Andy George’s Lancers will attempt to go unbeaten this year against Pacifica/Oxnard Saturday night.
Friday November 29
DIV 2
Sierra Canyon (11-1) at Chaminade (8-5)
Chaminade advanced to the Final when San Clemente forfeited due to an ineligible player while Sierra Canyon knocked off Rancho Cucamonga 24-13. Chaminade had five losses on the year and finished second in the Mission League. The two teams had common opponents. Sierra Canyon lost to Oaks Christian 21-14 while Chaminade fell to the Lions 13-7. Sierra Canyon beat Paraclete 24-20 while Chaminade lost to the Spirits 34-13. Sierra Canyon has the edge there. Tough game that should go down to the wire. The Trailblazers have Just enough to get it done.
Sierra Canyon 24 Chaminade 20
DIV 5
Aquinas (11-2) at St. Paul (11-2)
St. Paul looks better every week. The Swordsmen’s 14-10 win over Culver City on the road was impressive. If you want a shootout St. Paul can do that. If you want a slugfest the Swordsmen proved their up to that as well. Aquinas needed a field goal to beat a solid Glendora team. Again it’s a game that won’t be decided until the fourth quarter. Aquinas gives St. Paul all it can handle but the Swordsmen get it done.
St. Paul 28 Aquinas 21
DIV 10
Crescenta Valley (13-0) at Simi Valley (10-3)
The Falcons are trying to relive the memories of 2014 when they ran the table with a perfect 14-0 record that culminated with a 21-14 win over Downey in the CIF Championship game. There are similarities. Crescenta Valley again has an explosive offense and a defense that makes the stops when necessary. Simi Valley lost its first two games but has won 10 of 11 since. The question is can the Simi Valley defense make enough stops to win? The answer is no. CV simply has too much firepower. Falcons go unbeaten.
Crescenta Valley 35 Simi Valley 24
DIV 11
Muir (11-2) at Marina (11-2)
The Mustangs may not be the best team in the Pacific League but they are looking to become the best team in Division 11. They proved their mettle last week with a tough road win over Linfield Christian. Their only losses have been to an undefeated Crescenta Valley team and Grace Brethren who is 12-1 and in the Division 3 Finals. Marina won the Big 4 League but Vikings schedule doesn’t stack up with Muir’s. They have the advantage of being at home but it’s nothing the Stangs can’t overcome. Muir brings home the title.
Muir 27 Marina 17
Saturday November 30
DIV 6
Pacifica/Oxnard (12-1) at La Serna (13-0)
La Serna had to slug it out last week in a 14-7 win over San Jacinto. The Lancers defense has been stout all year long. Offensively they not only have Chandler McCaffer to grind out the tough yards but Steven Pinales to outrun the secondary. Pacifica/Oxnard has lost only once all year and is averaging over 50 points per game. But the Tritons haven’t faced a defense quite like La Serna’s before. It won’t be a shootout but it won’t be 14-7 either. Both teams will make plays. The Lancers make one more.
La Serna 34 Pacifica/Oxnard 31
It’s 10:30 on Black Friday, and the name couldn’t be more appropriate for the St. Paul Swordsmen, who unexpectedly lost to Aquinas, the private Catholic school in San Bernardino. It was still a memorable year for the Santa Fe Springs school, so the glass is mainly full. The hopes for a Whittier area title now rest squarely on the shoulders of the La Serna Lancers, and here’s hoping they can earn that very thing tomorrow night!
@Return: Are you calling La Serna football Jane?
Excellent
Excellent
Game will be on Saturday…late move by CIF-SS.
13 divisions then, 14 now not much of a difference. If there’s a small crowd it’s because of the distance between the 2 schools, not quite the proximity of West Covina to Whittier.
If we think back to 2011, the year La Serna was roundly criticized for choosing Cal High stadium for its championship game, we also remember the HUGE crowds these title tilts used to draw. The argument in that year was that Cal High’s 5,000-seat capacity wasn’t nearly enough to hold the expected 8,000-plus fans.
Fast-forward to this year, when the new Thornstenson stadium at Cal High, with a capacity of 8,000, will not even be filled to capacity this Friday. And it’s not because of the expected rain. It’s because the level of competition has been grossly watered-down. It’s like putting 14 different tee-off spots on golf course holes, to accommodate every shade of ability.
The paying public knows this, and consequently now takes these championship games with a grain of salt. Yes, it’s still called the CIF finals, but it’s no longer the really big event it once was. Thanks to CIF and their minions of school administrators who want every Johnny and Jane to have their day in the sun, that sun shines less brightly than before.