Football: San Pedro looks to end Crenshaw’s reign

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Of tonight’s four City Section Division I quarterfinal matchups, the most intriguing could be defending champion and No. 8-seeded Los Angeles Crenshaw at No. 1-seeded and undefeated San Pedro.

Crenshaw, winner of nine straight City playoff games and the last two Division I titles, is coming off a 55-17 first-round rout of El Camino Real, despite 204 yards and one touchdown by Conquistadores running back Kawan Rally. Jacob Knight needed only 12 carries to gain 193 yards and two touchdowns and Mossi Johnson added 149 yards and three touchdowns in 18 carries for the Cougars (6-4), who settled for third place in the Coliseum League after losses to Los Angeles Dorsey and West Adams.

San Pedro shared the 2008 City championship with Marine League rival Narbonne after the teams played to a 21-21 tie in the finals. The Pirates (11-0) haven’t play as demanding a schedule as some of the other teams in Division I, but they have beaten their opponents by an average of 26 points per game. San Pedro routed league rival Gardena 49-7 in the first round last week.

San Pedro and Crenshaw had four common opponents this season. Each posted lopsided victories over Locke, Gardena and Banning, but while Crenshaw lost to West Adams 26-25 in league, San Pedro beat the Panthers 27-7 in its season opener. Of the eight teams remaining in the Division I playoffs, three represent the Marine League and three are from the Coliseum League.

In tonight’s other Division I quarterfinal matchups, No. 5 Carson travels to No. 4 Venice, No. 7 West Adams travels to No. 2 Narbonne and No. 3 Dorsey plays host to No. 6 Birmingham.

Check back for live scoring updates from San Pedro-Crenshaw.

-- Steve Galluzzo