Timely Kennedy Interception Stops Quartz Hill, 13-7

GRANADA HILLS —  The Kennedy High defense can point to several big plays that helped the Golden Cougars defeat Quartz Hill, 13-7, in a nonconference game Friday night at Kennedy High.

Kennedy used speed and tremendous hitting ability to batter Rebel quarterback Brian Woodworth, sacking him five times and forcing five turnovers.

But the biggest play was the result of luck rather than out-and-out skill.

Trailing, 7-0, late in the third quarter, linebacker Damion Thompson was aware enough to snare a tipped pass at the Kennedy 40-yard line, returning the interception 58 yards to set up a two-yard run by Antwane Smith, tying the score and changing the scope of the game.

Thompson, who alternates between blitzing and coverage on defense, found himself without responsibility after his assigned receiver stayed behind the line of scrimmage to block.

“He just followed the quarterback’s eyes and knew where he had to be and where the ball was going,” Kennedy Coach Bob Francola said.

That Thompson was even in the game at all was the result of even more fortitude. Two plays before the turnover, Thompson, a three-year starter and leader of the Golden Cougar defense, had to be removed from the game for one play to wipe off a cut on his elbow.

“We needed the defense to make a big play to pump up our offense,” Thompson said.

Until that point, Kennedy’s offense had sputtered. The Golden Cougars gained only 60 yards in the first half. And a successful opening drive in the second half ended when quarterback Calvin Zinck made a bad pitch to Smith that Darrell Thompson of Quartz Hill recovered.

Kennedy took the lead on the opening play of the fourth quarter on a seven-yard run by Smith (113 yards in 24 carries). The possession started on the Quartz Hill 17-yard-line after Jeremiah McLoughlin recovered a David Fetters fumble. The extra-point try failed.

Fetters, who gained 63 yards in 13 carries, replaced Jeremiah Harris at tailback for Quartz Hill. Harris, who rushed for 1,104 yards as a sophomore, was one of several players benched by Coach John Albee for missing practice earlier this week.

“It didn’t really affect us; we played well at the beginning of the game,” said Rebel tight end Andy Rethi. “We just started making mistakes, penalties, turnovers, that killed us.”

Woodworth was impressive in the first quarter, completing his first five passes, but was in trouble the rest of the game. Woodworth was sacked five times, twice by linebacker Semisi Umufuke, and pressured every time he dropped back to throw, completing two of 13 passes after the opening drive, including three interceptions after the first possession.

Woodworth did give the Rebels a 7-0 lead in the second quarter on a one-yard sneak.

Quartz Hill had a chance to win after Kennedy’s Waking Bailey muffed a punt return at the Golden Cougar 36-yard line midway through the fourth quarter, but a Umufuke sack contributed to a turnover on downs.