San Pedro Bursts Narbonne Bubble

Once considered the doormats of the Southern Pacific Conference, Harbor City Narbonne hoped to avenge more than a decade of one-sided football losses.

The Gauchos, however, will have to wait another year to beat San Pedro in a conference game.

Behind a powerful running attack and a stingy defense, San Pedro defeated Narbonne, 21-7, Friday night before 5,000 at Daniels Field in San Pedro.

San Pedro improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the conference, while the loss ended Narbonne’s four-game winning streak.

The Gauchos have not beaten San Pedro since 1983.

Using five running backs, the Pirates had 257 total yards, including 188 rushing yards.

Quarterback Melvin Yarbrough scored the first touchdown on a one-yard run, and San Pedro also scored on Joey Randazzo’s 10-yard run and Rod Williams’ six-yard run.

Mark Pappas was the Pirates’ leading receiver with six catches for 53 yards.

Narbonne running back Damon Rogers scored the only touchdown for the Gauchos on a double handoff for an eight-yard score in the fourth quarter.

Operating out of a Delaware Wing-T formation, the Gauchos were held to minus-nine yards rushing, three incomplete passes and one first down in the first half.

Narbonne recovered two fumbles in the first half, but could not generate a score.

San Pedro mixed quick sideline passes with its powerful running game. Yarbrough completed his first seven passes for 58 yards and scored the Pirates’ first touchdown on a one-yard sneak in the first quarter. Corey Smith ran 43 yards to set up the score.

The Pirates’ second touchdown was set up when Daniel Carranza blocked Dwayne Wilbert’s punt and Wilbert threw an incomplete pass. The Pirates moved the ball 45 yards in five plays with Randazzo scoring from the 10 as the Pirates held a 13-0 halftime lead.

San Pedro took a 21-0 third-quarter lead when Williams scored from the six-yard line four plays after Chris Taylor recovered a fumble.