Powerful Hart Has Moore Firepower

There’s no suspense whether Newhall Hart High will produce an All-Southern Section quarterback for the 17th consecutive season.

Not only is Matt Moore going to keep the streak alive, he might be the most valuable player in Division III.

Moore, a 6-foot-4 senior who has committed to UCLA, continued the Hart tradition Saturday night of its quarterbacks performing at their best during playoff time. He completed 25 of 36 passes for 314 yards and one touchdown in the Indians’ 35-6 semifinal victory over Manhattan Beach Mira Costa at El Camino College.

Hart (12-0) needs only to defeat Foothill League rival Valencia on Friday at College of the Canyons to win its fourth consecutive Division III championship.

The Indians are 7-0 lifetime against Valencia, including a 26-0 victory this season. Last year, Mira Costa lost to Hart, 34-11, in the Division III final, in which Kyle Matter completed 27 of 31 passes for 365 yards.

“We heard someone say, ‘Wait until you see the next [quarterback], and they weren’t kidding,” Mira Costa Coach Don Morrow said.

Moore had plenty of help. Receiver Todd Wilson caught eight passes for 115 yards and one touchdown. Receiver Chris Steck caught seven passes for 98 yards. Moore also rushed for 56 yards in 13 carries and scored one touchdown.

He’s on the verge of joining Tom Bonds, Jim Bonds, Steve McKeon, Kyle Boller and Matter as quarterbacks who guided Hart to Southern Section championships.

“The last three or four games, he’s done everything we’ve asked,” Hart Coach Mike Herrington said. “He’s playing as well as any of the quarterbacks we’ve had.”

Mira Costa’s skill-position players were supposed to offer a challenge to Hart. Michael Okwo had rushed for 1,614 yards. Peter Dobush had passed for 1,868 yards. Kevin Lovell had made 13 of 14 field goals. They presented little resistance.

Okwo rushed for 113 yards in 22 carries but made little impact. Mira Costa was outgained, 468-276.

Linebacker Dan LaChasse had two sacks.

In seven first-half possessions, Mira Costa made it past midfield only once. The Mustangs were outgained, 312-77, and fell behind, 21-0.

Keith Howell had two interceptions on deflected passes and Mike Linn, who has committed to swim for the Naval Academy, contributed a 10-yard sack.

Meanwhile, Mira Costa was trying everything but smoke signals to disrupt Hart’s offense.

On one play, the Mustangs rushed only two players and dropped nine. Steck proceeded to make an 18-yard reception.

On the next play, they sent six rushers to pressure Moore, but he fired a 23-yard pass to Steck.