Inglewood outlasts Chaminade in Division 2 overtime thriller

The world may never know.

Before Chaminade’s Southern Section Division 2 semifinal against Inglewood at South Torrance High on Friday night, coach David Machuca smirked, tight-lipped under his white visor. There was an opportunity for a special-teams play, he said earlier in the week, that could “rear its head” against Inglewood — something the Sentinels wouldn’t have the chance to see on film. A secret Chaminade had been tucking safely up its sleeve all season.

“You’ll see it,” Machuca said, smiling pregame.

But in Friday’s slugfest, the secret stayed secret. The Sentinels pulled out a 41-38 overtime victory in a back-and-forth game when Jamari Johnson scored on a two-yard run.

Chaminade rolled over Inglewood’s defense in the first half, the Sentinels came back to completely shut down the Eagles in the second half, leaving no room for special-teams trickery as Inglewood took a 35-27 lead with just minutes left in the fourth quarter.

On five straight drives starting toward the end of the first quarter, the Sentinels and Eagles traded scores, Chaminade quarterback Javance Johnson making play-action magic and Inglewood sophomore signal-caller Husan Longstreet wheeling and dealing to answer. After Chaminade took a 14-7 lead in the first quarter, Longstreet quickly answered with a screen to senior Bryce Parker, who got a block and sprung free down the right sideline for a 53-yard score.

Then, after Inglewood missed an extra point, came the whiplash. Johnson scampered for an eight-yard touchdown, only for Inglewood’s own 6-foot-5, 250-pound tank Jamari Johnson to bully in for a short score on the next possession, only for Chaminade to close the half with another keeper from Javance Johnson.

“I think he’s going to have a big game,” Machuca predicted of his senior quarterback.

And he did, prancing and dancing for three first-half touchdowns. But it wasn’t enough.

After Longstreet found receiver Terrell Bradshaw for Bradshaw’s second touchdown grab of the night, Inglewood took the lead 28-27 in the third quarter — and finally, the defense kicked in. On a crucial third down for Chaminade the next drive, safety Moin Gammage burst through the line of scrimmage and brought down Javance Johnson, flexing to the Inglewood crowd.

When the Sentinels’ offense stalled, Longstreet pulled magic out of a hat, firing a 41-yard spiral into the end zone on a third and 16 to a sure-handed Jamari Johnson, a massive touchdown putting Inglewood up 35-27.

But with two minutes and 30 seconds left, the Eagles woke up again. On third and 10, Javance Johnson waltzed up the middle for a 19-yard touchdown. A two-point conversion tied the score at 35 — extending a hectic game into overtime.