Morse and El Camino Win to Complete the Final Four : 3-A Semifinal: The Tigers survived an unexpected shower and a second-half Mira Mesa comeback to win, 18-13.

CHULA VISTA —  As David Gambill lined up to kick an extra point and give Morse a 17-0 lead late in the second quarter, the Mira Mesa defense was trying to figure out how to stop the red-hot Tigers.

Proving that there may be something to mental telepathy, the automatic sprinklers came on and doused both teams before the snap.

But not even a good soaking could cool Morse, which held on to defeat Mira Mesa, 18-13, in a section 3-A semifinal at Southwestern College Saturday night.

After the sprinklers were shut down, the teams tried again. But a high snap went through the hands of holder and quarterback Teddy Lawrence, who scrambled back to the 25 and lofted a pass into the end zone and the waiting hands of Tommy Bennett.

Morse 18, Mira Mesa 0.

It was that kind of first half for Morse, which advanced to the section final for the third consecutive year. The Tigers will defend their title against top-ranked Rancho Buena Vista Saturday at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium.

It was a half the Tigers needed. Mira Mesa rallied in the second half to pull within 18-13 with 6:49 remaining on a seven-yard run by Wayne Pittman and a 17-yard pass from J.J. Rowlett to Marc Ziegler.

“We tried to push up our lead in the first half,” Morse fullback Utotofu Fiame said. “They just started passing, and our (defensive backs) were getting beat.”

Fortunately for Morse, it controlled the first half, and that’s all it would need.

The accidental two-point conversion came after a drive that had the Tigers with a second and 43 from the Morse 38. But Lawrence, on the run, threw a pass down the left sideline; the ball bounded off a defender and into the arms of Donnie Nash, who held on as he fell backwards.

That set up a third and three, and four plays later, Faime pounded through from the one.

Morse, which scored 14 points before Orange Glen managed a snap in their quarterfinal, took a little longer this time. But not much.

Lawrence zipped a pass across the middle to David Dunn, who caught the ball at the 35 and ran untouched into the end zone with 4:32 remaining in the first quarter.

A nine-yard punt gave Morse the ball on the Mira Mesa 24, but the Tigers couldn’t get a first down, and Gambill kicked a 32-yard field goal to make it 10-0.

Morse scored again on the next drive, although two holding penalties and a sack gave them the second and 43.

The Morse defense shut down Mira Mesa in the first half, allowing the Mirauders just one first down and 18 total yards.