The #1 ranked Culver City Centaurs (8-1, 3-1) easily took care of business against the Santa Monica Vikings (3-6, 2-2) last week and are all but locked in as a second place Ocean League, Division 11 playoff eligible team. They have only the Beverly Hills Normans (0-9) to face next week and they should get the W even if they are experiencing the injury bug a bit.
#2 The Arroyo Knights (10-0) cruised to a 45-14 victory over the Mountain View Vikings (4-5, 1-4) of El Monte. Mountain View actually led after the first quarter but Arroyo turned it around after that, scoring 3 TD's in the 2cnd quarter & 2 more in the third. Arroyo will have the week off to recuperate and get ready for a more modest first round opponent, as I assume they should garner the #1 or #2 seed in the division for the playoffs.
#3 The Arcadia Apaches (6-3, 5-1) took care of necessary business in beating the Pasadena Bulldogs (2-7, 2-4) by a score of 39-13. It was the last possible threat to achieving a playoff eligible spot in the Pacific League. But there is still something to play for this week. Currently the Apaches are tied for second with the Crescenta Valley Falcons (8-1, 5-1) and that will be their opponent to close out the regular season this week. The winner will surely be guaranteed a playoff spot in their respective divisions, while the loser will have to wait and see how many third place eligible teams qualify for their respective divisions. If Arcadia wins they will also make a statement toward getting a top 4 seeding in the division 11 playoffs, that is, if a 2nd place finishing team is allowed to get a top 4 seeding. It won't be easy, the Falcons had been projected as league favorites until they were upset by Burbank (7-2, 6-0). Calpreps has the Falcons as 10 point favorites over the Apaches in a 31-21 Falcon win. All three of the top 3 D-11 teams had excellent performances from their QB's.
#4 is the Westminster Lions (7-2, 3-1) according to calpreps.com. They had a very crucial 21-7 victory over the Segerstom Jaguars (6-3, 2-2) last week. Segerstrom is another division 11 team and have all the same motivation and perhaps even a little more because this week, Westminster has it easy, playing league doormat the Loara Saxons (2-7, 0-4). A Westminster win should leave them in sole posession of 2nd place in the 6 team Golden West League and a locked in eligible playoff spot in Division 11. Segerstrom, on the other hand, is likely to get left just on the outside of the playoffs even if they beat the Santa Ana Saints (8-1, 4-0). They might have to hope for an unlikely third place eligibility or an at-large entry. Calpreps projects a Saints 21-17 victory over Segerstrom while Westminster is projected to win 49-7 over Loara.
#4 according to the CIFss poll are the Covina Colts (7-2, 3-1). Covina beat the Wilson Wildcats (2-7, 1-3) 28-9. Despite all their hard work, Covina finds themselves in a 3 way tie for first place in the Valle Vista League going into the last week of the regular season. The other two first place teams project to have easier last games than Covina. But fortunately, even Covina's opponent the Rowland Raiders (5-4, 2-2) are supposed to be a substantial tier below the top three in league. The Rowland passing game has had some success but with a higher than desirable turnover ratio and they tend to lean on the running game a little more with junior Nire Robinson being the lead runner with 98 carries for 623 yards and he also gets help from senior RB Eric Burton who has carried 39 times for 379 yards and 6 TD's. Calpreps projects it as a 48-14 Covina victory.
#6 everyone agrees is the Katella Knights (8-1, 4-0). They easily dispensed with the Magnolia Sentinels (1-8, 1-3) with a 35-0 victory. Katella will face the currently second place Savanna Rebels (6-3, 3-1). The records say it should be a competitive game but calpreps.com does not think Savanna measures up and is projecting a 44-14 Katella victory. Katella will be the toughest team Savanna has faced all season.
#7 is the Rancho Mirage Rattlers (6-3, 3-1). The Rattlers seem to have recovered from their midseason adversity and beat the lowly Desert Mirage Rams (2-7, 1-3) of Thermal, by a score of 47-8. They face their easiest game of the year in hosting the Desert Hot Springs Eagles (0-9). The Eagles are in such bad disarray that they had to cancel a game a couple of weeks ago because a fight broke out in the stands that ended up drawing a player into the stands.They ended up forfeiting to Coachella Valley. Calpreps projects it a 56-13 Rattler victory. The Rattlers should be a lock for the Division 11 playoffs.
