Johnson keys win for South

Barry Faulkner

Every running back will tell you it’s the push up front they count

on. But, on the play that was the difference in the South’s 22-7

victory over the North in the Orange County All-Star football game

Friday at Orange Coast College, Dartangan Johnson said it may have

been a push from behind, perhaps even above, that propelled him over

the goal line for a two-point conversion that erased the North’s

final lead.

Johnson, who starred at Newport Harbor High, carried 1 yard over

left tackle for a two-point conversion with 2:02 left in the third

quarter to give the Rebels the lead for good. Afterward, Johnson, who

wore jersey No. 2 to honor former Newport Harbor tailback Andre

Stewart, who was killed in an automobile accident the spring of 2000,

acknowledged the memory of his late idol that he felt all game long,

including the pivotal conversion attempt. Stewart, whom Johnson

considered a role model, was named to the South roster three years

ago, though tragedy intervened, preventing him from playing in the

game.

“I wore No. 2 for Andre, which is something I wanted to do, if I

made this game, since I was a freshman,” Johnson, who wore No. 22 at

Harbor, said. “Every time I went in the locker room, tonight, or

there was a timeout, I said a prayer to ask for Andre to give me his

wings.”

Johnson, indeed needed something extra on the two-point run. He

darted through what appeared to be an ample hole, only to be closed

in on by North defenders. But, spinning against the contact, he

lunged, with his back toward the goal line, stretching the ball over

his head and over the goal line.

“I had to fight for it,” said Johnson, who started at tailback and

carried 10 times for 27 yards to help the South earn its second

straight win and close the North’s series lead to 22-19-3.

Johnson was originally on the sideline when the South, after

driving 82 yards on 10 plays to cut the North lead to 7-6, shifted

out of conversion-kick formation in an attempt to go for two.

The North, however, was called for encroachment before the snap

and the South called a timeout to consider its options.

“We had committed to going for two at halftime,” South Coach Roger

Takahashi said. “And, once we got that close -- the penalty moved the

ball half the distance from the 3 -- I felt like the off-tackle play

had been our bread and butter.”

With the new play in place, Johnson trotted onto the field, into

the huddle and into the lore of the annual summer showcase.

“I just knew I had to get it,” Johnson, the career rushing leader

at Harbor with 3,397 yards who will continue his career next fall at

Santa Ana College, said. “All my yards were tough tonight. This was

the best of the best.”

The South was anything but at its best in the first half, when it

produced just 57 yards of total offense, fumbled away its most

effective possession and found itself down, 7-0, after the North

drove 55 yards on eight plays to take the lead.

After the North wasted a scoring opportunity set up by an

interception early in the third quarter, and the two teams traded

possessions, the South drove for the game-winning drive, that

included a 6-yard run by Corona del Mar product Matt Cooper to move

the chains.

Justin Williams (Mission Viejo), named Defensive Player of the

Game, was in on two sacks, then forced a 15-yard punt to set up the

second South TD with 7:41 left.

The Rebels, cashed in a fumble caused by Williams to score with

3:00 remaining.

Cooper collected 9 yards on four carries, while Costa Mesa High

product Keola Asuega saw time at safety for the winners.

Terrell Vinson (Irvine) was the Offensive Player of the Game.