Mira Costa Upsets Esperanza

Quarterback Kevin Romero completed a school-record 21 passes in 32 attempts for 258 yards and two touchdowns to lead Manhattan Beach Mira Costa to a 23-21 upset of Anaheim Esperanza in a nonleague game Friday at Mira Costa.

Romero, a junior, also ran for a 24-yard touchdown against Esperanza (2-1), ranked No. 6 in the Southland by The Times.

“He’s terrific,” Mira Costa Coach Don Morrow said of Romero. “He has all the potential in the world. Effort-wise, you couldn’t ask for anything more.”

Unranked Mira Costa never trailed after taking an early lead on a 23-yard touchdown reception by Ian Wandler with 8 minutes 56 seconds left in the first quarter.

“It’s probably been a long time since our team has played a Division I team like this and came out on top,” said Morrow, whose Division III Mustangs improved to 2-0.

Esperanza running back Rocky Taloa finished with 114 yards and a touchdown in 20 carries.

-- Jonathan Abrams

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 45, Westlake Village Westlake 20 -- Senior Rodney Glass ran for 121 of his 196 yards and all four of his touchdowns in the first half for the host and fourth-ranked Knights (2-0), who stretched their winning streak to 24 games.

Glass scored on runs of five, four, one and 58 yards as Notre Dame took a 28-14 halftime lead.

Sophomore quarterback Dayne Crist, subbing for the injured Garrett Green, completed nine of 15 passes for 138 yards and carried 11 times for 75 yards and a touchdown.

Jeff Rapoport carried 22 times for 124 yards and a touchdown for the No. 16 Warriors (1-1).

Notre Dame kicker Kai Forbath ended a streak of 78 consecutive extra-point conversions when he pulled one wide right in the second quarter. Forbath’s 35-yard field goal in the third quarter extended the Knights’ lead to 38-14.

-- Ben Bolch

Mission Viejo 48, Santa Ana Mater Dei 7 -- Chane Moline may be Mission Viejo’s money player, but he took a back seat to two players who will be in the Diablos’ backfield next season.

Moline rushed 21 times for 119 yards, but by the time he walked into the end zone from four yards with 6:15 left in the game, No. 1 Mission Viejo (3-0) was holding a 35-7 lead.

Juniors Keegan Gogerty and Brian Lockridge did the damage early. Gogerty ran 11 times for 152 yards, including an 85-yard score in the first quarter, and Lockridge touched the ball only twice but scored from 48 and 51 yards.

Senior R.J. Toman threw two touchdown passes on six-of-11 passing for 113 yards, with scores of 13 and 16 yards. The latter was to Kyle Hardman, which gave Mission Viejo a 28-0 lead at halftime. Hardman also had two sacks as a defensive end.

“They’re amazing,” Hardman said of the offense. “We’ve got everything. We can run the ball, we can throw the ball, you can’t stop us.”

Mater Dei (0-2), ranked No. 13, scored in the fourth quarter on Travis McNaughton’s two-yard run.

-- Martin Henderson

Valencia 51, Lake Balboa Birmingham 30 -- Michael Herrick completed 18 of 29 passes for 278 yards and a touchdown, Shane Vereen ran 13 times for 85 yards and four touchdowns, and the Vikings withstood a late rally at Valencia.

Vereen scored his third touchdown on a three-yard run to give ninth-ranked Valencia (2-0) a 37-0 lead 64 seconds into the second half.

But the Patriots (0-2), who lost to the Vikings last year, 43-26, forged a comeback. Two touchdown runs each by Milton Knox Jr. and Craig Posey pulled Birmingham to within 44-30 with 3:58 left to play.

Knox finished with 20 carries for 147 yards, but the Patriots committed four turnovers and were outgained, 266-80, in the first half.

-- Mayar Zokaei

Bellevue (Wash.) 30, Long Beach Poly 16 -- Often mystified by a deceptive wing-T offense and hampered by its own mistakes, the No. 2 Jackrabbits fell in front of 5,523 at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Bellevue, winner of four consecutive Washington 3A state titles, built a 22-3 lead early in the third quarter and withstood a second-half Poly rally that included two touchdown runs by Ryan Smith.

Poly (1-1) committed four turnovers and yielded a safety in the second quarter on an errant snap that sailed over the head of punter Matt Kromminga.

Three of starting quarterback Millicent Olawale’s passes were intercepted, the third coming in the end zone on a toss intended for Curtis Thompson with 2:31 left in the game.

Olawale completed 6 of 13 passes for 101 yards. Gabriel Thomas played in the third quarter and piloted the Jackrabbits to two scores.

Bellevue outgained Poly 315-243, gaining all its yards on the ground.

-- Terry Wood