Hawthorne Gets a Big Return From Ollis : High schools: Running back doesn’t get a lot of carries, but he makes the most of his opportunities. He will lead the Cougars against St. Paul in a playoff game on Friday.

With Carson High quarterback John Walsh breaking several records, Serra High riding a 24-game winning streak behind two-way standout Jerald Henry and Morningside moving toward a possible CIF title with sophomore phenom Stais Boseman leading the way, the South Bay has had its share of exciting story lines this football season.

So, it’s easy to understand how the performance of Hawthorne running back Morrell Ollis could be overshadowed. He is so consistent, he is almost boring.

Week after week, all he does is gain 100 or more yards to lead the Cougars (10-2) to victory. In a typical Ollis game Friday night, he rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown in 12 carries in a 17-9 victory over Loara of Anaheim as Hawthorne advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division III semifinals.

The Cougars meet St. Paul (7-3-2) Saturday night at Cerritos College.

As usual, Ollis will be the focus of Hawthorne’s offense. The St. Paul coaching staff knows that the Cougar game plan will include big-play opportunities for Ollis, but that same knowledge has done little for opposing coaches throughout the season as Ollis has rushed for 1,160 yards and nine touchdowns.

And what makes Ollis even more effective is that he doesn’t need an overwhelming number of carries to get his yardage. He’s averaging only 11 carries per game--a whopping 8.4 yards per carry.

Even when he doesn’t get the ball, his presence as a decoy makes things easier for Hawthorne’s other offensive weapons, including quarterback Jamil Williams, wide receiver Tarrik Brock and running backs Armando Fernandez and Ira Moreland.

“I really didn’t think I’d be doing this because I knew there were other running backs coming back (to Hawthorne) this year,” said Ollis, a junior who is in his first full varsity season. “But the blocking has been the key to my success. We have one of the biggest lines in the South Bay.”

The Cougar offensive line is anchored by 6-foot-6, 275-pound tackle Jared Tuione.

Ollis joined the Hawthorne varsity team for the playoffs last season.

“I only played special teams and I was scared going against bigger guys,” said the 5-9, 170-pound Ollis. “But it really built up my courage for this season.”

Ollis acknowledges that he doesn’t get the opportunities that some other running backs do.

“If I got 25 carries a game, I would get a lot more yardage,” Ollis said. “But I also could get tired and fumble more. I’m comfortable getting 11 or 12 carries, as long as I’m getting 100 yards.”

And Ollis admits that he already has a reputation as a bit of a fumbler.

“But I haven’t fumbled in the last three games,” Ollis said. “That’s something I’ve been concentrating on.”

Ollis, who has been contacted by various universities in the Big Ten and Pacific 10 conferences, plans to bulk up to 200 pounds in the off-season.

“I’ve got to keep getting bigger and faster,” Ollis said. “My ultimate goal is to play pro football, but I know I have to just take it one step at a time.”

And his next step will come against the tough St. Paul defense.

Indeed, comparing the two teams’ play against a common opponent (Beverly Hills), it looks as if St. Paul will provide a stiff challenge for Hawthorne. St. Paul beat Beverly Hills, 42-7, last week; Hawthorne struggled before pulling away, 41-27, from Beverly Hills in the regular season.

In the victory over Beverly Hills, the St. Paul defense was dominant. Coach Miguel Olmedo’s Swordsmen came up with seven sacks and five turnovers while holding Beverly Hills to 146 yards of total offense (only 17 on the ground).

Offensively, Carlos Ramos ran for 80 yards in 12 carries, including an eight-yard touchdown. St. Paul is in the CIF semifinals for the first time since 1981.

Other playoff games involving South Bay teams:

CIF-SOUTHERN SECTION: DIVISION VII

Arroyo Grande (10-1) at Serra (10-0), Friday 7:30 p.m.--Serra’s opening-round challenge from Trabuco Hills (the Cavaliers actually trailed going into the fourth quarter) may have been the best thing for Coach Leo Hand’s team. After cruising through the regular season, outscoring opponents, 394-89, it was only natural for the Cavaliers to be a little overconfident.

