Ryan Rakowski Leads Palos Verdes Past Carson, 35-20
CARSON, Calif. — Palos Verdes continued its undefeated start to the 2026 season Thursday night, pulling away from Carson in the second half for a 35-20 nonleague victory in a matchup between two of Southern California’s top high school football programs.
The Sea Kings entered the game looking to build on victories over Serra and Bishop Moore, while Carson came in unbeaten after opening its season with wins over Lincoln and Dorsey. The Colts, one of the top teams in the CIF Los Angeles City Section, provided Palos Verdes with another early-season test.
Carson struck first behind quarterback Chris Fields III, who led the Colts down the field on an 80-yard opening drive before scoring on a one-yard run. Palos Verdes quickly answered, with quarterback Ryan Rakowski connecting with Jalen Flowers on a short pass that Flowers turned into a 25-yard touchdown.
Rakowski continued to cause problems for the Carson defense with both his arm and his legs. The senior quarterback added a 19-yard touchdown run to give Palos Verdes the lead, while Fields responded with another rushing touchdown for Carson.
The back-and-forth opening half ended with Palos Verdes holding a narrow 14-13 advantage, leaving the game open entering the third quarter.
That changed after halftime.
Palos Verdes began to take control at the line of scrimmage while Rakowski continued extending plays and creating opportunities outside the pocket. The Sea Kings held Carson scoreless in the third quarter and added another touchdown of their own to extend the lead to 21-13.
Rakowski ultimately accounted for all five Palos Verdes touchdowns, throwing two touchdown passes and rushing for three more. He finished with 161 passing yards while adding another 70 yards on the ground, consistently finding ways to escape pressure and keep drives alive.
Flowers provided another major threat for the Sea Kings. The junior made an impact as a receiver and returner, using his speed in space to create explosive plays and force Carson to account for him throughout the night.
Carson continued to rely heavily on Fields, who produced all three of the Colts’ touchdowns on the ground. The senior quarterback rushed for more than 80 yards while also leading the passing attack, but Palos Verdes’ defense increased its pressure during the second half and limited Carson’s ability to match the Sea Kings score for score.
Palos Verdes added 14 points in the fourth quarter to put the game away, finishing off a 35-20 victory and improving to 3-0 on the season. Carson dropped to 2-1 with its first loss of the year.
For Palos Verdes, the victory adds another significant result to an impressive opening stretch. After defeating Serra 17-14 and Florida’s Bishop Moore 21-18, the Sea Kings now add a road victory over one of the Los Angeles City Section’s strongest programs.
Palos Verdes will next travel to face Edison on Sept. 11, while Carson will look to bounce back on the road against Long Beach Poly.
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