Quartz Hill Blistered in 3rd Quarter, 27-14

Muir High turned a defensive battle into an offensive showcase with a 20-point outburst in the third quarter Friday, handing Quartz Hill a 27-14 loss in a Division II playoff game at Pasadena City College.

Next week, Muir will play San Marcos, a 33-26 surprise winner over Hawthorne.

The teams combined for only 82 total yards in a 7-7 first half, but Muir’s Sam Williford quickly changed that. Williford--a 6-foot-2, 190-pound senior running back--returned the second-half kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown to get the Mustangs off to the races.

The next time Williford touched the ball, he took a handoff, dashed right, cut left and sprinted 47 yards for a score that gave Muir (9-1-1) a 19-7 lead with 6:57 left in the third quarter. He finished with 92 yards in 11 carries.

Muir’s next drive also resulted in a touchdown. Quarterback Demitrius Martin scored from eight yards on an option keeper for a 27-7 lead with 50 seconds remaining n the quarter.

Quartz Hill (6-5), meanwhile, struggled offensively behind quarterback Kendial Armstrong’s shaky throwing arm and a running game that sputtered. Armstrong, who was nine of 25 passing for 113 yards, often overthrew receivers.

The Rebels’ running game netted only 75 yards, with Erik Thomas gaining 59 of them.

The only second-half score Quartz Hill could muster was a seven-yard pass from Armstrong to David Nelson--his second touchdown catch--with 9:15 left. Earlier, Quartz Hill appeared as if it would have little trouble finding the end zone when Armstrong directed a 44-yard drive that ended with a Rebel score. Nelson caught a screen pass from Armstrong and ran untouched for 39 yards.

The score was set up by Erik Thomas’ 18-yard run to Muir’s 11-yard line. Chad Watters’ point-after gave the Rebels a 7-0 lead with 49 seconds left in the first quarter.

But Muir, the second-place team from the Pacific League, came back in its next possession with Andre Devizen’s 39-yard score. Muir kept the drive alive with Carlton Greer’s two-yard run on fourth and one at the Mustangs’ 39, and added Shawn Younger’s 14-yard gain on third and eight at Muir’s 43.