HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL / SOUTHERN SECTION PLAYOFF ROUNDUP : DIVISION I

Loyola 55, Palmdale 27-- Loyola’s defense came alive in the second half and its ground attack was too much for the Falcons (5-6) at Pierce College.

After yielding 324 yards and 27 points in the first half, the Cub defense held Palmdale to 52 yards and zero points after intermission.

Loyola (10-1) scored first when Tim Jones blocked a Falcon punt into teammate Jerome Henry’s hands with Henry scampering six yards for the score. The Cubs then scored touchdowns on each of their last seven possessions it had for the remainder of the game.

Cub running back Eric Rogers and Jerome Porter combined for 356 yards rushing. Porter had 175 yards in 22 carries and three touchdowns and Rogers gained 181 yards in 18 carries, including a 20-yard scoring run. Quarterback Clelio Boccato passed only three times, completing them all for 98 yards.

Palmdale quarterback Terrence Zenno amassed 378 total yards, completing 16 of 27 passes for 278 yards and rushed for 100 more. He threw touchdown passes of 36, 80 and 28 yards, all in the first half. Receiver Roosevelt Miller caught six passes for 149 yards.