Thomas breaks it open with run

Those who watched Crenshaw’s 39-20 victory over Los Angeles Jordan on Wednesday in a City Section Championship Division quarterfinal playoff game will remember it for a short but unforgettable touchdown run by sophomore DeAnthony Thomas that broke the back of the Bulldogs and deserves a YouTube moment.

Thomas took the ball at the Jordan 13-yard line in the third quarter and was seemingly stopped by three Jordan defenders at the five. Everyone was waiting for a whistle to blow, but Thomas kept churning his legs, refusing to go down. Suddenly, he broke free and darted into the end zone for a touchdown.

“I just kept my feet moving,” he said.

It gave Crenshaw a 25-13 lead, and the Cougars (9-2) went on to earn a semifinal berth a week from Friday against top-seeded Narbonne.

Thomas finished with 128 yards rushing in 18 carries, scored three touchdowns and had two interceptions.

“DeAnthony Thomas’ performance tonight was magnificent,” Coach Robert Garrett said. “He’s developing into a big-time player. He’s got more football left, but he’s going to be great.”

Added offensive coordinator Jason Grant: “He’s a baby that’s learning every day.”

Crenshaw is a young team supposedly a year away from reaching peak form, but it keeps improving. Sophomore quarterback Marquis Thompson completed 11 of 14 passes for 147 yards and one touchdown. Crenshaw’s defense sacked Jordan quarterback James Boyd six times, with sophomore James Brock participating on four of the sacks.

Boyd, headed to USC to play defensive end, ended his quarterback days by completing 16 of 32 passes for 321 yards and three touchdowns with three interceptions. He finished the season with 4,253 yards passing and 44 touchdowns.

Delvon Purvis caught seven passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Jordan, the Eastern League co-champion, finished 7-5.

There were four touchdowns scored in the first seven minutes of the game, resulting in a 13-13 tie. Thomas’ 18-yard touchdown run with just over five minutes left gave Crenshaw a 19-13 halftime lead.

Jordan’s defense came up with an impressive goal-line stand at the end of the second quarter, stopping Hayes Pullard inches from the goal line on fourth down.

But Thomas took charge in the third quarter, scoring two touchdowns and ending it with an interception.

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eric.sondheimer@latimes.com