Pleasant's kickoff return lifts Cavaliers to victory over Bears

GARDENA » When opposing teams kick the ball to Serra return man Rodrick Pleasant on kickoffs and punts, he's typically taken aback by the decision.

In addition to football, the senior also holds the California state record in the 100-meter dash after he finished the race in 10.14 seconds in May. The track speed came in handy Friday.

Pleasant returned a kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown and added two fourth-quarter interceptions to lead Serra to a 16-13 win over visiting Warren in a wild and wacky nonleague game in the rain.

Pleasant's return gave the Cavaliers (2-2) the lead for good at 14-13 with 13 seconds left in the first quarter. After initially bobbling the slippery ball, he quickly picked it up and darted through and past the Bears' special teams.

“I was very surprised,” Pleasant said of the kicks he was given to field. “We didn't plan for that. I said, `OK, that's new.'”

The Bears (2-1), however, did not intend to do so, coach Kevin Pearson said.

“Don't kick to number two,” Pearson said, alluding to Pleasant's jersey number. “We tried not to. We brought a kid with a big leg out from the soccer team who suited up last week, his first game he's ever suited up. … He just kicked it to a kid you're not supposed to kick to. You've got to game plan against (Pleasant).”

The victory avenged a 14-0 loss to Warren last season.

Both quarterbacks took a backseat with the weather elements and neither coach used the rain as an excuse. Neither quarterback completed more than six passes.

Bears quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a five-star commit for the University of Tennessee, was without his top receiver Jordan Ross and two offensive linemen.

The Cavaliers took advantage as their secondary blanketed his intended receivers and gave the defensive line time to contain and chase him.

“(Iamaleava) put the ball where it should be,” Pearson said. “Definitely, the quarterback was not the issue tonight.”

On its own 10-yard line with 3:04 to play and no timeouts, Warren's first play from scrimmage was picked off along the Serra sideline by Pleasant for his second of the night and to seal the game.

“Just amazing,” Cavaliers coach Scott Altenberg said of his star defensive back and returner. “He's just special. You see him and how he competes at the big times. That's the difference. A lot of guys have a lot of hype and when the big game comes they're nowhere to be found, but not him.”

The Bears were led defensively by safety Jordan Jones, who also had two interceptions including a 27-yard return for a touchdown to put Warren up 6-0 midway through the first quarter.

In the final 2:30, the teams traded touchdowns to setup Pleasant's difference-making return.