All kickoffs are at 7:00 p.m. unless otherwise indicated
Friday November 22
DIV 5
La Serna (9-3) at Summit (11-1)
La Serna just keeps on rolling. You put an opponent in front of them and the Lancers knock them down and keep on going. We already knew they had weapons in Grady Long and Kaimana Tufaga and now there’s Ayden Contreras who ran for 199 yards and four touchdowns last week against Rio Mesa. Summit hails from the Sunkist League and has lost only one game all year. But the Skyhawks haven’t seen the likes of what La Serna brings. Lancers advance to the Finals.
La Serna 34 Summit 17
DIV 6
Dana Hills (10-2) at Glendora (8-4) (Citrus College)
Word is that the Tartan faithful are not happy about people picking against them. But Glendora did lose several games early. Chino Hills, Ayala, Northview and Colony (on the field) all beat the Tartans. That being said Glendora is playing good football in the post season. The Tartans have won their first two playoff games handily including a 31-13 rout of Rancho Verde last week. Dana Hills won a shootout over San Dimas last week. Glendora will have to make a few more stops than the Saints did to survive. The feeling here is that the Tartans will. Glendora gets the win.
Glendora 27 Dana Hills 24
DIV 7
West Torrance (10-2) at Rio Hondo Prep (10-1)
Breaking News! Rio Hondo Prep has a home game! Thats right. After six straight playoff road games dating back to last year the Kares will finally be at home. Last week they beat ML King and have lost only once all year. Rio Hondo Prep just keeps on winning and it doesn’t matter where the game is played. West Torrance won the Ocean League and beat Oak Park last week racking up 44 points in the process. The Warriors can score but so can Rio Hondo Prep. It may turn into a shootout. But in the end the Kares will be the last team standing. The home team moves on to the Finals.
Rio Hondo Prep 38 West Torrance 21
DIV 10
South Pasadena (10-2) at Silverado (7-5)
Good story coming out of South Pasadena. The Tigers won the Rio Hondo and now are in the Semi-Finals after knocking out their first two playoff opponents. Silverado finished third in the Desert Sky and was impressive last week holding off Chino. But the Tigers haven’t lost since September. Jeff Chi has them playing their best ball. South Pasadena headed to the Finals.
South Pasadena 27 Silverado 20
DIV 11
Baldwin Park (7-5) at Portola (6-6)
To do what Baldwin Park did last week was remarkable. To go up the hill to Big Bear and play in a snowstorm is incredible. To then be delayed several hours on the way home late Friday night due to dangerous black ice conditions on the road is unbelievable. Did you know that their two buses didn’t get home until 4:30 Saturday morning? Credit to head coach Robert Maxie for being the guiding force through the entire journey and for providing strong leadership. And the most incredible thing? The Braves came away with the victory. The Braves lived up to their nickname last weekend. This week they travel to Irvine to take on Portola. That’s a trip to Disneyland compared to what they just went through. Braves win and advance to the Finals.
Baldwin Park 27 Portola 17
San Gorgonio (9-2) at El Rancho (8-4)
El Rancho beat a Los Amigos team last week that was previously undefeated. The week before the Dons had to rally late to beat Bell Gardens and the Dons have won four of their last five games. San Gorgonio took second in the San Andreas League behind first place Grand Terrace but the Spartans actually beat Grand Terrace last week. The big advantage for El Rancho is a home game. The Dons can enjoy some home cooking while San Gorgonio has to get on a bus and take the long ride from San Bernardino. El Rancho’s offense can be explosive at times. The Dons racked up 42 last week. That and the home field advantage will be enough.
El Rancho 30 San Gorgonio 24
DIV 13
Lynwood (7-5) at Pasadena (6-6)
Lynwood has knocked off Mission Valley League teams South El Monte and El Monte in consecutive weeks. The Knights took fourth on the Mid-Cities League but has been able to survive the first two rounds of the playoffs. Pasadena tied for third in the Pacific but has also managed to come away with close wins in the first two games of post season. Both teams have good athletes. It’s just a matter of who can make the most stops. It’s an evenly matched game. Pasadena makes a big play late and comes out on top.
Pasadena 34 Lynwood 31
DIV 14
Duarte (11-1) at San Gabriel (6-6)
Good local matchup between two teams that many people didn’t expect to be here when the season started. San Gabriel was 1-6 at one point and has won five straight since. The Matadors have scored 41 points in each of their last two games. Duarte won the Miramonte League and has only lost once all year. With a potent offense and a defense that can hold the Falcons at bay, the Mats survive.
