Los Angeles Times - 26.11.2019

D8 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2019 LATIMES.COM/SPORTS

agame and the first time

since 2000 that a team

scored 30 or more points in

the crosstown rivalry game

and lost.

After the loss, Kelly said

the defensive coaching staff

has “done a good job consid-

ering what we have right

now.”

The second-year Bruins

coach clarified the com-

ments Monday by adding

that in-game injuries to sen-

ior inside linebackersKrys

Barnes and Lokeni Toailoa

limited the defense’s play-

calling options.

UCLA players went down
to a knee as they stretched in
a U-shaped formation at
Spaulding Field. Dorian
Thompson-Robinson
weaved through the lines
handing out high-fives. The
quarterbacks retreated to a
distant field and started
warming up. Thompson-
Robinson, with no helmet on
to blend in with his team-
mates, doled out underhan-
ded tosses while teammates
threw deep passes.
After what coachChip
Kelly called his “best game
since he’s been a Bruin,” the
sophomore quarterback
didn’t appear to practice
during the open viewing pe-
riod Monday as UCLA (4-7,
4-4 Pac-12 Conference) pre-
pares for its season finale
Saturday night against Cali-
fornia (6-5, 3-5) at the Rose
Bowl.
Thompson-Robinson,
who sat out UCLA’s loss to
Oregon State on Oct. 5 with
an ankle injury, was sacked
in the fourth quarter against
USC on Saturday. He gri-
maced as he hobbled off the
field, limping as he had done
through most of the 52-35
loss. He still passed for 367
yards and three touchdowns
against one interception
and rushed for 64 yards and
a touchdown. His 431 yards
of total offense were the sec-
ond most for a UCLA player
against USC behind Tommy
Maddox’s 445-yard effort in
1990.
Without the 29 yards
rushing lost on three sacks,
Thompson-Robinson would
have had 93 yards on the
ground. He ran for first

downs six times, including

three conversions in the

fourth quarter.

“How Coach Kelly says,

‘Play fast, play loose and

play for each other,’ that’s

what we did this past Sat-

urday,” said tight end Devin

Asiasi, who had a career-

high 141 yards receiving and

a touchdown in five catches.

Thompson-Robinson’s

gusty performance was ne-

gated by UCLA’s struggling

defense that gave up 643

yards. It was the fourth time

this season the Bruins have

allowed 500 or more yards in

Barnes’ injury, which he

suffered on the first drive of

the third quarter, was espe-

cially detrimental, Kelly

said. The player whom Kelly

called the “quarterback of

the defense” had nine tack-

les, one sack and two pass

breakups before injuring his

knee. Kelly said many calls

are determined by the per-

son in Barnes’ inside line-

backer position.

“We gotta change cov-

erages because we can’t

leave a guy isolated in one-

on-one things that Krys can

do,” Kelly said. “You’re try-

ing to play to Krys’

strengths.”

Barnes — who has 74

tackles, including 10 for a

loss, this season — wore a

brace on his left knee while

stretching and conditioning

on the sideline Monday. Af-

ter Toailoa suffered a leg in-

jury later in Saturday’s

game, Barnes helped

Toailoa off the field.

Both players are ques-

tionable to play Saturday for

the final game of their ca-

reers. The only inside line-

backers dressed in non-

scout-team jerseys Monday

were junior Leni Toailoa,

sophomore Bo Calvert, and

freshmen Carl Jonesand

John Ward.

“We have a little bit of

growing up to do inside,”

senior outside linebacker

Josh Woods said. “But I

know that [the young play-

ers] assume the role.” In a

well-timed return, Calvert

will make his season debut

Saturday after a long sus-

pension because of an

NCAA violation, Kelly said

Monday. Calvert had nine

tackles in five games last

year and is not eligible for a

redshirt this season despite

his limited playing time.

Etc.

Safety Quentin Lake did

not wear a scout-team jersey

at practice for the first time

since sustaining a wrist in-

jury in September. The jun-

ior, who has appeared in

three games this season, still

wore a cast on his right hand.

...Defensive back Shamar

Martin and linebacker

Tyree Thompson (foot)

worked on the sideline with

trainers during practice. ...

Safety Kenny Churchwell,

who sustained an undis-

closed injury against USC,

was not seen on the field

Monday.

UCLA REPORT

Thompson-Robinson isn’t seen practicing

QUARTERBACKDorian Thompson-Robinson, who played what coach Chip Kelly called his “best game” be-

fore leaving injured in Saturday’s loss to USC, didn’t participate in the open portion of Monday’s practice.

Robert GauthierLos Angeles Times

By Thuc Nhi Nguyen

Among all the players set

to participate in this week-

end’s high school football

championship games, per-

haps no one deserves more

attention than 6-foot-3, 210-

pound senior running back

Isaac Hurtado of unbeaten

Cypress (13-0).

Not only has he scored 42

touchdowns and rushed for

2,516 yards, but he’s someone

who decided to stay at his

neighborhood school five

minutes from his home for

four years and not worry

whether his team was a

power.

“I feel if I started some-

where, that’s where I’m go-

ing to finish,” he said Mon-

day in Long Beach during

the CIF Southern Section

championship luncheon.

