Bercovici directs fifth-seeded Taft to upset win

Woodland Hills Taft quarterback Michael Bercovici insisted his team is much better now than it was the first game of the season.

On Friday night, the fifth-seeded Toreadors went out and proved it, forcing three fumbles and four interceptions and using a well-balanced attack to upset fourth-seeded Los Angeles Dorsey, 35-18, in a City Section Division I quarterfinal game at Jackie Robinson Stadium in Rancho Cienega Park.

Host Dorsey had beaten Taft, 37-24, on the same field in the Toreadors’ season opener Sept. 9, but the rematch was dominated by the West Valley League champions.

“We’re so much better than we were then because we made changes in our offensive line at left tackle and right guard and that gave us a running game,” Bercovici said. “We’re a much better offense when we’re balanced and we came in tonight much more confident.”

Bercovici’s two-yard quarterback sneak seemingly put the game out of reach, 28-10, with 3:50 remaining. Defensive back Anthony Nickerson set up the score by intercepting an overthrown pass and returning it 25 yards to Dorsey’s eight-yard line.

Bercovici threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns — both to wide receiver Michael Thomas, who made four catches for 143 yards.

Dorsey quarterback Joseph Gray threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Dominique Harris and Marvin Hall’s two-point conversion catch pulled the Dons (10-2) to within 28-18 with 2:20 left, but the ensuing onside kick failed and Taft took over. Three plays later, Miles Johnson took a handoff and broke several tackles on his way to a 41-yard touchdown with 1:19 remaining to provide the final margin.

Gray fumbled the snap on Dorsey’s first play of the second half and Taft (9-3) recovered, but defensive back Devonte Anderson made a diving interception at the one-yard line three plays later. However, on the first play of the Dons’ ensuing drive, linebacker Jonathan Major intercepted Gray’s pass in the flat at the six-yard line and returned it for a touchdown to increase the Toreadors’ lead to 21-10.

Dorsey’s Robbie Gasaway scored on a four-yard run to cap a seven-play, 63-yard drive that tied the game, 7-7, with 7:40 left in the first quarter. After a Taft fumble, Michael Robert kicked a 33-yard field goal to give the Dons the lead, 10-7 with 3:32 left in the first quarter.

Thomas caught a 25-yard pass from Bercovici in the end zone to put Taft in front to stay, 14-10, with 5:16 left in the second quarter.

Anderson intercepted a Bercovici pass at the Toreadors’ 38-yard line and returned it to the five, but Robert missed a 28-yard field goal wide left with 18 seconds left in the first half.

Taft took a 7-0 lead one minute into the game on a 51-yard pass from Bercovici to Thomas.

“He [Thomas] made some great catches,” Bercovici said. “If our defense plays like that we won’t lose a game.”

Gray completed 19 of 40 passes for 221 yards and Jaydon Mickens had eight receptions for 84 yards for Dorsey, which finished runner-up to Crenshaw in the Coliseum League.

steve.galluzzo@latimes.com