Kaiser Rallies to Defend Its Title

His options limited at running back with Cameron Lonzo sidelined because of a broken ankle, Fontana Kaiser Coach Dick Bruich turned to hulking defensive lineman Bernard Afutiti.

The 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior, typically reserved for short-yardage situations, responded with 93 yards rushing and four touchdowns in 16 carries Saturday at Fontana High to lead Kaiser to its second consecutive Southern Section Division VIII football title with a 41-31 victory over Ridgecrest Burroughs.

“I thought they were going to get me the ball in desperate situations,” said Afutiti, who had five touchdowns entering the game. “But I guess Coach [Bruich] really believed in me.”

Afutiti gave the top-seeded Cats (13-1) a dependable alternative to tailback Rayvonne Gooden, who gained 282 yards and scored two touchdowns in 42 carries. Kaiser rushed for 375 yards and outgained the Burros, 381 yards to 320.

Afutiti scored three touchdowns in the second half as Kaiser rallied from a 24-21 halftime deficit. He rushed for touchdowns of eight and nine yards in the third quarter to put the Cats ahead, 34-24.

The second-seeded Burros (12-2) made it 34-31 late in the third quarter when quarterback Karsten Sween connected with Will Johnson for a 27-yard touchdown. But Afutiti put the game out of reach with a five-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter.

Anthony Celestine made a one-handed catch on a 70-yard scoring pass play, completed a 63-yard pass for a touchdown on a fake punt and recovered an onside kick for Burroughs.

Sween completed 23 of 38 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns. Celestine had 10 catches for 180 yards.

Ben Bolch

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Sun Valley Village Christian 42, North Hills L.A. Baptist 20 -- Jason Christensen ran 30 times for 280 yards and five touchdowns and the host Crusaders capitalized on two-second half turnovers and outscored the Knights, 22-0, over the last 15:29 en route to their ninth consecutive victory and first Division XII championship at Granada Hills Kennedy High.

Christensen scored on runs of 30 and five yards and Andrew Bethany caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from Jake Hagedorn as Village Christian (12-2) built a 20-13 halftime lead.

Alex Westmore completed 12 of 25 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns, including a 30-yarder to Jess Lima midway through the third quarter to tie the score, 20-20, but the Knights (9-5) never threatened again.

Christensen scored on runs of 13, 16 and 18 yards in the second half, the latter giving the Crusaders a 39-20 lead with 9:50 left to play.

Matt Barbani ran 19 times for 91 yards and a touchdown for the Knights, who were out-gained, 325-69, on the ground and committed three turnovers.

Mayar Zokaei

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Flintridge Prep 17, Pasadena Poly 10 -- With a heavy dose of running that kept a usually potent Pasadena Poly offense mostly on the sideline, the Rebels (12-1) shut down the defending champion Panthers (11-2) to win their first Division XIII championship in a dramatic finish at South Pasadena.

After holding Poly to only 52 yards of total offense in the first half, the Rebels’ defense began to look vulnerable in the fourth quarter.

With just under five minutes left, Panther quarterback Jordie Gaffney connected with Bobby Bowman on a 15-yard fade route in the right corner of the end zone.

On an identical route with 57 seconds left, Gaffney tossed the ball from just inside the Flintridge 20-yard line and it landed just beyond the outstretched arms of Spencer Cox. The Rebels then ran out the clock.

Flintridge Prep running back T.C. Scotton, who led the Prep League with 1,443 yards rushing on the season, carried 26 times for 146 yards and one touchdown. Only two of his runs were for more than 10 yards.

The Rebels ran the ball 43 times for 220 yards and took advantage of a botched punt for their second score, which put them ahead, 17-0, at halftime.

Flintridge, which avenged a 28-14 Oct. 25 loss to Poly, won the total yardage battle, 263-142. The Panthers had averaged more than 41 points per game.

Rebel quarterback Greg Sherman was five of 11 passing for 43 yards, while Gaffney was 10 of 27 for 90 yards.

-- Elia Powers