Fast Finish Fuels a Birmingham Victory

Two years ago, Lake Balboa Birmingham shocked the City Section with its upset of Woodland Hills Taft to win its first football championship in nearly four decades. The Patriots scored 21 fourth-quarter points Friday night for another title that was just as impressive, if not quite as surprising.

Led by the running of tailback Brian Stuart and the passing of quarterback Andrew Miramontes, Birmingham scored a 36-13 victory over top-seeded Los Angeles Dorsey in the City championship game before an estimated 5,500 at the Coliseum.

Stuart rushed for 220 yards, 103 in the fourth quarter when he scored two touchdowns.

The 5-foot-7 senior broke loose for a 15-yard touchdown run to give the Patriots a 21-13 lead.

On the Dons’ next possession, quarterback Keith Charles threw a quick pass to Sydney Avery but the Patriots’ DeJuane Adams jarred the ball loose and defensive end Hunter Rothman recovered.

Stuart’s backfield mate, Milton Knox, scored on an eight-yard run with 6:39 remaining. Stuart, however, did most of the work on the drive by rushing six times for 36 yards.

“Birmingham is making a name for itself,” Stuart said. “We got the taste of it and we love the taste in our mouths.”

Miramontes started the game completing everything he threw. The quarterback would complete five consecutive passes for 76 of the 83 yards on the march. On third and three, Jesse Salazar split the defense on a slant pattern and hauled in a 17-yard scoring toss. Stuart ran in a two-point conversion for a quick 8-0 lead.

Birmingham fed off the early momentum. The Patriots forced another Dorsey punt and turned to their running game.

Stuart ripped off runs of nine, six and 14 yards and Miramontes mixed in completions of nine and 14 yards. Knox, a freshman, then made it 15-0 with a 15-yard run as he shed two tacklers before diving into the end zone.

Top-seeded Dorsey (12-2) looked shaken but would answer after Stafon Johnson gave the Dons a desperately needed spark with a 41-yard kickoff return. Dorsey scored on Charles’ one-yard sneak following an 18-yard run by Jeremiah Johnson and a 25-yard pass completion to David Gettis.

“We had a tough road to hoe all year,” said Birmingham Coach Ed Croson. “If you look at the teams that we played and their won-loss records, we didn’t get a break anywhere but it made our guys stronger. It’s a tremendous senior class.”

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Los Angeles Fairfax 24, South Gate 18 -- Fairfax took a 14-0 lead in the first half and held off the determined Rams to win the City Section Invitational division championship at the Coliseum.

It is the first football title of any kind for the Lions (9-5) since they won the 3-A championship in 1985.

Fairfax quarterback Troy Jackson completed 13 of 21 passes for 169 yards, including a 46-yard scoring play to Jonathan Price. Patrick Hill ran for 108 yards and a touchdown in 15 carries.

Daniel Kozashy completed seven of 14 passes for 90 yards for South Gate (8-6).