Culver City Observer -

Culver City High advanced to the Quarterfinals of the CIF Division 6 Football Playoffs, 21-9, with a well-earned win over the Shadow Hills High Knights in the City of Indio on Friday night. They will host Camarillo High this Friday, November 12, taking on the top-seed Scorpions at 7:00 p.m. in Jerry Chabola Stadium. The Centaurs have made the CIF quarterfinals in four of the last five post-seasons.

Fred Altieri

Centaurs stalwart defense denied Shadow Hills offense throughout the night (L-R): Bryce Williams (77), Mason Merriwether (52), Charlie Butler (51), Aaron Salas (42), and Prince Okorie (2)

While Culver City's defense stymied the Shadow Hills running attack, Senior Culver City running back Jamiere Munson's 56-yard explosion finally broke the game open with 6:17 remaining in the fourth quarter for the game's final score. The Knights made it a one-score game, 14-9, in the third quarter with a 29-yard field goal at 7:26.

Freshman quarterback Alonzo Esparza threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Ryan Franklin to take a 7-0 first-quarter lead. Shadow Hills scored on a 37-yard touchdown pass but missed the extra-point attempt to cut the lead to 7-6 going into halftime. There was only one turnover committed in a game dominated by both defenses.

Esparza connected on a 37-yard touchdown pass with junior wide receiver Ethan Harris to give the Centaurs a 14-6 third-quarter lead at 9:55. Munson increased his team-high touchdowns to 10 as the Centaurs improved their season record to 7-3. Kicker Diego Caldera successfully kicked all three extra-point attempts. Camarillo advanced to the Quarterfinals by holding off Millikan High of Long Beach, 17-14. Read the complete story in this week's upcoming issue.