By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor It’s a funny thing how the CIF Southern Section playoff pairings work out from year to year. Last season, St. Francis took Angelus League champion Cathedral to the wire on the road, and despite finishing the season 9-1, the Golden Knights got a first-round road game at Palos Verdes. St. […]
By Brian Reed-Baiotto, Sports Editor
It’s a funny thing how the CIF Southern Section playoff pairings work out from year to year.
Last season, St. Francis took Angelus League champion Cathedral to the wire on the road, and despite finishing the season 9-1, the Golden Knights got a first-round road game at Palos Verdes.
St. Francis (9-1) exited in the opening round after its one-point loss.
This year (Friday) Cathedral controlled the second half and the game at St. Francis, and again, the Golden Knights finish the regular season 9-1.
So, no one really knew what to expect when Sunday’s playoff brackets came out at 10 a.m.
Would they be on the road? Would they face a seeded program?
Nope and nope.
St. Francis (9-1) will not only host a first-round CIF-SS Division 3 playoff game on Friday night at 7, they will welcome the same La Serna (6-4) team they beat 49-20, back on September 15.
It seems like our expectations as well as those of the players and coaches at St. Francis are so high that somehow one loss to the reigning champs is equated as more than just that one defeat.
Cathedral’s ability to shut down the SF running game, and the pressure quarterback Darius Perrantes faced all night could very well serve as a timely reminder that anyone can knock anyone off if not playing their best football, and especially if they aren’t playing “Golden Knights football.”
Poly (8-1-1) got a pretty tough draw.
The back-to-back Prep League champions will host Montebello (7-3) Friday night in the CIF-SS Division 10 playoffs at South Pasadena High at 7.
The Panthers enter the postseason on a 7-game win streak, but with a win, Poly will face top-seeded Apple Valley (10-0).
Poly held off Rio Hondo Prep, 20-13, on Friday to earn their second consecutive and third Prep League crown in the last four years.
Maranatha (6-4) literally doubled their win total of a year ago and they had to wait the longest to know if they had done enough to earn a playoff berth.
Since the Minutemen played in Week Zero, they had a Week 10 bye and spent the entire week wondering and hoping they had at least one more contest.
And while Maranatha did get a CIF-SS Division 9 playoff berth, it is against and at top-seeded Aquinas (10-0) on Friday at 7.
The week off did allow several of the Minutemen players to lick their wounds as they hope to head to San Bernardino at full strength.
The failure of Muir (6-4) to get a playoff bid, despite finishing fourth in a tough Pacific League had many surprised.
It also had the Mustangs’ players and coaches heart broken.
In fact, in Week 9, and on the road, the Mustangs took Pacific League champion Burbank to the wire, before falling, 38-31, to the surprise of almost everyone.
And it seemed to have earned them some “legit” points when considering their position as an at-large candidate.
Longtime area football fans/coaches/athletic directors predicted Saturday night that Muir would likely have a better chance getting a playoff spot than Maranatha, but CIF continued to be unpredictable.
Quotable:
Muir coach Antyone Sims: “We’re very surprised and disappointed. It’s just tough being in the biggest (Pacific) league, with eight teams, and arguably the most competitive league in (CIF) Division 9. To see teams who lost over 60% of their league games get in over us. At this point, that is something that is out of our control. I would like to thank this senior class for their leadership, dedication and commitment.”
St. Francis senior Blake Howard: “We now know what it feels like to lose a game, which leaves a foul taste in our mouths heading into the playoffs. It’s win-or-go-home now, so we have to play our best football and keep our composure.”
Poly coach Chris Schmoke: “It’s a tough draw, but you expect that in the playoffs and when you’re moved up with the big schools. We will practice hard all week and come ready to play Friday night. No one gave us a chance last year against Pacifica, so we have some experience as the underdog. If we execute and limit our mistakes, we’ll give ourselves a chance to win.”
Maranatha coach Steve Bogan: “It’s a very tough challenge. As they say, you play the cards you’re dealt. It’s time to embrace the challenge.”
Friday’s CIF-SS Playoff Schedule
CIF Division 9: Maranatha at Aquinas at 7
CIF Division 3: La Serna at St. Francis at 7
CIF Division 10: Montebello vs Poly at South Pasadena High School at 7
