Gerhart Lifts Norco to Win in Overtime

Sophomore running back Toby Gerhart’s fifth touchdown, on a 26-yard run in overtime, lifted Norco to a 41-34 victory over visiting Hemet on Friday night in a Southern Section Division V first-round playoff game.

Norco quarterback Kirk Philbrook connected with Gerhart on a 67-yard scoring strike with 6 minutes 21 seconds left in the fourth quarter to pull the Cougars (10-1) to within six, 34-28. Norco drove 57 yards on its next possession to tie the score on Gerhart’s one-yard run up the middle with 2:02 left. The extra point attempt was wide.

Hemet quarterback Brandis Dew, who accounted for 543 yards of offense, fumbled on the Bulldogs’ first play in overtime, and Norco linebacker Steve Gearhart recovered. Dew completed 22 of 47 passes for 380 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed 19 times for 163 yards and two scores.

Gerhart gained 279 yards and scored four touchdowns in 31 carries. Teammate Kyle Legere rushed for 180 yards and one touchdown in 18 carries. Hemet finished 8-3.

Ben Bolch

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Agoura 22, Goleta Dos Pueblos 8 -- Bryan Walker ran for one touchdown and passed for another, and host Agoura forced three second-half turnovers en route to its sixth consecutive victory in a Division IV first-round game.

Agoura (10-1) trailed, 8-7, at halftime but took a 13-8 lead on an eight-yard run by Walker with 7:49 left in the third quarter to cap a 13-play, 69-yard drive. Agoura made it 19-8 on a 14-yard run by Joey LaRocque with five seconds left in the quarter.

Braden Lepisto caught five passes for 97 yards, including a 22-yard touchdown pass from Walker with three minutes left in the half that gave Agoura a 7-6 lead.

Kellen Moriarty rushed for 69 yards in 17 carries and completed 13 of 25 passes for 128 yards for Dos Pueblos (5-4-2). But Moriarty was sacked four times and fumbled once.

Antwon Williams recorded two sacks and anchored an Agoura defense that limited Dos Pueblos to 86 yards in the second half.

-- Mayar Zokaei

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Lancaster Antelope Valley 44, Beverly Hills 21 -- Krieg Peters rushed for 155 yards in 21 carries and scored on runs of 28 and 12 yards to lead the Antelopes in a Division III first-round game at Beverly Hills.

Antelope Valley (8-3), the second-place team from the Golden League, scored twice in the first 10:12 and led, 22-0, early in the second quarter, thanks to rushing touchdowns of seven and two yards by Aaron Wilson and a 23-yard run by quarterback Mychal Bogan.

“I got going early and I think it just opened up for everybody else too,” Peters said. “That breaks a team apart when you start out like that.”

Peters, who helped the Antelopes advance to the Division III semifinals last season, caught a 23-yard scoring pass from Bogan that put Antelope Valley ahead, 28-7, with 5:36 left in the third quarter. His scoring runs came in the first four minutes of the fourth quarter and gave the Antelopes their biggest lead, 44-14.

Beverly Hills (5-4-2), the third-place team from the Bay League, scored on touchdown passes of 24, three and 71 yards by Ollie Linter.

Lauren Peterson

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La Mirada 34, Aliso Niguel 13 -- La Mirada’s defense held visiting Aliso Niguel to 108 yards of offense as the Matadors won their Division VI first-round game.

Robert Morales scored three second-quarter touchdowns on runs of one, 26 and 17 yards as La Mirada (9-2) took a 27-0 halftime lead. The Matadors piled up 213 yards of offense in the first half compared to the Wolverines’ 62.

Kyle Gran was responsible for La Mirada’s other touchdowns, scoring on a three-yard run in the second quarter and another three-yard run to culminate the opening drive of the second half.

Gran finished with 139 yards in 17 carries and Morales had 83 in seven carries.

Aliso Niguel scored with four minutes left when Tyler Zanolli returned an interception 80 yards. The Wolverines (7-4) scored again as time expired when Jordan Flemings caught a 15-yard pass from Drew Westling.

-- Melanie Neff