Friday’s Playoff Highlights : Verbum Dei Is Upset by Antelope Valley, 30-20

Verbum Dei High School, the No. 2-seeded team in the Northwestern Conference, was upset Friday night by Antelope Valley High School, 30-20, at Antelope Valley.

It was the first loss of the season for Verbum Dei (11-1). Antelope Valley, the No. 3 team in the Golden League, is 8-4. Antelope Valley will play No. 3-seeded Hawthorne, which defeated Palmdale, 15-8, next Friday in the semifinals.

Chris Torchia of Antelope Valley recovered three fumbles, two of which resulted in points--Peter Jensen’s 37-yard field and Eric Mortensen’s 10-yard run--to give the Antelopes a 10-0 lead. Mortensen also scored on a 49-yard run to give Antelope Valley a 28-20 margin late in the fourth quarter.

Verbum Dei’s Derrick Billoups completed a 31-yard touchdown pass to Thomas Archie and also scored on a four-yard run in the fourth quarter to bring the Eagles within one point at 21-20. A running play for a two-point conversion failed.

In another Northwestern Conference game, two-time defending champion Canyon Country Canyon (12-0) won its 36th straight game, defeating Santa Maria, 35-7, at Santa Maria.

Junior quarterback Ken Sollom, starting has second game, completed 9 of 20 passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns. Chad Ziegler had three receptions, including touchdowns of seven and 31 yards for the top-seeded Cowboys.

Lance Cross, another junior, carried 16 times for 162 yards and scored once.

Canyon will play fourth-seeded Lompoc, a 31-14 winner over North Torrance, in the other semifinal game.

Other Southern Section quarterfinal action, by conference:

BIG FIVE--The Sunset League continued to fare well in the playoffs. Westminster defeated Servite, 21-14, in overtime, and Edison downed Servite, 14-13. Marina, the third Sunset League team still in the playoffs, will play top-seeded Bishop Amat tonight at Westminster High.

SOUTHERN--For the second straight week, Santa Ana (8-4), the at-large entry, defeated a league champion, beating Pacifica, the Empire League titlist, 7-0. Lanier Bridges’ 22-yard pass to Raul Ochoa in the second quarter was the only score of the game at Santa Ana Stadium. Last week, Santa Ana upset San Gabriel Valley League champion Lynwood, the No. 1-seeded team in the conference. Santa Ana will play the winner of tonight’s El Modena-at-Capistrano Valley game.

EASTERN--Top-seeded Claremont (11-1) needed two field goals from Steve Bayer, the second in overtime, to defeat Arlington (8-4), 6-3, at UC Riverside. Arlington took the lead in the second quarter on Chuck Hopkins’ 27-yard field goal. Bayer tied the game in the fourth quarter on a 36-yard kick. Claremont will play Norco, a 13-8 winner over Upland, in the semifinals. The Cavazos brothers, Rick and Ross, accounted for all four touchdowns in Ramona’s 28-0 win over El Rancho (10-2) at Ramona. Rick scored on runs of seven, 21 and three yards and accounted for 201 yards. Ross had the first touchdown, on a seven-yard run. Ramona (9-3) will play Damien, which defeated South Hills, 19-12, at Citrus College.

CENTRAL--Top-seeded Newport Harbor (10-2) defeated La Mirada (9-3), 6-0, on a fourth-quarter 10-yard pass from Shane Foley to Mark Craig, at La Mirada. La Quinta (10-2) had an easier time, defeating Sonora (5-7) at La Habra High. Bart Recktenwald completed touchdown pass plays of 36 and 70 yards, and Derek Debbs had touchdown receptions of 36 and 12 yards for La Quinta. Newport Harbor and La Quinta will meet in the semifinals.

INLAND--Richie Swinton scored on runs of 50- and 59 yards and added a third touchdown on a 22-yard interception to led Montclair Prep (9-3) to a 35-0 win over Ontario Christian (10-2) at Granada Hills Kennedy High. The Mounties will play Paraclete, a 14-6 winner over Orange Lutheran. Top-seeded Valley Christian (12-0) continued its winning ways, defeating San Jacinto (8-4), 34-13, at San Jacinto. Valley Christian has allowed just 20 points this season. The Crusaders will meet Tehachapi, a 22-0 winner over Beaumont, in the semifinals.