HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS / SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION X : Montclair Takes Advantage of Help

Montclair Prep forced seven turnovers and scored 34 consecutive second-half points to defeat Orange Lutheran, 53-13, Saturday and win the Southern Section Division X championship before an estimated 1,500 at Los Angeles Valley College.

The Mounties’ defense intercepted three of Lancer quarterback Joe Juliano’s passes and recovered four of the five Orange Lutheran fumbles to dominate the game. Two of those fumble recoveries came in the third quarter on kickoff returns, when Montclair Prep (11-1) scored three touchdowns to blow open a close game.

It was Montclair’s second Southern Section title in three years. The Mounties were the Division IX champions in 1992.

But even if the Lancers (11-3) had played a perfect game, they would have probably lost because of the exploits of Montclair quarterback Darrel Dent, who rushed for 251 yards in eight carries and scored three times. He also passed for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Tailback Akil Anderson had to work all night for his 115 yards in 29 carries, but he did score two touchdowns.

“All we’ve been hearing is we don’t belong in this division,” Montclair Prep Coach George Gianinni said, referring to the fact Montclair Prep belongs to no league and was an at-large selection. “But until they started fumbling, it was anybody’s ballgame. They did an excellent job preparing for us; they exploited our weaknesses on defense, and took away our basic game plan. They just couldn’t stop Darrel.”

Juliano tried to keep up with his counterpart, passing for 243 yards and two touchdowns. But he lost two of the fumbles--as did running back Che Holloway on the kickoff returns--and those mistakes did as much to wipe out Orange Lutheran’s hopes for a first title as Dent and Anderson.

“I’m very proud of the kids,” said Lancer Coach Jim Kunau. “Darrel made huge plays and when you make six turnovers you’re not going to beat a great team. But it’s still been a season to remember.”