Dorsey Spoils Stewart’s Homecoming in 21-14 Win : Prep football: Granada Hills tires and loses halftime lead, game to defending City Section 4-A Division champion.

Granada Hills High senior Derrick Stewart was the first player to take the field Saturday night, the guy who led a stream of teammates into Jackie Robinson Stadium for their game against Dorsey.

For Stewart, who lives in the Dorsey attendance area and is bused to Granada Hills, it was a homecoming. It was also a coming-out party of sorts, and, in front of friends and family, no less.

Stewart, an all-league safety who was making his second start at tailback, scored Granada Hills’ first two touchdowns, but defending City Section 4-A Division champion Dorsey rallied in the second half to win, 21-14.

On the fourth offensive play of the game, Stewart scored on an 85-yard pass from quarterback Bryan Martin on a third-and-26 play from the Dorsey 15.

Stewart later added a three-yard run to give Granada Hills a 14-6 lead at halftime, but from then on, Dorsey welcomed Stewart and Co. with open arms.

Granada Hills (1-1), ranked No. 8 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports, managed just one first down in the second half and was held to minus-three yards.

“We just told (the defense) that they weren’t doing what we told them to do all week,” said Dorsey co-Coach Eugene McAdoo, who handles the defense. “We just came out and laid some plastic on them.”

Credit Dorsey with squaring its account in a big way. The Dons (2-0) rolled up 370 yards in offense to 218 for Granada Hills.

“I don’t know what it was,” Stewart said. “They just played us tougher in the second half.”

With the score tied, 14-14, in the third quarter, Dorsey took the lead for good thanks to a play that had the Granada Hills coaching staff up in arms. On a second-and-20 play from the Granada Hills 40, Dorsey quarterback Ronald Peebles underthrew receiver Keyshawn Johnson, who made the adjustment and outwrestled defensive back John Moss at the two.

The Granada Hills staff claimed that Johnson had pushed off, but no flag was thrown. Tailback Lamont Warren, who finished with 101 yards in 22 carries, scored on the next play to give Dorsey a 21-14 lead with 1 minute 51 seconds left in the third quarter.

“What can I say,” Harp said. “We saw it one way and the refs saw it another.”

Granada Hills co-Coach Darryl Stroh wasn’t as diplomatic: “That was the worst officiated game I’ve ever seen, and I want that on the front page.”

Dorsey manhandled Granada Hills the rest of the way, sacking Martin three times in the second half. Martin completed seven of 17 passes for 165 yards but was one for four for four yards in the second half .

“We’ve gotta be able to execute,” Harp said. “The quarterback has to have time to throw the ball.”

Stewart (22 yards in six carries) and fullback Brett Washington (47 yards in six carries) were never a factor after halftime.

“We were just worn out in the second half,” Granada Hills’ Harp said. “We just didn’t move the ball.”

Stewart gave Granada Hills a 14-6 lead when he scored on a three-yard run with 2:48 left in the first half. Stewart’s run finished a 13-play, 66-yard drive that was nearly short-circuited by 35 yards in Highlander penalties.

Trailing, 7-0, Dorsey scored on Warren’s one-yard run with 4:14 left in the first half. And if Granada Hills’ second scoring drive sounded impressive, this was a notch higher. Dorsey drove 82 yards in 15 plays, eating 7:07 off the clock.