Kilpatrick Avenges Loss to Valley Christian

Senior tailback Mario Qualls rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns in 17 carries Friday as Kilpatrick avenged an early-season loss to Cerritos Valley Christian with a 33-14 victory in a Southern Section Division X quarterfinal at Kennedy High.

Qualls scored on runs of two, 19 and nine yards, the last giving Kilpatrick (10-2) a 26-0 lead in the third quarter.

Kilpatrick will face Montclair Prep in a semifinal next Saturday.

Valley Christian (9-3) played without sophomore starting quarterback Kirk Saarloos, who suffered a possible broken leg while playing defensive back during the Mustangs’ opening drive.

Saarloos’ replacement, senior Jon Lee, completed 12 of 24 passes for 135 yards and one touchdown.

Lee hit Trevor Hesner with a three-yard scoring pass to cut the deficit to 26-7 midway through the fourth quarter, but Edward Lyde followed up with an 82-yard return for a score on the ensuing kickoff.

Kilpatrick fullback Gildardo Hernandez gained 94 yards in 13 carries.