HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION VI CHAMPIONSHIP : Upland Controls Whitaker, Wins

Upland held Rancho Cucamonga running back Deonce Whitaker scoreless and made the big plays it needed to defeat the Cougars, 33-13, to win the Southern Section Division VI championship Friday night before an estimated crowd of 6,000 at Citrus College.

Whitaker, who had 31 touchdowns and 188 points, gained 104 yards in 25 carries but was kept out of the end zone by Upland, which gave up only 27 points in four playoff games.

Andre Bishop rushed for three touchdowns and Eddie Rycroft added another for Upland (11-2-1), which won its first Southern Section title after entering the playoffs as the Baseline League’s No. 3 team.

Rancho Cucamonga (11-3) took a 3-0 lead on its first possession when Chris Humphreys made a 53-yard field goal.

The Highlanders answered with a 10-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by Bishop’s two-yard touchdown run. After a 28-yard field goal by Humphreys to tie the score, 6-6, Upland scored on a 60-yard pass from Ryan Tracey to Ryan Webb to take a 13-6 halftime lead that it never lost.