Well, the Moore League was only 1-3 -- and, not surprisingly, Poly got the "1", hammering Santa Margarita at Veterans Stadium, 39-7 -- in the first round off the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 playoffs but certainly didn't do to boost the theory of those who believe it's the weakest league in the division.
I covered Lakewood's game against Esperanza at Brea Olinda High and, take my word for it if you're weren't there, the Lancers should have won but came out just short, 20-17.
There were some wobbly calls (or no-calls) by the officials that definitely stung the Lancers. But they had only themselves to play, at least defensively, after being victimized by three consecutive trick plays on the game-winning drive by Esperanza.
I don't know any details about Compton's 28-10 loss to a very good Edison team but I can't imagine the Tarbabes had recovered enough in the health department to be anywhere nearly as explosive as they were, pre-Poly game.
And I also don't know anything yet about what transpired in Moore League fourth-place finisher Millikan's 26-14 loss to Crespi at Pierce College, other than the Rams trailed just 6-0 at intermission in their game against the division's No. 2 seed.
General thoughts on the Pac-5 results:
*Esperanza (having seen the Aztecs Friday night for the first time) is just OK. It's hard to imagine that Servite will have too many times advancing to the semifinals. The Aztecs run their offense very well but have zero breakaway speed. Lakewood should have beaten that team.
*How about that Servite-San Clemente (54-43) score? Wow! I thought the Friars' defense was much, much better than that. They'll beat Esperanza next Friday night but will get thumped, once again, by Trinity League rival in the semifinals.
*I'm watching the Fox Sports replay of the Orange Lutheran-Mater Dei game right. Defending champion Orange Lutheran is very, very good and could repeat. Its game with Edison next Friday will EASILY be the best of the second-round games in the division. Sorry, Crespi fans. Your team will get launched onto the 5 Freeway via Santa Ana Stadium by Mater Dei.
*Poly travels to Newport Beach next Friday night for the second time this season because the Jackrabbits have a second-round game against a Newport Harbor they already beat in the the third week of the season, 34-7.
It might not be that close this time around. But props to Newport and its coach, Jeff Brinkley (the former star Qb at Excelsior HS), after a solid 7-3 upset at Notre Dame. The Knights were without quarterback Dayne Crist, who suffered a concussion in his team's Serra League loss to Crespi last week.
Other playoff comments:
*Wow. The Suburban League didn't look good, did it, as Mayfair (a second consecutive first-round stunning exit), Norwalk and La Mirada got whacked around.
*The San Gabriel Valley League held to form, with No. 2 seed Dominguez rolling and No. 4 Gahr pulling out a game after a frenetic rally. I think both have home games next week.
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