Football: Toughest nonleague schedule ever?
Carson High is about to embark on what has to be the toughest nonleague football schedule ever for a City Section school and one of the toughest for any school in Southern California.
The Colts open against Santa Ana Mater Dei, which reached the final of the Dana Hills tournament on Saturday. Game two is Long Beach Poly, the team that won the Dana Hills tournament.
Game three is Mission Viejo, one of the favorites to win the Pac-5 Division. Game four is Santa Margarita, another Pac-5 title contender. And Game five is San Diego Lincoln, a section finalist.
Coach Elijah Asante has either lost his mind or wants his team featured every week in the newspaper for playing in a top game.
-- Eric Sondheimer
Carson won the marine league, right?? they beat San Pedro, right? They beat Narbonne, right? Ok Eli has done a great job in his FIRST YEAR at Carson, scheduling tough a non league opponents will make this team well prepared, my brother plays on the team and I've been watching them practice, with dj coming back, alot of returning sophomores and juniors, a new QB who looks pretty good, and a run game that will be one of the best!! 7-3 or 8-2 finish this year, marine champs again!!
Posted by: C-house | June 18, 2011 at 07:58 AM
@ Mr WatchOut....thank you Sir. For correcting me like I said he hasn't done anything in 5 yrs years @ Jordan....Eastern League is that an 8 man league or the Invitational League....Bell, Huntington Park, South East, South Gate, Garfield, Roosevelt....are you Freakin Kidding me...We are talking about Football & not Futbol (Soccer) Can't remember the last time any one of these schools played in the Championship game or Semis for that Matter..We are talking about Carson High School....11 City Championships 1 State....if your gonna come with it, you better come right....
Posted by: Marine League Scout | June 17, 2011 at 02:31 AM
@Carson1971
I don't have to assume anything about Asante nor Carson High School. Let's clear the air. I worked there for 6 years and I must say, I have never seen so many evil, nasty, hateful people in all my days. You people are clicked together at that place and pray on peoples downfall. Confidence is what you haters don't like, so it's very understandable why you don't like Asante. If your not going to support him, then fall back and stop hating on the man.
Posted by: Nothing But Trouble! | June 16, 2011 at 09:39 PM
Can you guys please explain that a guy comes to a program wins the Marine league and goes to the finals and he is bad for the program. Second he schedules the best teams out there, brings exposure to the school and he is deemed a bad guy. Someone talked about Garrett, Knox and Walsh. Wow those guys have coached for a combined 60+ yrs in the City. Answer me this did any of them go to the finals in there first yr at the school. The man may sail his ship different than the traditional coach but he brought results.
Posted by: Easydoit | June 16, 2011 at 09:35 PM
To Whom this may concern;
I've been @ Carson High since 1971, former Player, Coach, & Teacher. In my 38 years of me being involved, @ Carson High there has never been a Racial, or Any negativity of this sort...Now I'm not talking about, the little problems they had in the past among students. But this is with other Teachers, Coaches, ETC... who have truly seen what Coach Asante is really about...But you can go & assume all you want about Carson High, but you all will be exposed to Coach Asante & his antics...
Posted by: CARSON 1971 | June 16, 2011 at 05:49 PM
I was the var line coach with asante at jordan we actually won 3 eastern league championships in 5 years u call your self marine league scout but u make stupid satements it looks like u the one who exposed.
Posted by: watchout | June 16, 2011 at 01:13 PM
You zealot Asante Haters sound like a bunch of jealous cry babies. If he is doing such a terrible job, then you step up and walk in his shoes. You seem to know so much about him. From the comments on this blog he has not replied to any of you, so that makes you very irrelevant in the world of Asante. The problem is with the staff at Carson High School. These are the prejudice bastards that are posting such negative comments. This place is a breeding ground for satanism. You are so worried about him being a bad coach and bad teacher, you need to worry about where you are going to work when that raggedy ass place is taken over by the state and all you dysfunctional idiots have to reapply for your job. Most of you are barely their by the hair on your toes. The main objective of your job is the well being of the children, but you find so much time to slander someone who is dedicated to their responsibility as a teacher and coach. You people really need to get it together cause you are a wreck. If you have so many concerns then man up an approach him, don't hide behind the blogs, thats what cowards do!