#8 in the CIFss poll are the Heritage Christian Warriors (8-0). They beat the Maranatha Minutemen (6-4, 1-2) by a score of 53-32 in what was the most crucial Olympic League contest for the Warriors. The Warriors are now assured of at least 2nd place in the Olympic League and a lock on a Division 11 playoff spot. The Warriors ground out 432 yards rushing in their Wing T offense but threw the ball well enough to keep the Minutemen defense having to defend for the pass too. They completed only 5 passes but 2 of them went for TD's. See Ben Rogers posting in hscalifornia.scout.com under the week 9 scores for further details on the Warriors. The Warriors actually have a tougher league game this week, but even a loss will not effect their playoff eligibility. They will face the Olympic League favorite Valley Christian Crusaders (7-2, 2-0). Regardless of the outcome, this will be a good test for the Warriors to help them prepare for playoff caliber competition, as there will be teams with talent equal to the level of talent of Valley Christian. If the Warriors were somehow able to win this game, they will be the Olympic League Champions and have a good chance of ascending to a top 4 seed in the D-11 playoffs. Valley Christian was able to beat Maranatha 63-14 a few weeks ago. The Crusaders can both run and throw and do it efficiently. The Crusader run defense has been very stingy, rarely giving up more than 100 yards on the ground. The Warriors will obviously test that stat. Crusader senior QB Isaac Joseph has thrown for 1,407 yards and 23 TD's with only 3 interceptions while senior RB Gianni Hurd has led the way with 1,071 yards on the ground & 14 TD's. Calpreps projects a 46-21 Crusader win. Looks like a good one to watch if you're near Valley College in Van Nuys this Friday.
#9 are the Segerstrom Jaguars (6-3, 2-2), but their limited playoff options were discussed earlier above in the Westminster write up.
#10 in the CIFss poll are the Coachella Valley Arabs (7-2, 4-0). Some say they are fortunate to have faced both Yucca Valley and Rancho Mirage when they were without one of their top athletes, but nevertheless the Arabs command 1st place in the De Anza League after their 41-27 victory over the Twenty Nine Palms Wildcats (6-3, 2-2). Star QB Armando Deniz is making it difficult for other teams not to take notice of the Arabs. He passed for 310 yards and 4 TD's and ran for another 75 and 1 TD. Deniz has thrown for 2,298 yards in just 8 games. He gets help in the run game but still leads the team in rushing with 437 yards and 9 TD's. He has the third highest passing yardage total among Southern Section QB's who have played only 8 games. He trails only Culver City's Jonathan Martin (2,793-9 games) and Arroyo's Ernesto Camacho (2,380-10 games) in passing yardage in Division 11.
The Arabs have an easy final game against the Desert Mirage Rams (2-7, 1-3). Calpreps projects a 42-6 victory for the Arabs. We will see the Arabs in the Division 11 playoffs and it will be a welcome sight to see QB Deniz taking on the challenges of playoff football.
So who else is still in the playoff race?
Hillcrest (6-3, 2-2) on the bubble possibly finishing in a 3 way tie for second place in the 6 team River Valley League. It will depend on where the league assigns playoff eligible spots.
St. Genevieve(6-2, 1-1) Should be a lock for 2cnd place in the 4 team Santa Fe League and that should get them a playoff spot.
Victor Valley(4-5, 2-1) of Victorville. Likely to finish 2cnd in the 5 team Desert Sky League and get into the D-11 playoffs but will be challenged in the last game by Barstow(2-7, 2-1). Victor Valley are 1 TD favorites.
Lakeside(6-3, 1-3) of Lake Elsinore. Not sure if there is any way but an At-large entry.
Irvine(5-4, 2-2) holds the edge on third place eligibility from the Pacific Coast League and is favored to win in week 10.
Ontario Christian(6-3, 2-2) only wacky league tiebreaker rules could save them and get them 3rd place eligibility, otherwise hoping for At-large.
Crean Lutheran(5-4, 2-1) likely IN from 2cnd place in the Academy League.
Jurupa Hills(5-4, 3-1) heavily favored to finish 2cnd in the San Andreas League and make the D-11 playoffs.
Torrance(3-6, 2-2) only an upset of West Torrance(4-5, 3-1) in week 10 would give them an outside chance at playoff eligibility and selection.
Pacific(7-2, 2-2) of San Bernardino, likely to achieve 3rd place playoff eligibility from the Mountain Valley League. Will that be good enough?
Rancho Alamitos(5-4, 2-2) favored to achieve 3rd place playoff eligibility from the Garden Grove League but face a tough last test against Santiago(5-4, 2-2) of Garden Grove.
Ramona(5-4, 2-2) needs an upset win and help from others for any chance. Not likely.
Tahquitz(3-6, 1-3) could end up in a 3 way tie for third in the 6 team Mountain Pass League. A slim chance.
Northwood(2-7, 1-3) could get to third in the 6 team Pacific Coast League with an upset win over Irvine.
