Birmingham Finds Its Prince in Victory Over Monroe : City 3-A playoffs: Quarterback’s few passes overshadow rushing stars.

On a field filled with dangerous runners, the spirals of Paul Prince put an improbable spin on Birmingham High’s 20-12 victory over host Monroe on Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the City Section 3-A Division football playoffs.

The Birmingham quarterback completed three of five passes, one for a touchdown, another setting up a score. Prince’s measly 75 yards passing overshadowed two running backs--Monroe’s Nick Nuccitelli and Birmingham’s Courtney Blunt--who each came into the game with more than 1,200 yards rushing.

“They had to key on Blunt, and that left (fullback Marvin) Powell and the receivers wide open,” said Prince, who has thrown for 1,025 yards and eight touchdowns.

“We knew the play-action passes and bootlegs would work. And our defense stepped up.”

Blunt was held to 66 yards in 19 carries. But three other Birmingham backs rushed for 178 yards in 12 carries, an average of 14.8. Powell led the way with 101 yards in six carries, including a 52-yard scoring burst in the fourth quarter.

Nuccitelli rushed for 125 yards and both Monroe touchdowns in 20 carries to finish with 1,767 yards and 20 touchdowns. But he said his team wasn’t prepared.

“Two days is not enough time to prepare for a playoff game,” he said. “Both teams played sloppy.”

The Vikings (6-6) pounded straight ahead seven times on their first possession before Nuccitelli ran 43 yards for a 6-0 lead.

Prince hit Jason Howard with a 37-yard pass to tie the score and found Lavon Rocket on a 34-yard pass play that set up a three-yard run by Blunt to give Birmingham (6-5-1) a 13-6 lead.

Nuccitelli’s 17-yard run in the third quarter narrowed the gap to 13-12 before Powell’s long run clinched the victory.