Posted by: Nothing But Trouble! | June 16, 2011 at 12:01 PM
@ Mr. Truth...have to agree with you Sir. Points very well taken... I don't think Mr. Asante has a League Championship under his belt..when he was @ Jordan....OH yeah last year he was the Marine League Champion....Elmer Fudd could've Coach That team last year & they still would've went to the Ship...There's one thing about Football that I love, It Exposes people for who they really are... It's Going to be exciting as well, as intresting...
Posted by: Marine League Scout | June 15, 2011 at 06:37 PM
Yeah right "Ride or Die", I mean Asante. You have nothing to do but right comments in the LATimes. Its sad. They took your teaching position at Carson, because you were a terrible teacher. So now you play on the computer all day. You dont see Coach Garrett from Crenshaw, Coach Walsh from San Pedro or Coach Knox from Dorsey putting stories or comments in the LAtimes everyweek. Oh, I forgot they each are multiple city champion winners and have each put over 100 players in college on scholarship. Class coaches earn respect on the field, wannabes try to do it in the newspaper everyweek.
Posted by: Truth | June 15, 2011 at 11:59 AM
Carson or Nothing! We in the weight room at 6:00 am. We Go Hard Everyday. Its AK allday 5-0. Carson Colts Ride or Die!
Posted by: Ride or Die! | June 15, 2011 at 09:17 AM
the talk of this guy asante is a joke. There are so many accomplished coaches in the city and southern california. And time is wasted on Asante, a coach that hasn't a section championship by his name as a coordinator or head coach. He has sent a handful of players to college and none of them amounted to anything in college. You talk about him buying, oops, getting a doctorate degree from USC. But he has never had a career in law. Maybe because he couldnt pass the bar exam. So he becomes a average coach in high school football. He never was a high school or college football player that anyone remembers. And law degrees at USC are easy to come by if u know the right people or can pay someone to do your work. That's why so many people go to USC for law school because there is a high chance of getting through it. So please, stop talking about this guy asante, and give attention to more deserving coaches with a real story to tell.
Posted by: Truth | June 15, 2011 at 09:06 AM
It is my prediction. That Carson will go 0-5 this year in preseason...Make no mistake they more talented than last year, But this will be Coach Asante true 1st year as the Head, Coach of this Carson Program.....We shall truly see what kind of Staff, his Coaches are & if he truly is The Wizard...(Not)...Looks like Narbonne & Pedro will play for the Marine League this year...
Posted by: Marine League Scout | June 15, 2011 at 06:37 AM
What if Carson goes 5-0?
What is Carson goes 3-2?
What if Carson goes 0-5?
If Carson go 5-0 Asante is the greatest coach of all time (not)
If Carson go 5-0 Asante is the greatest coach of all time (not)
If Carson go 3-2 Asante will be the most respected coach in the State (not)
If Carson go 0-5 Asante is the worst coach ever (not)
Asante is smart he knows he has nothing to lose with this schedule but everything to gain. State Bowl invitation, City Championship, league champs, TV exposure TV (high school game of the week), LA Times every bodies talking about Carson. Game revenues (Sold Out), Indirect recruting of the best High School Athletes. Come on guys Carson hasn't been relevant in a long time, now they are the talk of the town. This guy is very sharp gentlemen he has a Juris
Doctorate Degree from USC for Christ Sakes!
Posted by: What If? | June 14, 2011 at 05:37 PM
One thing for sure, even if Carson goes 0-5 they will be the most battle tested team in the State and they will probably take City if they can get past Narbonne and Crenshaw. Another thing is they will make a lot of money off those games on their new turf field. It will also attract players that want to play on TV.
