No. 7 St. John Bosco sprints past fifth-ranked Centennial

Video: Final 4 Southern Section breakdown.
Keys to semifinal games Friday as national heavyweights collide in Southern California.

They played without without 5-star quarterback Tanner McKee and fell behind 27-0. The Huskies from Centennial (Corona, Calif.), the nation's No. 5 team, gave a gallant comeback try.

But they were up against seventh-ranked St. John Bosco (Bellflower), which followed a 20-point flurry by Centennial with a quick three-touchdown barrage to take control en route to a 62-34 CIF Southern Section Division I semifinal victory Friday at Cerritos College.

Junior running back George Holani rushed for three touchdowns and caught another on a pass from DJ Uiagalelei who accounted for five scores including a 77-yard run in the fourth quarter as the Braves (11-2) advanced to the championship game to play No. 1 ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana).

Centennial must have felt like it was three touchdowns behind before the game even started when McKee, a 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior who accounted for more than 7,600 career yards and 87 touchdowns, was ruled out with concussion-like symptoms suffered in a quarterfinal game last week. Centennial coach Matt Logan said during the week that McKee had passed concussion tests, but that he was "day-to-day," and would be a "game-time decision."

He suited up Friday and looked sharp in pregame warm-ups. But shortly before kickoff it was announced McKee was out. 

When Holani ripped off touchdown runs of 3, 1 and 76 yards by early in the second quarter to go up 21-0, this looked like a blowout. Interceptions by Jaiden Woodbey and Ralen Goforth led to two of the scores. A 9-yard TD run by Uiagalelei, a 6-4, 240-pound sophomore, made it 27-0 before Centennial showed plenty of moxie.

The Huskies rattled off 20 straight points, on a touchdown run and pass from backup quarterback Arturo Herrera and two field goals by Derrick Valencia. That made it 27-20 early in the third quarter.

These teams, which had split four previous epic meetings in the playoffs the last four years, looked like it might be involved in another Southern California classic. The cumulative scores of the previous four games: St. John Bosco 212, Centennial 206. That's an average score of 53-51. Bosco coach Jason Negro called Friday's game "Rocky V."

But just when this one showed some drama, Bosco, the defending state Open Division champ, delivered the knockout punch. Uiagalelei threw TD passes of 41, 1 and 38 yards to Jake Bailey, Joshua Delgado and Holani, respectively, all before the third quarter was over.

Ball game.

Bosco added two more touchdowns in the fourth, including 77-yard jaunt by Uiagalelei. The Braves may have given up 34 points, but it forced five turnovers, including four interceptions which led to 28 points. They now get Mater Dei, which beat the Braves 31-21 on Oct. 13. The two teams met in last year's title game, won by Bosco.

Uiagalelei finished 17 of 25 for 262 yards and three touchdowns and he rushed nine times for 108 yards and two scores. Holani rushed 12 times for 119 yards and three touchdowns and Bailey finished with six catches for 103 yards and a score.

Centennial (10-2) was led by Herrera who rushed for 57 yards and passes for 184 and accounted for two scores. Teammate Octavio Cortes added 21 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown.