El Cerrito captured its third North Coast Section championship in four years on Friday night, building a 12-point halftime advantage on its way to a 32-21 victory over fifth-seeded Ukiah in the Division III final at American Canyon High.
Joeseph Broussard scored on a 15-yard run shortly before halftime to give third-seeded El Cerrito a 19-7 lead.
After Ukiah pulled to within 19-14 in the third quarter, Dejuan Compton Jr. scored on a short run to widen El Cerrito’s advantage back to double digits, 26-14.
Broussard’s 70-yard run set up the touchdown.
Gary Youngblood’s 90-yard reception with just under six minutes to play stretched the lead to 32-14, all but wrapping up El Cerrito’s fourth NCS championship in its history.
The Gauchos (11-2) will move on to a CIF NorCal regional next week. The matchups will be announced Sunday.
Ukiah finished 8-5.
The victory continued an impressive bounce-back season for El Cerrito under first-year coach Tim Johnson.
Last season, El Cerrito had to forfeit numerous games for using ineligible players, which led to no appearance in the NCS playoffs and a coaching change.
This season, the Gauchos lost to San Ramon Valley in Week 1 and Vacaville in Week 3, Since then, they have won 10 in a row, including the past eight by double digits.
Division VII
No. 1 Middletown 37, No. 2 Piedmont 23
Piedmont’s quest for a section championship just four years after the school paused varsity football for one season fell a little short as the Highlanders lost to top-seeded Middletown in the NCS Division VII final at Justin-Siena High in Napa.
Middletown scored the first 16 points before Piedmont rallied to cut the margin to 16-14 at halftime.
Jimmy Lagios’ 12-yard touchdown pass to Cash Panico and Xavier Henderson’s two-point conversion made it 16-8.
Henderson set up Piedmont’s second touchdown when he turned a screen pass into a 70-yard gain to the 1 with 11 seconds left in the half.
Colby Hong followed with a 1-yard run to cut the deficit to 16-14. Piedmont’s two-point try to even the score was unsuccessful.
Middletown scored in the third quarter to stretch its advantage to 24-14.
Matias Seelenberger’s 23-yard field goal pulled Piedmont to within 24-17 with 9 ½ minutes to play, but Middletown (11-2) answered with two more touchdowns to seal its fifth NCS championship in school history.
Piedmont finished 8-5.