The Poly-Mater Dei score - and the Monarchs, minus their most gifted player (wide receiver Victor Blackwell, sidelined with a shoulder injury - handled the host Moore League-champion Jackrabbits, 26-10 - may have startled you.
But it shouldn't have.
The Tesoro-Bishop Amat score - the third-place team from the South Coast League went into the home of the division's No. 4 seed prevailed, 31-21 - should have startled you, or maybe even shocked you.
It wasn't hard to see the Poly "upset" coming. After all, even Jackrabbits' coach Raul Lara said Sunday that he really wasn't sure how good his team was because it was hard to gauge against the less-than-stellar quality of opposition in the Moore League.
Well, his question was answered Friday night - the Jackrabbits played one exceptional game (relative to the quality of opponent) and that 27-14 victory over the Lakewood Lancers is what got them the Moore League title. What could be judged from their dominance of the other Moore League teams? Nothing, since Lakewood is the only other program within the league that is competitive against other Pac-5 programs.
But the Tesoro victory came strictly out of left field. Bishop Amat's Lancers weren't like the Jackrabbits - they were a team that played at a high level every week (the Trinity League, home to Alemany and Crespi, which advanced to the second round).
And Coach Brian Barne's team was coming off back to back thumps at the hands of South Coast League foes Mission Viejo and San Clemente.
And does there remain any doubt that the Trinity continues to be the toughest football league in Southern California?
Friday night Trinity champion (and defending section champion) Servite (41-14 against Jordan) and runner-up Santa Margarita (49-3 following its shellacking of Edison) joined forces with the third Trinity team (third-place Mater Dei) to outscore their first-round opposition, 116-27.
That's impressive.
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