When he learned his team was going to forfeit a key game against Rosemont High School because of his players' involvement in a highly publicized fight Sept. 30 with Kennedy, McClatchy football coach Malcolm Floyd said he was down, almost despondent.
He knew the ugly incident, which was caught on film and went viral nationally, wasn't a true reflection of his players' character or a program fighting for credibility on and off its Land Park campus.
"We met together as a team to discuss our punishment, and I admit I was teary-eyed," said Floyd, a McClatchy graduate and former NFL wide receiver. "I was pouting. But my players and my assistants said, 'Hey, let's go coach. Let's get ready for Johnson.' They all wanted to move forward. That to me is a sign of a good team."
It's a team that bounced back pretty well from its forced two-week hiatus by traveling to Hiram Johnson this afternoon and beating the winless Warriors 35-6.
Quarterback Nick Modar passed for 179 yards, including a 97-yard touchdown to Jordan Monteiro-Williams, and Kijafa Burgie rushed for 126 yards and two touchdowns. The Lions also took advantage of three Johnson turnovers, including a 33-yard first-quarter fumble return for a touchdown by defensive tackle Joe Savaii.
The win keeps McClatchy (3-4, 3-1 Metro Conference) in a second-place tie with Sacramento (3-4, 3-1) and Rosemont (3-4, 3-1), one game behind Burbank (6-1, 4-0).
"These boys have shown some resiliency," said Floyd, the Lions' fourth-year coach.
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