sure.”

Bruins battled back to beat off a shutout but were overpowered and outplayed by the Huskies in total yards, 426-207. 

“I feel like we’re a gritty team and we’re not going to give up even when the odds are stacked against us,” DiGiorgio said. “We’re going to play all four quarters, no matter what happens. I think that those momentum swings just made us want to play a little bit harder.”

Washington (8-3, 5-3 Big 10) quarterback Demond Williams Jr. completed 17 of 26 passes for 213 yards and two passing touchdowns. He ran for total of 56 yards plus a couple of rush touchdowns.

Fumble returned for a touchdown. Photo by Jevone Moore / fi360 News

UCLA (3-8, 3-5) faces next Saturday on November 29th crosstown rival USC in its final regular-season Big 10 game. Game time is set for 4:30 p.m. (PT). Bruins away game will be nationally televised by NBC at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

Costly blunders in fourth quarter lead to CU BUFF’s late home defeat

By
Devon Martinez
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Colorado Julian Lewis (10) shrugs off Arizona State Adrian Wilson (6) in the second quarter at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO on Saturday November 22, 2025. Arizona State won by a score of 42 to 17. (Photo by Laura Domingue/fi360 News)

Boulder, CU – The Colorado Buffaloes were down by four heading in the fourth quarter but ended up losing 42-17 by the end due to fumbles and botched plays. Heading into the game at Folsom Field, the Buffaloes had little to play for with a losing season guaranteed and no hope for a bowl game.

“I’m not gonna say it’s demoralizing. It’s tough,” Coach Deon Sanders said after the game. “In that situation of football, we got to be much better than that, and we didn’t.”

Arizona State Derek Eusebio (83) drops to make a first quarter reception in front of Colorado Preston Hodge (4) at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO on Saturday November 22, 2025. Arizona State won by a score of 42 to 17. (Photo by Laura Domingue/fi360 News)

Both offenses began the first quarter with slow starts and back-to-back punts. Arizona scored first, a 39-yard field goal. Colorado responded late towards the end of the quarter on a four play 57-yard touchdown drive, which ended with a seven-yard touchdown run from junior Dallan Hayden.

The Arizona State Sun Devils scored on two more drives before the end of the half, one touchdown and a field goal with five-second left, leading to a one-score 13-7 lead.

Colorado then scored on a six-play 79-yard drive first drive back after the half. Freshman Julian Lewis threw the touch touchdown pass, calm and collected in the pocket, to the deep left end of the field to Junior Omarion Miller, giving Colorado the lead.

Colorado Dallan Hayden (7) goes to stiff arm Arizona State Elijah O’Neal (9) in the third quarter at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO on Saturday November 22, 2025. Arizona State won by a score of 42 to 17. (Photo by Laura Domingue/fi360 News)

“I tease Omarian every day like, ‘I don’t know how you do it,’” Sanders said. “He’s not a four-three guy, but he knows how to run half routes. He knows how to use his leverage. He knows how to get out of the jam.”

Arizona responded with a touchdown, taking the lead again, and on their next drive, fumbled in field-goal range, giving Colorado an easy field goal.

The Buffaloes were down 21-17 heading into the fourth quarter. They had the ball again after another ASU fumble. They were poised for an upset. Lewis tossed it to graduate student Sincere Brown, who darted through ASU’s defense for a 25-yard gain to the 26-yard line.

CU had success throughout the game running the football with Hayden and sophomore Micah Welch. They had a combined 107 yards on 12 carries. Welch finished the night with five carries for 51 yards and Hayden with 10 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown.

Arizona State Martell Hughes (18) makes the tackle on Colorado Micah Welch (29) in the fourth quarter at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO on Saturday November 22, 2025. Arizona State won by a score of 42 to 17. (Photo by Laura Domingue/fi360 News)

The fumble and drive had placed Colorado into a prime situation.

Sanders sent sophomore Ronald Coleman to the field, a walk-on receiver who weeks ago converted to running back and had played two snaps all season. Coleman lost his footing and grip and fumbled the ball without being touched by a defender.

“The gentleman who fumbled, that’s on me. I put him in the game,” Sanders said, adding, “tried to have a change of pace. Figured he was gonna hit it, and he hit it and he fumbled it. Is what it is.”

Arizona State Raleek Brown (3) runs by Colorado Arden Walker (53) in the fourth quarter at Folsom Field in Boulder, CO on Saturday November 22, 2025. Arizona State won by a score of 42 to 17. (Photo by Laura Domingue/fi360 News)

ASU scored on their final three drives, each over 70 yards. Colorado’s defense before the fourth quarter forced four turnover and held ASU’s run game in check. However, in the fourth allowed 205 yards on the ground in the final nine minutes.