“Whether or not my team

was going to be good or not

didn’t matter. I just wanted

to be able to show what I

could do. Being at Cypress, I

got colleges being able to

look at me.”

Hurtado was worried he

had grown so tall some

might not think he could

play running back. But

coach Rick Feldman told

him about a running back

named Eric Dickerson. Hur-

tado switched to wearing

No. 29, Dickerson’s number.

“He runs so physical,”

said Feldman, whose team

hosts Temecula Valley in

Friday’s Division 7 champi-

onship game. “He never gets

caught from behind.”

Whatever happens this

week, Hurtado will be long

remembered around Cy-

press for his talent and hum-

bleness.

“I’m super proud of my

team and all we’ve been able

to accomplish,” he said.

“Obviously I need the

help of every single one of

them. I can’t do it on my own.

I’m glad I have a great group

of guys around me that are

able to lift me up whenever I

need it, and I hope [to] do

the same.”

Select company

Simi Valley coach Jim

Benkert could join an elite

group if the Pioneers defeat

Crescenta Valley in the Divi-

sion 10 final Friday at Simi

Valley.

Benkert has won section

titles coaching at Westlake

Village Westlake and West-

lake Village Oaks Christian.

With a win, he’d join

Harry Welch, Don Markham

and Dick Hill, among others,

who have won champi-

onships at three different

schools.

Strange celebration

Standout running back

Abel Cueva of El Monte was

spending Sunday afternoon

working as a cashier at

McDonald’s when he found

out from a coach that El

Monte had been declared Di-

vision 12 champion when the

semifinal game between

Adelanto and Perris Orange

Vista was declared a double

forfeit for fighting and play-

ers leaving the bench.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he

said. “From all the hard work

... it sucks to be that way. I

wanted to win it on the field.

We did our part to get into

the championship.”

El Monte received its

championship plaque Mon-

day and resumed practice in

preparation to play in a state

bowl game next week.

Praise for wide

receiver

Santa Ana Mater Dei

quarterback Bryce Young

offered praise for senior re-

ceiver Kody Epps, who has

caught 10 touchdown passes

in two playoff games and has

28 touchdowns on the sea-

son.

“It’s great to see all the

hard work he’s put in coming

to fruition,” Young said.

“He’s been under the

radar for a while. It’s good to

see him get the attention he

deserves. It’s not like

overnight he woke up in

Game 1 and started playing

amazing.

“Everyone who’s been

here four years has told me

how hard he’s been working

since he first got to Mater

Dei. The timing was perfect

as far as having his breakout

year.”

Upsetting USC fans

Pasadena Muir defensive

back John Humphrey, a

UCLA commit, has helped

his team reach the Division

11 final against Huntington

Beach Marina on Friday.

He was asked whether he

could have helped cover

USC’s collection of receivers

last week at the Coliseum.

“I would have shut them

down,” he said confidently.

HIGH SCHOOL NOTES

Hurtado’s run with Cypress impressive

By Eric Sondheimer

Duke coach Mike
Krzyzewski set the record
for wins coaching a No. 1
team when his top-ranked
Blue Devils knocked off Cali-
fornia and Georgetown on
back-to-back nights to win
the 2K Empire Classic.
He will have a chance to
add to his 218-34 mark this
week after the Blue Devils
(6-0) solidified their grip on
No. 1 in the Associated Press
poll Monday. They received
53 first-place votes, easily
out-distancing second-
place Louisville.
The Cardinals avoided
Akron’s upset bid Sunday to
remain No. 2. Michigan
State was third and Kansas
was fourth.

Memphis freshman
guard Lester Quinones
broke bones in his right
hand and is out three weeks.

Bob Davie agreed to step
aside as New Mexico’s foot-
ball coach at the end of the
season. Davie is 35-63 but
twice guided the Lobos to
bowl games and earned their
first bowl win in 10 years.
Also not returning next year:
Nevada Las Vegas’ Tony
Sanchez and Northern Col-
orado’s Earnest Collins Jr.
... Rutgers will continue its
coaching search after failing
to finalize a deal with former
coach Greg Schiano. ...
Henry Bullough, a former
NFL coach and a guard on
Michigan State’s national ti-
tle team in 1952, died at 85.

USC’s Michael Pittman
Jr. was named a finalist for
the Biletnikoff Award, given
to the nation’s top wideout,
along with Oklahoma’s
CeeDee Lamb and Louisi-
ana State’s JaMarr Chase.
Pittman is second in the na-
tion in catches (95) and
eighth in touchdowns (11).

The award will be an-

nounced Dec. 12.

—Ryan Kartje

ETC.

Russia one step

closer to ban

Three years after Russia

was banned from the 2018

Winter Olympics — with a

limited number of its ath-

letes allowed to compete as

“neutrals” — anti-doping of-

ficials suggested a similar

ban for the next two Games.

The World Anti-Doping

Agency submitted its rec-

ommendations after review-

ing evidence that the Rus-

sians tampered with data

from a testing lab in Moscow.

WADA’s executive com-

mittee will rule on it Dec. 9.