Posted by: Genius! | June 13, 2011 at 08:42 PM
I will forever be a die-hard proponent of City Section football programs - which toil at a disadvantage of being underfunded and understaffed when compared to their private school counterparts. All they have is the tireless dedication of underpaid coaches and talented inner city athletes. While the spotlight shines on Carson's brutal non-league schedule - I want to take the time to applaud Southern Section teams who agree to play City Section teams like Carson, Narbonne, Garfield, etc. The Southern Section teams really have nothing to gain - they're supposed to beat City teams - and they risk their own chances of being selected to the CA State playoffs if they lose.
Teams like Mission Viejo, Mater Dei, Santa Margarita, etc. aren't afraid to put City schools on their schedule knowing that they will be tested. I hope schools like Oaks Christian, Westlake, Loyola and the like take note. Step up and challenge your programs against inner city athletes. If you want to be considered the best in Southern California, you need to test yourselves against Los Angeles City Schools.
Posted by: Hey Zeus | June 12, 2011 at 09:45 PM
That's dumb scheduling...even D1 powerhouse teams like Ohio State And SC will play 3 to 4 cupcakes and one top team and one middle team. I hope Carson goes 0-5 with the toughest schedule ever!
Posted by: Dumb | June 12, 2011 at 09:02 PM
The chances of Carson winning 3 out of 5 is slim to none. If they even win 2 games it will be an accomplishment. I agree with truth I hate Carson just like I hate the Lakers. I hate Asante because he gets to much attention from the media! I don't think this is the toughest schedule ever Birmingham had tough schedule when Crosen was the head coach. I hope Carson goes 0-5.
Posted by: Carson 0-5 | June 12, 2011 at 08:38 PM
I respect what Carson is doing. I would respect them if they scheduled only 2 of those games. Compare what Carson is doing to what Oaks Christian did for the past decade with their non league schedule (sans 2010). 1-2 tough non league game & the rest a bunch of cream puffs, plus a weak league.
Servite, Notre Dame, Crespi, & Edison usually play the toughest non league schedules. Don't be scared to challenge your players.
Posted by: basketball purist | June 12, 2011 at 07:45 PM
Wow, guarantee 0-5 start.
Posted by: Jvasquez | June 12, 2011 at 07:11 PM
any foolish coach trying to get attention can schedule a tough non-league schedule. But a real coach who deserves credit will win some of those games and keep the others within 6-10 points. Getting blown out doesn't prove anything, other than poor coaching, and the ignorance of a coach trying to get undeserved attention at the cost and morale of his players. Asante is selfish and seeks attention the wrong way. Win 3 of 5 of those non-league games or how about winning a city championship. And you won't have to constantly post comments in the LA Times for attention.
Posted by: the truth | June 12, 2011 at 06:32 PM
You will never see such a pre-season schedule from other City schools because it is better to be 5-0 against a bunch of stiffs, then it is to be possibly 0-5 against some of the best teams in southern California if not the country. A team who plays primarily against a bunch of stiffs, should never be considered for a berth in the California bowl even with a "perfect" season record including a L.A. City Championship.
Posted by: Fred Goul, Upland Ca. | June 12, 2011 at 04:14 PM
I thought he was crazy when he had this same schedule at LA Jordan. However, they gave us all we could handle and he beat us last year as the head coach at Carson. We have revenge on our minds this season but it should be a good game. I noticed he was out at the Dana Hills Tournament scouting us Mater Dei, Poly, Santa Margarita and Narbonne. One thing I can say with absolute certainty is the man isn't scared of any of us on his schedule. Believe me we have been preparing for that game this entire off season.
Posted by: Mater Dei Monarchs | June 12, 2011 at 02:58 PM
I respect what Carson is doing, that's a team with great tradition and was one of the powerhouse teams even before some of these schools were even around. I would love to play for a coach like that, nothing but respect.
Posted by: Just | June 12, 2011 at 02:51 PM