SOUTHERN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

Brea Olinda 20, Placentia Valencia 3--The second-seeded Wildcats scored two touchdowns just over a minute apart in the second quarter and went on to win the Division IX semifinal at Valencia.

Brea Olinda (12-0) will host Buena Park in Friday’s championship game at a site to be determined. The Wildcats defeated Buena Park, 23-6, in the opening week of the season.

Brea Olinda (12-0) was playing the Tigers for the second time this season. The Wildcats defeated Valencia, 40-14, in an Orange League game Oct. 26, and the Tigers had to face Brea Olinda the second time without starting quarterback Robert Hernandez, who fractured his tibula last week against Fullerton.

Brea Olinda broke a 3-3 tie with just under five minutes remaining in the first half on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Steve Stagnaro to Brandon Nicholson. Manuel Gutierrez’s 77-yard touchdown run with 3:43 remaining in the half gave the Wildcats a 17-3 lead. Gutierrez rushed for 135 of his 149 yards in the opening half.