Los Altos Puts Stop to Tustin’s Upset Bid, 29-28

It was a bad night for quarterbacks in the Southern Section Division XI semifinal, but a good night passing for at least one halfback.

Daniel Drayton, who sprained his ankle with more than 10 minutes left in the third quarter, returned for only one play and delivered a 44-yard fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Caleb Flores to help propel top-seeded Hacienda Heights Los Altos to a 29-28 victory over fourth-seeded Tustin, 29-28, Friday.

Peter Suarez kicked the extra point for Los Altos with 8:23 left, giving the host team a 29-22 lead.

Then, it was time for Tustin (7-6) to put the ball into the passing arm of its running back. After marching 95 yards, with Marquis Malcolm scoring from six yards with 1:33 left, the Tillers went for a two-point conversion and the victory.

But instead of running behind tackle Sam Baker and tight end Chris Barrett, as they had all night -- Malcolm rushed 33 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns -- the Tillers turned to Malcolm to pass. Brigham Harwell jumped in front of Malcolm, forcing him to pull the ball back, and when Malcolm finally tried to connect with Barrett in the end zone, Flores stepped up for an interception.

“I believe if he runs the ball, their crowd is going crazy,” said Los Altos Coach Greg Gano, whose team came back from a 14-0 deficit behind Randall Brown, who rushed for 17 times for 137 yards and touchdowns of four, one and 48 yards.

Said Tustin Coach Myron Miller of the two-point attempt: “It was going to be completely wide open, They had 11 guys on the line.... I didn’t want to go to overtime.”

The victory sends Los Altos to the championship game for the fourth consecutive year. Its three previous appearances were in Division VII. The Conquerors (11-2) will play third-seeded Santa Ana Foothill (11-2) on Friday at Edison Field.

-- Martin Henderson

Ventura St. Bonaventure 46, Moorpark 40 -- Senior wide receiver Nick Pierson scored the go-ahead touchdown with 9:31 to play and intercepted a pass with 1:43 left as St. Bonaventure came from behind to win a Division IV semifinal at Moorpark.

St. Bonaventure (12-1) scored four touchdowns in the last 18 minutes 29 seconds to erase a 27-17 halftime deficit and advance to its fourth consecutive championship game on Friday against Weslake Village Westlake (10-2). The Seraphs won the last three Division XI titles in a row before moving up to Division IV this season.

Pierson, who finished with six catches for 170 yards, including scoring receptions of 50 and 59 yards, helped secure the victory with the 59-yard touchdown with 9:31 left.

Cliff Cardwell rushed for 231 yards and scored three first-half touchdowns for Moorpark (11-2).

-- Lauren Peterson

West Covina South Hills 17, Santa Fe Springs Sante Fe 10 -- Jeremy Payton caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Philip Guerrero midway through the fourth quarter and later intercepted Danny Banzet’s desperation pass on the six-yard line with 40 seconds left for the fourth-seeded Huskies (10-3) at Sante Fe.

Stephano Smith scored on a two-yard run and Art Reyes kicked a 37-yard field goal with 1:41 left in the first half to give South Hills a 10-3 halftime lead. The Huskies will play second-seeded Walnut in the Division VII final on Saturday.

Ricky Sanchez had three sacks for Santa Fe (10-3), which was outgained 281 to 155 yards.

-- Mayar Zokaei

Fontana Kaiser 21, Victorville Victor Valley 7 -- Alan Wade had 189 yards and two touchdowns in 24 carries for top-seeded Kaiser (12-0-1), which plays second-seeded Phelan Serrano (12-0) for the Division VIII title on Saturday. Victor Valley ends its season 6-7.

La Habra 20, Fountain Valley Los Amigos 7 -- Daniel Morales completed nine of 10 passes for 130 yards and one touchdown for the top-seeded Highlanders (12-1), who converted three Los Amigos fumbles into scores to build a 20-0 halftime lead at Garden Grove High.

Jake Hammond caught three passes for 49 yards, including one for a 30-yard touchdown for La Habra, which will play Garden Grove Pacifica (10-2) in the Division IX championship game at 7 p.m. Friday at Cal State Fullerton.

Sean Findling rushed for 44 yards in 13 carries and scored on runs of 15 and two yards for La Habra. Anthony Matagi rushed for 115 yards and one touchdown in 29 carries for Los Amigos (11-2).

-- Steve Galluzzo

Gardena Serra 13, Los Angeles Cathedral 8 -- Devin Stearns’ interception and long reception set up quarterback Terry Wilson’s game-winning one-yard touchdown run with 1:58 left in a Division X semifinal at Serra.

Stearns intercepted a Ralph Pineda pass and returned it 47 yards to Cathedral’s 41 with 4:11 to play. Two plays later, Stearns caught a 35-yard pass, which gave the top-seeded Cavaliers (13-0) a first down at Cathedral’s four. Wilson scored his second touchdown two plays later.

Cathedral (10-3) took an 8-7 lead with 20 seconds left in the third quarter on Pineda’s one-yard run, culminating the 12-play, 59-yard drive.

Wilson completed six of nine passes for 151 yards for Serra, which will play Lompoc (8-3) for the division title on Friday.

-- Steven Herbert

Carpinteria 41, Lancaster Paraclete 17 -- Quarterback Aaron Gonzales, who left the game with a knee injury in the fourth quarter, rushed for 200 yards and three touchdowns in 17 carries to lead top-seeded Carpinteria (13-0) at Antelope Valley College.

The Warriors gained 506 yards and held Paraclete (9-4) to 85 rushing yards. The loss ended Paraclete’s five-year, 22-game playoff winning streak.

Carpinteria will meet second-seeded Cerritos Valley Christian (11-1) in the Division XI championship game on Saturday.

-- Kevin Hill

Ontario Christian 34, Bishop 0 -- Drew Robinson had 265 yards of total offense and three touchdowns to lead fourth-seeded Ontario Christian (12-1) to the Division XII final on Saturday, when it will play second-seeded Edwards AFB Desert (13-0). Bishop finishes 7-6.