CITY 4-A PLAYOFFS : Dorsey Beats Westchester, 29-15, in Semifinal

It would have made the pigskin traditionalist proud.

Dorsey High combined a clock-eating, power-running game with a stifling, hard-hitting defense to beat Westchester, 29-15, in a City Section 4-A semifinal playoff game at Westchester Friday night.

“Power football is our game and always has been,” Dorsey running back Che Johnson said. “That’s the way we played all year and that’s the way we played tonight.”

Johnson was Dorsey’s ground general, rushing for 152 yards and three touchdowns in 21 carries. His final rush was a 42-yard touchdown run with 1:16 remaining to seal the victory.

“Coach (Paul Knox) told the offense to stick it to the defense and that’s what we tried to do,” Johnson said. “Our offensive line was wearing down their defense and opening holes for me.”

Johnson wasn’t the only running back that weary Westchester defenders were busy chasing down.

Backfield mate Chris Phillips rushed for a season-high 194 yards in 20 carries.

Of Dorsey’s 51 plays, 46 were runs. The Dons amassed 382 yards rushing.

After Johnson’s second touchdown run put Dorsey ahead 22-7, Westchester quarterback Seka Edwards hit Kaaron Conwright for a 56-yard touchdown to bring Westchester to within seven, 22-15.

Edwards was 16 of 34 for 201 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

Dorsey and Westchester made up for a scoreless first quarter by posting a combined 21 points in the second. The Comets struck first as Edwards hit Conwright on a slant pattern across the middle for an 18-yard touchdown to put Westchester up, 7-0.

Edwards misfired on 11 of his first 16 attempts before the scoring strike to Conwright. It didn’t take the Dons long to respond.

After fumbling the ensuing kickoff, defensive back Jabulani Smith-Freeman picked up the ball and ran 63 yards before being dragged down from behind at the Westchester 19-yard line.

A Johnson run advanced the ball to the nine-yard line but the Dons were penalized on three consecutive plays and faced second-and-goal from the 24.

Two plays later, quarterback Antwain Wilson was stopped at the goal line by a Comet defender on a fourth-down scramble but he broke the plane of the goal line with the ball.

On Westchester’s next possession, running back William Reed fumbled the ball, which Dorsey recovered at the Westchester 47.

Johnson capped a five-play drive with a four-yard run to give the Dons a 14-7 lead with 44 seconds remaining in the first half.

Dorsey faces Carson in the 4-A final next week.

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Records: Westchester 11-2; Dorsey 10-3

Next week: Dorsey vs. Carson.