San Pedro Wins City 4-A Title

San Pedro High fulfilled a self-proclaimed mission to win the City Section 4-A football championship by beating Woodland Hills Taft, 22-20, in front of an estimated 7,000 at the Coliseum Friday night.

It wasn’t easy. Taft hung on until the very end, scoring with 1:15 left in the game on quarterback Nick DiPadova’s two-yard run. Taft’s hopes ended when it did not recover the ensuing on-side kick.

San Pedro quarterback Melvin Yarbrough passed for two touchdowns to lead the Pirates to their first championship in the 4-A Division. San Pedro won 3-A titles in 1992 and 1993 before moving up. The Pirates defeated Taft for their 1992 championship.

But San Pedro’s “mission” was in doubt as late as the third quarter. After taking a 9-0 halftime lead, the Pirates had to overcome a third-quarter rally by Taft.

Trailing, 13-9, San Pedro scored with 3:17 left in the third quarter on Holman Wiggans’ four-yard run off tackle to give the Pirates a 16-13 lead.

On its next series, San Pedro wide receiver Tim O’Donnell made a terrific catch of a ball that had been tipped and nearly intercepted by Taft’s Keith Johnson. O’Donnell caught the ball near the five-yard line and easily ran into the end zone to give San Pedro a 22-13 lead. The extra-point attempt was wide to the right.

Taft started its comeback in the third quarter.

Benefiting from an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and a defensive holding penalty, Taft drove 80 yards. DiPadova’s four-yard keeper pulled Taft to within 9-7.

Two plays later, Taft’s Tyler Brennan knocked the ball out of Rod Williams’ hands and Taft teammate Jaron Lawson picked the ball up and ran the ball 27 yards for another score to put Taft ahead, 13-9.

DiPadova was sacked on the two-point conversion attempt.

San Pedro started the game well, stopping Taft on its first possession.

The Pirates marched to Taft’s six-yard line, but the drive stalled as Williams was dropped for a one-yard loss. A delay-of-game penalty moved the ball back to the 10 and Yarbrough was unable to complete a third-down pass.

The Pirates settled for Giuseppe Cracchiolo’s 27-yard field goal with 3:45 left in the first quarter.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as San Pedro drove to inside Taft’s 20. On third and eight from the 17, San Pedro’s Steve Smith stepped in front of Taft defender Damon Coleman on an underthrown pass and returned the interception for a touchdown.

The extra-point attempt was blocked, but San Pedro had a seemingly comfortable 9-0 lead.

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Prep Football Championships

City Section Division 4-A

* San Pedro 22

* Taft 20

City Section Division 3-A

* Wilson 14

* Van Nuys 7

Southern Section Division II

* Dominguez 42

* Ayala 16

Southern Section Div. III

* Camarillo 20

* Notre Dame 14

Southern Section Div. IV

* Alta Loma 26

* Corona Centennial 16

Southern Section Div. VI

* Hac. Heights Wilson 34

* Los Altos 13

Southern Section Div. VIII

* Aliso Niguel 32

* Pacifica 21

Southern Section Div. XI

* Yucca Valley 22

* Cathedral 19