PREP FOOTBALL SPITLIGHT : FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK’S GAMES : BREATHLESS

After Chad Morton scored on a four-yard run with two minutes 13 seconds left, the South Torrance running back stopped in the end zone for a few minutes to catch his breath.

It was a well-deserved rest.

Thanks largely to the offensive exploits of the 5-foot-4, 135-pound sophomore, South won the Pioneer League title by rallying for a dramatic 22-21 victory over previously undefeated North Torrance at North.

“That’s the most exciting (game) I’ve been involved in,” South Coach Don Morrow said. “It was awesome.”

Morton’s second touchdown, which came two plays after he caught a 26-yard pass from Mike Rosato on fourth-and-16, pulled South within 21-20. The Spartans could have kicked an extra point and wound up co-champions with North, but Morrow wanted no part of a tie.

“Once we scored, there was no question (we were going for two points),” he said. “We weren’t going to let a coin flip decide whether we went to the playoffs as a first or second (entry).”

Instead, Morrow let tailback Kapono Tumale decide. Taking a pitch from Rosato, Tumale ran a few steps to the right before passing to Shawn Krueger in the right corner of the end zone for the winning two-point conversion. It was the first time South had used the option play.

“(Tumale) could have run it in, but the coverage guys all came off the receivers,” Morrow said. “He could have hit three guys.”

North Coach Joe Austin was disappointed to see his team’s dream of an unbeaten season come to an end, but he gave South credit. The Spartans rallied from deficits of 14-7 and 21-14 in the second half. Rosato and Morton hooked up for a 76-yard touchdown pass play late in third quarter to tie the score, 14-14.

“They made great plays,” Austin said. “Every time they needed it, they came up with some damn play.”

LUCK OF THE DRAW

Leuzinger ended Hawthorne’s eight-game winning streak Friday night, but it was Peninsula that came out the big winner in the Bay League.

After Leuzinger’s upset forced a three-way tie for the title, Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell learned his team had drawn the winning lot Tuesday during an athletic directors’ meeting to gain the league’s No. 1 entry into the Southern Section Division III playoffs. That gives the Panthers a home game in the first round Friday night. Because its field does not have lights, Peninsula will play at Redondo High.

“We’re happy to get a share of the championship,” Kimbrell said. “The kids worked so hard. It’s nice to see good things happen to good kids. They were so disappointed after the Hawthorne loss. This is good for them. Actually, it’s good for me too.”

Peninsula, which dropped out of first with a 35-22 loss to Hawthorne on Oct. 30, gained a share of the title Friday by virtue of its 28-3 victory over Inglewood and Leuzinger’s 28-24 victory over Hawthorne, leaving the Panthers, Olympians and Cougars tied at 3-1.

Hawthorne drew the league’s No. 2 entry in the playoffs, with Leuzinger No. 3. Results of Tuesday’s drawing were not revealed until late Friday.

MISSING IN ACTION

Once considered to have one of the area’s deepest backfields, Hawthorne suddenly finds itself running out of running backs.

Coach Dan Robbins said tailback Corey McCoy, the Cougars’ leading rusher and scorer, will undergo surgery Wednesday and miss the rest of the season after suffering torn ligaments in his left ankle against Inglewood last week.

Hawthorne also was without backup tailback Raul Sanchez against Leuzinger, and starting fullback Tevita Moala was briefly hospitalized after dislocating his right shoulder in the second quarter. Robbins said Sanchez had to leave for El Salvador last week to take care of immigration paperwork.

“He’s expected back Monday or Tuesday, but you never know,” Robbins said. “I’ve had students say they’d be back (soon) and they come back a month later. I hope he’s back this week. We need him.”

Justin Stallings, normally a wide receiver, played tailback for Hawthorne.

Leuzinger Coach Steve Carnes said McCoy’s absence makes Hawthorne a less explosive team, but he feels the Cougars can make an impact in the playoffs.

“They still have a lot of good kids,” Carnes said. “It’s going to take a good team to beat them. I’d hate to be the team that draws Hawthorne, even without Corey McCoy.”

Robbins said he expects Moala to be ready for Friday’s playoff opener. It would be a big loss if he didn’t play. Moala also starts at linebacker and is the Cougars’ leading tackler.

COUGAR CONQUERERS

Leuzinger’s victory gave Carnes a 3-2-3 career record against Hawthorne, which entered the game ranked No. 1 in the Division III media poll.

“They’ve all been like this,” Carnes said of the rivalry. “Every one I’ve been in, only a few points separate us. It’s what keeps me in coaching, this game here. It takes a toll on you, but it’s nice to win.”

Carnes said a key to the victory was emphasizing the running game in the second half. After making only one first down and falling behind, 18-15, in the first half, the Olympians gained 153 yards in the second half. Fullback LaMark Lorick was the workhorse for Leuzinger, rushing for 100 of his 122 yards in the second half.

“We came out in the second half and said, ‘You know, they’re bringing everybody up on us, so let’s just try to ram it down their throats,’ ” Carnes said. “That’s basically what we did.”

A shift in momentum occurred after Hawthorne took an 18-7 lead with 10 seconds left in the first half. Leuzinger’s Wali Mumin took the kickoff and ran a short distance before pitching the ball to teammate Jason Sharp, who raced 77 yards for a touchdown to cut Hawthorne’s lead to 18-15.

