CITY 4-A DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP : Dorsey Dons Crown in City : Prep football: Shah rushes for 140 yards, three touchdowns as Banning rally falls short, 33-30.

After weeks of controversy, all that remained after Dorsey High’s 33-30 victory over Wilmington Banning Saturday were cheers and tears.

Before a capacity crowd of 12,000 at El Camino College, Dorsey capitalized on three turnovers to win its second City 4-A Division championship in the last three years.

“We were able to settle this on the field,” Dorsey cornerback Shaun Sloan said. “That is what it’s all about.”

Dorsey led for most of the game but had to survive a late rally during which the Pilots scored 15 points, including a touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:03 remaining.

Dorsey then recovered the Pilots’ attempted onside kick to secure bragging rights in the city.

This matchup created more interest than usual after Banning decided to forfeit its regular-season game against Dorsey because of fear of violence at Jackie Robinson Stadium. There were no reports of violence at this game.

Tailback Sharmon Shah rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns in 31 carries as Dorsey’s ball-control offense totaled 239 yards on the ground.

“Our line just took over and we pounded, pounded and pounded until they gave in a little,” Dorsey Coach Paul Knox said. “They gave in, but not much.”

Said Banning’s Naeem Mills: “We wish that we had a little more time on the clock. We played a good game, but they deserved it. They played like champions. I’m not down, but it hurts.”

Banning struck first with a four-play, 57-yard drive on its third possession. Shayzar Hawkins carried three times for 39 yards, including a five-yard touchdown. The Pilots completed a two-point conversion pass to take an 8-0 lead. Banning had a chance to extend its lead after a fumble by Dorsey, but quarterback V. Faavi-Tua’au threw an interception near the goal line to Norman Beavers, who ran to the Dorsey 26. The Dons drove 74 yards in six plays to score their first touchdown, on a nine-yard run by Shah.

Dorsey took a 12-8 lead on its next possession, on a 37-yard pass play from Damon Williams to Antonio Carrion.

However, Banning responded with a 74-yard kickoff return by Chris Smith to the Dorsey 11. The Pilots scored four plays later on a one-yard sneak by Faavi-Tua’au.

Dorsey then took a 19-15 lead before halftime on a four-yard sweep by Shah. The touchdown was set up by a 53-yard pass play from Williams to Carrion, who suffered an ankle injury on the play and did not return.

Dorsey came out in the second half running the ball behind Santonio Turner, a 6-foot-1, 300-pound tackle. The Dons stayed on the ground with a 12-play, 60-yard drive to take a 26-15 lead on a one-yard sneak by Williams.

Hawkins, who became Banning’s single-season rushing leader with 81 yards in 16 carries, had only six carries in the second half. However, it was his nine-yard touchdown run around right end at the start of the fourth quarter that got Banning back into the game.

Banning had a chance to take the lead back soon after, but Brandon Moore fumbled a Dorsey punt that was recovered by Larry Bobo at the Pilots’ 26-yard line.

Six handoffs to Shah later, Dorsey took a 33-22 lead when he dived over from the one.

After Faavi-Tua’au’s 33-yard pass play to Sadi with 1:03 remaining, the quarterback ran for the two-point conversion to make the score 33-30. But any hopes for a miracle finish for Banning ended when Michael Bradfield recovered the Pilots’ kickoff.

“This is how the game would have been if it was played at our place all along,” Knox said. “We took a bad rap. The negative publicity our school got was unwarranted. I know that people are happy that we played without any problems.”

Banning, which last won the City title in 1985, has lost in three of the last four title games.