DIVISION VIII : Century’s Cinderella Season Ends

Century’s football team found a way to come back from an 0-3-1 start this season. But the Centurions couldn’t find a way to stop San Marino’s passing offense in the Southern Section Division VIII semifinals Friday night.

San Marino’s Scott Shaw completed three consecutive pass attempts for 46 yards, setting up Tommy Moreland’s game-winning 19-yard field goal with 2 minutes 37 seconds remaining in a 16-14 victory at San Marino.

The second-seeded Titans (10-2) advanced to the finals for the second time since 1988. They will meet the winner of tonight’s La Sierra-La Mirada game.

Shaw, who completed 16 of 22 passes for 243 yards and a touchdown, drove the Titans from their 20 to the Century one. Moreland then kicked the field goal to give the Titans the lead.

“It was a tough way to lose,” Century Coach Bill Brown said. “We couldn’t stop their passing game. We’ve had trouble with that all year.”

Century (7-5-1) got the ball back at its 32 and failed to get a first down, turning the ball over on downs at the San Marino 35. The Titans drove to the Century eight, and Shaw knelt down as time ran out.

“It wasn’t one of our better ones,” San Marino Coach Bill Maloney said. “We figured we could pass on Century, but not in the fashion we did. We had a lot of do-or-die situations.”

Shaw got the Titans out of trouble on a third-and-10 at the Century 42 on the winning drive. He threw 20 yards down the left side to tight end Steve Wallace, giving the Titans a first down at the Century 22.

Century’s offense struggled in the first half, managing only 88 yards of total offense, with 65 coming on the Centurions’ only scoring drive of the half.

Century’s Julio Garcia recovered a bad handoff by Shaw at the Centurion 35 with 8:13 left in the second quarter. Quarterback Ricky Odoardi threw to George Rodriguez, who bobbled the ball at his ankles but recovered, slipped a tackle and ran 35 yards for a first down. Joe Gomez added a 12-yard run as the Centurions drove to the Titan nine.

After a clipping penalty, Odoardi threw a 16-yard pass to Julio Bonilla, who juggled the ball before catching it while flat on his back in the end zone, giving Century a 7-0 lead.

San Marino used a no-huddle offense on the next possession, driving from the 14 to the Century 41. On third and nine, Shaw threw 37 yards to Josh Oder, who fought off double coverage at the four.

Three plays later, Shaw scored on a one-yard sneak on fourth down to tie it, 7-7, with 28 seconds left in the quarter.

San Marino scored on another long drive--88-yards in 16 plays--to open the second half. Shaw capped it with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Scott Park on fourth down. San Marino gambled on the extra-point kick, faking it and attempting a run that failed.

Century began moving the ball on the next drive, with Garcia running through huge holes for gains of 12, 17 and 12 yards. The first 12-yard run kept the drive alive on fourth and one at the Century 49.

The Centurions drove to the Titan one, where Joe Gomez scored with 8:20 left to tie it, 13-13. Bonilla’s extra-point kick gave Century a 14-13 lead, the Centurions’ last one of the game.

After the poor start, the Centurions, in only their third season of varsity football, upset Pacific Coast League rivals Trabuco Hills and Laguna Hills. They won seven of their final nine games, qualified for the playoffs for the second consecutive season and reached the semifinals for the first time.

“I think we’re on the map now,” Brown said. “Now maybe we can do something down the road.”

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C--Bonilla 16 pass from Odoardi (Bonilla kick)

SM--Shaw 1 run (Moreland kick)

SM--Park 22 pass from Shaw (run failed)

C--Gomez 1 run (Bonilla kick)

SM--FG Moreland 19

LEADING RUSHERS--C: Garcia 12-74; SM: McAdam 14-52. LEADING PASSERS--C: Odoardi 3-7-0, 45; SM: Shaw 16-22-0, 243. LEADING RECEIVERS--C: Rodriguez 1-35; SM: Park 8-117.

Attendance--1,400.