HS FOOTBALL: Oaks comes from 10 down to defeat St. Bonnie 27-24

With each succeeding playoff game, the pressure increases, the stakes rise - and Brandon Dawkins keeps getting better.

The Oaks Christian High sophomore put on a show Friday, completing 25 of 29 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown, and he also rushed for 78 yards and scored two touchdowns while coming from 10 points down in a 27-24 victory over fellow state power St. Bonaventure in a Southern Section Northern Division semifinal before a crowd of more than 6,000 at Ventura High.

Dawkins is only 15 years old, but the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder has proved himself in a big way since taking over the starting job in the third game of the season.

"Brandon impresses me every game," Oaks Christian defensive back Ishmael Adams said. "He's always joking and smiling, and when Brandon is like that, he's at his best."

Dawkins has passed for 2,514 yards and 29 touchdowns, and he has scored six touchdowns.

Adams came through with several key defensive plays, including an interception and a game-saving deflection in the final seconds, knocking away a fourth-and-15 pass intended for Bryce Dixon near the goal line after St. Bonaventure had recovered an onside kick.

"I looked at the quarterback and knew he was going to throw it my way, and I knew he needed a lot of yards," Adams said. "This was a big game. I was very happy to make that play."

Oaks Christian (11-2) has won seven section titles over the past eight seasons, and the Lions appear in their ninth consecutive final at 7:30 p.m. Friday against visiting Westlake (13-0).

St. Bonaventure's Nick Arbuckle started at quarterback in place of injured Marc Evans, completing 15 of 31 for 251 yards including a 39-yard touchdown to Dixon with 1:36 remaining.