—David Wharton

The Indianapolis Colts

put Pro Bowl tight end Eric

Ebronon injured reserve be-

cause of an ankle injury.

Boston Celtics guard

Kemba Walkerwasn’t seri-

ously injured in a scary colli-

sion last week but won’t play

until he goes through a full

practice. ... Oklahoma City

guard Hamidou Diallo will

be sidelined four to six weeks

with a hyperextension

sprain in his right elbow.

The Chicago White Sox

placed Gold Glove second

baseman Yolmer Sanchez

on outright waivers after he

hit .252 with two homers. ...

Seattle finalized a $24-mil-

lion, six-year contract with

first baseman Evan White,

who hasn’t appeared in a

game above double A.

New Hampshire ap-

proved a sports-betting con-

tract with DraftKings,

paving the way for the state

to allow wagering on games.

MIKE KRZYZEWSKIhas Vernon Carey Jr. and the
Blue Devils ranked No. 1 in the country again.

Kathy WillensAssociated Press

THE DAY IN SPORTS

Duke solidifies

its grip atop poll

staff and wire reports

crucial, though. Wegis com-

mitted to the Utes on Mon-

day.

“They did an excellent

job with the unofficial. They

just made me feel like fam-

ily,” he said. “My dad wanted

me to keep doing this proc-

ess of taking unofficials to

find the right school, and ev-

ery unofficial visit we did,

compared to Utah, it just

wasn’t it. We were just like,

‘It’s time to hop on.’ It’s

crazy, and I’m just so blessed

to be wanted by such a top-

tier program. ”

Wegis never panicked

when his recruitment didn’t

take off early despite a solid

junior campaign in which he

notched 6^1 ⁄ 2 sacks and 19

tackles for loss. He watched

last year as teammate Cade

Albright had one schol-

arship offer before his senior

season but then — after a 19-

sack, 33-tackles-for-loss

campaign — was pursued by

a number of schools from the

Pac-12 and Mountain West

conferences before signing

with Brigham Young.

Wegis played primarily as

a 170-pound defensive tackle

with Albright outside.

“They just wanted to use

me, so they put me at D-

tackle,” Wegis said. “I was

Tyler Wegis of San Juan

Hills High in San Juan Capi-

strano isn’t used to waiting

around. The three-star de-

fensive end prospect bursts

from the line of scrimmage

and screams off the edge, at-

tacking quarterbacks and

running backs. But he had to

wait until after his senior

season began for his recruit-

ment to take off.

“At the start of the year, it

was really slow,” Wegis said.

“I think it was Week 3, Utah

offered and then that was

kind of the picking-up point

of my recruiting and it just

piled on from there and it got

to like a peak in like this last

month. Utah was the one

that did all the digging and

finding of me, and then once

they offered me, obviously

Utah’s a highly respected

program, so other schools

ended up hopping on.”

Wegis picked up double-

digit scholarship opportuni-

ties in the month and a half

after Utah offered him the

chance to play college foot-

ball. The early digging and a

family environment the Utes

showed during an unofficial

visit to Salt Lake City proved

around 6-4, 6-5 at that time.

It was just 600 pounds dou-

ble-teaming me all day, and

I’m at 170 trying to hold them

off.”

He occasionally got to

line up opposite Albright as

bookend defensive ends, but

Wegis’ stock has really taken

off this season after he

moved outside permanently

and added 40 pounds. Now

measuring 6 feet 6, 210

pounds, he has been a night-

mare for opposing offenses.

He has 36 tackles for loss, in-

cluding 10^1 ⁄ 2 sacks. He

doesn’t have as many sacks

as Albright, but he has 10

more quarterback hurries

with a highlight reel full of

big hits just as quarterbacks

release the ball.

And he’s only getting bet-

ter and bigger. Wegis, 17, con-

tinues to grow, as a player

and physically.

“Even though everyone’s

losing weight [during the

season], I’m still maintain-

ing, but getting stronger, so

I’d say I’m still in my growth

spurt,” Wegis said. “Going to

Utah and having a tremen-

dous football program try to

build my body, I feel like I’ll

blow up real well. I know I’m

most likely going to redshirt

at Utah. I know they want to

build my frame. So just buy-

ing into the program and do-

ing the weights, the eating,

anything they tell me to do.”

He’s hoping to follow the

path of Utah’s Bradlee Anae,

who has become an All-

Pac-12 performer, All-Ameri-

can candidate and likely

early-round NFL draft selec-

tion.

“He’s an unbelievable

player and a great defensive

end,” Wegis said. “I look up

to him. I want to fill that role

because he’s leaving this

year. The four-man front

they offer, the way they talk

about it, I feel like I’ll fit in

great there. What they do to

[develop] defensive lineman

is impressive, and I want to

be a part of that.”

HIGH SCHOOL RECRUITING

Utah worth the wait for Wegis

By Shotgun Spratling

‘It’s crazy, and I’m

just so blessed to

be wanted by

such a top-tier

program.’

—Tyler Wegis,

San Juan Hills defensive end,

on committing to Utah after

considering other schools

NEXT UP

UCLA vs. Cal

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