HIGH SCHOOL FOOTTBALL PLAYOFFS : Peninsula Is Out for Revenge : Southern Section: In rematch of 1992 quarterfinal game, the Panthers play Bell Gardens. The Lancers won that game, 23-6.

Friday night’s quarterfinal Southern Section Division III football playoff game between Peninsula (10-1) and Bell Gardens (8-2-1) may turn out to be a case of been there, done that.

Been there, because the game is a rematch of a 1992 quarterfinal won by Bell Gardens, 23-6.

Done that, because the teams’ style of play resembles the 1992 squads.

Kickoff is at 7:30 at Bell Gardens.

“I don’t see a lot of differences in the teams, although both offenses (look to be) a little more consistent,” Peninsula Coach Gary Kimbrell said.

Bell Gardens, which finished in a three-way tie for the Almont League title, opened the playoffs with a 27-18 victory at Ventura, the Channel League tri-champion.

Fourth-seeded Peninsula, the Bay League runner-up, rallied to beat Diamond Bar, 24-14. Senior Tony Persichina, the Panthers’ starting fullback, moved to tailback when starter James Durroh bruised his ankle in the second quarter. Persichina, who rushed for 190 yards on 25 carries, ran for a three-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to put Peninsula ahead to stay.

Although Durroh is expected to play, Persichina will be ready to move to tailback if needed.

“I don’t have the ability that James has,” Persichina said. “But if someone gets hurt, you’ve got to suck it up and give it your all.”

Peninsula started quickly in last year’s game with top-seeded Bell Gardens, which was played at Redondo High. The Panthers took a 6-0 lead but were held scoreless the rest of the game. Durroh was limited to a season-low 38 yards rushing on 15 carries.

“They had a good drive, then the defense stiffened up and said, ‘No way,’ ” Bell Gardens Coach Dave Newell said. “They had the superior size and they might have gotten a little overconfident after that first drive.”

Peninsula will again have the size advantage, but the run-oriented Panthers will need to complete some passes against the Lancers’ eight-man defensive front, something they were unable to do in last year’s game.

Newell said that Bell Gardens can’t allow Peninsula to control the game by running the ball.

“We need to put them in a position, like second-and-long or third-and-long, where we know that they have to pass,” Newell said.

Peninsula will try and keep the Lancer defense guessing. Quarterback Pete Krogh has been effective utilizing play-action passes in running situations, throwing to tight ends Chris Chapman and Keith Harter.

The Lancer offense features quarterback Rickey Oropeza and running back Junior Samano. Oropeza has passed for eight touchdowns and rushed for nine. Samano has rushed for more than 1,400 yards and 19 TDs. Oropeza and Samano are also standouts in the secondary. Oropeza returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown against Ventura.

Here is a look at other Southern Section playoff games involving South Bay teams:

DIVISION III

Hawthorne (10-1) vs. Westlake (8-2-1) at Thousand Oaks High, 7:30 p.m. Friday--Hawthorne, coming off a 59-17 first-round victory over Baldwin Park, has an explosive offense made more effective by the fact that the Cougars don’t rely on one player. Running back Eric Chaney, running back/wide receiver Omarr Morgan and receiver Kelvin Hunter each scored two touchdowns against Baldwin Park, and wide receiver Justin Stallings had his best offensive game in an injury-plagued season, catching three passes for 76 yards. Stallings, who also plays defensive back, and offensive tackle David Camacho suffered bruised knees, but are expected to play.

Westlake, which finished second behind top-seeded and unbeaten Newbury Park in the Marmonte League, opened the playoffs with a 42-26 victory over Santa Barbara. The Warriors are led by quarterback Kevin Crook, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound senior who has passed for 2,400 yards. Crook’s favorite receiver is Billy Miller, who has 76 catches for more than 1,200 yards. The Hawthorne defensive backfield, with cornerbacks Hunter and Aaron Butler and safeties Stallings and Morgan, will be tested.

DIVISION VII

Lompoc (8-3) at Mira Costa (10-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday--Mira Costa has given up less than seven points a game. The Mustang defense is anchored by linemen Phil Fonua, Tate McCallister and Miguel Prieto, whom Coach Don Morrow calls “the best defensive lineman in the (Ocean) league.” Prieto leads the team in tackles. Cornerback Dino Rossi, also a receiver and kick returner, has been Mira Costa’s big-play threat. Last week, in a 28-7 victory over Pomona, Rossi caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Ryan Barnes, returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and intercepted a pass late in the game.

Third-seeded Lompoc, the Northern League champion, survived a first-round scare, edging Sonora, 27-25. The Braves, who trailed at halftime, 18-7, scored the winning touchdown in the last minute on a 15-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Nick Terrones to tight end Ramon Arias. Lompoc prefers to run the ball with fullback Zack Garrett, who has averaged nearly seven yards a carry. Lompoc’s defense, which has given up 19 points a game, is led by sophomore strong safety Peter Sousa, who has 50 unassisted tackles and two interceptions.

EIGHT-MAN SMALL DIVISION

Shandon (7-4) vs. Lawndale Masada (6-5), 1:30 p.m. at El Camino College--Masada advanced to the semifinals with a dramatic 24-20 victory over Ribet Academy. Senior running back Glen Gates ran for the winning touchdown as time expired. Quarterback Phil Grubb and wide receiver Samuel Wade are other standouts for Masada, which has only 14 players after starting the season with 22. The small squad doesn’t matter to Coach Ed Collins. “I told the players, we’ve skimmed off the fat and we’re down to the lean machine,” Collins said. Shandon, the Coast Valley League champion, features junior quarterback Lance Brooks, who has passed for more than 1,000 yards. Shandon is located east of Paso Robles in the state’s Central Coast area.

South Bay Prep Football Top 10

Rank School Record Comment 1. Hawthorne 10-1 Has 6-1 playoff record under Robbins. 2. San Pedro 11-1 Will play Reseda in 3-A semifinals. 3. Peninsula 10-1 Looking to avenge ’92 quarterfinal loss. 4. Carson 8-4 Rematch against Sylmar in 4-A semifinals. 5. Mira Costa 10-1 Has not beaten team with winning record. 6. Banning 5-6 First losing season since 1974. 7. Leuzinger 5-6 Four losses were to league champions. 8. South Torrance 7-3-1 Lost playoff game in last minute. 9. North Torrance 5-6 Tough draw equaled big playoff loss. 10. West Torrance 6-5 Future looks bright with QB Bolling.