Victory Is Sweet for Lemon, La Mirada

With little more than a minute left and its 29-game league winning streak on the line, La Mirada High needed one final stand from its defense against Mayfair Friday.

It got it.

On fourth and eight from the La Mirada 15-yard line, Mayfair quarterback Mike Harrison’s pass flew over the head of Craig Garcia in the end zone, giving the Matadores a 21-18 victory in a Suburban League game at La Mirada.

La Mirada (9-0, 5-0 in league play) got three touchdowns from running back Mike Lemon in the second quarter, and the Matadores held off a Monsoon (6-2, 4-1) comeback to take a one-game lead in league with one week remaining. La Mirada, ranked No. 1 in Division IX, has won six consecutive league titles.

Lemon had 319 yards on 40 carries.

“I am shocked,” Lemon said. “I didn’t [think he’d get 40 carries]. I thought it would be more of a passing game.”

It was for Mayfair. Harrison was 15-of-34 passing for 248 yards with two touchdowns and one pass intercepted.

His two big plays with receiver Andrew Phillips brought back Mayfair, which was looking for its first victory over La Mirada and first league title since 1980.

Harrison hit Phillips on a 35-yard score on the final play of the first half. The two also connected for an 86-yard score to make it 21-18 with 3:29 left in the third.

But it was the overthrow of Garcia that Harrison talked about after the game.

“We had it,” he said. “The receiver got held up by the defender on the other receiver.”

Monsoon Coach Mike Fitch went for the touchdown rather than the field goal because of a struggling kicking game.

“We missed two extra points,” he said. “We said, ‘How is the season going to come down to?’

“We thought we could hit the corner, but they did a good job holding us up.”