SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

Buena Park 29, West Covina South Hills 17--Chad Pearson rushed for 163 yards in 25 carries and scored two second-half touchdowns to lead host Buena Park to an upset victory over the top-seeded defending Division IX champions.

With Buena Park (9-4) holding a seven-point lead late in the third quarter, Pearson broke free for a 60-yard touchdown run to put the Coyotes ahead, 23-10.

South Hills (11-2) scored four minutes later when quarterback Ryan Repp hit Justin Ankeney on a 31-yard touchdown pass play.

South Hills stopped Buena Park on its next possession and the Coyotes were forced to punt, but Jaron Fairman couldn’t handle the kick and the Coyotes recovered at the Huskies’ eight-yard line. Pearson scored on the next play to clinch the victory.

The Coyotes led, 17-7, at halftime, scoring on a 23-yard pass from Tho Thach to Evan Lopez, a one-yard run by Lopez and an 18-yard field goal by Guillermo Montano. Buena Park amassed 214 first-half total yards to only 69 for the Huskies.

South Hills’ running back Marcus Nolan, who had scored four touchdowns in each of the previous two playoff games, was held to 25 yards in four carries. He scored on an eight-yard run in the first half.