The Clock Runs Out on Lancers

It has been a long time in between championship seasons for the Hawthorne football team--38 years, in fact.

But Friday night, the Cougars defeated Bell Gardens, 14-6, at La Mirada High School to win the Southern Section Division III championship for the first time since 1954.

“For the first time this year, I feel satisfied,” Hawthorne Coach Dan Robbins said. “I knew we could win if we didn’t make mistakes.”

The Cougars beat the Lancers in a near-flawless performance. Hawthorne’s only turnover came on an interception thrown by quarterback Kenji Tatum, who completed five of 12 passes for 56 yards.

Bell Gardens was victimized by the rain-slicked field. Ironically, the Lancers also had trouble with wet weather in their last championship game in ‘83, when they suffered a 33-0 drubbing at the hands of Riverside Poly.

“We are not use to playing in this weather,” quarterback Ricky Oropeza said. “It really hurt us.”

Hawthorne and Bell Gardens played the first half to a scoreless standstill. But in the second half, Hawthorne’s speed was the difference. On the first play of the third quarter, Cougar running back Tevita Moala scored on a 65-yard touchdown run.

“I told the coach to feed me the ball because I’m hungry,” Moala said.

Moala later scored on a 71-yard run to give the Cougars a 14-0 lead with 1:42 left in the third quarter.

Oropeza, who completed five of 12 passes for 68 yards, connected with receiver Francisco Macias on a 39-yard touchdown pass with 11 minutes left to cut Hawthorne’s lead to eight.

Records: Hawthorne 12-2; Bell Gardens 12-2.