CITY 3-A CHAMPIONSHIP : Bell’s ‘Awesome’ Defense Shines : Football: The Eagles defeat Birmingham, 25-3. Vern Benard rushes for 185 yards and one touchdown.

Bell High football Coach Henry Santiago was able to do in his first year what his predecessors had failed to accomplish--win a championship.

Behind a defense that surrendered only 122 yards, Bell defeated Birmingham, 25-3, to win the City Section 3-A Division championship Friday night at Gardena High.

“Offense scores points and defense wins championships,” Santiago said. “The defense was awesome.”

So was running back Vern Benard, who rushed for 185 yards and a touchdown in 16 carries.

Benard’s 70-yard touchdown run put Bell ahead 25-3 in the fourth quarter.

Birmingham intercepted Eagle quarterback Gus Valenzuela four times, twice in the third quarter, but failed to capitalize.

“We had some plays, but could not make the big one happen,” said Birmingham co-Coach Chick Epstein, who coached his final game.

Benard had a 48-yard run that set up Valenzuela’s one-yard touchdown run to extend Bell’s 10-3 lead.

In the second quarter, Dicky Purcell, who caught four passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, had a 45-yard reception to the Birmingham 29-yard line. Two plays later, Purcell scored on a 13-yard pass from Valenzuela to give Bell an 18-3 halftime lead.

Valenzuela completed eight of 20 passes for 169 yards and a touchdown with four interceptions.

The Eagles’ defense held Birmingham to 35 total yards in the first half. The Braves only score came on Luis Salguero’s 36-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Records: Bell 11-3; Birmingham 6-6-1.