Both the CIFss Division 11 poll and the calpreps.com ratings agree on Hillcrest (2-1) of Riverside as the #6 team in D-11. This week they face JW North (1-1) also of Riverside. This game is underway as I write. North looks to have a little better record this year as opposed to last (1-11). But they are not likely to match up with Hillcrest & Elijah Dominguez. I say Hillcrest wins by about 2 TD's. Maybe 28-14. Hillcrest should go undefeated the rest of the way as all the rest of their opponents rate out worse than North. Final update: Hillcrest 23, North 14.
#7 in both the poll & rating is Covina (2-1). Covina did not make the CIF-SS D-11 top 10 last week. Covina opened their season by losing just to D-11 high rated Arroyo (3-0) of El Monte then easily dispatched 2 lesser opponents. They have another easy opponent this week as they are home against Montclair (2-0). Don't be fooled by Montclair's record. They beat a couple of patsies. Covina is much better than them. Oh, well, just noticed this one is underway too, and no, I did not notice till right now but Covina is leading 42-14 with 9 minutes to go in the third quarter. Covina can run & throw with equal success and they were a handful for Arroyo. Covina plays in the 6 team Valle Vista league and projects to finish second and definitely no worse than third. They are likely to make the playoffs in D-11.
Lakeside (3-0) of Lake Elsinore moved up to #8, from #9 in the DIF-SS D-11 poll & is #9 in the calpreps ratings. They continue with its light scheduling. This week they face D-13 Orange Vista (1-2). Next week's game projects even easier. I believe I previously mentioned that the strategy must be to finish with a winning record and hope for an at-large berth. They have an outside shot at third place in the tough 6 team Sunbelt league but they will not be prepared at all for the pummeling they are going to take from Heritage (3-0) and Paloma Valley (2-1) in league. Their hope is to steal a win from Elsinore (3-0) of Wildomar, & win their other 2 winnable league games.
I believe Ontario Christian (3-0) is new in both the CIF-SS D-11 poll this week at #9 & #8 in the calpreps ratings. They squeaked by a decent Ontario High (2-1) in week 0, 21-20, and beat two weak opponents the last couple of weeks. It may have been the movement of other teams out of the poll & ratings that warranted OC's placement in the top 10, as opposed to their level of play. Senior Kevin Jack seems to be a reliable QB going 32 of 51 for 401 yards in 3 games with 5 TD's and no interceptions recorded in maxpreps. But it is their stable of junior running backs that have helped the team combine for 772 yards rushing in 3 games. Moses Serrano is they guy they look to carry into the end zone as he has 6 of the 9 running TD's. Bishop (2-0) has a deceiving record as their first two games were against cream puffs. I will project a 28-14 OC win.
Segerstrom (2-1) of Santa Ana is #10 in the CIF=SS D-11 top 10 but they are #11 in the calpreps ratings. Segerstrom's 28-0 loss to a good El Modena last week helps prepare them for tough league play. Segerstrom has just the right level of opponent to face this week in Godinez (1-1) of Santa Ana. Godinez is rated 4.8 by calpreps while Segerstrom is currently a 2. A win against Godinez would be a good sign that they can make good things happen in the challenging 6-team Golden West League. Based upon power ratings, I will have to project a 21-14 Godinez victory, but I am sure Segerstrom would be quite happy reversing that score.
The last of our top 10 teams is Pacific (3-0) of San Bernardino. They have the distinction of having scored the most points among all D-11 teams and having given up the fewest. The only problem is, they have not played anyone with any talent. That trend will continue right into league play. They face West Valley (0-3) of Hemet. WV rates as slightly better than the last couple of Pacific opponents but I don't expect this to be any closer than a 35-14 Pacific victory. My only concern for them is that they will have not played anybody near the level of two of their league opponents, Rubidoux (1-1) and Moreno Valley (1-1). Calpreps ratings still projects them as comfortable winners but I wonder about that first game, Rubidoux, in particular. Will they be ready to play an opponent that can actually push back? Pacific should finish first in their weak 6 team Mountain Valley league and certainly no worse than third.
#7 in both the poll & rating is Covina (2-1). Covina did not make the CIF-SS D-11 top 10 last week. Covina opened their season by losing just to D-11 high rated Arroyo (3-0) of El Monte then easily dispatched 2 lesser opponents. They have another easy opponent this week as they are home against Montclair (2-0). Don't be fooled by Montclair's record. They beat a couple of patsies. Covina is much better than them. Oh, well, just noticed this one is underway too, and no, I did not notice till right now but Covina is leading 42-14 with 9 minutes to go in the third quarter. Covina can run & throw with equal success and they were a handful for Arroyo. Covina plays in the 6 team Valle Vista league and projects to finish second and definitely no worse than third. They are likely to make the playoffs in D-11.
Lakeside (3-0) of Lake Elsinore moved up to #8, from #9 in the DIF-SS D-11 poll & is #9 in the calpreps ratings. They continue with its light scheduling. This week they face D-13 Orange Vista (1-2). Next week's game projects even easier. I believe I previously mentioned that the strategy must be to finish with a winning record and hope for an at-large berth. They have an outside shot at third place in the tough 6 team Sunbelt league but they will not be prepared at all for the pummeling they are going to take from Heritage (3-0) and Paloma Valley (2-1) in league. Their hope is to steal a win from Elsinore (3-0) of Wildomar, & win their other 2 winnable league games.
I believe Ontario Christian (3-0) is new in both the CIF-SS D-11 poll this week at #9 & #8 in the calpreps ratings. They squeaked by a decent Ontario High (2-1) in week 0, 21-20, and beat two weak opponents the last couple of weeks. It may have been the movement of other teams out of the poll & ratings that warranted OC's placement in the top 10, as opposed to their level of play. Senior Kevin Jack seems to be a reliable QB going 32 of 51 for 401 yards in 3 games with 5 TD's and no interceptions recorded in maxpreps. But it is their stable of junior running backs that have helped the team combine for 772 yards rushing in 3 games. Moses Serrano is they guy they look to carry into the end zone as he has 6 of the 9 running TD's. Bishop (2-0) has a deceiving record as their first two games were against cream puffs. I will project a 28-14 OC win.
Segerstrom (2-1) of Santa Ana is #10 in the CIF=SS D-11 top 10 but they are #11 in the calpreps ratings. Segerstrom's 28-0 loss to a good El Modena last week helps prepare them for tough league play. Segerstrom has just the right level of opponent to face this week in Godinez (1-1) of Santa Ana. Godinez is rated 4.8 by calpreps while Segerstrom is currently a 2. A win against Godinez would be a good sign that they can make good things happen in the challenging 6-team Golden West League. Based upon power ratings, I will have to project a 21-14 Godinez victory, but I am sure Segerstrom would be quite happy reversing that score.
The last of our top 10 teams is Pacific (3-0) of San Bernardino. They have the distinction of having scored the most points among all D-11 teams and having given up the fewest. The only problem is, they have not played anyone with any talent. That trend will continue right into league play. They face West Valley (0-3) of Hemet. WV rates as slightly better than the last couple of Pacific opponents but I don't expect this to be any closer than a 35-14 Pacific victory. My only concern for them is that they will have not played anybody near the level of two of their league opponents, Rubidoux (1-1) and Moreno Valley (1-1). Calpreps ratings still projects them as comfortable winners but I wonder about that first game, Rubidoux, in particular. Will they be ready to play an opponent that can actually push back? Pacific should finish first in their weak 6 team Mountain Valley league and certainly no worse than third.
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