Bishop Montgomery(2-7, 1-2), the lowest rated team in D-11, currently tied for first in the weak, 5 team, South Catholic League, controls their own destiny, but projects to drop to third, out of playoff eligibility, by losing last game of the season.
#2 The Arroyo Knights (10-0) cruised to a 45-14 victory over the Mountain View Vikings (4-5, 1-4) of El Monte. Mountain View actually led after the first quarter but Arroyo turned it around after that, scoring 3 TD's in the 2cnd quarter & 2 more in the third. Arroyo will have the week off to recuperate and get ready for a more modest first round opponent, as I assume they should garner the #1 or #2 seed in the division for the playoffs.
#3 The Arcadia Apaches (6-3, 5-1) took care of necessary business in beating the Pasadena Bulldogs (2-7, 2-4) by a score of 39-13. It was the last possible threat to achieving a playoff eligible spot in the Pacific League. But there is still something to play for this week. Currently the Apaches are tied for second with the Crescenta Valley Falcons (8-1, 5-1) and that will be their opponent to close out the regular season this week. The winner will surely be guaranteed a playoff spot in their respective divisions, while the loser will have to wait and see how many third place eligible teams qualify for their respective divisions. If Arcadia wins they will also make a statement toward getting a top 4 seeding in the division 11 playoffs, that is, if a 2nd place finishing team is allowed to get a top 4 seeding. It won't be easy, the Falcons had been projected as league favorites until they were upset by Burbank (7-2, 6-0). Calpreps has the Falcons as 10 point favorites over the Apaches in a 31-21 Falcon win. All three of the top 3 D-11 teams had excellent performances from their QB's.
#4 is the Westminster Lions (7-2, 3-1) according to calpreps.com. They had a very crucial 21-7 victory over the Segerstom Jaguars (6-3, 2-2) last week. Segerstrom is another division 11 team and have all the same motivation and perhaps even a little more because this week, Westminster has it easy, playing league doormat the Loara Saxons (2-7, 0-4). A Westminster win should leave them in sole posession of 2nd place in the 6 team Golden West League and a locked in eligible playoff spot in Division 11. Segerstrom, on the other hand, is likely to get left just on the outside of the playoffs even if they beat the Santa Ana Saints (8-1, 4-0). They might have to hope for an unlikely third place eligibility or an at-large entry. Calpreps projects a Saints 21-17 victory over Segerstrom while Westminster is projected to win 49-7 over Loara.
#4 according to the CIFss poll are the Covina Colts (7-2, 3-1). Covina beat the Wilson Wildcats (2-7, 1-3) 28-9. Despite all their hard work, Covina finds themselves in a 3 way tie for first place in the Valle Vista League going into the last week of the regular season. The other two first place teams project to have easier last games than Covina. But fortunately, even Covina's opponent the Rowland Raiders (5-4, 2-2) are supposed to be a substantial tier below the top three in league. The Rowland passing game has had some success but with a higher than desirable turnover ratio and they tend to lean on the running game a little more with junior Nire Robinson being the lead runner with 98 carries for 623 yards and he also gets help from senior RB Eric Burton who has carried 39 times for 379 yards and 6 TD's. Calpreps projects it as a 48-14 Covina victory.
#6 everyone agrees is the Katella Knights (8-1, 4-0). They easily dispensed with the Magnolia Sentinels (1-8, 1-3) with a 35-0 victory. Katella will face the currently second place Savanna Rebels (6-3, 3-1). The records say it should be a competitive game but calpreps.com does not think Savanna measures up and is projecting a 44-14 Katella victory. Katella will be the toughest team Savanna has faced all season.
#7 is the Rancho Mirage Rattlers (6-3, 3-1). The Rattlers seem to have recovered from their midseason adversity and beat the lowly Desert Mirage Rams (2-7, 1-3) of Thermal, by a score of 47-8. They face their easiest game of the year in hosting the Desert Hot Springs Eagles (0-9). The Eagles are in such bad disarray that they had to cancel a game a couple of weeks ago because a fight broke out in the stands that ended up drawing a player into the stands.They ended up forfeiting to Coachella Valley. Calpreps projects it a 56-13 Rattler victory. The Rattlers should be a lock for the Division 11 playoffs.