Colorado is now 3-8 and heads to Kansas State for their final match of the season.

SDSU shuts down San Jose St cold

By
Jennifer Moore
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Photo by Rashad Griffin / fi360 News

SAN DIEGO, CA — San Diego State relied on a stifling defense and timely special-teams plays to grind out a 25–3 victory over San Jose State on Saturday night at Snapdragon Stadium, closing out its home schedule with one of its most complete performances of the season.

The Aztecs (9-2 Overall 6-1 Conference) held the Spartans without a touchdown, limited them to a single first-half field goal and created constant backfield pressure, setting the tone early in a game dominated by field position. San Jose State (record not provided) struggled to sustain drives, crossing midfield only twice after halftime and finishing with fewer than 250 total yards.

Photo by Rashad Griffin / fi360 News

San Diego State opened the scoring with a first-quarter safety, the result of a botched exchange that the Spartans were forced to fall on in their own end zone. The Aztecs capitalized on the ensuing possession, driving 54 yards to set up a short touchdown run that stretched the lead to 9–0. They never trailed.

A pair of second-quarter field goals pushed the margin to 15–3 at halftime, and SDSU’s defense handled the rest. Early in the third quarter, the Aztecs blocked a punt, recovering at the San Jose State 11-yard line. Three plays later, a quick slant for a touchdown made it 22–3. A late field goal in the fourth quarter sealed the final margin.

Photo by Rashad Griffin / fi360 News

Head coach Sean Lewis praised the defense’s physicality and discipline, noting that the group “dictated the tempo from the opening snap.” He added, “When we’re flying around like that—tight coverage, smart pressure, winning first down—our whole team feeds off it. This was the identity game we’ve been pushing toward.”

Linebacker Miles Brooks, who led the Aztecs with nine tackles and a forced fumble, said the unit came in motivated. “All week we talked about closing out at home the right way,” Brooks said. “We wanted to make a statement, and I think we did. Everyone trusted the call, trusted each other, and it showed.”

Photo by Rashad Griffin / fi360 News

San Diego State now turns its attention to its regular-season finale traveling to New Mexico to faceoff with the Lobos at 12:30pm. San Jose State will look to regroup after one of its lowest offensive outputs of the year as they host a tough Fresno St Bulldogs to end the season at 7:30pm kickoff.

Oregon takes down USC to move on

By
Jennifer Moore
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Photo by Ben Amon / fi360 News

EUGENE, Ore. — No. 7 Oregon delivered a statement performance Saturday, beating No. 15 USC 42–27 to all but extinguish the Trojans’ College Football Playoff hopes. The Ducks (10–1, 7–1) seized control early and held off a stubborn USC rally at Autzen Stadium.

Quarterback Dante Moore threw for 257 yards and two touchdowns, while Noah Whittington ran for 104 yards and added a late 9-yard score to seal the win. Kenyon Sadiq hauled in six catches for 72 yards and both of Moore’s scoring passes.

USC’s Jayden Maiava passed for 306 yards and three touchdowns — two to Makai Lemon — but the Trojans (8–3, 6–2) were unable to overcome Oregon’s balance and depth.

A key turning point came just before halftime, when Malik Benson returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown, putting Oregon ahead for good.

On the ensuing drive, linebacker Bryce Boettcher punched in a 1-yard touchdown to give the Ducks a 28–14 cushion at the break.

The Trojans stayed in it midway through the third quarter when Maiava connected with Lemon on a 4-yard pass, but Moore responded with a 28-yard strike to Sadiq to extend Oregon’s lead.

In the fourth, USC reached the red zone again after back-to-back pass interference calls against Oregon, and Maiava found tight end Lake McRee for a 9-yard touchdown; their two-point try failed.

Photo by Jordon Kelly / fi360 News

With 5:30 left, Oregon’s Whittington powered into the end zone to make it 42–27, draining the clock on a disciplined, clock-consuming drive.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning praised his team’s resilience: “We know they were going to throw some punches … I was really pleased with the guys being able to hit the reset button and saying, ‘Let’s go again.’”

            Meanwhile, Moore, acknowledging the emotional stakes on Senior Day, said, “At the end of the day … you can’t let emotions take over … with the emotions come negativity.”

The win strengthens Oregon’s playoff resume and sets up a crucial season finale at Washington next week. For USC, the loss likely ends their postseason dreams — but coach Lincoln Riley remained defiant: “We had some penalties … we were gutsy … but in the end we were just a couple of plays short.”

