knights

Former Pioneers quarterback Steele Pizzella had a huge game for the Knights, but Simi Valley’s Brice Hawkins rushed for 202 yards and scored four times.

Former Pioneers quarterback Steele Pizzella had a huge game for the Knights, but Simi Valley’s Brice Hawkins rushed for 202 yards and scored four times.

And yet, top-seeded Simi Valley was able to pull out a 49-47 victory over the Knights in a first-round Southern Section Division 3 playoff opener because it had its own dominating offensive weapon in running back Brice Hawkins, who rushed for 202 yards and scored four touchdowns.

Freshman cornerback Micah Hannah, who made an interception for Simi Valley on the Knights’ opening possession, was familiar with Pizzella because his older brother, Malachi, played with Pizzella at Simi Valley.

There were big plays by the Knights.