Centaurs battle La Serna after unexpected bye week

Sports all over the world are finding out that there is a secret and quiet opponent hiding just around the corner. That opponent is the coronavirus. The virus stopped Culver City High School's varsity football team from playing its biggest and most attractive home game of the year when Warren high school called Culver City at the last-minute last Friday to say someone on their team tested positive.

The game had to be cancelled and it was a shock and disappointment to the coaches, players and fans. Warren of Downey is one of the best teams in Southern California. "We were very disappointed," said Culver City head varsity football coach Jahmal Wright during a phone interview last Sunday. "There is a lot of work, a lot of time and a lot of money that goes into getting ready to play a game. A lot of things go into making Friday night games a successful event."

Wright, his coaches and the fans were looking forward to playing a top-rated team. "It was going to be a big game and we were looking forward to playing a Warren team that has a lot of talented players and honestly I thought the it was going to be a very entertaining game for our fans. It was going to be a measuring stick for us as a football team. You know we don't back down from anyone. We were actually looking forward to the challenge."

Now the challenge will be to beat a good La Serna team from Whittier. The Lancers are 3-2 and they have won three games in row. They will bring a very balanced offensive attack into the Jerry Chabola Stadium on the Culver City High School campus on Friday at 7 p.m.

Their offense has run the ball for 752 yards and passed the ball for 854 yards. "They are a well-coached team," said Wright. "They have played some tough opponents that they have struggle with and they have won some tough games. I think they are battled tested.

"They will be familiar with our scheme because they have played some teams that use the spread offense like we do. It's going to be a tough game that we need right before we start Bay league play so we are excited. It's going to be a challenge because they play a physical brand of football with an unconventional single wing type of offense so will have to be ready."

Culver City is like every high school in the nation. They are just trying to keep their players healthy and free of injuries but overall Wright is happy that they have won more games than they have lost but he knows there is a lot of work to do.

"We are a work in progress," said Wright. "I am happy because I think we are a better team than a lot of people thought we would be. I am also happy with the progression we are making. We have a lot of new people in the starting lineup. We have a long way to go but I am seeing strides to become a better team,"