58-year title drought is over

Huntington Park is City football champ in Division 2. Marshall wins Division 3.

When his team needed him most, James Rossum came through.

The senior linebacker made a juggling interception at the Huntington Park 12yard line with 43 seconds remaining and the Spartans proceeded to run out the clock for an 18-14 victory over Reseda Cleveland in the CIF City Section Division 2 championship game Saturday afternoon at El Camino College.

Huntington Park needed six minutes to drive 92 yards in 13 plays for the decisive score, which came on an eight-yard touchdown toss from Victor Molina to Julio Velasquez with 2:09 left.

Molina completed nine of 19 attempts for 165 yards, Bey’Jon Lee rushed 15 times for 112 yards and Rossum gained 42 yards in 11 carries for Huntington Park, which captured its first City title since 1959.

Division 1

San Fernando 28, Dorsey 21: In a matchup between two of the fastest teams in the City Section, San Fernando controlled the line of scrimmage and the clock to grind out a victory in the Division I championship game at El Camino College.

The Tigers won their eighth City title.

Trevor Gill led the charge with 151 yards and one touchdown in 28 carries and Kyle Bryant added 86 yards in 17 carries for San Fernando, which held off a furious Dorsey comeback in the last six minutes. Dorsey receiver Jojuan Collins was tackled at the Dons’ 32-yard line as time expired.

Charles Mincy Jr. swept right from one yard out to cap Dorsey’s 11-play, 88-yard opening drive, but the next four possessions yielded three punts and a lost fumble for the sixth-seeded Dons (7-7).

Andrew Frias’ one-yard sneak on fourth-and-goal ended an eight-play, 73-yard march and pulled the Tigers (12-2) even midway through the first quarter.

Division 3

Marshall 61, Verdugo Hills 26: Quarterback Daniel Soto threw five touchdown passes — four to Johnny Hernandez-Jones — to lead the Barristers.

Verdugo Hills struck first on a nine-yard touchdown run by Patrick Moore, but Rynee Rangel returned the ensuing kickoff 50 yards and on the next play Soto found Hernandez-Jones for a 35yard score to tie the game.

A 55-yard interception return by Pablo Garcia gave the second-seeded Barristers (11-3) the lead one minute later. Hernandez-Jones caught a one-yard touchdown pass and Soto ran for the two-point conversion to make it 21-6 late in the first quarter.

Hernandez-Jones caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Soto midway through the second quarter and linebacker Gary Chew returned a fumble 48 yards to increase the lead to 33-6 before halftime.

Teddy Ibarra caught a 91yard scoring pass from Mason Van Kempen that pulled the fifth-seeded Dons (8-6) within 20 points to begin the third, but Marshall answered with an 83-yard drive capped by Soto’s nine-yard pass to Hernandez-Jones. Soto tossed a 27-yard strike to Rangel for his 36th touchdown pass of the year on the first play of the final quarter.

Van Kempen threw his 35th touchdown pass of the season, a five-yarder to Charlie Rocca, midway through the third quarter, but Rangel returned the ensuing kickoff 96 yards to give the Barristers a 47-19 lead.

Carlos Medina’s 85-yard interception return and Soto’s two-point conversion pass to Malcolm Martin made it 61-19.