HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS : St. Paul Knocks Off Hawthorne, 13-0

St. Paul High fullback Anthony Morales scored two touchdowns and rushed for 53 yards in seven carries to lead the Swordsmen to a 13-0 win over Hawthorne in a Southern Section Division III semifinal football playoff game at Cerritos College.

St. Paul (8-3-2) will play undefeated Anaheim Esperanza (13-0) for the title next Saturday. The Swordsmen will take a nine-game winning streak into the championship.

St. Paul held Hawthorne (10-3) to two first downs (both on penalties) and three yards total offense in the first half en route to a 14-0 lead.

Morrell Ollis, Hawthorne’s 1,000-yard rusher, netted minus five yards on three first-half carries and finished with four yards on six carries.

After a scoreless first quarter, Morales scored on a one-yard run on the initial play of the second quarter to give St. Paul a 7-0 lead. Morales’ touchdown culminated a 13-play, 59-yard drive.

On the Swordsmen’s next possession, tailback Carlos Ramos had a three-yard touchdown run, which finished off a 12-play, 62-yard drive. For the game, Ramos had 98 rushing yards on 19 attempts.

St. Paul quarterback Albert Borunda threw for 111 yards (without an interception) on eight-of-13 passing.

Hawthorne quarterback Jamil Williams completed only five of 14 passes for 103 yards. He had two passes intercepted.