While a South County team did not advance to this year’s round of San Diego Section championship football games, Friday’s Division V encounter at Mesa College is full of South County players on both teams.
The top-seeded Bishop’s Knights, guided by Chula Visa’s Joey Moreno, will take on the third-seeded (and two-time defending division champion) Francis Parker Lancers, guided by South Bay standout Kenny Brookins.
Kick-off is 7 p.m.
The Knights, the section’s lone undefeated team at 12-0, eliminated the fourth-seeded Christian Patriots (6-6) in last Friday’s Division V semifinals, 47-21, in a game played at La Jolla High School. Meanwhile, Francis Parker (6-6) eliminated the second-seeded Horizon Christian (7-4) in the other semifinal, 52-28, played at Rancho Bernardo High School.
Moreno threw two touchdowns passes — 25 yards to Dominique Love and five yards to Micah Seau — and also rushed for a nine-yard score to lead the Knights. Alec Fisher scored on runs of four and one yards while Austin Fisher scored twice on runs of 36 and 55 yards to highlight the team’s rushing game.
Christian’s Shane Dillon passed for 230 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the setback, the second against the Knights this season.
Bishop’s led 20-15 at halftime but pulled away in the fourth quarter. Tyrone Sauls scored his 31st touchdown of the season for Christian.
Bishop’s and Francis Parker will be meeting in the division championship game for the third consecutive year, with Parker holding a 2-0 edge in the previous two title match-ups.
The Lancers topped the Knights, 55-20, last year en route to a State Football Bowl berth and, 51-22, in 2008.
Brookins, one of several South Bay players on Francis Parker’s roster, scored two touchdowns in the semifinal victory against Horizon on runs of seven and 40 yards.
Quarterback Warren Brody scored on runs of 16 and eight yards while Roland Jackson had an 83-yard kick-off return for a touchdown, Matt Wile returned a pick 12 yards for a score and Rochon Taylor scored on a two-yard run for the two-time defending division champions.
The semifinal victory made amends for a regular season 20-0 loss to the Panthers in Coastal League play. In that earlier game, the Lancers were missing six starters from the lineup due to injury.
In last Friday’s rematch, Francis Parker led 31-6 at halftime.
“We got all our players back,” said Brookins, who rushed for 150 yards in the semifinal win.
A First Team All-Coastal League pick, Brookins gained 1,108 yards and scored 18 touchdowns in 2009.
