Brown Warms, Then Taft Gets Hot, 27-14

After sitting out one game with a shoulder injury, Taft tailback Jerry Brown was back in form in Friday’s 27-14 victory over Crenshaw.

The 6-foot, 195-pound senior got off to a slow start, but picked up his pace in the second half to make up for a sluggish performance in the first.

He rushed for a dismal 16 yards in 10 carries in the first two quarters, but finished the night with 78 yards and a touchdown.

Brown also made an interception in the fourth quarter and contributed a key 66-yard punt return 23 seconds before halftime.

“I really picked up the level in the second half,” Brown said. “I guess I felt more warmed up by then. Right now I feel real good and my shoulder is great.”

Taft trailed, 8-7, when Brown’s 66-yard return set up the touchdown that gave the Toreadors a 13-8 lead.

Quarterback Dayon Shaw threw a 27-yard pass to Dashon Polk and ran one yard for a touchdown on the next play. The Toreadors failed on a two-point conversion try.

Crenshaw opened the second half with a six-play, 71-yard drive that was capped by Brandon Seals’ 33-yard touchdown run. Seals led Crenshaw with 103 yards and two touchdowns in 15 carries.

Despite having numerous chances, the Cougars (2-1) couldn’t score after that. Taft (2-1) took charge in the fourth quarter, scoring two touchdowns.

The first of Taft’s decisive scoring drives started at the end of the third quarter and ended nine plays and 72 yards later on a five-yard touchdown run by Brown.

“Hey, they have a great team,” Crenshaw coach R.J. Garrett said. “There’s no doubt about that. They definitely showed us that tonight.”

Taft scored its last touchdown with two minutes left in the game, when Shaw pushed his way through the middle from the one-yard line on third down.

Shaw completed six passes for 44 yards and rushed eight times for 33 yards and a touchdown. Taft’s Clay Carter gained 56 yards in five carries.

Brown’s interception came when Crenshaw quarterback Ricky Lumford tried to throw a 40-yard bomb to Seals with a little over two minutes left in the game.

Brown smacked the ball with his right hand and caught it with his left.