Sports

Football: Schedule, Analysis of Second Round Games

The dead weight of the playoffs has been eliminated as the real battles for the championship begin.


By Martin Henderson

The second round of the Southern Section football playoffs gets under way tonight around the Southland as teams are only three victories away from winning a section title. 

Here are some of the big games of the night: 

• The only two teams to be ranked No. 1 in Orange County this season meet at Santa Ana Stadium. Preseason favorite Mater Dei (9-2) is trying to reach the Pac-5 Division finals for the second consecutive season. Second-seeded Mission Viejo (11-0) hasn't had the best success over the years against Trinity League opponents in the playoffs, but Mission is essentially a Trinity League team: quarterback Ian Fieber (Orange Lutheran), tailback Alex Suchesk and receiver Sean Modster (Santa Margarita Catholic) are refugees from other Trinity League schools. Mater Dei has lacked consistency this season, and will almost certainly need to break some big plays to score the upset. Not likely. It's been a long while since Mission was pushed; its response to such pressure will be key.

• Tesoro (9-2) pays the penalty this week for having the easiest draw of the first round. The Titans play top-seeded St. John Bosco (11-0), where the Braves figure to win in a rout. But the same thing happened in 2011, when the expectation was that Servite would win its third consecutive championship; instead, Tesoro did everyone else's dirty work and, in its biggest victory in program history, eliminated the Friars. Tesoro will need to move the ball on the ground via Jon Rivera and quarterback Devon Modster—who's going to have to make a few big plays through the air, as well—and play error-free. A solid, ball-hogging offensive performance will be the Titans' best friend defensively. Tesoro couldn't hang with Mission Viejo in a South Coast League game, and Bosco is the ultra version of the Diablos.

• If Newport Harbor (6-5) can survive the early going against top-seeded La Habra (10-1), this Southwest game could be close at the end. Watching La Habra's response when pushed to the wire will be key, because the Highlanders haven't been in that position very often—certainly not lately. Don't be surprised if special teams or a big defensive play shapes this outcome.

• Los Alamitos (9-2) won its first playoff game since 2004 with its easy first-round victory, and the Griffins are likely to make it two in a row against Fullerton (9-2) provided it avoids mistakes. If both teams play their best, it should be a Los Alamitos victory. 

• The Sunset League had five of its six teams in the playoffs, and the only team that lost, Fountain Valley, was beaten by San Juan Hillls (10-1), 28-27. The Stallions, who had ever won a playoff game, try to make it two in a row but haven't seen a quarterback the caliber of Kai Ross of Huntington Beach (6-5). This is a great example of all records not being created equally; Huntington Beach played a much tougher schedule and, after beating second-seeded Yorba Linda in the first round, knows this is its opportunity to make a deep run.

• Two-time defending champion Corona del Mar (11-0) seems to be poised to extend its winning streak behind quarterback Luke Napolitano and running back Cole Martin at the expense of Los Amigos (9-2), but the top-seeded Sea Kings will have be focused or could be challenged early.

• Second-seeded St. Margaret's (10-1) already caught the game's first break; the threat of inclement weather moved the game from Rim of the World's home site in Lake Arrowhead to Redlands Citrus Valley High. It's still a heck of a road trip, but the chances of getting homered just decreased dramatically for St. Maggie, which has been beaten in the playoffs the past two seasons by Rim, which is the defending champion.

• The chances of Saddleback Valley Christian (9-2) getting through to the next round would have been greatly increased if it had won the coin flip to be the home team. Instead, the Warriors have to contend with fourth-seeded Desert (9-2)—which is averaging 44 points per game—at Edwards AFB. Bad weather probably helps SVC more than it does the host Scorpions.

Kickoffs are scheduled for 7:30 p.m., unless stated otherwise.

PAC-5 DIVISION

Top Bracket

Tesoro (9-2) vs. No. 1 St. John Bosco (11-0) at Long Beach City College

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No. 4 Alemany (9-2) vs. Servite (6-5) at Cerritos College, 7 p.m.

Bottom bracket

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No. 3 Long Beach Poly (10-1) vs. St. Bonaventure (8-3) at Ventura College, 7 p.m.

No. 2 Mission Viejo (11-0) vs. Mater Dei (9-2) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7:30 p.m.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Top Bracket

No. 1 La Habra (10-1) at Newport Harbor (6-5) 

Los Alamitos (9-2) at Fullerton (9-2) 

Bottom Bracket

No. 3 Edison (8-3) vs. Villa Park (9-2) at El Modena, 7 p.m.

San Juan Hills (10-1) at Huntington Beach (6-5)

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Top Bracket

No. 1 Corona del Mar (11-0) vs. Los Amigos (9-2) at Bolsa Grande, 7 p.m.

No. 4 Westminster (7-4) vs. Woodbridge (7-4) at University, 7 p.m.

Bottom Bracket

No. 3 Irvine (9-2) vs. Magnolia (8-3) at Western, 7 p.m.

No. 2 Garden Grove (11-0) vs. Katella (8-3), 7 p.m. 

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

Top Bracket

Shadow Hills (7-4) vs. No. 1 Fontana Jurupa Hills (9-2), 7 p.m.

No. 4 Upland Western Christian (11-0) at Santa Clara (8-3), 7 p.m.

Bottom Bracket

Citrus Valley (6-5) vs. No. 3  Big Bear (9-2) at Barstow, 7 p.m.

No. 2 St. Margaret's (10-1) vs. Rim of the World (7-3) at Redlands Citrus Valley

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Top Bracket

No. 1 Mission Prep (9-2) vs. St. Genevieve (8-3) at Crespi

Saddleback Valley Christian (9-2) at No. 4 Edwards AFV Desert (9-2)

Bottom Bracket

No. 3 Salesian (9-2) at Boron (8-3), 7 p.m.

No. 2 Rio Honda Prep (10-1) vs. Excelsior (8-3) at Victor Valley College


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