Dorsey Takes to Air to Beat Birmingham

Normally, Los Angeles Dorsey relies on its running game at crucial points of football games, but a 45-yard scoring pass keyed a 21-14 comeback victory over Lake Balboa Birmingham in a nonleague game between City Section title contenders Friday night at Birmingham.

Dorsey, ranked No. 14 in the Southland by The Times, trailed, 14-13, when it took possession at its 13-yard line with 6 minutes 46 seconds left to play.

After seven consecutive running plays took the Dons inside Birmingham territory, Coach Paul Knox had his team throw a changeup.

Quarterback Keith Charles found speedy receiver David Gettis streaking down the middle and connected for a touchdown and a 19-14 lead. A two-point conversion pass gave Dorsey (4-1) a seven-point lead with 3:16 to play, and its defense took over from there.

No. 15 Birmingham (2-3) passed the ball effectively in the first half but gained only 54 total yards in the second. Quarterback Andrew Miramontes finished 13 for 26 for 148 yards but was five for 13 for 45 yards in the second half.

Stafon Johnson had 116 yards and a touchdown in 17 carries to lead Dorsey’s ground attack, which accounted for 208 of the team’s 288 total yards. Teammate Jeremiah Johnson had 66 yards in 15 carries and also returned a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown that made it 7-7 in the first quarter.

Birmingham took a 14-7 lead on a one-yard sneak by Miramontes.

--Peter Yoon

Woodland Hills Taft 35, Harbor City Narbonne 13 -- The visiting Toreadors amassed 341 yards of offense and limited Narbonne to one touchdown on defense in a nonleague game between City Section powers.

“I thought this was going to be a dogfight,” said Taft senior quarterback Josh Portis, who threw for 165 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 113 yards and two scores.

No. 21 Taft (4-1) scored on its first two possessions, on a 40-yard pass from Portis to wide receiver Jamere Holland and a 75-yard run by Portis.

No. 13 Narbonne (4-1) scored on its first drive, on a 35-yard run by Marquis Delgado.

But the only points the rest of the first half came on a 46-yard field goal by Narbonne’s Oscar De Alba, which cut the deficit to 14-10.

Taft’s Shelton Banks blocked a punt early in the second half and Holland returned it 27 yards to the Narbonne six-yard line. Three plays later, Portis scored on a sneak for a 21-10 lead.

--Dan Arritt