DIVISION III FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

In other Division III first-round games:

Westlake 21, San Marcos 17--The Warriors scored three second-quarter touchdowns and used a stingy second-half defense to hold off San Marcos at Westlake High.

Adam LaLiberte scored on a 55-yard run early in the second quarter to bring the Warriors (8-3) to within 10-7. Westlake scored twice more within a span of 1:23 on touchdown pass plays of 32 and 10 yards from Zac Wasserman to Travis Campbell.

Campbell had 13 receptions for 189 yards, including 166 in the first half. Wasserman completed 19 of 41 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns. He had two passes intercepted.

LaLiberte rushed for 128 yards in 11 carries. It was the second consecutive game the senior has rushed for more than 100 yards after he gained only 125 in the first nine games.

Westlake outgained San Marcos, 496 to 229 yards, but needed a fumble recovery by Karl Holley at the San Marcos 40 with 1:15 to play to cement the victory.

Kevin Bixler returned the opening kickoff 70 yards to set up a 32-yard field goal by George Downing to give San Marcos (6-4-1) a 3-0 lead. Bixler had a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give the Royals a 17-14 lead in the second quarter.

Westlake’s Joey Cuppari, the region’s leading receiver with 65 catches, sat out the game because of a sprained ankle.

Cuppari played with the injury the past two weeks, but it hasn’t improved. However, Campbell and LaLiberte, who had 158 yards rushing last week in a victory over Agoura, have picked up the slack.