After the near upset, though, Serra regained its competitive edge and trounced La Mirada, 34-6, last week. Quarterback Alex Marcelin, fullbacks Corey Jones and Louis Williams and tailback Jerald Henry form a well-balanced Cavalier backfield. A win this week will probably give Serra a CIF title rematch with Lompoc. Arroyo Grande, which beat Temple City, 15-12, last week, is on the road for the second consecutive week.

DIVISION VIII

Cabrillo (10-2) vs. Palos Verdes (7-5) at North Torrance HS, Saturday 7:30 p.m.--If Palos Verdes quarterback Tim King throws for 41 yards Saturday night, he will have more yards in postseason games than he had in the 10-game regular season. A victory will give the streaky Sea Kings their fourth consecutive victory after four consecutive losses. Running back George Felactu had three touchdowns in Palos Verdes’ quarterfinal victory and has 15 on the season. Felactu has 192 yards in the Sea Kings’ two playoff games.

Palos Verdes will face a veteran team in top-seeded Cabrillo. “I have all seniors,” Cabrillo Coach Steve Haskins said. “I better enjoy it while it lasts.” Don Lindsey leads the Conquistadores with 1,649 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Teammate Rob Cardenas has thrown for 1,546 yards and 20 touchdowns, with 11 of the scoring strikes going to Scott Arnold (32 catches, 697 yards). Haskins calls Cabrillo, which has had only four home games, the “Traveling Conquistadores.” Last week, Cabrillo also traveled from its Lompoc campus to the South Bay, beating Mira Costa, 14-10.

Temecula Valley (9-3) vs. Morningside (10-2) at Sentinel Field, Inglewood, Friday 7:30 p.m.--Wide receiver Kenny Birdine leads Morningside with 10 touchdowns, including three in the playoffs. Birdine has seven postseason receptions, too. Also a defensive back, Birdine had an interception and a fumble recovery last week.

Quarterback-flanker Stais Boseman is second on the team with nine touchdowns. In the quarterfinal victory at Torrance, Boseman misfired on four of five passes, and his sole completion gained only a yard. But Boseman made the most of it, connecting with Birdine for a key second-half touchdown in the come-from-behind 32-14 victory. Fullback Danny Katoa (who also plays linebacker) has rebounded from a knee injury to become the Monarchs’ top inside runner.

South Bay teams have had a tough time defeating Temecula Valley. The Bears defeated Rolling Hills, 39-28, and West Torrance, 31-17, in the playoffs. Temecula Valley’s Ronnie Long is coming off his best game of the year after gaining 174 yards in 14 carries. Long ran for a touchdown and caught a pass for another touchdown against West. Temecula Valley quarterback David Gonzalez completed 16 of 22 passes for 189 yards and three touchdown against West on Friday.

L.A. CITY SECTION: 4-A DIVISION

El Camino Real (7-3) vs. Carson (9-1) at Veterans Stadium, Long Beach, Friday 7:30 p.m.--El Camino Real has a strong defense, giving up only 171 yards per game. But El Camino Real’s weakness is in the secondary, where they have a lack of speed. Carson’s ultra-quick receivers should be able to beat defenders with regularity in this quarterfinal game. El Camino Real’s offense is operating under less-than-perfect circumstances with quarterback Sean Boldt expected to make only his third start.

Thrust into the lineup due to an injury, Boldt has completed only seven of 25 passes for 128 yards and has been intercepted three times. Boldt did help El Camino Real beat Reseda, 22-16, last week in the first round. Tailback Ryan Marine is El Camino Real’s leading rusher with 829 yards and nine touchdowns in 150 carries. Flanker Latario Rachal and wingback Abdul Muhammad are Carson’s top scorers with 16 and 15 touchdowns, respectively.

Kennedy (7-4) vs. Banning (7-3) at Gardena HS, Friday 7:30 p.m.--Banning is rated No. 2 in the division and is as hot as any team in Southern California. Their opponent in the quarterfinal game, San Fernando Valley power Kennedy, features one of the City’s most exciting offensive players--running back Ontiwaun Carter. Carter, whose first name is pronounced as if it were “Antoine,” has gained over 4,000 yards in the past three seasons.

Banning has a top running back of its own in Travis Davis, who has rushed for 1,500 yards this season. He is being recruited by USC. Another threat for the Pilots is quarterback Anthony Nicholson, who is known for his ability to run the option. But Nicholson has also been an effective big-play passer, most notably in Banning’s upset of previously unbeaten Dorsey last month.