HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Division III Title Slips from Hawthorne’s Grasp, 22-14

The Hawthorne High football team lived up to the challenge of containing the passing of Newbury Park quarterback Keith Smith, the state’s passing leader, Saturday night at Moorpark College.

But it was a 98-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run by Smith which gave Newbury Park a 22-14 victory in the Southern Section Division III championship game.

Smith completed 16 of 34 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns to help the top-seeded Panthers (14-0) rally from a 14-0 halftime deficit.

Smith, the state’s all-time passing leader with 9,974 yards, rushed for 157 yards in 15 carries.

“We had 11 guys going after him on the run all game long and we couldn’t stop him, the whole game long,” Hawthorne Coach Dan Robbins said. “He isn’t shifty, but he’s fast and strong. He’s phenomenal.”

After an interception by Leodes Van Burren halted Hawthorne’s opening drive of the second half, the 6-foot, 184-pound Smith connected with Van Burren on a 20-yard pass with 7 minutes 16 seconds left in the third quarter. Smith passed to Corey Tucker for the two-point conversion.

Smith found Tucker on a 25-touchdown pass for a 15-14 lead with 3:44 left in the third quarter.

Hawthorne (12-2) drove to the one-yard line on the Cougar’s next series, but Kalisi Moala was stopped for a one-yard loss on fourth down with 9:16 left.

On the next play, Smith appeared to be dropped in the end zone for a safety, but he scrambled the length of the field for the deciding touchdown with 8:35 to play.

“We did our job and were able to contain him,” Hawthorne cornerback Justin Stallings said about Smith. “We had two breakdowns and they capitalized on it.”

Hawthorne jumped to a 14-0 lead on two second-quarter touchdowns. Kenji Tatum scored on 58-yard run with 10:37 left before halftime.

Tatum connected on a 40-yard pass to Kelvin Hunter with 17 seconds to play in the second quarter.

Smith completed 12 of 25 passes for 181 yards in the first half, but Hawthorne kept the Panthers scoreless in the first half by forcing two turnovers.

Newbury Park drove from its 24 to the Hawthorne one-yard line, but Stallings recovered Rich Adams’ fumble to end the 12-play drive with 3:33 to play in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Tucker caught a tipped pass by Stallings for a 37-yard reception to move the ball to the Hawthorne 14-yard line.

Omarr Morgan came up with an interception--his seventh--at the 12-yard line on the next play with 8:58 left before halftime.

Hawthorne had one last chance. The defending champion Cougars regained possession with 26 seconds left at their 26.

The Cougars moved to the Newbury Park 42 yard-line with four seconds to play. Tatum hooked up with Omarr Morgan on the final play, but Morgan was stopped at the 10-yard line.

Moala rushed for 82 yards in 15 carries and Eric Chaney had 80 yards in 19 carries for Hawthorne.