Victory Is Sweet for San Pedro : Prep football: Pirates beat Carson, 10-7, to break 19-game losing streak against Colts.

The streak is over.

For the first time since 1968, San Pedro High defeated traditional power Carson.

The Pirates beat the Colts, 10-7, Friday night in a Southern Pacific Conference game before 3,000 fans at Gardena High.

“This is something to tell your kids about,� Pirate safety Willie Birl said. “It’s a great experience.�

San Pedro (9-1) finished the regular season with the best conference record at 6-1 and will attempt to defend its City Section 3-A championship.

Carson (6-4, 5-2) dealt the Pirates their only loss last season and had beaten them the previous 19 consecutive games.

“It hasn’t been that long for these kids, though, and for me,� said third-year San Pedro Coach Mike Walsh. “But it feels great. Who could ask for more? Except for another City championship.�

San Pedro won mainly because its defense stiffened when it had to and forced four Carson turnovers.

Despite outgaining the Pirates, 270 yards to 158, the Colts could manage only a 20-yard touchdown run by backup quarterback Steve Faupusa in the second quarter.

That trimmed the San Pedro lead to 10-7, and Carson, plagued by mistakes throughout the game, could not score in the second half.

Faupusa threw an interception in the end zone in the third quarter to end one drive, and a holding penalty thwarted another.

But the key error was the clipping penalty on a Carson player that nullified a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown by J.R. Redmond with three minutes to play.

Instead of taking the lead, the Colts took over on their 10-yard line. Faupusa drove them to the Pirates’ 26-yard line, but two sacks and two incomplete passes ended the last-ditch effort.

San Pedro’s touchdown was set up when Pirate linebacker Joey Danello returned a fumbled Carson snap eight yards to the Colts’ one-yard line early in the second quarter.

San Pedro quarterback Pappas ran one yard for a touchdown on the next play, putting the Pirates ahead, 10-0.

San Pedro wide receiver Bryan Castaneda caught eight passes for 97 yards.

“This is a great way to cap off my two years (on the varsity),� he said. “It’s like winning the championship again.