San Gabrel 28 Duarte 27
Quick Hits
DIV 6
Murrietta Mesa at St. Francis -St. Francis
DIV 7
Warren at Yucaipa -Warren
DIV 12
Carter at Wilson HH -Carter
DIV 14
Pioneer at Ganesha -Pioneer
Stadium Statement? Do you think the upcoming new stadium, especially if it is one that has locker room and team room under the stands, will pull in a few very, very good players from elsewhere? I do after this run for the championship
FBFan well I suggest some people just are not satisfied with their own athletic success and feel emotionally better when they criticize and insult the successful teams and coaches and players? This is a very often behavior by those who , for reasons of their own, just feel emotionally better about themselves by doing this ‘cheap shot’ commentary! Their is quite a bit of ‘ Psych 101 and 102 ‘ scientific research by some of the best Psychological Educators that describe ” what causes these people to feel stronger and have their ego lifted’ unconsciously ! One very basic cause is the ‘dissatisfied weak ego’
3rd place in Almont is magic spot .
? is spot on. More passive aggressive crap. What is with you clods? Peterson is right also. You are all sick and disgusting.
ER’s new stadium is doing more to inspire the kids in its unfinished form than it will at completion. The guys understand that they will be the first to play on the magical blue field, and they are shifting into emotional overdrive, all the way to the D11 finals. Strange to say, it’s probably best to freeze the construction in its present state and let the fantasy of a super new venue continue to boost morale. Or, the present construction could be torn down, with the explanation that the players deserve a field embedded with LED lights to change hue on every possession.
Humans have always been fascinated with things that are fabulous and just out of reach. That’s what the ER football stadium represents in the players’ minds. If the work can be stopped indefinitely in its present state, the fantasy of a super venue can continue to motivate the Pico kids to perhaps close the gap a tiny bit with La Serna, or more probably, to skyrocket into D10 next season.
San Gabriel 44 Duarte 22 Final. Congratulations to SGHS for making it to the Div. 14 Championship. Their second appearance in three seasons.
I’d love to see La Serna reach their 7th CIF
Title game in the last 15 years with playoffs.
Cal Preps, like Tim, is also predicting LS to win,
which is surprising since their own rankings have Summit
Ranked about a 38 & LS a 34, so 4 pts higher than LS.
I think tonight’s matchup @ Fontana Summit
is going to be tougher than people think.
Summit seems vastly underrated, with only 1 loss
against D2/D3? Beaumont. They have 5 or 6
shutouts and their D is led by the #1 ranked
Soph DT in the country (younger brother of UCLA’s
Toia). They also have impressive size with nearly
20 players bigger than La Serna’s biggest
player at 265.
This is LS 10th trip to the CIF Semis in the last 15 yrs.
They are (6-3) in the previous 9. To make it (7-3),
LS will have to extend their
playoff winning streak to 9 in a row.
@?,
So if another player gives the team a better chance to win and continue its season, the senior should still start because it’s his senior year? So the entire team should have to suffer so that one kid could feel good about himself?
@Tuffy: Just quit the passive aggressive b/s and sarcasm. You are hater troll and loser. Jeolous of everyones success.
Hopefully soon I can’t take my child’s last year under that guy.
I salute CIF for providing a playoff division to embrace the likes of Pioneer and Ganesha, two programs that have struggled mightily against the odds to earn their day in the sun. The goal should be to increase the divisional count to where at least half of all Southern Section teams are able to hoist a title plaque, because the mere act of suiting up for a game shows the heart of a champion.
I think you need to fact check Bud,
I thought the same thing . Not all the SGV teams can win , just pure probability theory . Happy viewing tomorrow.
Glendora….. benching your senior QB in what could be his last game for a sophmore that completed one huge pass is pretty cold. This is high school not pros.
TP
All your picks this week are SGV teams except for Wilson. What did they do to get on your bad side?
Your knowledge about SGV football is better than mine,but I think you missed on 3 or 4 of theses games.
I hope you’re right on all your picks. If you are correct, can you help me fill out my 10 team parlay before I head to Vegas next week?
Nice to see St Francis making a run in this year’s tournament. If the late great Jim Bonds is looking down, I’m sure he’s liking what he sees.
When does the dumping of inept coaches start? Arroyo fans want to know
M&P is a total troll!!! Classless comments about everyone just looking to generate something.
why does this website ignore centennial vs. mater dump in the game of the year in southern california southern section? both teams would wipe the floor with any of the programs mentioned in this article.
From T. Peterson: Because we don’t cover Mater Dei and Centennial. We never have. We cover SGV and some surrounding areas. You never noticed that before? Seriously? Why would it matter if they would wipe the floor with them? If they’re not in our coverage area then we aren’t covering them. Simple as that. Plus they would never play them anyway. They’re Division 1. By the way think about changing your name. It’s kind of sick and disgusting.
It is going to be a rainy Friday Night Lights. Everybody better get their running games tight.