Mumin said he discussed the play with Sharp before the game.

“If I was falling down, he was going to be on my side,” said Mumin, who had kickoff returns of 46 and 51 yards.

Said Carnes, after learning of the players’ plan: “If I’d known about it, I probably wouldn’t have let them do it.”

SUPER SUB

West Torrance Coach Kerry Crabb credited the play of a seldom-used running back for helping the Warriors defeat Torrance, 25-20, in a game to decide third place in the Pioneer League.

Ben Black was summoned from the bench after Leo Galvan, West’s leading rusher, suffered an ankle injury on the team’s first play from scrimmage. Black, a senior, responded by leading all rushers with 97 yards in 14 carries as the Warriors clinched the league’s final berth in the Division IX playoffs.

“It was a game of unsung heroes, and he was the biggest,” Crabb said of Black. “I admire that kid because he gets his butt kicked on the scout team all the time. He got the chance to play and he made the best of it.”

SPOILERS

Redondo prevented Mira Costa from qualifying for the Division VII playoffs by holding off the Mustangs, 15-14, Friday night. The victory avenged last year’s 17-13 loss to Mira Costa that kept Redondo from tying for the Ocean League title.

“They knocked us out of a championship last year, so this was extra sweet,” Redondo Coach Chris Hyduke said. “It’s good to win the Beach Bowl.”

In snapping a five-game losing streak, Redondo took a 15-8 lead with 2:04 left on a 30-yard touchdown run by running back Scott Moore and a two-point conversion run by running back Robert Cracknell.

Mira Costa came back to pull within a point with 1:07 left on a one-yard scoring run by fullback Phil Fonua, set up by a 57-yard pass from quarterback Scott Combs to wide receiver J.J. O’Neil. Redondo then stopped Combs on a two-point conversion run.

Both teams finished with 1-3 league records. A victory would have given Mira Costa the league’s No. 3 playoff entry. Redondo (5-5) has a remote chance at an at-large berth.

NOTEWORTHY

Morningside quarterback Stais Boseman passed for 177 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 38 yards and one TD and finished with 309 all-purpose yards, including kickoff and punt returns, in a 20-14 victory over Santa Monica (0-10). . . Carson quarterback Jamie Sander, who passed for 168 yards in Thursday’s 45-0 victory over Gardena, needs 193 yards to become the school’s all-time passing leader. Sander has 4,031 career yards, placing him second behind John Walsh, who passed for 4,223 yards in 1990. Sander’s yardage total is over two seasons.

DEFENSIVE GEMS

* South Torrance linebacker Kapono Tumale and tackle Chad Sauter each had a sack on North Torrance’s final possession to help the Spartans hang on for a 22-21 victory. Sauter’s sack came on the final play of the game at the South 48.

* El Segundo defensive back Robb Fordham intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 30 yards late in the first half, helping the Eagles protect a 9-6 lead en route to a 23-18 victory over Centennial.

* Morningside lineman Donechio Long had two of his team’s five sacks in a 20-14 victory over Santa Monica.

* San Pedro defensive back Willie Birl intercepted a pass on Washington’s first possession to set up the Pirates’ first touchdown in a 35-6 victory.

* Leuzinger linebacker John Niko led a defense that held Hawthorne to 82 yards and one first down in the second half of a 28-24 victory.

* Carson lineman Michael Carey had three of his team’s four sacks in a 45-0 victory over Gardena. The Colts, who had 10 tackles for losses, held Gardena to minus-52 yards rushing, the third-best mark in Carson history.

* Peninsula defensive backs Scott August, Christian Ritter and Pat Hubbard each had an interception in a 28-3 victory over Inglewood.

IN QUOTES

Mira Costa Coach Bill Lysle after a 15-14 loss to Redondo knocked the Mustangs out of playoff contention: “We were terrible, we stunk and we didn’t deserve to win the game.”

El Segundo Coach Craig Cousins after the Eagles beat Centennial, 23-18, to snap and six-game losing streak and earn their only Pioneer League victory: “The league was very, very tough. I thought we could have won two of the four games we lost (against Torrance and West), but it didn’t work out. It was a lot different from playing in Catholic leagues.”

Torrance Coach Bill Bynum after a 25-20 loss to West Torrance knocked the Tartars out of playoff contention: “It’s disheartening as hell. Our kids played their hearts out and they don’t have anything to show for it.”

INJURIES

West Torrance running back Leo Galvan, the team’s leading rusher, was hospitalized after suffering an ankle injury on the Warriors’ first play from scrimmage against Torrance. Coach Kerry Crabb said X-rays were negative but Galvan might have sustained ligament damage. Crabb said Galvan is doubtful for Friday’s Division IX playoff opener. . . San Pedro running back Ambrose Russo, the team’s leading rusher, suffered an ankle injury in the fourth quarter of a 35-6 victory over Washington. Pirate Coach Mike Walsh refused to discuss the extent of Russo’s injury. . . Hawthorne tailback Corey McCoy is out for the season because of torn ligaments in his left ankle and fullback-linebacker Tevita Moala suffered a dislocated shoulder in the Cougars’ loss to Leuzinger. Moala is expected back for Hawthorne’s playoff opener.