The Jordan Bulldogs rallied in the final minutes to etch their names in history during the Division III CIF City Section championships. They defeated the Washington Prep Generals 42-30. The title win is the first for the Bulldogs since 1980.
“For us, this generation to be here, it feels good,” said Jordan sophomore Marquin Nelson. “This is my first game coming off an injury, I did pretty good. [I] threw two touchdowns … led the team to a victory.”
Bulldogs junior David Sandy played some snaps as quarterback but also played wide receiver and running back on offense. Sophomore Marquin Nelson played as signal caller for Jordan throughout the matchup.
Related Stories
Clippers Foundation, Russell Westbrook, and LA County Celebrate Refurbished Courts
Juju Watkins Breaks Records At USC
Jordan was the first to score early in the first quarter, jumping to an 8-0 lead. Generals quarterback Sesame Mixon had several offensive weapons to get downfield. On a first-and-goal, Mixon scrambled into the endzone from five yards out. A failed two-point conversion left the Generals trailing 6-8.
Bulldogs junior David Sandy countered the Generals with carries and edged the score up to 14 with a two-yard run.
Mixon targeted seven teammates late in the second quarter. The Generals tied up the game with a four-yard pass to Isaiah Harris. With seconds left in the second phase, Nelson slung a deep pass that was picked off by Mixon. At halftime, both teams were tied at 14.
“We was in the locker room telling everybody we got to come back stronger, double than them,” Mixon said about the Generals halftime message. “Keep going and let’s take the lead and get the win.”
The Generals started the third period with intensity. On the third play, Mixon targeted Harris for a 57-yard touchdown pass. After a successful two-point conversion, the Generals were up 22-14.
Jordan relied on their effective rushing game on their next possession. Senior De’Marion Brown caught a 28-yard touchdown pass but the Washington Prep defense denied their two-point conversion to tie the game.
“When all the pressure is on [Nelson] he was able to perform and I still look up to him very much as a quarterback,” Sandy said. “I felt like my freshman year of being a quarterback, I wasn’t able to do that and he was able to perform when we needed him to perform.”
An offside kick gave Jordan the ball again, but the General’s defense rushed them off the field soon after. Despite being sacked on a first down, Mixson kept the offense moving. He even converted a fourth down with a scramble and made a 15-yard scoring run on a third down. The Generals were up by 10 points in the early minutes of the fourth quarter.
The Bulldog offense returned to the field and scored in four plays; Brown completed a 38-yard touchdown passing play. Jordon cut their deficit to two points.
Sandy spearheaded Jordan’s next offensive drive with his runs ultimately getting Jordan the lead 34-30 with a 16-yard touchdown run with 2:10 left in regulation. The Generals struggled on offense and had to turn over on downs at their own at their own 14-yard line.
On a third down, Sandy rushed the ball into the endzone to secure the Bulldogs’ victory. Jordan was a fourth seed in the City Section Division III playoffs and defeated the top-seeded Bell Eagles 38-21 in the Semifinals. Washington Prep lost their first four games and battled through the Coliseum League to become a second seed.
Jordan will now compete in the Division 7-A state tournament and will travel to battle the Bell Gardens Lancers on December 2 at 6:00P.M.