#8 in the CIFss poll are the Heritage Christian Warriors (8-0). They beat the Maranatha Minutemen (6-4, 1-2) by a score of 53-32 in what was the most crucial Olympic League contest for the Warriors. The Warriors are now assured of at least 2nd place in the Olympic League and a lock on a Division 11 playoff spot. The Warriors ground out 432 yards rushing in their Wing T offense but threw the ball well enough to keep the Minutemen defense having to defend for the pass too. They completed only 5 passes but 2 of them went for TD's. See Ben Rogers posting in hscalifornia.scout.com under the week 9 scores for further details on the Warriors. The Warriors actually have a tougher league game this week, but even a loss will not effect their playoff eligibility. They will face the Olympic League favorite Valley Christian Crusaders (7-2, 2-0). Regardless of the outcome, this will be a good test for the Warriors to help them prepare for playoff caliber competition, as there will be teams with talent equal to the level of talent of Valley Christian. If the Warriors were somehow able to win this game, they will be the Olympic League Champions and have a good chance of ascending to a top 4 seed in the D-11 playoffs. Valley Christian was able to beat Maranatha 63-14 a few weeks ago. The Crusaders can both run and throw and do it efficiently. The Crusader run defense has been very stingy, rarely giving up more than 100 yards on the ground. The Warriors will obviously test that stat. Crusader senior QB Isaac Joseph has thrown for 1,407 yards and 23 TD's with only 3 interceptions while senior RB Gianni Hurd has led the way with 1,071 yards on the ground & 14 TD's. Calpreps projects a 46-21 Crusader win. Looks like a good one to watch if you're near Valley College in Van Nuys this Friday.
#9 are the Segerstrom Jaguars (6-3, 2-2), but their limited playoff options were discussed earlier above in the Westminster write up.
#10 in the CIFss poll are the Coachella Valley Arabs (7-2, 4-0). Some say they are fortunate to have faced both Yucca Valley and Rancho Mirage when they were without one of their top athletes, but nevertheless the Arabs command 1st place in the De Anza League after their 41-27 victory over the Twenty Nine Palms Wildcats (6-3, 2-2). Star QB Armando Deniz is making it difficult for other teams not to take notice of the Arabs. He passed for 310 yards and 4 TD's and ran for another 75 and 1 TD. Deniz has thrown for 2,298 yards in just 8 games. He gets help in the run game but still leads the team in rushing with 437 yards and 9 TD's. He has the third highest passing yardage total among Southern Section QB's who have played only 8 games. He trails only Culver City's Jonathan Martin (2,793-9 games) and Arroyo's Ernesto Camacho (2,380-10 games) in passing yardage in Division 11.
The Arabs have an easy final game against the Desert Mirage Rams (2-7, 1-3). Calpreps projects a 42-6 victory for the Arabs. We will see the Arabs in the Division 11 playoffs and it will be a welcome sight to see QB Deniz taking on the challenges of playoff football.
So who else is still in the playoff race?
Hillcrest (6-3, 2-2) on the bubble possibly finishing in a 3 way tie for second place in the 6 team River Valley League. It will depend on where the league assigns playoff eligible spots.
St. Genevieve(6-2, 1-1) Should be a lock for 2cnd place in the 4 team Santa Fe League and that should get them a playoff spot.
Victor Valley(4-5, 2-1) of Victorville. Likely to finish 2cnd in the 5 team Desert Sky League and get into the D-11 playoffs but will be challenged in the last game by Barstow(2-7, 2-1). Victor Valley are 1 TD favorites.
Lakeside(6-3, 1-3) of Lake Elsinore. Not sure if there is any way but an At-large entry.
Irvine(5-4, 2-2) holds the edge on third place eligibility from the Pacific Coast League and is favored to win in week 10.
Ontario Christian(6-3, 2-2) only wacky league tiebreaker rules could save them and get them 3rd place eligibility, otherwise hoping for At-large.
Crean Lutheran(5-4, 2-1) likely IN from 2cnd place in the Academy League.
Jurupa Hills(5-4, 3-1) heavily favored to finish 2cnd in the San Andreas League and make the D-11 playoffs.
Torrance(3-6, 2-2) only an upset of West Torrance(4-5, 3-1) in week 10 would give them an outside chance at playoff eligibility and selection.
Pacific(7-2, 2-2) of San Bernardino, likely to achieve 3rd place playoff eligibility from the Mountain Valley League. Will that be good enough?
Rancho Alamitos(5-4, 2-2) favored to achieve 3rd place playoff eligibility from the Garden Grove League but face a tough last test against Santiago(5-4, 2-2) of Garden Grove.
Ramona(5-4, 2-2) needs an upset win and help from others for any chance. Not likely.
Tahquitz(3-6, 1-3) could end up in a 3 way tie for third in the 6 team Mountain Pass League. A slim chance.
Northwood(2-7, 1-3) could get to third in the 6 team Pacific Coast League with an upset win over Irvine.
Bishop Montgomery(2-7, 1-2), the lowest rated team in D-11, currently tied for first in the weak, 5 team, South Catholic League, controls their own destiny, but projects to drop to third, out of playoff eligibility, by losing last game of the season.
