CITY FOOTBALL SEMIFINAL GAMES : Carson Wins Easily; So Does Granada Hills

Carson High School defeated San Fernando, 31-9, in a semifinal game Friday night at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach and next Friday night will play in its seventh straight City 4-A title game.

But the Colts will have to break an odd-year jinx if they are to win their fourth title of the 1980s. Carson won titles in 1982, 1984 and 1986 but lost in 1981, 1983 and 1985.

The Colts (11-0) will face Granada Hills (8-3) in the title game at East L.A. College. Granada Hills advanced by routing Cleveland, 55-6, Friday night.

Against San Fernando, which finished its season 7-2-1, Carson quarterback George Malauulu completed 7 of 16 passes for 122 yards and running back Errol Sapp rushed for a game-high 167 yards, including 116 in the first half as the Colts built a 17-0 halftime lead.

The Carson defense limited San Fernando quarterback Joe Mauldin to just 6 completions in 19 attempts and sacked him 6 times for a minus-48 yards.

In a nonleague game earlier this year, Carson overwhelmed Granada Hills, 42-14, as the Colts never allowed Granada Hills quarterback Jeremy Leach time to pass.

Passing was not one of Leach’s problems Friday night against Cleveland (5-6) as he completed 12 of 15 passes for 190 yards and touchdowns of 21, 26, 43 and 22 yards. Leach also scored the Highlanders first two touchdowns on runs of seven and three yards.

3-A DIVISION--Ricky Branscome scored on a one-yard run with 13 seconds left to lift Franklin to a 19-12 semifinal victory over Chatsworth at L.A. Wilson High.

A roughing-the-punter penalty against Chatsworth’s Everett Darby gave Franklin the ball on the Chatsworth 29-yard line to set up the winning score.

Lamont Lovett rushed for 107 yards in 22 carries and a touchdown, while quarterback Ronnie Lopez completed 10 of 18 passes for 171 yards.

Franklin (9-1) will meet Palisades, a 34-27 winner over Taft. Quarterback Perry Klein completed 22 of 41 passes for 287 yards and three touchdowns--all to Harold Champion--in a driving wind at Palisades.

Champion caught scoring passes of 10, 19 and 25 yards, all on fade passes to the corner of the end zone. Palisades is 9-2.

2-A DIVISON--Sophomore running back Tim Holiday rushed 16 times for 120 yards and a touchdown for Westchester as the Comets (9-2) defeated Roosevelt, 27-7, at Roosevelt High to advance to the final.

Westchester overpowered Roosevelt as Kevin Owens ran for 60 yards in 9 carries and a touchdown, and Cory Henry rushed 15 times for 75 yards.

Roosevelt finishes 7-2-1.

The Comets will play defending champion Reseda (10-0), which defeated Huntington Park, 33-0.

Reseda was paced by running back Ronald Wilkerson, who gained 122 yards and scored on runs of 23 and 5 yards.

Tight end David Wilson had three touchdown receptions of 11, 28 and 28 yards from three different throwers.

Huntington Park finished 6-3-1.