Run in City continues

The City Section has been on a hot streak in producing major-college running backs, from Stafon Johnson (Dorsey, USC) to C.J. Gable (Sylmar, USC), to Jeremiah Johnson (Dorsey, Oregon) to Milton Knox (Birmingham, UCLA).

Now there are two more so fast and talented that they can pick any college they want.

Junior D.J. Morgan of Woodland Hills Taft and sophomore DeAnthony Thomas of Los Angeles Crenshaw have carried their respective teams into semifinals of the City Championship Division playoffs, and one more victory will allow them to meet at the Coliseum.

Morgan and the Toreadors must first get past No. 2-seeded San Pedro tonight at San Pedro. Thomas and Crenshaw must topple top-seeded Harbor City Narbonne tonight at Narbonne.

Morgan has already committed to USC. He won three individual titles at the City track and field finals as a sophomore and has rushed for 1,806 yards.

Thomas finished third as a freshman to Morgan in the 100 meters and has touchdowns this season covering 85, 79, 77 and 61 yards.

Morgan’s improvement over the last month has been startling. Yes, he was highly regarded when the season began, but he has become more than just a speed back in rushing for more than 100 yards in seven consecutive games.

“We lit a fire under him to make one cut and go,” Coach Matt Kerstetter said. “I just said, ‘Do me a favor. Run violently.’ ”

Suddenly, Morgan, 5 feet 10 and 175 pounds, started showing toughness and aggressiveness. It started with a 232-yard, five-touchdown performance against Chatsworth on Halloween and it hasn’t stopped since.

“I knew I had to pick it up,” Morgan said. “Instead of them hitting me, I’m giving the blows. I ran hard, but tried to make people miss instead of getting the tough yards.”

In many ways, Thomas resembles Morgan from last season, someone who’s extremely fast but waiting to add muscle and strength to his body so he can start breaking tackles more consistently. However, when the Cougars’ line creates a hole, the 5-10 Thomas is a blur, and he showed against Los Angeles Jordan last week he has durability, refusing to let three players drag him down near the goal line and breaking free to score a touchdown. He also had two interceptions at free safety.

“I think he fits into the category of elite City running backs,” Coach Robert Garrett said.

Morgan and Thomas know each other well and figure to have lots of duels in track over the next two seasons, though Morgan’s emphasis is on hurdles and Thomas is more of a sprinter.

Thomas has been a phenom since his days running for the Greater Crenshaw Bears youth football team.

“I got some tape of that kid that’s amazing,” his youth coach, Ted Baker, said. “The kid is the nicest, most humble kid. He’d come out of games, ‘Why don’t you let someone else score?’ ”

Garrett has been trying to protect Thomas from media attention, saying, “He’s been dealing with media since he was 7.”

In a brief talk after the Cougars’ quarterfinal playoff victory, Thomas said about tonight’s opponent, Narbonne, “We got to bring it to them because they’re going to bring it to us.”

With Trajuan Briggs of Birmingham, a junior running back who has rushed for 1,513 yards and 21 touchdowns, it’s clear the City Section will keep the attention of college recruiters at least another year.

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eric.sondheimer@latimes.com