MidValleySports.Com

Frankie Palmer and La Serna will battle Downey at Cal State Fullerton for Southeast Title

By Tony Solorzano

The CIF Southern Section announced yesterday the venue for Saturday’s Southeast Division Finals between La Serna and Downey has been changed from La Serna’s “home field,” California High’s Whittier District Field to Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium. The game is scheduled to start at 7 pm Saturday.

Until late Tuesday afternoon, the game had still been scheduled to be played at Whittier District Field, however, later in the afternoon, an updated press release from the  Southern Section had the venue changed to Titan Stadium. The change in venue was most likely necessitated by the length of time since both schools last won a Section title.

Downey’s last appearance in a CIF Section Finals came in 1957, when they defeated San Diego High 24-7 at San Diego State. The win was their second consecutive major division title, having tied Anaheim High the year before, 7-7, before the largest crowd in CIF Southern Section history, 41,383, at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Vikings also won the 1945 CIF title.

La Serna last claimed a title in 1967, when they won the AAA Lower Division crown with a 33-7 victory over the Temple City Rams. La Serna reached the finals last year, but were defeated 84-21 by West Covina. Both teams met in Week 1 of the regular season, with La Serna holding on for a 28-27 win in overtime at Downey’s Allen Layne Stadium.