Narbonne on a Roll, but Sylmar Is Next

It had been 15 years since Narbonne High of Harbor City qualified for the City Section football playoffs, but the Gauchos played like postseason veterans in their 48-21 opening-round victory over Woodland Hills Taft last Friday.

Narbonne led after three quarters, 48-0, and rolled up 412 yards rushing.

Those number are troubling to Sylmar Coach Jeff Engilman, whose top-seeded Spartans (11-0) play host to Narbonne (9-2) in a Division 4-A quarterfinal tonight at 7.

Engilman and his staff spent much of the weekend trying to figure out how to stop the Gauchos’ double-wing offense, which is averaging 300 yards rushing. Narbonne has scored 47 or more points in each of its last three games.

Sylmar, the defending 4-A champion, has won 25 consecutive games and is averaging 42 points. The Spartans are led by senior Durell Price, the divisional player of the year last season. Price has rushed for 1,544 yards and 35 touchdowns.

In other playoff games tonight, Wilmington Banning (6-5) plays Dorsey (10-1) for the second time this season. Dorsey defeated the Pilots in a Southern Pacific Conference game last month, 22-15.

In Division 3-A, Verdugo Hills of Tujunga is coming off its first playoff victory since 1980 and plays top-seeded Eagle Rock at Occidental College.