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Sports

Former Gondos Seek Pac-12 Gridiron Title

Curtis McNeal and Jerry Johnson are now at conference rivals USC and UCLA.

The 2011 college football season starts at the end of this week, and two former Venice High School teammates could play prominent roles on offense at Pacific 12 Conference archrivals USC and UCLA.

Curtis McNeal is now a redshirt junior tailback for the Trojans while fellow Gondoliers alum Jerry Johnson is now a redshirt junior wide receiver for the Bruins. Both schools kick off the season September 3 – USC at home against Minnesota and UCLA on the road at Houston.

Both players were stars for Coach Angelo Gasca at Venice High and were seniors on the 2007 Western League championship squad that finished 10-2 and reached the L.A. City Section quarterfinals.

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McNeal, who was academically ineligible last fall, will challenge for a starting spot in the USC backfield. As a freshman in 2009 he had six carries for 33 yards and averaged 18.6 yards in 13 kickoff returns.  

One of the best all-around athletes ever to play at Venice, McNeal was voted City Offensive Player of the Year his senior season after rushing for 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns on 136 carries and catching 15 passes for 245 yards and three scores.

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As a junior, McNeal was even better, racking up 3,106 all-purpose yards, including 2,008 yards rushing and 42 touchdowns and earning first team All-City honors. 

Over in Westwood, Johnson will compete for playing time this season after missing spring drills while rehabilitating a fractured left ankle he suffered in his first collegiate start against Arizona last season. He played in eight games for the Bruins last year, with five catches for 57 yards. 

Johnson played three varsity seasons at Venice and caught 50 passes for over 900 yards and 14 touchdowns his senior year, averaging over 23 yards per catch in the regular season.

In his junior year at Venice, Johnson had 24 catches for 613 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 25.5 yards per reception. He also lettered in track and field, competing in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash and the 4 x 100 relay.

When USC and UCLA meet in the season finale November 26 at the L.A. Coliseum, city bragging rights will be at stake, as might the pride of Venice High School.

Though the last regular season contest is still a long way off, the ex-teammates hope to have earned starting roles by then. Neither McNeal nor Johnson played in last season's rivalry game at the Rose Bowl. Both are exciting players to keep an eye on as the season progresses.  

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