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Plenty of Southern Comfort

Thompson's 99-yard return highlights L.A. Fiesta Bowl

By Andrew J. Campa, Staff Writer


EL SERENO - With so much offense in Saturday's second annual L.A. Fiesta Bowl that pitted the CIF-Southern Section prep football All-Stars against the L.A. City Section at L.A. Wilson High School, the game oddly turned on a key defensive play.

Muir's Marcus Thompson, a 110- and 300-meter hurdler, used his speed in turning an interception of L.A. Wilson quarterback Steven Batista into a 99-yard touchdown return to help the Southern Section win, 45-21.

"I saw it, I read it (well) and just used my track speed to take it to the house," Thompson said. "I knew I could get through. That track speed sure came in handy."

The City Section was at the 9-yard line and trailed 31-21 with 1:30 remaining in the third when Thompson's runback made it 38-21.

Thompson also helped set up the Southern Section's final score when he recovered a fumble at the 50-yard line and returned it to the 1.

For his efforts, Thompson was named the Southern Section's MVP.

Even before Thompson's interception, however, the City Section hurt its chances with turnovers.

The game was tied at 21-21 entering the second half when Schurr's Jonathan Palomino came up with an interception when he took the ball away from Santee wide receiver Izale Stevens at the City 37.
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"I saw the ball in the air and I just tried to make a play on it," Palomino said. "I got up and I just got my hands on it. He wasn't going take it away from me."

The turnover turned into three points when Bell Gardens' Diego Delgadillo kicked a 42-yard field goal that gave the Southern Section a 24-21 lead.

The City Section's second of three consecutive turnovers occurred on the next drive when L.A. Roosevelt's Jonathan Torres was stripped of the ball at his 20. It went behind him and eventually was recovered by the Southern Section's Austin Daniels of Muir at the 11.

Two plays later, Pasadena's Tyron Crockom, the Star-News Player of the Year, scored on a 13-yard run to put his team ahead 31-21 at 5:21 of the third quarter.

The Southern Section stars followed a frustrating first half that included three fumbles and an interception with a flawless second half in which they forced four turnovers.

The Southern Section defensive line, led by John Glenn's Adam Frescas, Santa Fe's Jeremiah Taotoai (one sack) and California's Daniel Llovio, had little impact in the first half before surrendering only 25 yards rushing in the second half and constantly pressuring Batista.

"We're the CIF Southern Section," Arroyo quarterback and Southern Section starter Brian Partida said. "We knew that once we eliminated the mistakes we would take control of the game."

Saturday's game eerily mirrored last year's inaugural contest, in which the Southern Section jumped to a quick 14-0 lead but lost 22-21.

The Southern Section led 14-0 on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Partida to Muir's Ahmere Owens (four receptions for 84 yards) on fourth and eight from the City 36.

On the Southern Section's next possession deep in L.A. territory after an interception from Daniels, Partida threw a 23-yard scoring pass to Blair's Devin Fuller.

Partida finished 10-of-15 for 193 yards and two touchdowns. Batista (15-of-37 for 229 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions), was named the City Section MVP.

andrew.campa@sgvn.com

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