Public schools more than hold their own against private schools in football

It was a rare day of carnage for the private (school) sector.

The lofty coaching salaries, nonexistent attendance boundaries and financial-aid packages for some players couldn’t boost Mission Hills Alemany, Gardena Serra, Encino Crespi and Los Angeles Loyola in high-profile matchups with public counterparts.

Southern Section private schools were a combined 19-10 in head-to-head meetings with public school opponents Friday, a significant drop-off from the 34-7 record they posted three weekends ago.

What in the name of air-conditioned charter buses and perfectly manicured fields was going on?

Harbor City Narbonne pulled out a 26-20 victory over two-time defending section champion Serra after defensive back Steven Russell intercepted a pass in Gauchos’ territory with 34 seconds left. Serra had trounced Narbonne by 26 points last season.

“Any time we can beat a Southern Section team, whether it’s public or private, it’s huge for us,” Coach Manuel Douglas said Saturday.

Chief among the disadvantages Douglas cited in playing intersectional games was a so-called staff development day at Narbonne in each of the last two weeks. By City Section rules, teams cannot practice on those days.

So Narbonne played Serra having practiced only three days before the game, one fewer day than the Cavaliers. The previous week, the Gauchos played Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro on a Thursday with only two days of practice.

Narbonne’s matchup with Tesoro highlighted a key discrepancy in the public-versus-private debate: coaching pay. Douglas said his staff had four paid coaches versus Tesoro’s 14. The Titans defeated the Gauchos, 22-13.

But more pay doesn’t guarantee more heart. Los Angeles Dorsey thwarted a two-point conversion with 1 minute 6 seconds left Friday to preserve a 13-12 victory over host Alemany, ranked No. 12 by The Times.

Coach Paul Knox called it his team’s biggest nonleague triumph since it defeated Santa Margarita in 2007. That it came over a private school didn’t necessarily make it sweeter, Knox said.

“To beat a ranked opponent is what’s big for us,” Knox said. “That’s what we talked about all week. One of our goals was to beat a team that nobody thought we could beat. They fell into that category.”

In the other big triumphs for public schools, Vita Murrieta piled up 360 yards rushing in a 38-20 victory over Crespi, and Upland’s Donta Abron Jr. ran for 195 yards during a 38-23 win over Loyola.

Three and out

Dorsey quarterback Reginald Bell, who has not played since being injured in the Dons’ 32-26 victory over Garfield on Sept. 16, is still waiting for the swelling in his knee to subside before he can undergo an MRI exam, Knox said. … Westlake set a school record for points during a 73-27 victory over Simi Valley Royal. Connor Cook, a transfer from Westlake Village Oaks Christian, tied a school record with five touchdowns, including kickoff returns of 85 and 80 yards. Cook will face his former team Thursday when Westlake plays host to Oaks Christian. … La Quinta wiped out a 34-0 deficit in the third quarter by forcing four turnovers and scoring 41 consecutive points during a 41-34 victory over Ridgecrest Burroughs.

ben.bolch@latimes.com