Keary Colbert donates toward Crenshaw playoff tickets

From Staff Reports

Keary Colbert has no formal ties to Crenshaw High, but he long will be remembered on campus for the gesture he made this week.

FOR THE RECORD:
Estancia coach: In Friday’s Sports section, the prep football notebook incorrectly reported that Estancia High School’s football coach had resigned and that the school was looking for his replacement. Neither is the case. —

The former USC and NFL wide receiver donated an unspecified sum to help ensure that every Cougars player could provide two tickets to friends and family members for Saturday’s CIF state championship bowl game against Concord De La Salle at the Home Depot Center.

“He asked me what amount would be sufficient for the kids and he met that amount,” Crenshaw assistant principal Luther Waters said. The CIF does not provide players with complimentary tickets.

Colbert said he learned about the players’ need from a Facebook post by USC radio broadcaster Pete Arbogast.

“By the time I read to the bottom,” Colbert said, “I already knew that I wanted to do it because I know how much this means and I know how big a deal this is for the families and the community to come out and support the kids.”

For the record: An earlier version of this notebook incorrectly reported that Estancia’s football coach had resigned.

Colbert stopped by the Crenshaw campus Wednesday and met with players and Coach Robert Garrett, who took his hat off and bowed to Colbert when informed that he had provided help to pay for tickets.

Waters said he has also received calls from as far east as Pennsylvania offering to help pay for tickets. Parents of De La Salle students have also offered to financially support families of the players they will compete against Saturday.

Month for resignations

December is the month for high school football coaches to submit their resignations, and they are coming fast and furious.

The latest was the announcement Thursday that Los Angeles Jordan Coach Elijah Asante had resigned after five seasons. Asante helped turn the Bulldogs into a competitive City Section Division I program, sending players to USC and Nebraska while coming up with a wide-open offense that drew praise and respect. He also scheduled such Southern Section powers as Santa Ana Mater Dei and Ventura St. Bonaventure.

“It’s just time,” said Asante, who plans to pursue other coaching opportunities in high school or junior college.

It’s just the latest in a growing number of coaching moves. There have been resignations at Encino Crespi, Aliso Niguel, Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley, Santa Margarita, Chino, Cathedral City, Riverside North, Los Altos and Paramount.

A matchup of powers

Long Beach Poly and Mission Viejo have agreed to play in a nonleague game in 2010 at Long Beach Veterans Stadium.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com

ben.bolch@latimes.com