Palos Verdes uses defense to claim Division 5 title over La Serna

Palos Verdes High rarely plays at night — it only started occasionally playing under lights two years ago.

But with championship games come accommodations, receiving city permission — from the streetlights-less Palos Verdes Estates — to host the Southern Section Division 5 championship on Friday night. As the South Bay breeze swept into the stadium, hundreds of fans who were denied entry because of the sellout, and fifth-ever night game, set up camp on the white stone wall and coinciding hill in between the stadium and Via Pacheco road.

Camren Hughes gave them something to celebrate. The junior safety began a 23-point unanswered, fourth-quarter run to lead the Sea Kings to their first CIF championship since 2014 after Palos Verdes (9-5) claimed a 23-7 victory over La Serna.

Down 7-0 with just more than seven minutes to go in the game, Hughes tallied his second interception of the contest — hauling in an errant pass and returning the ball 85 yards to the end zone. After Giuseppe Virzi, a junior defensive lineman, forced a fumble on a strip-sack during the next drive, sophomore quarterback Ryan Rakowski evaded three defenders on his way to the end zone for an eight-yard score and a lead the Sea Kings would not relinquish.

“It’s heaven — heaven on earth,” Hughes said about his game-altering second interception.

For a team that began the season 2-4 and battled for two overtime wins, coach Guy Gardner said he was proud of how his team scrapped their way through the season to claim hardware over La Serna (10-4).

“It’s special, right?” he said. “It doesn’t happen all the time. I don’t know if we would have predicted this in the beginning.”

Gardner praised his younger players, battling through the season after losing an effective senior class a year ago.

One of the underclassmen, his sophomore quarterback, put the game away. Rakowski scored for good measure with 1:40 to go, bursting ahead for a 26-yard touchdown run — his second touchdown of the game — and certifying their entrance into regionals next week.

At one point, however, the game was La Serna’s to lose.

Lancers’ sophomore quarterback Grady Long tossed a 35-yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Zeb Bontemps on a fourth-and-five play in the first quarter. The drive-salvaging play provided La Serna a lead it would hold until Hughes’ pick-six with 7:23 remaining in the game.

La Serna, which won the Division 4 title a year ago, attempted to slow the game down, running an almost 10-minute drive to begin the third quarter. But after failing to capitalize with a score on the drive, it opened the door for the Sea Kings.

“That got a little scary,” Gardner said. “I didn’t know if we were going to see the ball for quite a while. Just keep playing, play hard and we got some real fortunate turnovers — and that happens when you come out and play hard.”

Sea Kings junior Nick Yakubik also had an interception, while linebacker Josh Williams earned a safety with 4:24 left to give Palos Verdes a 16-7 lead.

Gardner, who personally greeted each of his players as they warmed up before the game, did the same afterward with a hug or a pat on the back. Drenched from a Gatorade shower after hoisting the Division 5 title plaque alongside his team, he reflected on what was to come.

“We’ll figure out what’s coming next,” he said. “It’s such a grind all of the time, so I think you want to enjoy this a little bit.

“Maybe for at least the next 36 hours.”