Hart Advances Past Alemany, 21-13

Oh yes, they do play defense at Newhall Hart High.

There’s not usually a reason to know or care, thanks to its high-powered offense, but Hart won a game Saturday night thanks to its defense.

Hart, which averages 486 yards and 42.9 points, was shut out in the second half but held on for a 21-13 victory over Mission Hills Alemany in a Southern Section Division III semifinal at College of the Canyons.

Hart (11-2) will face Santa Fe Springs St. Paul in the Division III final next Saturday. A coin flip today will determine the host school.

The only on-the-field loss for St. Paul this season was a 26-17 setback against Alemany in a Mission League opener. St. Paul (11-2), which shut out six consecutive opponents this season, forfeited an early-season victory against Mission Viejo for using an ineligible player.

On Saturday, Hart held Alemany to 207 total yards.

“Their offense gets all the notoriety, but the defense is really tough,” said Alemany Coach Jim Bonds, who played quarterback at Hart and UCLA. “Not too many holes on that defense.”

The biggest defensive play came with 2:00 left in the first half.

Alemany trailed, 14-13, and had the ball at its own 29.

But Hart linebacker John Bourg intercepted a pass by Casey Clausen and returned it 20 yards to the Alemany nine.

Two plays later, fullback Pat Norton caught an 11-yard pass from Kyle Boller to put Hart up, 21-13, with 1:12 left in the first half.

Alemany (9-4) kept Boller off-balance by blitzing on almost every play.

Boller completed 14 of 26 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns, his lowest total of the year. He threw for 265 yards against Valencia.

Boller played almost the entire game at safety because starter Chad Carlson was injured early in the first quarter. Boller, who played safety all last season, intercepted a pass by Clausen and broke up two other attempts.

Clausen, a junior, completed 14 of 39 passes for 170 yards, with three interceptions.

DIVISION II

Diamond Bar quarterback Don Sizemore rushed for touchdowns of one, 11 and one yards as Diamond Bar defeated Compton Dominguez, 43-22.

Diamond Bar will play Chino (13-0), a 24-0 winner Friday over Chino Hills Ayala, in the championship game Friday.

DIVISION IV

Khaled Elmarsi gained 41 yards and scored a touchdown as San Luis Obispo defeated Hueneme, 17-7.

San Luis Obispo will play for the title against Arroyo Grande, a 58-15 winner over Lompoc.

DIVISION V

Damon Gayton gained 242 yards and scored two touchdowns in 30 carries to lead Moreno Valley Rancho Verde to a 23-15 victory over Rancho Cucamonga at Moreno Valley.

Rancho Verde will play Norco, a 42-20 winner over Temecula Valley, in the championship game Friday.

DIVISION VI

Scott Barlow completed 14 of 22 passes for 260 yards and three touchdowns as Irvine Woodbridge defeated Anaheim Servite, 31-7, at Cal State Fullerton.

Oren Masserman caught seven passes for 171 yards and a touchdown for Woodbridge, which advanced to a championship game for the first time since 1988.

Shane Harris added a 58-yard scoring run for the Warriors, who have allowed only one touchdown in the last 15 quarters.

Woodbridge will play Santa Margarita, a 17-0 winner over Irvine, for the championship on Friday.

DIVISION VII

George Witter gained 124 yards in 27 carries and capped his performance with a seven-yard touchdown run with 1:19 left to give North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake a 21-14 victory over Hacienda Heights Los Altos at Pierce College.

With the game tied, 14-14, midway through the fourth quarter, Harvard-Westlake went on a nine-play, 80-yard drive for the winning score and it was Witter who carried the load, gaining 43 yards in six carries during the drive.

Harvard-Westlake will play Covina Charter Oak, a 28-7 winner Friday over Bell Gardens, in the championship game Saturday.

DIVISION IX

Mike Harrison passed for 232 yards and three touchdowns to lead Lakewood Mayfair to a 26-13 victory over Brea Olinda.

Joe Hunter caught touchdown passes of 20 and nine yards and Mike Williams rushed for two touchdowns for Mayfair.

Mayfair will play Suburban League rival La Mirada.

DIVISION XI

Quarterback Ryan Gocong rushed for 154 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 156 yards and a touchdown as Carpinteria defeated Play del Rey St. Bernard, 35-6, at Carpinteria Middle School.

Carpinteria will play Santa Monica St. Monica, a 42-22 winner Friday over Calabasas, for the title Dec. 12