Column: High school football: A chance to run makes the difference in Week 8

Despite the emphasis on passing this season and some extraordinary play at quarterback, teams that want to win a championship still need to be to run the ball effectively at decisive moments, and that was the case Friday night during Week 8 of the high school season.

There was Corona Centennial getting 257 yards rushing and six touchdowns from JJ Taylor in a 60-28 Big VIII League victory over Corona Santiago.

There was Encino Crespi not attempting a single pass in a 50-17 Mission League win over West Hills Chaminade that saw Torrance Brumfield rush for 183 yards, Jalen Starks gain 147 yards and DJ Beavers pick up 108 yards.

There was Devontre Hale rushing for 268 yards, including five touchdowns in the second half, in Riverside Poly’s 59-45 Inland Valley League win over Moreno Valley Rancho Verde.

One week after its quarterback passed for a school-record 495 yards, Santa Margarita received 117 yards rushing from Rick Ellison and 107 yards rushing from Dre Hall in a 22-17 Trinity League win over Anaheim Servite.

Historic win

The folks who run JSerra have been very patient. When Jim Hartigan was hired as football coach in 2007, his task was to get the Lions to become competitive in the Trinity League.

Seven consecutive years of not making the Pac-5 Division playoffs would get you fired at most Catholic schools. But JSerra, which opened in 2003, always had confidence in Hartigan.

That loyalty paid off Friday night when JSerra knocked off Santa Ana Mater Dei, 17-10, in perhaps its biggest victory in school history.

Quarterback Nick Robinson had touchdown passes of 97 and 49 yards.

For the Lions, the victory over Mater Dei validates what has been brewing for weeks: That they are not just one of the best teams in Orange County but one of the best in Southern California.

An improved offensive and defensive line, mostly mistake-free quarterback play from Robinson, strong running from Edward Vander and solid play in the secondary have allowed the Lions to start 7-1 overall and 2-1 in league.

Of course, in a league in which eight of the nine games have resulted in wins by seven points or less, there’s no guarantee of making the playoffs until you get to the magical three-win total. JSerra still has to play Servite and Orange Lutheran.

The standings show St. John Bosco (7-1, 3-0) in first place, followed by JSerra (7-1, 2-1), Santa Margarita (6-2, 2-1), Mater Dei (6-2, 1-2), Servite (4-4, 1-2) and Orange Lutheran (4-4, 0-3).

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com