PREP FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : Crenshaw Gains 4-A Semifinals

After being forced to play Wilmington Banning in a 16-play tiebreaker less than two weeks ago, Crenshaw High School is making the most out of its second life. The Cougars advanced into the City 4-A Division semifinals with a 27-13 victory over Taft Friday night in Woodland Hills.

In the victory over Banning, senior tailback Kevin Hicks passed to quarterback Derrick Williams for the winning touchdown. But against Taft, their roles returned to normal as Williams completed two touchdown passes to Hicks.

Meanwhile, Crenshaw forced four turnovers. Defensive back Devin Montgomery clinched the Cougar’s victory with a 42-yard interception return for a touchdown with 2:08 to play.

Crenshaw (8-4) will play Carson next week.

Carson 31, GH Kennedy 0--Colt quarterback Armin Youngblood passed for three touchdowns, giving him a school-record 27 this season, at Long Beach Veterans Stadium.

Carson, the City’s top-rated team and defending 4-A Division champion, dominated the Golden Cougars’ running game. Junior running back Ontiwaun Carter, who entered the game with 1,529 yards rushing, was held to 34 yards in 15 carries, as the Colts outgained Kennedy, 365 yards to 123.

Defensive stars for Carson included linebacker Nkosi Littleton, with 15 tackles, and defensive back Tarriel Hopper, who intercepted two passes.

El Camino Real 16, Granada Hills 9--Fullback Jamal Anderson rushed for 159 yards in 16 carries to lead the Conquistadores’ upset of the second-seeded Highlanders in a City 4-A Division quarterfinal game at Granada Hills.

Anderson became the first player this season to gain 100 yards in a game against the Highlanders and broke a school record for yards in a season with 1,099.

The Conquistadores passed for zero yards, but Anderson picked up the slack. El Camino Real will play Dorsey, which defeated Palisades, in the semifinals next Friday.

South Gate 26, Westchester 0--In a rematch of last season’s City 3-A Division title game, the Rams, behind senior tailback Ivan Wilson’s two touchdowns, defeated the Comets before 4,000 at South Gate.

Wilson, divisional player of the year last season, rushed for 135 yards in 25 carries and has 1,290 yards this season.

The Rams’ defense, behind the play of linemen Danny Villa and Steve Martinez, held the Comets to 21 yards passing. Villa scored a safety in the third quarter when he tackled quarterback Brad Freeman in the end zone.

South Gate (10-0-1) will play Franklin, which defeated Gardena, 24-0, in the semifinals next week. Westchester ends the season with an 8-3 record.

Orange 35, Agoura 22--Junior tailback Brian Remmel rushed for 280 yards in 24 carries to lead the Panthers in Southern Section Division VIII action at Agoura. Remmel scored three touchdowns in the first half as Orange built a 28-0 lead.

Orange (10-2-1) will play Pacific Coast League rival Trabuco Hills next week for the championship.

Pasadena Muir 9, Thousand Oaks 3--In a game decided by a tiebreaker, the Mustangs’ Carlton Greer ran three yards for a touchdown to give Muir a victory over the top-seeded Division II team at Citrus College.

Greer’s run came moments after the Mustangs’ defense held Thousand Oaks four times from the 10-yard line. On the last play, Lancer fullback Chris Foster was stopped for no gain on fourth and inches.

Muir (11-1-1) will play the winner of tonight’s game between Canyon Country Canyon and Santa Barbara in the championship game next week. Thousand Oaks finished 11-1-1.

Tehachapi 7, Montclair Prep 0--The top-seeded Mounties could not overcome an injury to quarterback Leland Sparks as Tehachapi stopped Montclair Prep’s powerful running attack in a Division IX semifinal before 3,000 at Tehachapi.

Sparks suffered an injury to his right ankle with 5:12 left in the second quarter, which slowed the Mounties’ option attack.

Montclair Prep’s running back duo of senior Mike Jones and junior Derek Sparks finished with a combined total of 106 yards. Jones finished with 42 yards in 14 carries, with no run longer than seven yards after the first quarter. Sparks finished with 64 yards in 15 carries, including an 18-yard run on a fake punt.

One touchdown was all it took to defeat Montclair Prep (12-1), which previously had scored 457 points to its opponents’ 92. Anthony Kelley’s one-yard run in the second quarter gave Tehachapi all it needed.

San Gorgonio 21, Loyola 12--Running back Ron Rivers scored three touchdowns, including an 80-yard punt return, to lead the Spartans over the Cubs in a Southern Section Division I semifinal game before 5,500 at San Gorgonio.

Gardena Serra 12, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 3--The Cavaliers held Notre Dame to 97 yards rushing and Lamont Daniel rushed for 138 yards in 15 carries to lead Serra in a Southern Section Division VII semifinal game at Sherman Oaks.