St. Francis Drops Lancaster Behind Sciarra’s Passing

John Sciarra completed 13 of 20 passes for 241 yards and one touchdown, and ran one yard for another score, to lead host St. Francis High past Lancaster, 35-14, in a Southern Section Division III first-round game Friday night.

The Golden Knights (10-1) scored the final 28 points.

Matthew Milton ran for 130 yards and two second-half touchdowns for St. Francis, which will face Canyon in a quarterfinal game on Friday.

St. Francis was never forced to punt, scoring on five of eight possessions.

The only times it failed to score was when time expired and on its first possession, when Derrek Cohens recovered Milton’s fumble at the St. Francis 28.

The turnover led to the first touchdown for Lancaster (4-7), on Tony Ortiz’s one-yard run. Ortiz, who finished with 91 yards in 21 carries, started the four-play drive with a 24-yard run.

St. Francis responded with a touchdown on the ensuing possession, driving 77 yards in six plays and capping the march with Sciarra’s 23-yard touchdown pass to Nathan Terrazone.

The Eagles regained the lead with a 13-play, 80-yard drive, capped by Billy Mosley’s 20-yard run.

Milton’s one-yard run 1:10 before halftime cut the deficit to 14-13.

St. Francis lost starting receiver-defensive back Mark Garcia when he dislocated his left ankle in pregame warmups.