SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFF ROUNDUP

In another Division III quarterfinal:

Mira Costa 20, Valencia 14--After holding the No. 4-seeded Mustangs to a 7-7 halftime tie, Valencia’s hopes for an upset faded in the third quarter when it allowed 10 points and lost a fumble leading to a fourth-quarter field goal at Canyon High.

Mira Costa (11-1) took the second-half kickoff and marched 53 yards on 17 plays, capped by Nick Wynand’s 23-yard field goal. The Mustangs converted three fourth downs on the eight-minute, 46-second drive.

Sophomore Michael Okwo ran one yard for a touchdown with four seconds left in the third quarter. Nick Scott’s fumble on the ensuing kickoff was recovered by Zack Bartlett on the Valencia 23 as the quarter ended, setting up Wynand’s 19-yard field goal.

Valencia (9-3) cut the deficit to 20-14 on Charles Burnley’s 44-yard scoring run with 4:39 to play.

The Vikings forced a Mira Costa punt, taking over on their 34 with 2:11 left. Robert Herrick’s 14-yard pass to Gio Lampignano and Marc Stockland’s 10-yard run put the ball on the Mira Costa 47.

However, the Vikings turned the ball over on downs at the 49 with 1:01 remaining after three consecutive incomplete passes.

Herrick completed 10 of 22 passes for 149 yards. Burnley had 88 yards in 18 carries. Stockland had a one-yard scoring run with 16 seconds left in the half.

Okwo had 156 yards in 31 carries and returned Herrick’s botched option pitch 52 yards for a second-quarter touchdown.