SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

Corona Santiago 45, Colton 14--In its first playoff game in six years of varsity football, almost everything went right for Santiago in its Division V first-round game. The Sharks (9-2) opened the scoring with a 55-yard fumble return by Randy Holdeman on Colton’s opening series.

Rusty Nzekwu caught two first-half touchdowns, including a 51-yard scoring pass from backup quarterback Kris Kruse on the final play of the first half to take a 25-8 lead. Kruse came on with five seconds remaining after starter Bernard Jackson was shaken up. Nzekwu caught a 44-yard pass from Jackson for a 14-0 lead on the first play of the second quarter.

Kruse also had a big play on defense, intercepting a screen pass and returning it 13 yards to the nine-yard line, where Josh Black scored with 16 seconds left in the third quarter. Black rushed 16 times for 94 yards.

Mark Vingua, the leading rusher for Colton (8-3), injured his left ankle in the final two minutes of the first half after gaining 128 yards in 13 carries.