Southridge came within less than a minute of upsetting defending Class 4A state champion Booker T. Washington, and making its first-ever on-campus football game a memorable one Friday afternoon.

But a late touchdown pass from Booker T. quarterback Torrance Moise to Quinton Dunbar prevented the Spartans from pulling the upset and lifted the Tornadoes to a 20-17 victory at Southridge Stadium.

Dunbar found a bit of space near the goal line and hauled in a quick 6-yard touchdown pass from Moise to take the lead with 55 seconds remaining.

Booker T.'s defense then held Southridge on its final possession and escaped with the victory.

Booker T. (8-2), ranked No. 8 in The Miami Herald's Top 20 poll, will play Naples Gulf Coast in a Region 4-4A quarterfinal next Friday at Ted Hendricks Stadium.

''A win like this tests our character,'' Booker T. coach Earl Tillman said. ``Sometimes we have a hard time keeping focus mentally. We know from here on we have to bring our best from the start of the game.''

The Spartans (3-6) had a three-game winning streak snapped in spite of great effort by senior running back Brandon Oliver.

After falling behind 13-0 in the first quarter, Southridge fought back behind Oliver's power running to eventually take a 17-13 lead on a 2-yard touchdown run with six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

Oliver finished with 153 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns.

But Booker T. rallied in the final minutes behind its passing game, after its running game was virtually shut down.

Moise completed six passes on the 11-play game-winning drive, including a 35-yard completion to Dunbar that gave Booker T. the ball at the Southridge 30.

• Miami Springs 35, Ronald Reagan 2: Willis Wright caught two long touchdown passes from Rahkeem Cato, Tommy Shuler returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown and Miami Springs easily defeated Ronald Reagan in its final game of the season.

Cato, who threw for 208 yards, connected with Wright for touchdown passes of 54 and 45 yards.

''It was supposed to be a trick play to another receiver,'' Cato said of the first toss. ``But I saw Willis open and put a nice touch on it and he did what he always does.''

Springs ended its season with a five-game win streak, but were still left out of the playoff picture.

''All I can do is tell the boys to keep their heads up for next year,'' senior Antoine Parks said.

Reagan moved the chains and had seven first downs, but turned the ball over three times in the game. Joan Giraldo had 42 yards on 14 carries and Alberto Paniagua rushed for 37 yards on seven carries.

Reagan scored its only points of the game when the defense tackled Springs backup quarterback Ryan Hume in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

-- SOLANGE REYNER

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