Behind Head Coach Lowe and a Locked-In Defense, the Colts Storm Into the City Championship

By
Felicia Enriquez
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Photo by Jordon Kelly / fi360 News

Carson, CA – Coming off one of their most complete performances of the season, the Carson Colts — led by head coach Lowe — punched their ticket to the City Championship with a commanding 40–7 win over Garfield. The victory was equal parts discipline, physicality, and intentional coaching, and it sends Carson into next week’s title game at Southwest College with real momentum and a clear identity.

For a team that has been steadily building toward this moment, Friday night felt like a statement: Carson isn’t sneaking into the championship. They’re arriving with the door fully open.

Carson’s defensive unit has been the backbone of their playoff run, and Friday night was another example of why. Defensive coordinator Jeff “Goob” Johnson had his group playing fast, smart, and with purpose — and it showed from the opening snap. Garfield came in confident they could run the ball right at Carson, but Johnson made sure his players knew the challenge ahead.

“They thought they was gon’ come in and just run it down the field on us,” Johnson told me. “We challenged the kids on who has the tougher team.”

The Colts held Garfield scoreless until the final drive, and that only happened after the JV unit checked in for cleanup duty. Up front, sophomore standout K. Sula collected a sack and a hurry, while junior M. O’Dell recovered a fumble and controlled the boundary with veteran-level poise. Carson swarmed ball carriers, closed space quickly, and avoided the mental mistakes that plagued them earlier this season.

“We only had two flags on defense which is good… got facemask from tackling to high and an offsides, which we gotta fix,” Johnson said.

For a playoff environment, that kind of control is the difference between advancing and exiting.

While the defense was suffocating Garfield, junior quarterback C. Fields III commanded the offense with confidence and balance. He didn’t force throws. He didn’t rush his reads. He simply let the game come to him — and then took it over.

Fields III threw for 146 yards on 14-of-20 passing and added another 148 yards on the ground, including a 58-yard touchdown that sent the Carson sideline into a frenzy. His patience in the pocket and explosiveness in open space kept Garfield guessing all night.

But Fields III wasn’t alone in carrying the load.

Junior E. Myers chipped in 84 rushing yards and added 15 receiving yards for 99 total yards on the night. Senior K. Trujeque hammered in a 14-yard touchdown run. Senior N. Castillo added 20 yards on the ground to keep the chains moving. And J. Daniel quietly posted eight catches for 52 yards, moving sticks and finding soft spots in the coverage.

Z. Brock played like a man auditioning for the championship spotlight. He scored two touchdowns, added a 30-yard reception, and flipped momentum every time he touched the field.

All told, Carson racked up 273 rushing yards, 146 passing yards, and 419 yards of total offense — with touchdowns from five different players.

Photo by Jordon Kelly / fi360 News

When a defense is already controlling the game and an offense spreads the ball that well? That’s a team built to survive November.

Head coach Lowe deserves the spotlight at the front of this postseason story. His leadership has been steady and consistent, even during the ups and downs of the regular season. But what makes this Carson team special is how aligned the entire coaching staff is — from coordinators to position coaches.

Johnson’s defense is playing its best football of the season. The offense has found rhythm and versatility. The sideline energy on Friday was unified and focused, and players mirrored the calm but determined demeanor of their coaches.

That cohesion shows up in the details — how they close halves, adjust mid-game, and respond to pressure moments. Friday’s performance wasn’t just talent. It was preparation.

Next Stop: Southwest College

The City Championship is set for Saturday, November 29 at 6:00 PM at Southwest College, where Carson will face Crenshaw (10–1) in a matchup that has been brewing all season. Crenshaw’s speed, athleticism, and big-play ability will be the headline, but Johnson made it clear the only danger is underestimating them.

“Taking them lightly,” he said. “They in a ship for a reason — we can’t underestimate them.”

At the same time, Carson respects their opponent without fearing them.

“We know they have a lot of speed, athletic guys… but we have that too, plus the front 7.”

The Colts are approaching this next step the same way they approached the semifinal: one game at a time, one play at a time.

And if Friday night is any indication, they’re peaking at exactly the right moment.

Carson didn’t stumble into a blowout — they built it. Behind head coach Lowe’s leadership and defensive coordinator Jeff “Goob” Johnson’s relentless defensive standard, the Colts showed who they are and what they’re capable of. Their 40–7 win wasn’t a surprise; it was confirmation.

Carson is ready………… The Championship awaits.

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