Banning Rallies to Beat Dorsey as Blue Scores : Prep football: His one-yard run with 27 seconds to play produces 21-17 Southern Pacific Conference victory.

Moments after Wilmington Banning High came from behind to beat Dorsey, 21-17, Saturday, players from each team agreed they enjoyed working their differences out on the field.

This is the newest rivalry in the City, and it has been anything but friendly. After a playoff game in 1990, the teams engaged in a bench-clearing brawl sparked when Dorsey coaches protested the officiating.

Last season, Banning forfeited its regular-season game at Dorsey because its coach feared for his team’s safety. The Dons’ field, Jackie Robinson Stadium, had been the site of two apparently gang-related shooting incidents last fall.

Although this season’s game was scheduled for Jackie Robinson Stadium, it was moved to El Camino College in Torrance to accommodate what was expected to be a large crowd.

The 3,000 who attended saw Banning rally in the final 2 1/2 minutes for a Southern Pacific Conference victory in the regular-season finale.

Trailing by 17-14, the Pilots drove 80 yards, capped by fullback Melvin Blue’s one-yard run with 27 seconds remaining.

“I’ve been waiting for this game for a long time, and it was worth the wait,” said Vaimagalo Faavi-tua’au, Banning’s senior quarterback. “I have never beaten Dorsey before, so this feels especially good.”

Dorsey, which trailed at halftime, 14-7, had taken a went ahead on senior Omar Moreno’s 20-yard field goal with 2:49 to play. The field goal, which capped a 65-yard drive, gave the Dons a 17-14 lead.

“We’re still a championship team and we’ll be a factor in the playoffs,” said Antonio Carrion, a Dorsey wide receiver.

The Division 4-A playoff bracket will be set at a district athletic committee meeting this afternoon. Banning (7-3) and conference champion Carson (6-3-1) are ensured spots. Dorsey (4-3-1), which defeated Banning, 33-30, in the 4-A title game last year, might be selected as an at-large team.