Western Gets Stuck With Lemon, Loses

La Mirada’s Southern Section championship hopes were crushed by an Orange County team last year and was determined not to let history repeat itself on Friday.

After a slow start, the Matadores went on to defeat upstart Western, 27-14, in the Division IX semifinals before an estimated 6,000 at La Mirada.

The Matadores (13-0) will play the winner of tonight’s Brea Olinda-Lakewood Mayfair game for the division championship. Western, trying to reach its first division final since 1972, ended the year 10-3.

“This is the third time in the last six years we’ve gotten to the semifinals and haven’t been able to make the next step,” Pioneer Coach Toby Howell said. “Knowing how close you are makes the losing so hard. It takes away from your season.”

La Mirada, which had overwhelmed opponents by an average of 33 points a game, was down, 14-6, at halftime, the first time they had trailed all year.

But the La Mirada offensive line eventually wore down the Western defense and the Matadores’ running game took over.

La Mirada tailback Mike Lemon finished with 233 yards and two touchdowns in 34 carries. His four-yard scoring run (and two-point pass reception) in the third quarter tied the game at 14. His seven-yard scoring run with 4:23 left in the fourth quarter gave the Matadores the lead for good.

La Mirada added a final touchdown on a 17-yard reverse by Aaron Gomez.

“We knew we had to stay patient,” Lemon said. “Western has a good defense; their linebackers were very quick to the ball, even in the mud. But the offensive line took over in the second half.”

“We’ve been a second-half team all year,” Matadores Coach John Mele said. “And it’s easy; just give the ball to Lemon and watch him go.”

While La Mirada’s offense, which totaled 354 yards, stepped up in the second half, the Western offense was shut down. Of the Pioneers’ 220 total yards, only 75 came in the second half.

Running back Travell Jackson had a touchdown, but was stymied, rushing for 16 yards in 11 carries.

Quarterback Jason Baughman passed for 174 yards, but had only 54 yards passing in the second half.

“They just kicked out butts up front,” Howell said. “They seemed to want it more than we did.

Although La Mirada was the favorite going in, neither team expected the fast start by Western.

Darryl Gober had a 57-yard return on the opening kickoff and La Mirada compounded the situation with a 15-yard facemask penalty. Set up on the Matadores’ 16- yard line, the Pioneers needed five plays--including a three-yard touchdown run by Jackson--for a 7-0 lead.

A big play and another La Mirada penalty set up Western’s second first-quarter score. From his 42, Baughman found Jon Wittman alone down the right sideline for 36 yards, and the Matadores were flagged this time for unsportsmanlike conduct, giving Western a first down at the La Mirada 3.

Baughman eventually scored on a one-yard run.

Although the Matadores moved the ball effectively, they were unable to get touchdowns in the first half.