Fairfax surprises top-seeded Los Angeles, 31-16, for L.A. City Division II title

Minutes after the Los Angeles City Section Division II championship game, Fairfax running back Ramses Hernandez looked into a TV camera and pronounced, “I’m ready for college football!”

No one who witnessed his performance Saturday would argue after the 5-foot-9, 185-pound senior rushed 31 times for 224 yards and four touchdowns in leading the Lions to a 31-16 upset of top-seeded and previously undefeated Los Angeles at Cerritos College.

“I haven’t gotten any offers — they’ve been saying I’m too small and too slow,” Hernandez said. “I didn’t think we’d dominate as much as we did but I knew we’d come away with the win.”

Defensive back Kenny Allen intercepted three passes and Malik Carter had two sacks for the third-seeded Lions (8-6), who rebounded from a 1-4 start for their fourth City title and third under Coach Shane Cox.

After each team turned the ball over on downs twice in the first quarter, Hernandez scored from one foot away on fourth and goal to give Fairfax a 7-0 lead with 9:41 left in the first half. He broke loose for a 64-yard score just before halftime, then returned the second-half kickoff 80 yards to set up a 20-yard field goal that increased Fairfax’s lead to 17-0.

LJ Shaw caught a 58-yard touchdown pass from Kaymen Cureton and added the two-point conversion catch to pull Los Angeles (12-1-1) to within 17-8 with 4:29 left in the third quarter.

Hernandez scored from 11 yards on the first play of the fourth quarter, but Berdale Robins returned the ensuing kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown and Justin Rogers ran off tackle for the two points to cut the Romans’ deficit to 24-16.

Hernandez clinched the victory with a 22-yard touchdown run with 1:05 left — giving him 2,826 yards and 33 rushing touchdowns this season.

Belmont wins Division III

Isaiah Chatman rushed 31 times for 142 yards and quarterback Andrew Trujillo completed six of 12 passes for 98 yards as Belmont captured the first City title in the school’s 93-year history and earned a CIF regional bowl berth with a 24-7 victory over Hollywood in the Division III championship game.

On the third play from scrimmage, Keiyon Johnson intercepted a pass by Hollywood quarterback David Rothenberg and the Sentinels (14-0) marched 53 yards in 13 plays, scoring on Trujillo’s one-yard sneak on fourth and goal.

“It feels amazing to make history,” Johnson said. “Coach [Gregg Barden] said no one can ever improve what we’ve done.”

Erik Diaz kicked a 24-yard field goal to extend Belmont’s lead but Rothenberg threw a 37-yard touchdown pass to Max Peranidze to shave Hollywood’s deficit to 10-7 before halftime.

Trujillo threw a six-yard touchdown pass to Arias in the third quarter, and an interception by Carlos Castillo set up a two-yard scoring run by Diaz that put Belmont ahead, 24-7, midway through the fourth quarter.

Johnson’s second interception with 3:42 left clinched the victory.

Rothenberg completed nine of 16 passes for 175 yards and Peranidze caught six passes for 156 yards for the Sheiks (12-2), who were seeking their first City title since 1927.