Granada Hills Has Rundown Feeling, 32-20

Six turnovers and the inability to contain tailback Chris Howard forced Granada Hills High to accept a bitter 32-20 defeat to Banning on Friday night in the City Championship semifinals at Gardena High.

Howard, a junior who is the South Bay’s version of Justin Fargas, rushed for 343 yards in 38 carries and scored three touchdowns to help the Pilots (10-3) earn a spot in the final Friday at the Coliseum.

But this was a game Granada Hills (12-1) could have won. The Highlanders moved the ball through the air and kept battling back despite two fumbles and four interceptions.

The game was tied at halftime, 14-14. Ray Grajeda of Banning intercepted a pass by Jason Winn at the Granada Hills 20 early in the third quarter. It set up Howard’s two-yard touchdown run for a 20-14 Banning lead.

Then came two devastating plays that left the Highlanders wondering what could have been. Winn completed a short pass to Peter Gunny on a flanker screen, and Gunny raced 70 yards for a touchdown. But the play was nullified because of a clipping penalty against Josh Brandon.

Winn was knocked out of the game for one play, then his replacement, Gunny, was sidelined because of a rib injury.

Winn returned and continued to move the Highlanders. Brandon caught a 10-yard pass to the Banning 10 when Howard suddenly came up with the ball and returned it 53 yards, frustrating the Highlanders again.

“We played a very good team even and in a lot of aspects, outplayed them except for the giveaways, and that’s a disappointing way to lose,” co-coach Tom Harp of Granada Hills said.

Granada Hills came into the game with 11 turnovers all season.

The Highlanders closed to 26-20 early in the fourth quarter on a three-yard touchdown pass from Winn to Tommy Garagliano.

With 4:57 left, Banning lined up to try a 40-yard field goal, but it was a fake. The Highlanders dropped holder Jose Rios for an 18-yard loss and took over the ball on the 37 with a chance to take the lead.

However, Rios intercepted Winn’s pass at the Granada Hills 46 with 4:18 remaining, putting an end to a potential dream season for the Highlanders, who were 1-9 last season and trying to complete the improbable scenario of going from last to first in a year.

Only two days earlier, they were let back into the playoffs because Westchester had to forfeit a quarterfinal victory due to an ineligible player.

Winn completed 16 of 33 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns.