November 2009 Archives

Harvard-Westlake of Studio City senior forward Nicole Hung, the reigning Southern Section Div. IV-A Player of the Year, gave her verbal commitment Monday to play basketball at Princeton.

The 5-foot-11 Hung, who averaged 18.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 2.6 steals and shot 39.3 percent from behind the 3-point arc last season, chose the Tigers over Harvard and Stanford.

"Princeton is a program that is on the rise," Hung said. "The recent recruiting classes that the coach (Courtney Banghart) has brought in have been very talented and they're already off to a good start this season. I want to be part of the team's run to win Ivy League titles, and I really like the coaching staff and the girls on the team. Also, having the title of the No. 1 undergrad university doesn't hurt, and the campus is really pretty."

Princeton is off to a 4-1 start entering Wednesday's game against Lehigh, with the only loss a 69-59 setback Wednesday at UCLA.

Hung was also influenced by having relatives who live five minutes away from the Princeton campus.

Harvard-Westlake begins its season at 7 p.m. today against visiting El Camino Real of Woodland Hills. Hung joined the basketball team late because of her commitment to compete in the Southern Section girls' tennis individual regionals. She and Isabelle Heller, the Mission League champions, reached the third round of competition at Carpinteria High and Cate School in Carpinteria.

"It should be interesting (playing against ECR)," Hung said. "Let's just say I'm still kind of at the high school doubles conditioning level."

It was not a good opening to the new basketball season for the Cleveland of Reseda and Sylmar boys teams on Monday at the Pasadena tournament.

Cleveland, which made the City section Div. I semifinals last year was routed by Etiwanda, 80-60, in a first round game of the 16-team bracket play tournament.

Jason Johnson, the lone returning starter for the Cavaliers scored 26 points, including 15 in the third quarter to make things respectable.

Cleveland trailed 51-23 at halftime.

"It was a lack of chemistry out there," Johnson said. "We really didn't practice much because of the Thanksgiving holiday."

Junior USC-commit Byron Wesley scored 33 points, including 13 in the first quarter to lead Etiwanda.

Cleveland was hampered by not having Julian Hernandez, Robert Chappelle or Jason Moore available.

The trio are all transfers and haven't been cleared yet. Hernandez is from Alemany of Mission Hills and Chappelle and Moore are from Taft of Woodland Hills.

Two other transfers, J.R. Williams (Taft) and Jalen Bland (Saginaw, Michigan) did play and scored 13 and 12 points respectively.

Sylmar didn't fare any better than Cleveland, losing 88-40 against Centennial of Corona in a game that went to a running clock after three quarters.

Beto Cruz scored 15 points, Arleta-transfer Alex Moreno had 11 and Taft-transfer Chris Pearl scored 10 points for the Spartans, who were decimated by graduation losses last year, including Tyler Honeycutt, who is at UCLA but injured right now.

Junior USC-commit Gelaun Wheelwright scored 24 points to lead four players in double figures for the Huskies.

Junior New Mexico-commit Domonique Dunning had 11 points and 10 rebounds for Centennial.

Sylmar could not get anything going against the more athletic Huskies, scoring only three points in the first quarter without a field goal and trailing 53-17 at halftime.

"It's Monday, what can I say," quipped Sylmar coach Bort Escoto on his teams performance.

Cleveland faces Sylmar in a consolation game Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.

The tournament runs through Saturday with the championship game scheduled for 8 p.m.

Alemany High of Mission Hills (9-3), hoping to qualify for its first-ever football championship game, is a strong favorite in the Western Division semifinals Friday at 7:30 p.m. against visiting Dominguez of Compton (6-5), a Cinderella team that started the season 1-5.

"All we wanted to do was just get to the playoffs. That was our team goal," Dominguez coach Willie Donerson said. "Our kids are playing like they have nothing to lose, so they're loosey goosey. They haven't been worried about winning and losing, just executing."

Dominguez has not defeated a private-school opponent since a 2007 playoff win over Alemany. Since that victory, Dominguez won 3 of 17 games before beginning a five-game winning streak in late October.

It was not long ago Dominguez was among the Southland's most successful programs. From 2004 to 2007, the Dons were 48-7, including two section championships. In 2003, they were 10-0 on the field but forfeited nine victories and did not qualify for the playoffs.

Donerson left in 2008 and returned late in the season, as the Dons finished 2-8.

Dominguez's WIll Gregory has rushed for 1,500 yards and 22 touchdowns, including six in a first-round upset at second-seeded Culver City. He'll go head to head with Alemany's Malcolm Marable, a four-year starter who has rushed for 926 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.

-- Gerry Gittelson

BUSINESS AS USUAL FOR VALENCIA

After squeeking by Thousand Oaks 28-27 in the first round of the Northern playoffs, top-seeded Valencia (12-0) executed much better Friday in a 49-22 quarterfinal victory at Buena of Ventura.

"I was really pleased with the way played. We re-focused," Valencia coach Larry Muir said.

The victory sets up a home semifinal against fourth-seeded Moorpark (11-1) on Saturday -- a rematch of Valencia's 30-8 semifinal loss to the Musketeers last season.

"They pretty much hammered us last year," Muir said. "They're well-coached again, and they're big and physical."

Moorpark has a size advantage, particularly across the front line, and that could play into the Musketeers' favor, according to Thousand Oaks coach Mike Leibin, whose team lost twice to Valencia and once to Moorpark this past season.

"Both are really good teams, but I have to go with Moorpark, the Marmonte League team," Leibin said. "Both have a lot of great athletes but Moorpark has a bigger offensive line. They've got a darn good offensive line."

Valencia, averaging 46.4 points, is bidding to become the third Santa Clarita-area school ever to finish with a perfect record. Hart of Newhall and Canyon have done it twice: Hart went 14-0 in 1999 and 13-0 in 2001, and Canyon went 14-0 in 1984 and 1985. ...

TOP-SEED ARLETA LOOKS UP TO ECR -- LITERALLY

Another top-seeded program faced with a size disadvantage in the semifinals is Arleta (11-1), which plays host to El Camino Real of Woodland Hills (11-1) on Friday at 7 p.m. in a City Section Div. II contest at Monroe High in North Hills.

"They're much larger. We need to try to out-quick them," Arleta coach Jeff Engilman said.

Both teams feature two excellent running backs in Antonio Bray and Omar Sanchez of Arleta and Ra'Shon Harper and Kawan Rally of El Camino Real.

However, Arleta has the more productive quarterback with three-year starter Bryan Choto, who passed for a career-best 279 yards and two touchdowns Wednesday in a 30-23 quarterfinal victory over Cleveland of Reseda. Choto has completed 68.7 percent of his passes for 1,755 yards and 24 touchdowns with three interceptions; El Camino Real's Ryan Meier has completed 29 passes this season -- an average of less than three per game -- and no wide receiver has more than four receptions.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Palmdale's Josh Shaw came through with the performance of lifetime Friday in a 49-42 double-overtime victory over visiting St. Francis of La Canada in a Western quarterfinal, passing for 222 yards and a touchdown, rushing for 185 yards and two touchdowns, scoring on a 99-yard kick return and ending the game with a fumble recovery in the second overtime.

"Actually, I expected that from Josh," Palmdale coach Jeff Williams said. "I think he has had more than 500 yards of total offense over the past two games."

Palmdale (10-2) faces its nemesis Saturday at Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach (10-2), the team that defeated Palmdale 20-14 last year in the semifinals on the same field.

"Our kids have been waiting a year for this, and I expect nothing less than our best game," Williams said.

Top-seeded Mira Costa has returned 19 starters, including multi-purpose back Kyle Nunn, considered one of the top players in the South Bay.

-- Gerry Gittelson

The Faith Baptist of Canoga Park 8-man football team has been a perennial state power for the past 30 years.

With all of the success the Contenders have had, Saturday's Div. I semifinal against top-ranked Windward of Los Angeles might go down as the greatest victory in school history.

Trailing by 10 points and forced to punt on its own four yard line with 4:30 remaining, Faith Baptist miraculously rallied with two touchdowns for an improbable 34-28 victory.

Matt Rasmussen caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from a scrambling Nick Wallin with 2:04 remaining on a broken play to get Faith Baptist (10-2) within two points after a Wallin conversion run.

The Contenders then held the Wildcats on three consecutive plays and forced a punt with 1:04 remaining.

Logan Minium bobbled the snap and threw a wild incomplete pass giving Faith Baptist the ball back on Windward's 10-yard line.

Two plays later, Wallin plunged in from four yards out and the Contenders pulled off an unbelievable comeback.

"We just never gave up," Wallin said. "It was all heart and keep pursuing the victory. All glory has to go to god on this one."

Wallin completed four of seven passes for 97 yards and rushed for 81 yards on 18 carries to lead the Contenders. Held in check most of the afternoon, Walin came through when it mattered most in the last 2:30 of the game.

Windward (10-1), who came in undefeated and had beaten Faith Baptist on Oct. 17 by 22 points can point to many missed opportunities and questionable decisions for the defeat.

Minium bobbled the snap on the punt and should have taken a safety that would have only tied the score but coach Scott Napier's decision to pass on second and 10 from his own 10 yard line doomed the Wildcats. The pass fell incomplete, stopped the clock and Faith Baptist didn't have to burn a valuable timeout.

"This is definitely the best win in my four years here," Faith Baptist co-coach Rob Rasmussen said. "The defense stepped up at the very end. I felt they could do it for us."

Early on it looked as if Faith Baptist might have an easy time as it grabbed a 12-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Austin Fry had a seven yard touchdown run and Rasmussen scored from four yards out.

However, Windward intercepted Rasmussen three times and scored two second quarter touchdowns to take the lead.

The Contenders went ahead again in the third quarter on another Fry touchdown but windward answered with Blair Jimmerson's second touchdown reception from Bryce Napier and a seven yard touchdown catch from A.J. Frank.

Napier finished 14 of 21 for 157 yards and three touchdowns.

Jimmerson had 121 yards receiving on nine receptions.

Sam Miller gained 68 yards on 21 carries for Windward.

Fry had 52 yards on 10 carries and David Herman had three catches for 77 yards.

Herman's 38 yard reception on third and long kept the drive going that got Faith Baptist within two points.

Faith Baptist will now get a chance to win its seventh championship next week against Thacher of Ojai or Santa Clarita Christian of Canyon Country.

The Contenders lost 50-28 to Santa Clarita Christian in last years championship game.

DAILY NEWS TOP 10 RANKINGS

1. Oaks Christian (12-0) - It would be a shock if Cathedral can hang with Lions

2. Valencia (12-0) - The Vikes are two steps away from first-ever section title

3. Westlake (12-0) - Faces nemesis St. Bonaventure in Northern semi's

4. Moorpark (11-1) - Musketeers look to slow Valencia's point-a-minute offense

5. Alemany (9-3) - Forced five turnovers in decisive win at Warren

6. Notre Dame (9-3) - Season is over

7. Palmdale (10-2) - Josh Shaw did it all and then some in two-OT win over St. Francis

8. Arleta (11-1) - If Arleta eventually repeats as City D2 champs, will veteran coach Engilman retire?

9. St. Francis (9-3) - Season is over

10. Newbury Park (9-3) - Season is over

OTHERS: Taft (7-5); El Camino Real (11-1)

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL SEMFINALS

SOUTHERN SECTION

All games 7:30 p.m unless indicated

FRIDAY

NORTHERN

St. Bonaventure (11-1) at Westlake (12-0) - National power St. Bonaventure has lost just two playoff games over the past 10 years, and Westlake owns one of the victories, defeating the mighty Seraphs in 2003 for the Div. IV championship.

WESTERN

Dominguez (6-5) at Alemany (9-3) - After starting 1-5, unseeded Dominguez is on a roll. But if the Dons' double-wing offense is not effective against Alemany, it should be an easy victory for the Warriors, who are seeking their first championship berth.

EAST VALLEY

Grace Brethren (7-5) vs. Ontario Christian (6-6) at Moorpark College, 7 p.m. - Nobody expected much from unseeded Grace Brethren, but the pass-crazed Lancers are peaking at the right time. Ontario Christian is a playoff rival, as the teams have met in the postseason three times since 2002.

SATURDAY

NORTHERN

Moorpark (11-1) at Valencia (12-0) - High-powered Valencia, led by QB Alex Bishop (36 TD passes) averages 46.4 points, while defense-minded Moorpark, led by LB Marc Palacios, allows 11.2, so something to has to give.

WESTERN

Palmdale (10-2) at Mira Costa (10-2) - Here we go again: Palmdale, led by multipurpose standout Josh Shaw, returns to Manhattan Beach to avenge a 20-14 loss to Mira Costa in last year's semifinals.

NORTHWEST

Oaks Christian (12-0) at Cathedral (11-1) - There is a good reason Oaks Christian, led by QB Nick Montana, RB Malcolm Jones and LB Zac Stout, is No. 1 in California and No. 5 in the nation: Nobody combines such overwhelming talent and crisp execution.

CITY SECTION

Friday, 7 p.m.

DIVISION II

El Camino Real (11-1) vs. Arleta (11-1) at Monroe HS - If you like good running backs, you should love this San Fernando Valley showdown, as El Camino Real's Ra'Shon Harper and Kawan Rally face off against Arleta's Antonio Bray and Omar Sanchez.

Alex Bishop, a Valencia junior, has broken Michael Herrick's school single-season touchdown record of 33. Bishop has 36 after throwing for five touchdowns Friday in a 49-22 Northern victory at Buena of Ventura.

Herrick, now at Northern Arizona, was among several Valencia alums watching from the sideline Friday, along with Shane Vereen (Cal) and Kaelen Jakes (ex-Texas).

Top-seeded Valencia (12-0) plays host to fourth-seeded Moorpark (11-1) on Saturday, while the other top seeds, No. 2 St. Bonaventure and No. 3 Westlake, play Friday in the other semifinal.

"The top four seeds are in the semifinals. I guess that's why we're the top four seeds," Valencia coach Larry Muir said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Once among the area's top small-schools programs, Grace Brethren of Simi Valley made the East Valley playoffs this season for the first time in four years -- but just barely, going 5-5 during the regular season and finishing in a three-way tie for second place in the Frontier League.

But the Lancers are still alive after eliminating Sage Hill of Newport Beach, then Oak Hills of Hersperia in the quarterfinals. Both victories were by two points, and Grace Brethren plays host to Ontario Christian on Friday at 7 p.m. at Moorpark College.

"We just have to keep finding ways to win," coach Terry Gourley said. "We're a passing team, and against Oak Hills the winds were 35 mph, so we couldn't do that, but it all worked out

The semifinal against Ontario Christian is a rematch of the 2004 Div. XII final won by Grace Brethren. The Lancers also won an eight-man title in 1999 and finished as a section runner-up in 2001, 2002 and 2005.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Eight-man football plays on a short field - 80 yards instead of 100 - and City Section eight-man teams are getting the short end of the stick.

An out-of-the-spotlight format has the eight City playoff entrants playing every round on a non-weekend night, including the championship game this coming Thursday.

"It should be on a Friday night. That's what high school football is all about," Fulton Prep coach Sean Jackson said. "It would be better for all of us because there would be more fan support."

The first round in the eight-team tournament was on a Thursday and the semifinal was last Wednesday.

After Fulton Prep's first game this season, Jackson left for three games because of what he termed a money dispute, and the Jaguars went 0-3 without him. They're 9-0 with Jackson on the sidelines.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Troy Starr, a former coach at Taft of Woodland Hills, is having a good year as coach at Helix High in San Diego. The team is 8-4 and has qualified for the San Diego Section Div. II semifinals. Starr is 18-6-1 in two seasons at Helix.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Palmdale's 49-42 victory over St. Francis of La Canada in double overtime Friday in a Western quarterfinal was a thrill for the Falcons, but it was also a crushing defeat for St. Francis, which blew a 14-point lead with three minutes remaining in regulation.

"There's no more football practice, and I don't even know what to do with myself," St. Francis quarterback Justin Posthuma said. "It's not a good feeling."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Taft was the San Fernando Valley's only City Section remaining when the Toreadors lost 24-20 to Dorsey of L.A. on Wednesday, so now the Div. II semifinal between El Camino Real of Woodland Hills and host Arleta on Friday at 7 p.m. at Monroe High in North Hills deserves our full attention.

Defending champion Arleta (11-1) has won 26 in a row on the field (its only loss was a forfeit), while El Camino Real (11-1) has lost only to Taft and owns regular-season victories over Div. I playoff participants Sylmar and Birmingham of Lake Balboa.

"It's going to be a real good game," Arleta running back Omar Sanchez said. "It's going to be very competitive, and it's going to come down to who wants it more. We got a championship ring last year, but we want another ring really bad."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Malcolm Marable of Alemany rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns Friday in a 28-7 victory at Warren of Downey, but before the game he was so sick from food poisoning that he almost didn't play at all.

"I think it was some sausages. I was vomiting all day all the way up until game time," Marable said. "But there was that story about me in the paper on the day of the game, so I didn't want to sit out."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Burbank was hoping to make it to the semifinals for the first time in the school's 100-year history, but it didn't happen after falling 24-21 at California of Whittier.

"We finished with three losses by a total of nine points, so these kids really battled and showed character," coach Hector Valencia said. "I'm happy with our accomplishments."

It was not a good night for the Pacific League, as Crescenta Valley was also eliminated.

-- Speaking of Crescenta Valley, quarterback Kyle Cota has been named Pacific League MVP. In the Serra League, the honor was shared by running back Kenny Boggs of Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and quarterback Bryan Bennett of Crespi of Encino.

-- Gerry Gittelson

One of these days, Oaks Christian High of Westlake Village is going to be challenged in the football playoffs.

For now, the one-sided victories continue, as the Lions defeated host Harvard-Westlake of Studio City 45-10 on Friday in the Northwest Division quarterfinals.

It marked the eighth consecutive game Oaks Christian (12-0) has scored 42 points or more, including a 70-14 victory over Santa Ynez in the first round.

Oaks Christian, which has won six consective section titles and 33 games in a row (plus 27 straight playoff wins since 2003), plays at Cathedral of Los Angeles next Saturday in the semifinals.

"We're definitely looking forward to closer games," Oaks Christian quarterback Nick Montana said. "We want to see some good competition."

Montana completed 17 of 23 passes for a career-best 281 yards and two touchdowns. The Washington-bound senior and son of NFL Hall of Famer Joe Montana is 26-0 as a starting quarterback, and this season he has passed for 2,239 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Malcolm Jones added 160 yards on 19 carries, and he scored four touchdowns. The UCLA-bound running back has rushed for 2,006 yards and scored 39 touchdowns this season, and he pushed his career touchdown total to 107.

Oaks Christian amassed 506 yards and led by 28 points at halftime.

"It was a good balanced effort," Montana said.

Jones scored three touchdowns in the first half on runs of 2, 3 and 19 yards, and Oaks Christian also scored a Montana's 44-yard pass to Jordan Payton and Campbell Davis' 38-yard field goal.

Montana completed 7 of his first 8 passes and finished the first half 14 of 20 for 174 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 33 yards.

Harvard-Westlake (8-4) was without starting quarterback Max Heltzer, who was sidelined with a broken leg suffered last week in a first-round victory over Centennial of Compton.

Oliver Lowry stepped in at quarterback and completed 8 of 15 for 87 yards in the first half, but by then Oaks Christian's lead was 28 points, and there was not much more Lowry could do. He finished 18 of 32 for 154 yards, including a 3-yard touchdown pass in the final moments.

Beforehand, Harvard-Westlake coach Vic Eumont was only half-kidding when he said the first goal was not to have a running clock in the second half.

Oaks Christian's Jordan Payton totaled nine receptions for 168 yards and a touchdown.

-- Gerry Gittelson

MISSION VIEJO -- It has been five years since Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks has won a Southern Section title, which qualifies as something of a drought for one of the region's most storied football programs but actually has very little to do with the Knights or anything they've done or not done on the field.

You see, the playing field up in the Pac-5 Division is a bit deeper than the divisions Notre Dame dominated for nearly two decades before being moved up after the 2005 season.

No, that's an understatement. The field in the Pac-5 Division is arguably the deepest in California if not the country.

Which means a solid, scrappy effort, like the one Notre Dame turned in Friday in a 40-14 second-round loss at second-seeded Mission Viejo, was good but not nearly good enough.

``They're a very, very good team,'' Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney said of the Diablos (12-0). ``Every one in this division is. The final eight teams in this division could probably win almost any other division out there.

``We like the competition. It's fun to compete against the best.''

It's fun, it's just not very easy when you're the smallest school in a stacked division. Mission Viejo (3,850) is more than three times the size of Notre Dame (1,200).

All that mattered Friday though, was that Mission Viejo's stingy defense was as good as advertised.

Notre Dame (9-3) came in to the game scoring 32.8 points a game, while Mission Viejo had held opponents to 9.4 points.

Something had to give.

In this case, it was the Diablos defense that refused to give in.

The Diablos held the Knights to just 67 yards and three first downs in the first half. All three of those first downs came on Notre Dame's final drive of the first half. By then Mission Viejo led 21-0.

It was going to be hard enough to beat Mission Viejo on a level field. Notre Dame ended up giving the Diablos a short field to work with. Mission Viejo's first three drives began at the Notre Dame 44, 36 and its own 37-yard line. The Diablos scored on each drive.

``They got up on us early and we just couldn't respond,'' senior quarterback Ryan Kasdorf said. ``We all believed we could come back if we played our best game, we just couldn't do it.''

Notre Dame looked to be gaining some momentum by the end of the first half as Jacob Smith broke off an 18-yard run and Kenneth Boggs had a 10-yard run. But the Knights' drive was stopped at the Mission Viejo 13-yard line as Tyler Thomas was stopped one yard short of a first down after a pretty 16-yard reception.

Though Kasdorf, last season's state player of the year, bravely kept trying to pull his team back into the game, that was about as good as it got until late in the game.

Kasdorf scored on a 3-yard run with 7:34 remaining in the game to get the Knights on the scoreboard, and Smith punched in a 2-yard touchdown with 4:05 remaining.

Kasdorf finished with 62 yards rushing and 135 yards passing. Boggs had 31 yards on 11 carries.

``We are really going to miss those guys,'' Rooney said. ``I personally am going to miss them both on and off the field. They were great leaders for us.''

Second-seeded Mission Viejo more than lived up to its billing as one of the top teams in the country in the first half of Friday's PAC-5 second-round playoff game.

The Diablos scored on each of their first three possessions while holding the visiting Knights to just 67 yards of offense.

After going three-and-out on its first three possessions Notre Dame showed some signs of life on its final drive of the half, going 50 yards before being stopped at the Diablos 14 yard line, one yard short of a first down.

Kick returner Jacob Smith has been Notre Dame's most dangerous weapon, returning three kicks for 111 yards in the first half.

Max Heltzer, Harvard-Westlake's starting quarterback, is out for tonight's Northwest quarterfinal against top-seeded Oaks Christian because of a broken leg.

Heltzer, who has passed for 1,557 yards and 17 touchdowns, suffered a hairline fracture on the side of his leg near his knee last week in a first-round playoff victory over Centennial of Compton. He is on crutches.

Oliver Lowry is his replacement tonight against the visiting Lions, who have won six consecutive section titles and 32 games in a row..

"I'm a little disappointed. I'm just trying to help out in any way I can," Heltzer said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Jim Bauer, the athletic director at Knight of Palmdale and a longtime respected figure in Golden League football circles, died of a heart attack this morning.

"He was a great man," said Antelope Valley coach Brett Pape, one of Bauer's closest friends. "We coached against each other for a long time, but more than we built a good relationship and spent a lot of time together. We were real close."

Bauer, who's brother, Hank, played in NFL for the San Diego Chargers, was a long-time coach at Littlerock before leaving in 2004 to become athletic director and football coach at Knight. He coached the football team for three seasons through 2007 and remained the athletic director.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Two of Paraclete's top players won't be available tonight in a Mid-Valley quarterfinal against top-seeded Monrovia at Knight High in Palmdale.

Returning All-Southern Section linebacker Todd Davis was ejected last game and can't suit up, per Southern Section rules, and leading rusher Rosevelt Davis is out with broken leg.

-- Gerry Gittelson

SOUTHERN SECTION QUARTERFINALS

All games Friday at 7:30 p.m. unless indicated

PAC-5

Notre Dame (9-2) at Mission Viejo (11-0) -- Notre Dame could use a big performance by QB Ryan Kasdorf, as the Knights face a teethy Mission Viejo defense that has yet to allow more than two TDs in a game.

NORTHERN

Valencia (11-0) at Buena (9-2), 7 p.m. - After more than two months of easy one-sided victories, Valencia got a scare in the first round with a one-point win over .500 Thousand Oaks. Let's see how Valencia responds.

Camarillo (10-1) at Moorpark (10-1) - Camarillo QB Jeff Matthews has passed for 35 TDs, but the Scorpions have yet to face an opponent of Moorpark's caliber.

Westlake (11-0) at Hueneme (8-3) - Westlake, led by QB Nick Isham and WR Nelson Spruce, should have no problem, but the one scary thing about Hueneme is it has nothing to lose after going 0-10 in 2008.

St. Bonaventure (10-1) at Newbury Park (9-2) - Newbury Park, led by QB Jake Geringer, RB Cameron Roberson and WR/DB Philip Muscarella, can play spoiler, as two-time Northern Section/CIF State Div. III Bowl champion St. Bonaventure has eight section titles over the past 10 years.

WESTERN

Mira Costa (9-2) at Chaminade (7-4) - Chaminade is an underdog vs. top-seed

St. Francis (9-2) at Palmdale (9-2) - This one is too close to call.

Alemany (8-3) at Warren (10-1), 7 p.m. - Will Alemany junior QB Vernon Adams rise to occasion?

SOUTHEAST

Burbank (9-2) at California (8-2-1) - Burbank must contend with California's big OL

South Hills (9-2) vs. Crescenta Valley (8-3) at Glendale HS - Crescenta Valley is on the brink

NORTHWEST

Oaks Christian (11-0) at Harvard-Westlake (7-3) - High-scoring O.C. is too hard to stop

MID-VALLEY

Monrovia (11-0) vs. Paraclete (7-4) at Knight HS, 7 p.m. - Paraclete prides itself on defense

EAST VALLEY

Grace Brethren (6-5) at Oak Hills (9-2) - Grace Brethren loves to pass the football

-- Gerry Gittelson

Burbank High opened its doors in 1915 and has yet to win a football title, but the Bulldogs are as close as they've ever been. According to school historians, Burbank (9-2) has never qualified for a semifinal, so a victory Friday in the Southern Section Southeast Division quarterfinals would be a monumental one at California of Whittier (8-2-1).

"We had done a lot of research about this for our centennial celebration," coach Hector Valencia said. "Another win would be really good for our program."

Burbank's best days could lie ahead. Its three top players, quarterback Adam Colman, running back Ulises Ochoa and linebacker Ryan Seidler, are juniors.

Colman has completed 57.9 percent of his passes for 1,679 yards and 23 touchdowns, Ochoa has rushed for a school-record 1,288 yards and scored 15 touchdowns, and Seidler has broken his own school record with 145 tackles.

-- Gerry Gittelson

After going undefeated during the regular season and winning by an average of more than 35 points, top-seeded Valencia got a real scare Friday in a 28-27 football victory over Thousand Oaks in a Northern first-round game.

"We've undergone a transformation. We've promised each other to work harder than we ever have," Valencia quarterback Alex Bishop said. "It's time to step up and make our goal a reality. Now that teams are getting narrowed down, every game is going to be a good one. That's why we love high school football."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Andy Dean is living the dream of every offensive lineman who has wished he could score touchdowns while someone else blocks. A three-year offensive tackle at Camarillo, Dean has switched to tight end for his senior season, and he has caught 29 passes for 718 yards and nine touchdowns -- an average of 24.8 yards per catch.

Dean's emergence has helped Camarillo (10-1) to the Northern quarterfinals Friday at Moorpark (10-1). He is a key target for quarterback Jeff Matthews, who has passed for a school-record 3,066 yards and 35 touchdowns.

-- Gerry Gittelson

The weather forecast Friday in the Antelope Valley calls for temperatures in the upper 30s and lots of wind -- perfect football weather as far as the Palmdale Falcons are concerned.

Throughout the football season, Palmdale (9-2) mixes in two evening practices per week to help the players adjust to the cold, and the chilly weather could serve as an advantage Friday in a Western Division quarterfinal against visiting St. Francis (9-2).

"The cold doesn't bother me. I'm not a big fan of the wind, though," St. Francis quarterback Justin Posthuma said.

The colder the better for Palmdale, always hoping for an edge in its bid to win a section title for the first time in school history.

"We're pretty used to the cold," Williams said. "Teams that come from warmer climates, they're going to have to do something to account for that."

As usual, the Western Division is wide open, especially now that second-seeded Culver City was eliminated in the first round by Dominguez of Compton.

"I think we're in a very tough bracket. We have to earn everything from this point on," Williams said. "It's a tough group of teams, and each one does something a little different, so you have to make a lot of adjustments if you want to keep going."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Oaks Christian of Westlake Village has won 32 consecutive football games -- and 26 successive playoff games dating back to 2003 -- into a Northwest quarterfinal Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Harvard-Westlake of Studio City.

Led by quarterback Nick Montana and running back Malcolm Jones, Oaks Christian is averaging 48.9 points and is winning by an average of 39.7. The last six victories have been by 49 points or more, including a 70-14 first-round victory over Santa Ynez in which Jones rushed for 280 yards on nine carries, scoring four touchdowns including runs of 55, 76 and 68 yards.

In other Oaks Christian news, former starting defensive back and punter Scott Arellano, now at Santa Ynez after transferring during the summer, got a taste of what it's like on the other side Friday in that 56-point playoff loss.

"That was really weird. I never thought we'd play against each other," Oaks Christian defensive back Max Napolitano said.

After the game, Arellano shared a late dinner with his former teammates.

"Scott hung out with us for old-time sake," Napolitano said. "It was fun. We all went to McDonalds together, Scott and all of us -- Malcolm Jones, Zac Stout, Cassius Marsh and a bunch of their girlfriends and other players. There were like 30 of us."

-- Gerry Gittelson

If a career in football does not work out for linebacker Devonte Winbush of Taft of Woodland Hills, he might have a shot as a rap artist.

Before games, Winbush entertains his teamamtes with inpromptu free-style raps. I happened to be nearby and caught a few lines last week just before Taft's playoff victory over Garfield of L.A., and Winbush sounded like he could be the next Snoop Dogg or Eminem.

"Yeah, Devonte's got some musical talent. He's really good at rapping," Taft running back Lucky Radley said. "He's a great free-styler. A couple of the other guys, D.J. Morgan and Antwaun Woods, are good, too, but Devonte is the best."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Alex Ball grew up in England, and soccer was always his favorite sport. But after moving to Southern California last year and enrolling at Westlake, Ball is quite enjoying American football, and the sophomore is one of the area's top kickers with seven field goals and 52 touchbacks.

Ball recorded his first career tackle on a kickoff return in the regular-season finale against Moorpark, and he loved it.

"That was nice," Ball said. "Football is really fun. All the people on the team are nice, and it's just a really fun sport."

Ball could make in impact in soccer, too. He had a team-best 14 goals for Westlake's frosh team last season.

-- Gerry Gittelson

D.J. Morgan, an All-American running back for Taft who has committed to USC, is out for the season after an MRI revealed torn knee ligaments.

"He has a torn ACL and a partial tear of the meniscus. He's done for the football season this year," Taft coach Matt Kerstetter said.

Taft plays host to Dorsey on Wednesday in the City quarterfinals.

Morgan injured his knee Thursday in a first-round playoff victory over visiting Garfield of L.A. He has rushed for 1,450 yards and scored 23 touchdowns.

Surgery will be required, and that could jeopardize Morgan's track season. He is the reigning state champion in the hurdles.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Oaks Christian defensive Max Napolitano has committed to Yale. He is the seventh Oaks Christian senior to commit to a DI university this season.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Good news and bad news about the Notre Dame-Mission Viejo playoff game Friday.

The good news is the event is on TV on Fox Sports Prime Ticket.

The bad news, if you're going, is kickoff time has been pushed to 8 p.m. in Mission Viejo, so it's going to be a late night.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Just got word that Taft's star running back, D.J. Morgan, is out for a City quarterfinal Wednesday against visiting Dorsey because of a knee injury, though the results of an MRI exam will have to wait until Tuesday.

Here's hoping it's not too serious.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Harvard-Westlake of Studio City pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the regular season by defeating then-state-ranked Alemany of Mission Hills 24-20 in October.

It would be even more of an upset if Harvard-Westlake (7-3) were to pull off a miracle Friday in the Northwest quarterfinals against visiting Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (11-0), which has won 32 games in a row and six consecutive section titles, and is ranked No. 1 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports and No. 5 in the nation by USA Today.

"I was at that Harvard-Westlake game against Alemany with a couple of my teammates, and they're very well-coached. We have to take them seriously," Oaks Christian defensive back Max Napolitano said. "I've got some friends on Harvard-Westlake's team, too, so I'm excited to get to play them. If we play how we play, we should be fine."

A key part of Oaks Christian's game plan is to contain Harvard-Westlake's Jackson Ligouri, who has 40 receptions and 10 touchdowns.

"He's one of the better wide receivers around," Napolitano said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

It's been a little over a week since Crespi of Encino lost its final game of the regular season to fall out of playoff contention -- the second year in a row since advancing to the 2007 Pac-5 final that the underachieving Celts (6-4) fell out of the state top 20 and failed to qualify for the postseason.

"I'm disappointed. I'm especailly disappointed for our 25 seniors who worked really hard and gave it everything they had," coach Jeremiah Ross said. "Unfortunately, sometimes the ball doesn't bounce your way. But I'm proud of our guys. They played hard. Sometimes when you play a really tough schedule, it comes back to bite you."

-- Gerry Gittelson

One of the City Section's top running backs and return specialists, Antonio Bray of Arleta is proving himself as a cornerback, too. In a 41-13 playoff victory Thursday over Reseda, Bray had a leaping interception in the end zone, his second of the season, along with 141 yards rushing and two touchdowns, including an 80-yard run.

As a cornerback, Bray has helped Arleta hold opponents to an average of 10.2 points heading into a City Section Div. II quarterfinal against visiting Cleveland of Reseda (8-3) on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Monroe High in North Hills.

"With coach (Jeff) Engilman, there is no such thing as playing just offense or just defense. We do both," Bray said. "I do what he tells me to do. In the beginning, I didn't like play cornerback, but now I really like it. But as far as the next level, I'm a running back and kick returner."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Camarillo's Jeff Matthews has eclipsed most of legendary Joe Borchard's passing records this season. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Matthews has passed for 3,066 yards and 35 touchdowns for the Scorpions (10-1) heading into a Northern Division quarterfinal at Moorpark (10-1) on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Moorpark is Camarillo's nemesis, eliminating the Scorpions from the playoffs four times over the past seven seasons, including a 45-21 first-round victory last year.

"Moorpark is pretty good. They've been a very good program for a long time," Matthews said. "We want to show people we can be just as good. It's been a fun ride so far, and we want to keep it going."

Another quarterback who has set a school record and surpassed 3,000 yards is Max Leffler of Grace Brethren of Simi Valley. Leffler has 3,083 yards after throwing for 373 yards on Saturday in a 20-15 victory at Sage Hill of Newport Beach.

Leffler has a streak of four consecutive 300-yard performances heading into an East Valley quarterfinal Friday at at Oak Hills of Hesperia, a seniorless first-year program that knocked off third-seeded Kern Valley last week.

Oaks Hills' Jeremiah Armstead has rushed for 1,700 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.

Defending Mid-Valley champion Paraclete of Lancaster (7-4) has posted four shutouts over the past five games heading into a quarterfinal Friday against top-seeded Monrovia (11-0) at Antelope Valley College.

-- Gerry Gittelson

D.J. Morgan of Taft has 4,741 yards rushing in his career, which means he needs 259 to hit 5,000.

Morgan holds Taft's school record for career touchdowns with 71, and he is 646 yards shy of Jerry Brown's career rushing yardage record of 5,387.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Malcolm Jones, a running back at Oaks Christian, has been nominated to be national Player of the Year by the US Army All American Bowl selection committee.

Among the other 16 nominees are Serra receiver/defensive back Robert Woods and Rancho Verde defensive lineman Ronald Powell.

-- Gerry Gittelson

It was quite a college Saturday for former Valencia teammates Michael Herrick and Shane Vereen.

Herrick, a quarterback at Northern Arizona, passed for a school record 574 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-45 loss to Eastern Washington. Vereen, a Cal running back, rushed for 193 yards and three TDs on 42 carries in a 34-28 victory over Stanford in the Big Game.

-- Gerry Gittelson

DAILY NEWS TOP 10 RANKINGS

1. Oaks Christian (11-0) - Lions take 32-game winning streak into Northwest quarterfinal at H.W.

2. Valencia (11-0) - Darrol Mitchell had five sacks in a 28-27 Northern victory over Thousand Oaks that was too close for comfort

3. Westlake (11-0) - Nick Isham is most accurate QB around

4. Moorpark (10-1) - Musketeers came back strong in win over Canyon after loss to Westlake for Marmonte title

5. Notre Dame (9-2) - Kenny Boggs is the little running back that could

6. Alemany (8-3) - Banged-up Warriors hope to be full strength at Warren in Western quarterfinal

7. Arleta (10-1) - Amassed 500 yards in opening D2 victory over Reseda

8. Taft (7-4) - Toreadors are hoping injured star RB D.J. Morgan (knee) will be OK

9. St. Francis (9-2) - QB Justin Posthuma accounted for six TDs in Western victory over Gahr

10. Newbury Park (9-2) - Pressure is on against two-time defending champion St. Bonaventure in Northern quarterfinal

OTHERS: El Camino Real (10-1), Palmdale (9-2), Camarillo (10-1), Burbank (9-2).

HE SAID

"I'm licking my wounds."

--Thousand Oaks coach Mike Leibin, on a 28-27 loss at Valencia that was decided on a failed two-point conversion with 28 seconds remaining

UNSUNG HERO

A.J. Dettorre, DB, Moorpark - Detorre intercepted two passes in a 30-0 victory over visiting Canyon in a Northern opener.

TOP PERFORMANCES

Gabe Martinez, QB, Paraclete - Martinez completed 10 of 13 passses for 128 yards, including TDs of 34 and 29 yards, and he also scored a TD in a 45-0 victory over visiting La Puente.

Malcolm Jones, RB, Oaks Christian - Jones rushed for 281 yards in nine carries and scored on runs of 1, 55, 76 and 68 yards in a 70-14 victory over visiting Santa Ynez in a Northwest opener.

Zach Tartabull, DB, Valencia - Tartabull intercepted a potential winning two-point conversion pass with 28 seconds remaining to preserve a 28-27 victory over visiting Thousand Oaks in a Northern opener.

SOUTHERN SECTION QUARTERFINALS

All games Friday at 7:30 p.m. unless indicated

PAC-5

Dana Hills (9-2) at Edison (11-0)

Bishop Amat (10-1) at Lakewood (10-1)

Servite (10-1) vs. Long Beach Poly (6-5) at Vets Stadium

Notre Dame (9-2) at Mission Viejo (11-0)

NORTHERN

Valencia (11-0) at Buena (9-2)

Camarillo (10-1) at Moorpark (10-1)

Westlake (11-0) at Hueneme (8-3)

St. Bonaventure (10-1) at Newbury Park (9-2)

WESTERN

Mira Costa (9-2) at Chaminade (7-4)

St. Francis (9-2) at Palmdale (9-2)

Alemany (8-3) at Warren (10-1), 7 p.m.

Redondo (6-5) at Dominguez (5-5)

SOUTHEAST

Charter Oak (10-1) at West Covina (7-4)

Burbank (9-2) at California (8-2-1)

Schurr (9-1-1) at Diamond Ranch (5-6)

South Hills (9-2) at Crescenta Valley (8-3)

NORTHWEST

Oaks Christian (11-0) at Harvard-Westlake (7-3)

Cathedral (10-1) at Pioneer Valley (10-1)

St. Joseph (11-0) at El Segundo (7-4)

Serra (11-0) vs. Verbum Dei-Nipomo winner

MID-VALLEY

Monrovia (11-0) vs. Paraclete (7-4) at Antelope Valley College

Baldwin Park (9-2) at Whittier Christian (8-3)

San Marino (9-2) at Azusa (10-1)

Cerritos Valley Christian (8-3) at San Dimas (10-1)

EAST VALLEY

Aquinas (7-3) at St. Margaret's (10-1)

Fillmore (8-3) at Bishop (6-4)

Grace Brethren (6-5) at Oak Hills (9-2)

Maranatha (9-2) at Ontario Christian (5-6)

CITY SECTION QUARTERFINALS

All games Wednesday, 7 p.m.

DIVISION I
Westchester (8-3) at Crenshaw (11-0)
Dorsey (8-3) at Taft (7-4)
Narbonne (6-5) at Venice (10-1)
Locke (7-4) at Carson (9-2)

DIVISION II
Fairfax (6-5) at Roosevelt (10-1)
Franklin (9-1) at Hamilton (8-3)
Poly (9-2) at El Camino Real (10-1)
Cleveland (8-3) vs. Arleta (10-1) at Monroe HS

-- Gerry Gittelson

Alemany of Mission Hills' defense figures to be put to the test Friday in a Western Division quarterfinal at Warren of Downey (10-1), led by superstar running back Jesse Callier, who has rushed for 2,864 yards and scored 45 touchdowns, two on kick returns.
In an 51-21 opening playoff victory Friday over West Torrance, Callier rushed for 232 yards in 15 carries and scored six touchdowns, including a 73-yard run on the first play from scrimmage and an 89-yard kick return.

Callier has rushed for 232 yards or more in six consecutive games, and he has yet to be held to fewer than three touchdowns in a game this season.

"Someone told me he's the seventh-leading rusher in the country," Alemany coach Dean Herrington said. "We've faced a lot of good running backs this season, and this is another one we'll have to face. I've already talked to the team and told them this is a big challenge because (Callier) is 90 percent of their offense. We'll do our best to slow him down."

Alemany (8-3) was missing linebacker Bryce Henderson (ankle) and safety Malcolm Marable (toe) in a first-round victory over Highland of Palmdale, and both should return. Marable, held out for precautionary reasons, is definite, and Henderson is probable.
Warren's only loss was a Week 5 defeat to Vista Murietta (11-0), a top program in the larger Inland Division.

-- It was a night of grinding decisions Friday for Thousand Oaks coach Mike Leibin at top-seeded Valencia, first deciding whether injured quarterback Avondre Bollar could play on a sprained ankle, then opting to go for a two-point conversion in the final 28 seconds of what turned out to be a 28-27 loss.

During the week, Leibin had said Bollar would be a game-time decision, and the coach really meant it.

"We were in pregame warmups, and three different times we were like, 'OK, Avondre is playing,' and then, 'OK, he's not playing,'" Leibin said. "Ten minutes before the game, he was sitting on the bench, so I asked him if it was just too painful, and he said he was playing, so I said, 'Allright, he's playing.'"

Bollar completed 7 of 11 for 59 yards but was sacked three times before giving way to backup Jackson Lucht with four minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Lucht ended up passing for a 13-yard touchdown with 28 seconds left to pull Thousand Oaks within 28-27, and that's when Leibin decided to go for a potential winning two-point conversion instead of kicking the extra point - ultimately failing when a desperate conversion pass from Lucht was intercepted in the end zone.

"We HAD to go for two," Leibin said. "By that point, half of my offensive line could barely walk. Where we were at in the game, Valencia had had the lead and were playing conservative, so if there would have been an overtime, they were more fresh. After the game, everyone seemed to be talking about it being the right move."

-- The Pac-5 quarterfinal Friday between Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks (9-2) and host Mission Viejo (11-0) should prove intriguing, as Notre Dame's prolific offense goes head to head with Mission Viejo's tough defense.

The team that executes best and imposes its will should win.

Notre Dame, led by quarterback Ryan Kasdorf and running back Kenny Boggs, averages 32.8 points and more than 400 yards per game. Second-seeded Mission Viejo limited Long Beach Wilson to 221 yards in a 41-14 opening playoff victory, as linebacker Nick Dzubnar recorded four tackles for losses, including two sacks.

-- If you're into timeless smash-mouth football -- particularly double-wing offenses -- you should enjoy the City Section Div. II quarterfinal Wednesday at 7 p.m. between Poly of Sun Valley (9-2) and host El Camino Real of Woodland Hills (10-1).

Both love to run the football with two tight ends, no wide receivers and two pulling blockers at the point of the attack.

Poly's Kevin Ervin has rushed for 1,955 yards and scored 34 touchdowns to help the Parrots advance past the first round of the playoffs for the first time since 1993. The junior has 13 consecutive 100-yard rushing performances dating back to last season. El Camino Real's Ra'Shon Harper has rushed for 1,487 yards and scored 29 touchdowns, and he is the school's all-time career rushing and touchdown leader.

"I think it's going to be quick game," Poly coach Scott Faer said. "We're definitely evenly matched. They're seeded third and we're 11th, but you can think what you want because it's going to be evenly matched."

-- Arleta coach Jeff Engilman is miffed about being seeded No. 2 behind Roosevelt of L.A. (10-1) even though defending champion Arleta (10-1), which has outscored opponents by 40 points per game, has returned most of its key players and has added electrifying running back Antonio Bray, a prime Player of the Year candidate.

"We got screwed. Our only loss was a forfeit, so we've won 25 in a row on the field," Engilman said. "At the seeding meeting, there were a couple of administrators who didn't know what they were doing who kept voting for their own leagues."

Arleta continues its quest to return to the L.A. Coliseum with a quarterfinal against visiting Cleveland of Reseda (8-3) at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Monroe High in North Hills. The contest is being switched from Arleta's home field because there are no stadium lights, and it would have cost close to $9,000 to install temporary lights -- a fee the City Section was not willing to pay.

-- Cory Bess, Tru Jarvis and Brando Tessar all rushed for more than 100 yards Friday for visiting Chaminade of West Hills in a 37-14 victory at Inglewood in a Western Division first-round upset - Chaminade's first playoff victory since 2006.
\
Tessar rushed for 123 yards on 10 carries, Bess had 119 yards on 23 carries and Jarvis totaled 103 yards on 21 carries.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Kyle Middlebrooks was a like a one-man gang for Fountain Valley High in a Pac-5 Division playoff game Friday at Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks.

The senior running back who runs a 10.5 100-meter dash burned the Knights for 276 yards and three touchdowns in 26 carries, but Notre Dame had more weapons and wore down the visiting Barons in a 41-24 victory.

Middlebrooks scored on runs of 50, 57 and 6 yards, and though the performance was not enough to win the game, he and his teammates certainly earned Notre Dame's respect.

"Oh, Fountain Valley definitely earned our respect, and he's a great running back," Notre Dame's Kenny Boggs said. "He's a good back. He's fast."

Perhaps it would have helped if Middlebrooks played defense, as Notre Dame amassed 401 yards, including a 211-yard rushing performance on 23 carries for Boggs.

"It was a great game. It was like the battle of the running backs," Boggs said.

Notre Dame (9-2) plays at Mission Viejo (11-0) next Friday in the quarterfinals.

Notre Dame quarterback Ryan Kasdorf also came through with a top performance, though he was not asked to pass as much as usual. He completed 11 of 12 for 97 yards and two touchdowns, and he also scored on a 1-yard run.

Bishop Amat's Dominic Ragland completed 4 of 14 for 47 yards and an interception.

Kasdorf totaled only 55 yards in the first half, but he was extremely efficient, completing his first seven passes and finishing 8 of 9 at the half -- the only incompletion a dropped pass.

Middlebrooks, who finished as a track runnerup in the CIF State 100 meter final last year, finished the season with 1,882 yards. He is the latest in a series of top running backs who have enjoyed big performances against Notre Dame this season, and that's something that should worry the Knights.

"I think we definitely have to tighten our run defense and just come out more focused," said Boggs, who also plays defensive back. "We can't make mental mistakes or big plays are going to happen."

Notre Dame's Jacob Smith rushed for 101 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown.

The game could not have started worse for Notre Dame. On the opening kickoff, Fountain Valley recovered an onside kick, and on the first play from scrimmage Kyle Middlebrooks broke a 50-yard touchdown for a quick 7-0 lead.

But Notre Dame rebounded with consecutive touchdowns to go ahead 14-7, scoring first on Kenny Boggs' 1-yard run, followed by a 21-yard scoring pass from Ryan Kasdorf to Tyler DiVincenzo.

Middlebrooks scored again on a 57-yard run, as Fountain Valley drove 80 yards in five plays to forge a 14-14 tie.

With less than a minute remaining in the first half, Notre Dame drove 69 yards on 13 plays, scoring on Kasdorf's 1-yard run. The key was and end zone interception by Fountain Valley's Justin Browley that was nullifed by a penalty, giving Notre Dame new life. The 1-yard touchdown two plays later, as Kasdorf took a shotgun hike and broke two tackles on his scoring run, giving the Knights a 21-14 halftime lead.

Middlebrooks rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries through two quarters. But he did not get much help, as Dominic Ragland completed just 2 of 6 passes for 21 yards in the first half.

Kasdorf totaled only 55 yards in the first half, but he was extremely efficient, completing his first seven passes and finishing 8 of 9 at the half.

There is a buzz in the air here in Sherman Oaks, as Notre Dame opens against visiting Fountain Valley in the Pac-5 Division playoffs.

The good news for Notre Dame is leading receiver Tyler Thomas is back after missing one game because of ankle injury. The Knights love to pass the football, so expect Thomas to be in the thick of things.

Fountain Valley's top player is running back Kyle Middlebrooks, and he is a blazer. He finished as the CIF State runner-up in the 100 meters last spring.

-- Gerry Gittelson

After a inconsistent regular season that saw Taft High of Woodland Hills fall out of the state top 20, the Toreadors wanted to make a statement Thursday in the first round of the City Section Div. I football playoffs.

It did not take long at all.

Bam Goodall passed 59 yards to Donnel Robinson for a touchdown on the first play, and Taft (7-4) is leading 34-0 over Garfield at halftime.

Taft led 21-0 before Garfield managed a first down.

Taking advantage of a Garfield punt of minus-1 yard, Goodall passed 37 yards to D.J. Morgan for Taft's second touchdown, as Morgan weaved across the field to the end zone.

But Goodall soon was removed from the game because of dizziness and did not return. The extent of Goodall's injury was unclear, but he was talking and interacting with coaches and teammates.

Instead of going with a backup quarterback, Taft switched Morgan to quarterback, and the USC-bound senior responded by scoring on a 15-yard run, then passing 80 yards to Lucky Radley for a touchdown on a short shovel pass.

Any plans of a Garfield were squashed when when Shaquille Shelton scored on a 45-yard run with 19 second remaining in the first half to make it 34-0.

Taft amassed 382 yards in the first half -- 207 rushing and 175 passing -- while holding Garfield to 39.

Goodall finished 3 of 4 for 95 yards and two touchdowns, and he added 57 yards on four carries.

In the first half, Radley rushed for 54 yards on nine carries, while Shelton added 57 yards on three carries and Morgan had 39 yards on four carries.

Fourth-seeded Taft plays host to Dorsey of L.A. (8-3)/San Pedro (8-3) on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

With so many explosive game-breakers on offense, combined with a hard-hitting athletic defense led by defensive linemen Antwaun Woods and Brent Williams, Taft can be an intimidating opponent for just about anyone. The problem has been, the Toreadors have looked great one week, then very shaky the next -- for instance, hanging tough in an overtime loss to Serra of Gardena in Week 5 but a few weeks later falling to 1-7 Birmingham of Lake Balboa in what was probably the biggest upset of the season involving San Fernando Valley teams.

One thing is for sure: If the Taft does not let off the pressure from this point, the Toreadors could do some serious damage in the playoffs. Whether or not that means eventually knocking off powerful Crenshaw in the semifinals remains to be seen, but that probably will be the only way Taft would able to see the L.A. Coliseum in the championship game, so we shall see what happens.

Lucky Radley, a top running back/linebacker at Taft, said an Internet report he has given a 'soft commit' to North Carolina is not true.

"I'm still open. I wanted to commit and was real tempted, but I didn't," Radley said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

It's always a killer when your starting quarterback gets hurt right before the football playoffs, and that's what's happening at Thousand Oaks and Highland of Palmdale.

Thousand Oaks' Avondre Bollar probably won't be able to play because of an ankle injury - coach Mike Leibin says Bollar is day to day but does not sound optimistic - and Highland's Christian Tago is out because of a knee injury.

It figured to be hard enough for both teams this coming Friday, as Thousand Oaks (5-5) takes on top-seeded Valencia (10-0) in the Northern Division, and Highland (6-4) is playing at heavily favored Alemany of Mission Hills (7-3) in the Western Division.

"I won't make a decision until game time or until Avondre has flat out told me he can't go, and he has not done that yet," Leibin said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

The press conference at Palmdale on Tuesday celebrating cornerback Joshua Shaw's football commitment to University of Florida had kind of a Hollywood feel with a light show, cameras, a live webcast and a video display.

So it comes as no surprise longtime coach Jeff Williams has roots in the film and television industry as a former production assistant to Emmy-award winning producer Frank von Zerneck of "Geronimo" fame.

"I worked with Frank on four or five projects, and the movie business was something I thought I wanted to do," Williams said. "But I always really wanted to be a football coach."

-- Gerry Gittelson

A generation ago, football players used to shave their heads bald in a brave rite of passage to prove their loyalty to the team. These days, bald is in vogue, so at Westlake a group of the players took things one step further and followed through on a pact to wear a Mohawk - including star receiver Nelson Spruce.

It's working for Westlake, too. The Warriors are 10-0 and averaging 44.6 points per game heading into a Northern Division opener Friday against visiting Ventura.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Saugus softball standout Jenna Kelly, who has a 4.5 grade-point average and eventually plans to be an orthodontist, has committed to a North Carolina scholarship, picking the Tar Heels over Northwestern, Iowa, St. John's, Illinois, Stanford, Akron, Colorado State and others.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Quarterbacks Nick Isham and Alex Bishop of Valencia are on the verge of setting a new area standard for passing accuracy.

Isham of Westlake has completed 75.5. percent of his passes (105 of 139) for 1,607 yards and 23 touchdowns with two interceptions, and Bishop has completed 74.9 percent (134 of 179) for 2,618 yards and 29 touchdowns with two interceptions.

The most accurate single-season performance in area history is 72.4 percent by Samson Szakacsy of Camarillo in 2005. The state record is 78.1 by Trent Edwards of Los Gatos in 2000.

-- Gerry Gittelson

It's a shame some City Section schools like Arleta don't have stadium lights, which means a 2 p.m. kickoff time for home football games, including today's first-round Div. II playoff game against visiting Reseda.

Not only is it tough for working parents to catch the game, but even the students will miss at least the first half because the school does not end until 3:26 p.m. No offense to Reseda, but by that time defending section champion Arleta figures to be way ahead.

"It stinks, but that's life. There is still a game to be played even if there are 10 people in the stands," Arleta running back Antonio Bray said. "We need to come and play. If the game starts at 2, we have to play at 2."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Once teams get past the first round of the Southern Section football playoffs, home games in the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals are awarded to teams that have played the fewest home playoff games. If two opposing teams have played the same number of home games in the playoffs, a coin flip determines the home team.

These days, coin flips are done before the game - way before, actually - for convenience sake. For example, we already know that if Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and second-seeded Mission Viejo both advance Friday, the Knights must play at Mission Viejo in the quarterfinals because Notre Dame has lost the flip.

In the Northern Division, if Westlake and Hart advance, Hart has won the right to host the quarterfinal at College of the Canyons.

The process is different in the City Section. The higher seed automatic gets to be the home team.

-- Gerry Gittelson

FIVE BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Does Taft have a good chance to win the City title?

No. The Toreadors, led by a large group of talented players including USC-bound running back D.J. Morgan, Washington-bound defensive lineman Brent Williams and blue-chip junior defensive lineman Antwaun Woods, are as explosive and battle-tested as anyone, but they have two problems: one, they're too inconsistent and mistake-prone, and two, they happen to be in the same tournament as Crenshaw of L.A., a strong favorite that is expected not only to win the title but to secure a CIF State Bowl berth.

2. Any chance Oaks Christian might slip and somehow fail to win its seventh consecutive section title?

No. The Lions are loaded once again with six Division-I bound seniors, including running back Malcolm Jones (UCLA), who has 100 touchdowns and might be the area's best all-around running back since Justin Fargas. The only potential difficult opponent in the Northwest Division is Serra of Gardena, and last year Oaks Christian defeated Serra by 35 points; it just does not make sense that Serra would be that much improved to make a game of it this year.

3. St. Bonaventure is not seeded No. 1 in the Northern Division despite winning the past two section titles and the last two CIF State Div. III titles. Should everyone still be scared of the Seraphs?

Yes. In a field loaded with local programs, including top-seeded Valencia, St. Bonaventure should roll through everyone because of an ultra-tough nonleague schedule that has included victories over traditional large-school powers Long Beach Poly, Crespi of Encino and St. John Bosco of Bellflower. The only loss was a 1-point defeat in overtime at Bishop Amat, a top Pac-5 program.

4. Alemany of Mission Hills and Palmdale have strong football traditions and have been around for more than 50 years, but neither has won a section title? Can one of them do it this year?

Yes. Alemany has a better chance, but both should be in the mix in the traditionally wide-open Western Division. For Alemany to succeed, the offensive line must protect quarterback Vernon Adams and open holes for running back Malcolm Marable, and the defense needs to do a better job against the run because there are some great running backs in the playoffs. Palmdale, led by quarterback/defensive back Joshua Shaw, must avoid a let-down because the through the years the Falcons have often underacheived in the postseason.

5. Harry Welch isn't going to win it all again, is he?

Yes, he is. After winning consecutive Northern Division titles in 2005 and 2006, Welch has done the same at small-schools power St. Margaret's of San Juan Capistrano the past two seasons in the East Valley Division. St. Margaret's is again top-seeded, and no one is going to be able to touch the high-scoring Tartans. What should prove more interesting once the season is over is seeing if Welch tries to return to an upper-division program, perhaps Loyola, where the job is open, or Oaks Christian, if coach Bill Redell, 68, retires.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Thursday: City Section playoffs first round
Friday: Southern Section playoffs first round
Wednesday: City Section quarterfinals
Nov. 27 -- Southern Section quarterfinals
Dec.4 -- City semifinals
Dec. 4-5 -- Southern Section semifinals
Dec. 11-12 -- Southern Section finals
Dec 12 -- City finals
Dec. 18 - CIF State Bowls (Div. I and Small Schools)
Dec. 19 - CIF State Bowls (Div. II, Div. III and Open)

DIVISION: City Section Div. I

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Crenshaw (10-0); 2. Carson (8-2); 3. Venice (9-1); 4. Taft (6-4)

OTHER LOCALS: Birmingham (3-7) and Sylmar (6-4)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Kristopher Bass, LB, San Pedro; Tevin Carter, WR, Santee; Chad Dashnaw, QB, Narbonne; Omar Herrera, QB, Locke; Alfonso Medina, QB, Venice; Brandon Mitchell, OL, Taft; D.J. Morgan, RB, Taft; Ignatius Porchia, DL, Venice; Kerrington Jones, DB, West Adams Prep; Lucky Radley, RB/LB, Taft; Sean Parker, DB, Narbonne; DeAndre Roberts, DL, Sylmar; Max Smith, QB, Birmingham; DeAnthony Thomas, RB, Crenshaw; Marquis Thompson, QB, Crenshaw; Brent Williams, DL, Taft; Antwaun Woods, OL/DL, Taft; Patrick Wooten, LB, Jordan

OUR PICK: Crenshaw

SLEEPER: San Pedro

COMMENT: Narbonne's Chad Dashnaw has passed for 2,557 yards and 25 TDs, including eight consecutive 200-yard performances. Teammate Sean Parker, a DB, has 29 scholarship offers and has taken official visits to Notre Dame and Cal. ... Birmingham is without two of its top players, RB Trajuan Briggs (foot) and WR Davontae Perry-Brooks (suspended). ... Taft's D.J. Morgan is an age-group international champion in the 300 hurdles. Teammate Lucky Radley, a top LB, played at Crespi and Agoura.

DIVISION: City Section Div. II

TOP FOUR SEEDS: Roosevelt (10-0); 2. Arleta (9-1); 3. El Camino Real (9-1); 4. Hamilton (7-3).

OTHER LOCALS: Cleveland (7-3); Grant (5-5); Panorama (5-5); Poly (8-2); Reseda (5-5).

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Logan Bates, LB, El Camino Real; Matt Bowen, RB, Fairfax; Antonio Bray, RB, Arleta; Bryan Choto, QB, Arleta; Kevin Ervin, RB, Poly; Ra'Shon Harper, RB, El Camino Real; Maka Maka, OL, Arleta; Ronnell Pompey, WR, Fairfax; Oscar Rodarte, LB, Poly; Malcolm Thomas, RB, Panorama; Don Tyler, LB, Fairfax

OUR PICK: Arleta

SLEEPER: Franklin

COMMENT: Defending champion Arleta has won 24 games in a row on the field, its only loss a forfeit in the year's season opener. RB Antonio Bray is averaging 17.3 yards per carry and has rushed for 1,001 yards and scored 22 TDs, including a 90-yard run. ... Ra'Shon Harper is ECR's all-time career rushing leader with 4,255 yards. ... Top-seeded Roosevelt won the Eastern League over Jordan and Garfield, both of which are participating in the Div. I playoffs.

DIVISION: PAC-5

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Edison (10-0); 2. Mission Viejo (10-0); 3. Servite (9-1); 4. Lakewood (9-1)

LOCALS: Notre Dame (8-2)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Ben Gottschalk, OL, Notre Dame; Ryan Kasdorf, QB, Notre Dame; Kyle Middlebrooks, RB, Fountain Valley; Matthew Inmen, LB, Servite; Eric Solis, PK, Notre Dame; Nick Richardson, RB, Los Alamitos; Jesse Scroggins, QB, Lakewood; Michael Teo, LB, Long Beach Poly; Chris Ward, OL, Mater Dei; Cecil Whiteside, LB, Newport Harbor

OUR PICK: Mission Viejo

SLEEPER: Notre Dame

COMMENT: Notre Dame is the only local entrant, and the Knights could be without top receiver Tyler Thomas (ankle). If Notre Dame gets by Fountain Valley in the first round, the Knights could play at Mission Viejo in the quarterfinals. ... Fountain Valley RB Kyle Middlebrooks (1,608 yards) finished No. 2 in the state track finals last spring. ... Servite is has coached by former Crespi coach Troy Thomas, and Bishop Amat is coached by former Paraclete coach Steve Hagerty. ... Bishop Amat has defeated Notre Dame, St. Bonaventure and Alemany during the regular season.

DIVISION: NORTHERN

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Valencia (10-0); 2. St. Bonaventure (9-1); 3. Westlake (10-0); 4. Moorpark (9-1).

OTHER LOCALS: Camarillo (9-1); Canyon (2-8); Hart (7-3); Newbury Park (8-2); Thousand Oaks (5-5)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Alex Ball, PK, Westlake; Alex Bishop, QB, Valencia; Austin Edmonson, RB, Moorpark; Joe Frank, OL, Moorpark; Nick Isham, QB, Westlake; Stephen Manfro, RB, Valencia; Giovanni DiPaolo, OL, St. Bonaventure; Patrick Hill, DB, St. Bonaventure; Marc Palacios, LB, Moorpark; Stephen Pichinni, PK, Moorpark; Justin Solis, OL, Westlake; Nelson Spruce, WR, Westlake

OUR PICK: St. Bonaventure

SLEEPER: Newbury Park

COMMENT: Top-seeded Valencia, led by QB Alex Bishop and RB Steven Manfro, has won by an average margin of more than 35 points, but second-seeded St. Bonaventure has seen tougher competition and has won eight section titles over the past 10 years. ... Hart has qualified for the playoffs for the 22nd year in a row under coach Mike Herrington, who has six titles. ... The two opponents to defeat Newbury Park have a combined record of 19-1. ... Westlake PK Alex Ball has recorded 49 touchbacks.

DIVISION: WESTERN

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Mira Costa (8-2); 2. Culver City (9-1); Alemany (7-3), Mira Costa (8-2).

OTHER LOCALS:
Chaminade (6-4); Highland (6-4); Knight (6-4); Palmdale (8-2); Quartz Hill (6-4); St. Francis (8-2);

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Kyle Brooks, DB, Quartz Hill; Victor Burnett, LB, Culver City; Jesse Callier, RB, Warren; Marquel Carter, QB, Culver City; Marcus Howard, DL, Inglewood; Malcolm Marable, RB, Casey Nielsen, QB, Gahr; Alemany; David Richards, WR, Palmdale; Dietrich Riley, RB/DB, St. Francis; Christian Thomas, TE, Highland; Joshua Shaw, QB/DB, Palmdale; Christian Thomas, TE, Highland; Luke Zelon, LB, Santa Monica

OUR PICK: Culver City

SLEEPER: Palmdale

COMMENT: Gahr's Casey Nielsen has passed for 3,954 yards and 38 TDs. ... Warren's Jesse Callier has rushed for 2,632 yards and and scored 39 TDs, but he does have the supporting cast of favorites Mira Costa, Culver City and Alemany. ... Alemany, which has never won a championship, was ranked as high as No. 1 in the division during the season, and the Warriors are battle-tested after losses to Oaks Christian and Bishop Amat and a win over Crespi. ... Highland TE Christian Thomas has more than 30 scholarship offers. ...

DIVISION: SOUTHEAST

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Charter Oak (9-1); 2. South Hills (8-2); 3. Schurr (8-1-1); 4. Burbank (8-2)

OTHER LOCAL: Crescenta Valley

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Alexander Bird, LB, Alhambra; Nicholas Castillo, RB, Schurr; Adam Colman, QB, Burbank; Kyle Cota, QB, Crescenta Valley; Cameron Deen, QB, South Hills; Jackson Diamond, DB, Burbank; Charlie Hosea, LB, Burroughs; Damon Kuklinski, LB, South Hills; Adam Muema, RB, Charter Oak; Ulises Ochoa, RB, Burbank; Dennis Rufus, WR, Charter Oak; Ryan Seidler, LB, Burbank; Keith Smith, LB, Charter Oak; Isaac Valdez, QB, San Gabriel; Dalton Williams, RB, Burroughs; Dorian Wells, RB, South Hills

OUR PICK: Charter Oak

COMMENT: San Gabriel's Isaac Valdez has passed for 2,534 yards, ,,, Burbank, led by LB Ryan Seidler, enters as a league champion for the first time in 37 years. Seidler, a junior, has 132 tackles, including a high of 26. He needs six tackles to eclipse his own school record of 137. ... Burroughs' Dalton Williams has rushed for 1,444 yards, including six consecutive 100-yard performances. ...

DIVISION: NORTHWEST

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Oaks Christian (10-0); 2. Serra (10-0); 3. St.Joseph (10-0); Pioneer Valley (9-1)

OTHER LOCALS: Harvard-Westlake (6-3) and Oak Park (4-6)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Scott Arellano, RB/P, Santa Ynez; K.J. Cusack, RB, St. Joseph; Anthony Jefferson, WR, Cathedral; Erik Kohler, OL, Oaks Christian; Malcolm Jones, RB, Oaks Christian; Jackson Ligouri, WR, Harvard-Westlake; Nick Montana, QB, Oaks Christian; Paul Richardson, WR, Serra; Zac Stout, LB, Oaks Christian; Robert Woods, WR, Serra.

OUR PICK: Oaks Christian

COMMENT: Oaks Christian has won six consecutive section titles and 31 games in a row. UCLA-bound RB Malcolm Jones has 100 career TDs for the Warriors, ranked No. 5 nationally by USA Today. ... St. Joseph's K.J. Cusack averages 15.6 yards per carry while rushing for 1,514 yards and scoring 26 TDs, including a 99-yard run. ... Serra WRs Paul Richardson and Robert Woods are top national recruits and DL Sean Bacon has 14 sacks.

DIVISION: MID-VALLEY

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Monrovia (10-0); 2. San Dimas (9-1); 3. Arroyo (8-2); 4. Azusa (9-1)

LOCALS: La Canada (5-4) and Paraclete (6-4)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Nick Bueno, RB, Monrovia; Wardell Crutchfield, LB, Baldwin Park;Todd Davis, LB, Paraclete; Victor Dominguez, LB, Temple City; DujawnJones, DB, Monrovia; Josh Lowden, LB, Monrovia; Rocky Moore, QB, La Canada; Christian Morgan, LB, San Dimas; Max Ruckle, RB, Temple City; Kyle Steffes, PK, Paraclete; Jesse Vargas, LB, La Puente; Steve Yortsos, WR/DB, San Marino

OUR PICK: San Dimas

SLEEPER: Paraclete

COMMENT: San Dimas' Christian Morgan has 21 sacks. ... Paraclete posted four consecutive shutouts before losing 28-19 to Cerritos Valley Christian in the season finale. ... Paraclete's Kyle Steffers has kicked eight FGs, including four in one game. He also averages 40.3 yards on punts.

DIVISION: EAST VALLEY

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. St. Margaret's (9-1); 2. Maranatha (8-2); 3. Kern Valley (9-1); 4. Fillmore (7-3)

LOCALS: Sierra Canyon (8-2) and Grace Brethren (5-5)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Fernando Almejo, DB, St. Margarets; Uche Amajoyi, DL, Aquinas; Chris Cornell, LB, Maranatha; Daniel James, DB, Brentwood; Erik Johnson, RB, Marantha; Max Leffler, QB, Grace Brethren; Dusty Orrantia, LB, Sage Hill; Brennan Smith, QB, St. Margarets; Tyler Stewart, QB, Sierra Canyon.

OUR PICK: St. Margaret's

SLEEPER: Aquinas

COMMENT: St. Margaret's, coached by former Canyon coach Harry Welch, has won three section titles in a row and 63 of its past 65 games, including 13 consecutive playoff victories. ... Sierra Canyon, led by QB Tyler Stewart and WR Shane Harrison, is playing 11-man football for the first time after going 10-1 in eight-man last season. ... Grace Brethren's Max Leffler has passed for 2,710 and 20 TDs, and he has scored 15 TDs.

DIVISION: NORTHEAST

TOP FOUR SEEDS: 1. Rio Hondo Prep (10-0); 2. Linfield Christian (10-0); 3. Boron (8-2); 4. Mojave (7-2)

LOCALS: Bell-Jeff (6-4); Desert Christian (3-6); St. Genevieve (9-1)

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Jordan Agnew, RB, Chadwick; Cody Caillier, LB, Boron; Cody Cowell, LB, Rio Hondo Prep; Alex Davidians, LB, Bell-Jeff; Deon Early, LB, Salesian; Reggie Heard, RB, Boron; Austin Maranville, RB, Linfield Christian; Devon Moreland, OL/DL, Salesian; Chris Navarro, QB, St. Genevieve; Sam Schwab, OL/LB, Calvary Murrieta; Michal Shirley, WR/DB, Bell-Jeff; Justin Wilson, QB, Calvary Murrieta;

OUR PICK: Rio Hondo Prep

SLEEPER: St. Genevieve

COMMENT: St. Genevieve's Chris Navarro has passed for 1,147 yards and 11 TDs and has rushed for 1,512 yards and 29 TDs. ... Two of Rio Hondo Prep's victories have come by forfeit. The Kares have recorded three shutouts and have allowed more than more one TD just twice. ... Chadwick's Jordan Agnew has passed for 1,393 yards and 12 TDs. ... Boron's Cody Caillier has 98 tackles and eight sacks. ... Linfield Christian's Austin Maranville (1,530 yards, 23 TDs) has seven consecutive 100-yard performances. ... Calvary Murrieta's Sam Schwab has 157 tackles, including 26 in one game vs. Riverside Christian.

-- Gerry Gittelson

It was quite a spectacle at Palmdale High this morning for a press conference for defensive back Joshua Shaw, who announced his pending signing with Florida -- as cameras flashed, cheerleaders cheered, the band played, and more than a dozen family members stood behind Shaw at a podium.

Shaw picked Florida among other finalists Ohio State, USC and LSU. At first, he motioned like he was going to pick Ohio State but was smiling and kidding.

"I always wanted to leave California to go to college, and I was really impressed with Florida coach Urban Meyer because he called me personally almost every day -- none of the other coaches did that," Shaw said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

To say Taft of Woodland Hills is not the best team in the region would be just flat out wrong.

The Toreadors, who went 27-5 a year ago and lost to Westchester of Los Angeles in the City Section championship are ranked No. 9 in the preseason USA Today Super 25 poll.

Taft returns sophomore point guard Landon Drew, son former NBA player Larry Drew and welcomes mnay new faces, sure to make an immediate impact.

USC-bound wing Bryce Jones, Texas-bound De'Andre Daniels, sophomore forward Brandon Perry and seniors Mark Jackson and Jordan Gathers are five transfers ready to help Taft get back to the Galen Center.

Spencer Dinwiddie, Pierson Williams, Sam Natt, Khiry Williams, Stephen Maxwell and George Idehan aren't too bad either.

Taft's biggest test will come Feb. 6 when it faces St. Patrick's (New Jersey) in the featured game of the Nike Mater Dei Extravaganza.

The Southeast playoff opener between visiting Diamond Ranch and Burroughs has been moved up a day to Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Don't be surprised if Harry Welch, who coached Canyon High to five football title and is now in his third season at small-school power St. Margaret's in San Juan Capistrano, pursues the vacant head coaching job at Loyola of L.A.

According to a source, Welch is a prime candidate, but the 64-year-old coach said no official offer has been made.

"I can't comment further. If I did, it would be like shooting myself in the foot," said Welch, ever the coy one.

If Welch emerges as a candidate for the Loyola job vacated by Jeff Kearin in Week 5, he would compete for the position with interim coach Adam Guerra, just 24 years old, who went 2-4 as Kearnin's replacement and did not make the playoffs.

"I can outwork coaches half my age," said Welch, not referring specifically to Guerra.

If Welch gets the gig, all four Serra League coaches would have local ties, the others being Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks' Kevin Rooney, Crespi of Encino's Jeremiah Ross and Bishop Amat of La Puente's Steve Hagerty, who formerly coached at Paraclete of Lancaster.

Meanwhile, Canyon has made the playoffs for the first time since Welch left after winning the 2006 Northern Division championship and inaugural CIF State Div. I title. Canyon (2-8) has the fewest victories among any postseason entrant, and the Cowboys had to win a coin flip after defeating Saugus on Friday to sneak in as the Foothill League's third representative.

"It's exciting. It's like 'Friday Night Lights'," third-year coach Chris Varner said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Things looked bleak Friday for Knight of Palmdale when two-time 1,000-yard running back Christian Bush was injured in the first series against Eastside of Lancaster in a finale Knight had to win to make the Western Division playoffs.

Corey Finister, a sophomore backup who had not seen the football in three weeks and had just 25 carries this season, was pressed into duty and responded by rushing 38 times for 263 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-14 victory.

Knight has won three in a row heading into a first-round matchup Friday at Redondo (5-5) - Knight's first playoff game in school history.

In other Golden League news, things got ugly Friday toward the end of Lancaster's 68-14 victory over visiting Antelope Valley. Scuffles broke out, and a total of eight players were ejected, five from Lancaster.

The three ejected Antelope Valley players are juniors, so all must sit out the 2010 season opener, per Southern Section rules whenever someone is ejected.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Injuries could remain an issue for Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks on Friday in a Pac-5 opener against visiting Fountain Valley (8-2).

Last week, the Knights were without their biggest lineman, Tyler Sulka (concussion), along with leading receiver Tyler Thomas (ankle) and leading tackler Wayne Swinson (ankle) in a 31-14 loss at Bishop Amat in La Puente.

Give quarterback Ryan Kasdorf credit for not making any excuses.

"The injuries definitely hurt, but we had capable guys stepping in, so we didn't have much of a dropoff," Kasdorf said. "Basically, Bishop Amat just out-physicaled us in every part of the game. We didn't play as we should have, and they played very well, so they beat us pretty badly."

Notre Dame is the only local entrant in the Pac-5, the Southern Section's most competitive division.

Since moving up to the Pac-5 beginning in 2006, Notre Dame has yet to advance past the quarterfinals. Last year, the Knights were undefeated and ranked No. 1 in the nation by Maxpreps when they lost 24-14 at Orange Lutheran in the quarterfinals.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Hart of Newhall has qualified for the playoffs for the 29th consecutive year, 22 under head coach Mike Herrington, whose Indians advanced to the quarterfinals or further 20 years in a row before falling in the first round last season.

Hart (7-3) plays host to Hueneme of Oxnard (7-3) in a Northern Division opener at College of the Canyons.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Here are the at large playoffs teams, as selected by the Southern Section:

CENTRAL DIVISION
UPLAND

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
FRAZIER MOUNTAIN
OAK HILLS
SANTA PAULA
SIERRA CANYON

INLAND DIVISION
GREAT OAK

PAC - 5 DIVISION
NEWPORT HARBOR

SOUTHWEST DIVISION
KENNEDY

WESTERN DIVISION
CHAMINADE

1. Oaks Christian (10-0) - Lions have scored 56 or more in four of last five games

2. Valencia (10-0) - Finished regular-season undefeated for first time ever

3. Westlake (10-0) - There isn't a more lethal combo than QB Nick Isham and WR Nelson Spruce

4. Moorpark (9-1) - Did not rise to occasion is decisive loss to Westlake for Marmonte title

5. Notre Dame (8-2) - Must rebound from disappointing loss at Bishop Amat that cost Knights the league title

6. Alemany (7-3) - Will tough schedule pay off in Western Division playoffs?

7. Arleta (9-1) - What a shock if Arleta does not repeat as City Div. II champion

8. Taft (6-4) - When Toreadors really needed a win over Cleveland, they got it

9. St. Francis (8-2) - Seeking first playoff victory in four seasons

10. Newbury Park (8-2) - Losses have been to opponents with combined record of 19-1

OTHERS: El Camino Real (9-1), Palmdale (8-2), Camarillo (9-1), Crespi (5-5), Hart (7-3), Burbank (8-2).

HE SAID

"The playoffs are here, so losing is no longer an option."

-- El Camino Real running back Ra'Shon Harper

UNSUNG HERO

Michael Tack, DB, Westlake - Tack intercepted two passes, returning one 17 yards for a TD, as the Warriors held Moorpark to 53 yards passing (238 overall) in a 38-14 victory to clinch the Marmonte League championship."

TOP PERFORMANCES

Steven Manfro, RB, Valencia - In a 49-10 victory over West Ranch that clinched an undefeated regular season, Manfro carried 12 times for 183 yards and four scores, giving him 30 TDs.

Kyle Gauthier, RB, Royal - Gauthier rushed for 224 yards and three TDs in 36 carries in a 28-7 victory at Marmonte League rival Simi Valley before a crowd of 5,000.

Vernon Adams, QB, Alemany - Adams completed 15 of 19 for 312 yards and three TDs in a 44-14 victory at St. Paul, as Alemany earned the outright Mission League championship for the second consecutive season.

BIG GAMES
All games Thursday, 7 p.m.

BIRMINGHAM (3-7) at CRENSHAW (10-0) - After losing its first seven games, Birmingham must feel like it's on borrowed time, so the Patriots should approach this Div. I opener against state-power Crenshaw like they have nothing to lose. For Birmingham to have any chance, it must find a way to control Crenshaw's speed, as RB DeAnthony Thomas is one of the fastest backs in California.

GARFIELD (5-5) at TAFT (6-4) - Taft, featuring top RBs D.J. Morgan and Lucky Radley and DLs Antwaun Woods and Brent Williams, should be a strong favorite. Nevertheless, the Toreadors, seeded fourth in Div. I, are not taking anything for granted after a shocking loss to Birmingham two weeks ago.

RESEDA (5-5) at ARLETA (9-1) - Arleta, led by QB Bryan Choto and RB Antonio Bray, is the No. 2 seed in Div. II, and the high-scoring Mustangs look to repeat as division champions against the visiting Regents, who have yet to defeat a .500 opponent.

-- Gerry Gittelson

When the Southern Section playoff committee releases its pairings Sunday in Los Alamitos, everyone is wondering who will be seeded No. 1 in the Northern Division because three teams have a legitimate claim - Valencia (10-0), St. Bonaventure (9-1) and Westlake (10-0).

The situation is in flux because Moorpark, ranked No. 1 in the most recent Southern Section coaches/writers poll, lost to Westlake 38-14 on Friday.

Westlake remains undefeated and now holds the distinction of knocking off the top team, so the Warriors have every right to be the top seed -- though that would mean leapfrogging the other two based on this past week's poll that had Valencia at No. 2, St. Bonaventure third and Westlake No. 4.

Valencia was closest to the top and has not lost a game, so it would be only logical for the Vikings to be No. 1.

And then there is St. Bonaventure, perhaps No. 1 in the court of public opinion because it is the defending Northern champion - and the two-time defending CIF State Div. III champion - combined with the fact the Seraphs have won eight section titles over the past 10 years. Plus, St. Bonaventure's only loss was to Serra League champion Bishop Amat of La Puente, which competes in the Pac-5, the section's most competitive division.

It's easy to make an argument for any of the three.

"Yes, it's possible we would be No. 1 but all three are great teams," Valencia receiver Zach Tartabull said.

-- It must have been something in the air on Friday the 13th, because, like Moorpark, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks suffered a rare loss, too -- and a costly one. Entering as the Pac-5's No. 4 team, the Knights (8-2) lost 31-14 at Bishop Amat of La Puente for the league title.

"I'm extremely disappointed because I felt like we had the ability to win that game," Notre Dame quarterback Ryan Kasdorf said. "Hopefully, we never have to feel this way again. We want to come out strong in the playoffs and take it all the way."

Worse off is league mate Crespi of Encino. One week after handing Bishop Amat its first loss, the visiting Celts (5-5) blew a 22-point lead in a 41-37 loss to last-place Loyola of L.A. in a finale Crespi had to win to make the playoffs.

Since advancing to the Pac-5 in 2007, this is the second season in a row that underachieving Crespi has failed to qualify for the playoffs.

-- Another big issue in terms of playoff seeding is what might happen to Campbell Hall of North Hollywood in the East Valley Division.

The Vikings (7-3, 5-2) finished in a three-way tie for second place with Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth (8-2, 5-2) and Brentwood (6-4, 5-2) in the eight-team Alpha League. But for playoff purposes, Campbell Hall is the league's No. 4 team because Brentwood won a three-way coin flip for an automatic berth as the second-place team, and Sierra Canyon defeated the Vikings head to head.

What happened was, the Alpha League added two teams this season (Sierra Canyon and Montclair Prep, both of which graduated from eight-man) but was not granted additional playoff spots because the 2009-10 school year is not a league realignment year.

Thus, the Alpha League is California's only eight-team league with just two automatic playoff spots. The other sticking point is there are six leagues in the East Valley League but only four at-large berths to go around.

So it's looking like Campbell Hall, ranked sixth in the coaches/writers poll, is not going to make the 16-team field.

"We could get screwed," Campbell Hall coach Russell Gordon said. "I wouldn't say it's impossible to get in, but it doesn't look good for us. But it's our fault because we didn't take care of business."

-- Gerry Gittelson

he City Section football playoffs are here, and already there are big winners and big losers in Div. I -- even though the first round does not begin until Thursday.

Taft of Woodland Hills (6-4) received a favorable draw when pairings were announced Saturday, as the West Valley League champion Toreadors are seeded fourth despite an up-and-down season. Meanwhile, Birmingham (3-7) was happy to slip into the No. 16 spot after losing the first seven games of the season.

On the other hand, Sylmar was not well-rewarded for winning the Valley Mission League. The Spartans, seeded 14th, were not granted a first-round home game and instead must play at Western Division champion Venice (9-1), ranked among the top teams in the state.

"That's unbelievable to win a league title and not get a home game," Sylmar coach London Woodfin said. "I talked to our basketball coach, and that's how it's done in basketball. We deserve it."

Woodfin conceded that being seeded 14th had a ripple effect, as league mates San Fernando and Kennedy of Granada Hills, both tied for second place, were snubbed.

It's the first time since 2005 that San Fernando is not in the playoffs.

"Tom was beyond disappointed. I'd say disgusted is more the word," Woodfin said.

Kennedy coach Dion Lambert suggested a bias against San Fernando Valley-area leagues.

"I'm definitely disappointed. This is a heartbreaker," Lambert said. "The whole system is screwed. I just don't like it. It comes down to City vs. the Valley. No matter how bad their leagues are, they think their leagues are better than our leagues. It's frustrating, and we're at the mercy of system. But it's not a fair system."

Teams decide before the season if they want to compete in Div. I or Div. II, and it does not matter which leagues they're from.

Defending Div. II champion Arleta (9-1), which won the East Valley League, is seeded No. 2. Top-seed Roosevelt of L.A. (9-1) won the Eastern League over Jordan of L.A. (6-4) and Bell (7-3), both of which qualified for the Div. I field.

-- Gerry Gittelson

CITY SECTION PLAYOFFS

All games Thursday 7 p.m. unless noted

DIVISION I
Birmingham (3-7) at Crenshaw (10-0)
West Adams (7-3) at Westchester (7-3)
Dorsey (7-3) at San Pedro (8-2)
Garfield (5-5) at Taft (6-4)
Sylmar (6-4) at Venice (9-1)
Narbonne (7-3) at L.A. Jordan (6-4), 2 p.m.
Banning (4-6) at Locke (6-4), 2 p.m.
Santee (7-3) at Carson (8-2)

DIVISION II
Grant (5-5) at Roosevelt (9-1)
Bell (7-3) at Fairfax (5-5)
Jefferson (6-3) at Franklin (8-1)
Wilson (4-6) at Hamilton (7-3)
Panorama (5-5) at El Camino Real (9-1)
Poly (8-2) at South East (4-6)
Marshall (7-3) at Cleveland (7-3)
Reseda (5-5) at Arleta (9-1), 2 p.m.

Not only did the La Canada football team win its regular-season finale Friday night, but the Spartans survived a wild California tiebreaker with Temple City to secure the final automatic qualifying berth from the Rio Hondo League.

The Spartans defeated South Pasadena 39-20, then waited for Temple City to arrive at South Pasadena High after the Rams suffered a 19-14 loss at San Marino.

Yes, after the Rams lost to San Marino (7-3, 3-2) and the Titans won a three-way coin flip with Temple City (5-4-1, 3-2) and La Canada (5-4, 3-2) to secure the league's No. 2 entry behind Monrovia (10-0, 5-0) in the Mid-Valley Division playoffs, Temple City and La Canada met at South Pasadena to participate in the tiebreaker to determine the league's No. 3 playoff entry.

After neither team scored in the first overtime, La Canada's Deleep Sandhu scored on a 1-yard run in the second extra period to tie the tiebreaker 7-7 and force a third overtime.

Temple City scored on a 25-yard pass on the first play of its third series and converted the extra point for a 14-7 lead, but the Spartans responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Rocky Moore to Josh Hanson to pull within a point.

Then, La Canada coach Dan Yoder gambled and decided to go for the 2-point conversion and the win. The risk paid off, as Moore connected with Michael Arkfeld on a 3-yard pass to the right side to lift La Canada to the 15-14 victory.

Everyone knew high-powered Westlake High could score a lot of points, but when it counted most Friday it was the defense that came through in a 38-14 victory over visiting Moorpark that clinched the Marmonte League football championship.

In a showdown of unbeatens in the final regular-season game of the season, Westlake knocked off the No. 1 team in the Northern Division and put itself in prime position for a favorable playoff draw -- perhaps the No. 1 seed after entering No. 4.

"Defense wins championships. I've always believed that," Westlake quarterback Nick Isham said. "That was the key to our success tonight. The defense won the game for us."

Westlake (10-0, 7-0) intercepted three passes and limited Moorpark (9-1, 6-1) to 238 yards, 51 on an inconsequential touchdown drive in the final minute.

"We stepped up to the ocassion," Westlake defensive lineman Dallas Clayton said. "Moorpark obviously has a great offensive line, but we came out and competed."

Moorpark had won nine in a row with dual quarterbacks Brian Blechen and Brady Rohach, but neither was effective Friday. Blechen was 3 for 8 for 22 yards and an interception, and Rohach was 7 of 15 for 31 yards and two interceptions, one of which was returned 17 yards for a touchdown by Michael Tack -- Westlake sixth interception return for a touchdown this season.

Isham completed 8 of 15 for 187 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown to Nelson Spruce. Isham also scored two touchdowns on runs of 12 and 3 yards and returned an interception 42 yards to set up his 3-yard score.

Spruce had four receptions for 132 yards, and he also returned a punt 25 yards.

The defeat was Moorpark's first Marmonte League loss since 2007.

Westlake's Tavior Mowry rushed for 130 yards on 15 carries, including a 20-yard touchdown run, and Isham added 50 yards on 19 carries.

Isham is having a spectacular season. He has completed 75.5 percent of his passes for 1,607 yards and 23 touchdowns with two interceptions, and he has scored eight touchdowns. He also has intercepted three passes and is a top punter.

Isham did not waste time Friday. He orchestrated a five-play 70-yard touchdown drive on Westlake's opening possession, hitting Spruce on a 28-yard pass and finishing with a 12-yard touchdown run.

The next time Isham touched the football, he passed 80 yards to Spruce on the first play of Westlake's second possession for a 14-7 lead.

Moorpark started well, too. The Musketeers drove 80 yards on 18 plays for a touchdown on their first possession, gobbling more than nine minutes on the clock. But Westlake did not allow Moorpark to record a first down over the next two series before eventually pulling away in the second half.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

It's about two hours before kickoff, and it's just getting dark here in Westlake Village, where the Westlake Warriors are getting ready to face visiting Moorpark in a Marmonte League finale for the ages, as both are undefeated at 9-0.

I figured I'd get here early to beat the Friday traffic, so I'm at a restaurant just down the street from the stadium, and sure enough I see fellow guests in Westlake gear and others in Moorpark gear.

It's the first really cold night of the football season, too, so I'm breaking out the heavy jacket and getting ready for what figures to be a great night of football.

Westlake has a terrific offense that averages more than 400 yards and features a top junior quarterback in Nick Isham, a talented receiver in Nelson Spruce and a fast running back in Tavior Mowry.

Moorpark, led by linebacker Marc Palacious, prides itself on defense.

We'll soon see what's going to happen in a showdown that is too close to call.

-- Gerry Gittelson

The CIF Southern Section, in conjunction with www.vootage.com, will present the 2009 CIF Southern Section-Toyota 11-Man Football Pairings Day Selection Show live on Sunday.

Here is the schedule:

10:00 a.m.
Post At-Large Teams - All Divisions

11:00-11:20 a.m.
Pac-5 Division
Central Division
Eastern Division
Inland Division
Mid-Valley Division
Northern Division
Northwest Division
Southern Division
Western Division

11:20-11:40 a.m.
East Valley Division
Northeast Division

11:40-12:00 Noon
Southeast Division
Southwest Division

Bad news for Highland. Starting quarterback Christian Tago is suffering from a sprained knee sustained last week, and he won't be available tonight against visiting Palmdale in a Golden League finale to decide the league title, according to Highland coach Randy Block.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Update from Campbell Hall vs. Palm Desert Aztecs

C. Hall won in straight sets 25-15, 25-16, 25-16 in its first action of CIF Div. III-AA playoffs.

Janelle Tucker led CHall with 27 kills and 2 aces.

Meredith Ware contributed 10 digs and Kathleen Finnerty had 21 assists.

Juliana Tucker played in the first set and then rested the remainder of the match as she continues her recovery from the ankle injury that sidelined her for the final match of the regular season against Brentwood of Los Angeles

Malcolm Jones loves scoring touchdowns, and the
adrenaline rush makes him want to do it over and over again.

The running back for Oaks Christian High has scored 95 touchdowns in
four years heading into a Tri-Valley League finale tonight at
Nordhoff of Ojai (8-1, 4-0), and it would be rather shocking if the
6-foot-1, 220-pound senior does not reach 100, considering the Lions
(9-0, 4-0) are favored to win another Northwest Division championship
and perhaps another CIF State Bowl.

"Once you break into the open field, you get that wave of
excitement," Jones said. "It's really fun to score touchdowns,
especially the long ones."

This season, Jones has rushed for 1,439 yards on 138 carries, and he
has scored 26 touchdowns. He rushed for 1,504 yards and scored 34
touchdowns as junior after totaling 2,025 yards and 29 touchdowns as
a sophomore, and 274 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman.

**************************************************

AREA ALL-TIME TOUCHDOWN LEADERS
131 - Chad Kackert, Grace Brethren, 02-04
122 - Marc Tyler, Oaks Christian, 03-06
103 - Milton Knox, Birmingham, 04-07
99- Ted Iacenda, Hart, 93-95
95 - Malcolm Jones, Oaks Christian, 06-present
94 - Russell White, Crespi, 86-88
91 - Curtis Brown, Paraclete, 98-01
84 - Manuel White, Valencia, 96-99
82 - Justin Fargas, Notre Dame, 95-97
82 - J.J. DiLuigi, Canyon, 04-06
82 - Delano Howell, Hart, 05-07
81 - Marlon Lucky, North Hollywood, 02-04
79 - Ryan Zirbel, Saugus, 06-08

Malcolm Jones' Oaks Christian career stats
YR - ATT - YDS - TDs
06 - 37 - 274 - 6
07- 236 - 2,025 - 29
08 - 148 - 1,504 - 34
09 - 138 - 1,439 - 26
TOTAL - 559 - 5,242 (9.4 avg.) - 95

-- Gerry Gittelson

4 - Local teams ranked among Top 5 in Northern Division

23-0 - Oaks Christian's Nick Montana record as starting QB

165 - Tackles by Christian Villasenor (Heritage Christian/GH)

433.8 - Camarillo's yardage per game

465 - Points scored by Arleta (51.7 avg.)

2007 - Last time Moorpark lost a Marmonte League game

-- Gerry Gittelson

Chris Gant, a former Alemany receiver, has 13 touchdown catches as a freshman at Moorpark College -- tops in the nation among JC players. Not bad considering Moorpark is 0-9.

-- Gerry Gittelson

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH

MOORPARK (9-0, 6-0) at WESTLAKE (9-0, 6-0), 7 p.m. - The winner in this Marmonte finale could be granted the top seed in the Northern Division playoffs. Moorpark, led by RB Austin Edmonson, is ranked No. 1, and Westlake, led by QB Nick Isham, is No. 4.

NOTRE DAME (8-1, 2-0) at BISHOP AMAT (8-1, 1-1), 7:30 p.m. - Injuries could be a factor for Serra League power Notre Dame, but QB Ryan Kasdorf is healthy, and the returning All-American is 19-2 as a starter.

BURBANK (7-2, 5-1) at BURROUGHS (7-2, 6-0), 7 p.m. - Burbank is seeking its first league title in 37 years, and if you want to see it happen you better arrive early because a crowd of 12,000 is expected for this Pacific League showdown.

PALMDALE (7-2, 6-0) at HIGHLAND (6-3, 5-1), 7 p.m. - The Golden League is often unpredictable -- except when it comes to Palmdale, which has won 43 of its past 44 league games.

TAFT (5-4, 3-1) at CLEVELAND (7-2, 3-1), 7 p.m. - No one ever thought it would come to this, but a Taft loss could drop the Toreadors to third place in the West Valley League and out of City Div. I playoff consideration.

OTHER FRIDAY GAMES
All games 7 p.m. unless noted

ALPHA
Calvary Chapel vs. Montclair Prep at Pierce College
Campbell Hall at Maranatha

DEL REY
Bishop Montgomery at Harvard-Westlake

DESERT MOUNTAIN
Desert Christian at Silver Valley

EAST VALLEY
Arleta at Canoga Park
Grant at Poly
Van Nuys at Verdugo Hills

FOOTHILL
Saugus at Canyon
Hart vs. Golden Valley at College of Canyons, 7:30pm
West Ranch at Valencia

FRONTIER
Grace Brethren vs. Santa Paula at Moorpark College, 7:30pm
Villanova Prep at Malibu, 2:30pm

GOLDEN
Eastside vs. Knight at Antelope Valley HS
Antelope Valley at Lancaster
Quartz Hill at Littlerock

MARMONTE
Calabasas at Agoura
Royal at Simi Valley
Newbury Park at Thousand Oaks
Moorpark at Westlake

MISSION
St. Francis at Chaminade, 7:30pm
Alemany at St. Paul, 7:30pm

NORTHERN
Franklin at Eagle Rock, 3:00pm

OLYMPIC
Paraclete at Valley Christian, 7:30pm
Whittier Christian vs. Village Christian at Whittier College

PACIFIC
Hoover at Glendale

PACIFIC VIEW
Rio Mesa at Camarillo

PREP
Flintridge Prep at Chadwick, 3:00pm

RIO HONDO
La Canada at South Pasadena

SANTA FE
Bell-Jeff vs. St. Anthony at Clark Field (Long Beach)
St. Genevieve at Salesian HS

SERRA
Crespi vs. Loyola at East Los Angeles College

TRI-VALLEY
Bishop Diego at Oak Park, 7:30pm
Oaks Christian at Nordhoff

VALLEY MISSION
Reseda at Kennedy
Monroe at Panorama
San Fernando at Sylmar

WEST VALLEY
Granada Hills at Birmingham
El Camino Real at Chatsworth
Taft at Cleveland

NONLEAGUE
Vasquez at Xavier Prep, 3:30pm

-- Gerry Gittelson

It figured to be tough enough this coming Friday for Notre Dame High of Sherman Oaks (8-1, 2-0), which faces host Bishop Amat of La Puente (8-1, 1-1) in a showdown for the Serra League football championship.

But now the news has broke that three top Notre Dame starters are injured -- leading receiver Tyler Thomas (ankle), linebacker Wayne Swinson (ankle) and offensive lineman Tyler Sulka (concussion). Thomas and Swinson are questionable, and Sulka is doubtful.

"That's OK. We've got other players to fill in," two-way lineman Ben Gottschalk said. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

Bishop Amat draws large crowds and has a tight stadium that includes end zone seats - unfriendly confines for a visiting team, especially for showdown game, and it should be plenty loud on Friday.

"It's two 8-1 teams battling for the league championship, so it should be fun," Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney said. "Because the crowd is so close, whenever there's a big game there, it's kind of fun."

Qualifying for the Pac-5 Division, playoffs can be dicey in the four-team league. If Notre Dame loses, combined with Loyola of L.A. (3-6, 0-2) upsetting Crespi of Encino (5-4, 1-1), there would be a three-way tie for first place with only two guaranteed playoff spots. A three-way coin flip would be conducted, and the odd team would be out. The league's No. 1 team would then be determined based on head to head competition being the No. 1 criteria.

There is only one at-large entry in the Pac-5, and the first criteria is a record of .500 or better. At that point, the Southern Section examines all the teams in the division bidding for an at-large berth, and a point formula is used with the most weight given to head-to-head results.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Since the Foothill League changed its configuration in 1992 to include the four Santa Clarita schools (Canyon, Hart of Newhall, Saugus and Valencia), Hart is the only one ever to finish undefeated in football through the regular season.

But that could change Friday if Valencia (9-0) finishes perfect by defeating West Ranch of Stevenson Ranch.

"We've been fortunate to be in position to win every game so far, and it's a credit to our coaches," Valencia quarterback Alex Bishop said. "They've prepared us very well, and they've instilled a great work ethic."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Talk about bad luck: Saugus' Zack Gauthier, who has been lost for the remainder of the football season because of a back injury, is the fourth Saugus starting quarterback since 2004 to suffer a season-ending injury.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Dave Anderson, a former Thousand Oaks receiver now in his fourth year in the NFL with the Houston Texans, is scheduled to be honored Friday in a school ceremony to retire his football jersey No. 1.

In the mean time, Anderson's school record of 83 receptions in one season, set during his junior year in 2000, is in jeopardy. Richard Mullaney has 67 through nine games, so if he can keep the pace and Thousand Oaks can win a playoff game or two, the senior has a chance to break the mark.

Mullaney's best performance came last month in a 42-13 victory over Calabasas when he totaled 14 receptions for 225 yards and three touchdowns.

-- Gerry Gittelson

A rigorous off-season conditioning program has made a big difference for the Camarillo football team, 8-1 after going 5-6 last year. The Scorpions already have clinched the league championship in the lightly regarded Pacific View League, but in their only nonleague contest against a championship caliber team in Week One, they lost 30-17 to Newbury Park.

"Obviously, we're a lot better, but we need a huge win to get some respect to be compared with teams like St. Bonaventure, Westlake and Moorpark," Camarillo quarterback Jeff Matthews said. "I think we're a top team. We would love another shot at Newbury Park in the playoffs."

-- Gerry Gittelson

The Westlake-Moorpark football showdown Friday between two undefeated rivals for the Marmonte League championship is too close to call, so it seems no one wants to make a prediction.

Thousand Oaks has lost to both teams, and coach Mike Leibin said: "It's one of those games that could depend on which way the ball bounces."

The series is 3-3 since 2003, during which time Moorpark is 62-24 and Westlake is 55-22.

-- Gerry Gittelson

After rushing for close to 1,700 yards and 23 touchdowns in 13 football games last year, Alemany of Mission Hills' Malcolm Marable's has not been quite as effective with 785 yards and 13 touchdowns in eight games. But Marable has really established himself as a receiving threat with 13 catches for 346 yards and three touchdowns - a 21.6 average per reception - and the Oregon State-bound senior also has developed into a top defensive back.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Once ranked among the top prep football teams in California and considered a City Section championship contender, Taft of Woodland Hills (5-4, 3-1) has had an uneven season - even a couple of its victories have been less than impressive - and the Toreadors find themselves having to defeat West Valley League rival Cleveland of Reseda (7-2, 3-1) to guarantee a spot in the City Div. I playoffs.

Nevertheless, offensive lineman Brandon Mitchell says it would be a mistake for anyone to give up on Taft.

"We've really bonded. This game at Cleveland is like a playoff game for us, and we're going to keep going forward," Mitchell said. \

-- Gerry Gittelson

If you want a sneak peak at some of the football stars of tomorrow, check out the Northridge Knights' Pop Warner team. The 12-year-olds are 9-0 and unscored upon heading into a playoff game vs. East Valley on Saturday at 1 p.m. at Sylmar High.

Northridge has some good bloodlines, too. Running back Leo Lambert, who has scored 18 touchdowns, is the nephew of Dion Lambert, head coach at Kennedy of Granada Hills. Another running back, Kenny Carew, is the brother former UCLA running back Ryen Carew, who played at Sylmar and Verdugo Hills. And then there is Bryan McNab, the son of Notre Dame High defensive coordinator Joe McNab, who helps to coach the defense.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Burbank (7-2, 5-1) and arch-rival Burroughs of Burbank (7-2, 6-0) play for the Pacific League football championship Friday at 7 p.m. in the annual Big Game, and there is a lot more at stake than usual, as Burbank has not won a league title since 1972 and Burroughs has won just one since 1981.

Streets will be closed, and a crowd of 12,000 is expected with both teams celebrating homecoming.

"The city of Burbank can't wait," Burroughs coach Keith Knoop said. "Everyone couldn't care less about the other nine games, just this one. If every game was like this, it would be like high school football in a small town in Texas."

The pressure is on Burroughs quarterback Derek Cwik, who is expected to make his first start as a replacement for Lucas Yanez, who is doubtful because of a shoulder injury sustained last week. Yanez is wearing a sling on his arm and has not been medically cleared, while Cwik has completed a total of nine passes in three appearances this season.

"It's definitely going to be a handful for a young man to start for the first time in front of a crowd like that, but Derek is smart and he knows the offense," Burroughs coach Keith Knoop said.

Burbank first-year coach Hector Valencia, 34, was born two years after Burbank's last league championship.

"Whoever wins Friday is the league champion and goes to the playoffs as the top seed from our league, so there is a lot on the line," Valencia said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Defending Golden League champion Palmdale (7-2, 6-0) has won 43 of its past 44 league games, but few have been more important than a showdown for first place this coming Friday at 7 p.m. at Highland of Palmdale (6-3, 5-1).

Palmdale is ranked No. 4 in the Western Division, and the Falcons, who have never won a section title, must win to preserve a preferential playoff seed.

"Highland is breathing down our neck hard," Palmdale coach Jeff Williams said. "It's a crosstown rivalry, and I think it's going to be a good game. Our kids know their kids, so it should be an exciting game to watch."

Palmdale has defeated Highland six times in a row since 2002.

As for the rest of the Golden League, defending Western Division champion Quartz Hill (5-4, 4-2) is among three teams competing for the final two playoff spots, along with Knight of Palmdale (5-4, 4-2) and Eastside of Lancaster (3-6, 4-2), who play at 7 p.m. at Antelope Valley High.

If Eastside loses, it would be next to impossible to qualify for an at-large playoff berth because the No. 1 criteria is a record of .500 or better.

In other Palmdale news, defensive back Joshua Shaw, one of California's most soughtafter uncommitted recruits, is scheduled to announce his college choice at a campus press conference Tuesday morning.

Shaw is picking between Notre Dame, USC, Ohio State, Florida and LSU, and he has taken official visits to the four out-of-town universities. Shaw has plans to graduate after this semester and to begin college in January.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Another big year-end rivalry game is Simi Valley versus Royal of Simi Valley. The showdown is Friday at 7 p.m. at Simi Valley, and neither team has a chance to make the
Northern Division playoffs, so they're playing for pride and neighborhood bragging rights.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Camarillo's Jeff Matthews passed for a 588 yards and six touchdowns Friday in a 61-20 victory over Hueneme of Oxnard -- the second-most yardage in one game in Southern Section history and fourth best all-time in California. The Southern Section record is 604 yards by Robert Fuller of San Bernardino in 2006.

"It wasn't just me. The offensive line did a great job," Matthews said. "I guess a lot of people are overlooking us. We've got a pretty good team."

Camarillo coach Dennis Riedmiller said Matthews could have passed for more yards with a few breaks.

"We had three plays called back and two drops, and those would have equaled about 85 more yards that Jeff never got a chance to make up," Riedmiller said.

Matthews, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound senior, completed 33 of 48 passes against Hueneme. In nine games, he has passed for 2,560 yards (64.7 pct.) and 31 touchdowns. He has on offer to play at Cornell, and Riedmiller said other universities are beginning to take notice.

"He's doing a pretty good job for us," Reidmiller said.

-- Gerry Gittelson

I just talked to Gerry Gittelson, and he has some breaking news:

After an agonizing three days thinking he would be suspended this coming Friday, coach Matt Kerstetter of Taft of Woodland Hills will return to the sideline after all for a key West Valley League finale at Cleveland of Reseda.

Kerstetter was ejected last Friday after the game for arguing with an official in a 44-26 loss against Birmingham of Lake Balboa, but apparently no one followed through with the City Section, so Kerstetter does not have to sit out the next game.

"I just got an e-mail from John Aguirre, the assistant commissioner, and he cleared me," Kerstetter said. "He said to chalk it up to a learning experience."

Taft (5-4, 3-1) must defeat Cleveland of Reseda (7-2, 3-1) to guarantee a City Div. I playoff spot.

Transfers Christian Holden from Rosamond and Dushon Carter from Renaissance Academy of La Canada are still not cleared to play basketball at El Camino Real this season.

Practice has already begun but more paperwork needs to come through before any decisions on the two players can be made.

Asst. athletic director Vinnie Orlando said he thinks Holden will probably get cleared and Carter is trying for a hardship.

Stay tuned...............

Ryan Moore, an asst. coach at Simi Valley and former head coach at Oaks Christian of Westlake Village is one of four finalists for the Santa Clara of Oxnard job.

Moore guided Oaks Chr. to a semifinal appearance and has been one of the top asst.'s in the region for the past six years.

Stay tuned.................

Paraclete's Todd Davis receives first offer from Sacrameto State

The Hornets jump out early with offer to Spirits defensive all-star

Lancaster, CA - Paraclete head Coach Norm Dahlia announced today that senior defenseman Todd Davis has received his first offer from Sacramento State earlier today. Dahlia stated the that Hornets have offered Davis a full-scholarship effective immediately. Davis is scheduled to take a recruiting trip to Sacramento State the weekend of 11/21/2009.

Dahlia also noted that UC Davis and Fresno State have also shown gaining interest in the senior. Davis is scheduled to take a recruiting trip to UC Davis the weekend of 11/14/2009.

Davis has not committed at this time.

Todd Davis Profile:

Height: 6-02
Weight: 230
Class Year: Senior
Varsity Year: 3rd

Biography:

2009: Named defensive player to watch during the preseason by LA Times...named team captain...is a current nine game two-way starter for the Spirits...leads the team in solo tackles (39), assisted tackles (67), and 106 total tackles...also leads the team with 25 tackles for loss...Davis is also credited with three sacks, one caused fumble, and one fumble recovery.

2008: Named defensive player to watch during the preseason by both LA Daily News and LA Times...Was a 14 game two-way starter on the varsity team... finished the year ranked second on defense with 164 total tackles...led the team with 20 tackles-for-loss and 13 sacks...also had two interceptions, three pass break-ups, two fumble recoveries, and two blocked kicks...Recipient of Utility Player of Year Award...Named Antelope Valley Small School Defensive Player of the Year by AV Press...Named All-Olympic League Defensive MVP...Selected All-CIF Mid-Valley Division Team - Defense...Selected All-State Division 3 Second Team - Defense.

2007: Played his sophomore year on the varsity team where he continued to standout on both sides of the ball...finished the year with 83 total tackles...led the team with 11 sacks...also responsible for causing two fumbles...Selected All-Olympic League First Team - Defense...Selected All-CIF Mid-Valley Division Team - Defense.

2006: Played his first full season at Paraclete High School on the junior varsity team...Recipient of Lineman of the Year Award.

Honors:
All-State Division 3 Second Team - Defense, 2008
All-CIF Mid-Valley Division Team - Defense, 2008
All-Olympic League Defensive MVP, 2008
AV Press Defensive Player of the Year - Small Schools, 2008
Paraclete Varsity Football - Utility Player of the Year, 2008
All-CIF Mid-Valley Division Team - Defense, 2007
All-Olympic League First Team - Defense, 2007
Paraclete Junior Varsity Football - Lineman of the Year, 2006

It was a good news, bad news situation for the El Camino Real of Woodland Hills girls volleyball team after its first round Div. I City Section playoff match against Kennedy of Granada Hills.

First, the good news.

The Conquistadores outlasted the Golden Cougars in five sets, 25-20, 23-25, 21-25, 25-20, 15-11, to advance to Thursdays second round.

The bad news?

El Camino Real (6-12-1) has to face top-ranked West Valley League rival Granada Hills.

However, El Camino Real has two days to revel in its victory and prepare for the Hanna Levanen, Amber Hawthorne and Highlanders.

It seemd like it would be a relatively quick night for El Camino Real as it won the first set and was leading 9-2 in set two before falling apart.

Kennedy seized the opportunity, coming all the way back from the eight point deficit and then won set three to take a 2-1 set lead.

"We always do that," El Camino Real middle blocker Jackie Silver said. "We get too excited and just lose our heads and focus. We start playing too fast but we always come back and pick it up."

That's exactly what the Conquistadores did.

El Camino real regained its focus behind Silver, Marissa Chavez and Shanna Puruncajas to win set four and then scored four of the fibal five points in set five to escape the mild upset.

Chavez, Puruncajas and Silver had 12, 11 and eight kills for El Camino Real.

Kelly Gegenheimer had 28 assists and Cassandra De La Cruz had 26 digs. Puruncajas added four aces, including coming through with two huge kills to break open a 11-10 lead in set five for a three point lead.

A Kennedy (11-3) hititng error and a service ace from Ashlynn Parker ended the match.

As far as facing Granada Hills, Silver is quite confident despite two regular season league losses.

"We got it," Silver said. "We can do it. We played some close games with them so we know we can stay in it. We just have to keep our heads up and spirits lifted."

Jordan Allred, a top offensive lineman who played at Thousand Oaks and is now at Pierce College, has committed to Kansas State.

-- Gerry Gittelson

One year after transferring from St. Francis of La Canada to Alemany of Mission Hills, defensive back Deron Smith faced his former teammates Friday and came through with the performance of a lifetime.

The sophomore intercepted two passes and broke up another key fourth-down pass -- all in the second half -- to help Alemany to a 13-7 victory that clinched at least a share of the Mission League championship with one game remaining.

"We stepped up big tonight," Smith said. "This was really important."

Smith's first interception came in the end zone after St. Francis (7-2, 1-1) had driven 85 yards on 19 plays on its first drive of the second half.

"I was kind of surprised on that one. The ball came right to me," Smith said.

On St. Francis' next possession, Smith again came through by breaking up a fourth-down pass on his own 33. That left St. Francis with one last opportunity a few minutes later, and this time Smith again had an interception with less than one minute remaining.

"Deron came up big for us tonight, and that second interception was just unbelievable," Alemany coach Dean Herrington said. "I'm happy for him because he's such a nice kid. I thought the game would come down to something like this because St. Francis is a good team."

Alemany's Malcolm Marable rushed for 133 yards on 30 carries, scoring on a 2-yard run.

St. Francis' Justin Posthuma completed 9 of 24 passes for 135 yards and four interceptions, and he rushed for 101 yards on 18 carries.

Dietrich Riley, a star multipurpose back for St. Francis who is one of California's top unsigned recruits, played with a hamstring injury and was used sparingly. He rushed for 66 yards on nine carries and did make make his first appearance on defense until the second quarter.

"We were probably a little lucky that Dietrich Riley wasn't at full strength," Herrington said.

The highlight of the first half was a 54-yard field goal by Martin Meza, who added a 43-yarder just before the end of the second quarter to help Alemany to a 13-7 halftime lead.

Alemany (6-3, 2-0) scored on Marable's 2-yard run, as the Warriors drove 80 yards on 12 plays on a time-consuming drive that lasted six minutes, 27 seconds.

St. Francis opened with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Michael Melnick.

Alemany's Vernon Adams completed 6 of 13 passes for 52 yards.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

There is 2:57 left at Alemany, and St. Francis trails 13-7 but is driving. The Golden Knights are on the Alemany 43, and reserve QB Brett Nelson is in because Justin Posthuma just got hurt on a 23-yard run.

Alemany's Malcolm Marable has rushed for 126 yards on 27 carries, but Alemany has fewer than 200 yards total offense.

-- Gerry Gittelson

The highlight of the first half was a 54-yard field goal by Martin Meza, who added a 43-yarder just before the end of the second quarter to help Alemany to a 13-7 halftime lead.

Alemany also scored on Malcolm Marable's 2-yard run, as the Warriors drove 80 yards on 12 plays on a time-consuming six minutes, 27 seconds.

St. Francis opened with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by Michael Melnick.

Riley played sparingly in the first half, rushing for 43 yards on three carries. He did not appear on defense until the second quarter.

We're here at Alemany in Mission Hills for a key Mission League game against St. Francis, and it looks like Dietrich Riley, St. Francis star multi-purpose back who has missed one game with a hamstring injury and hasn't practiced this week, is going to try to play.

He's been warming up after doing rehab today, and though he looks like he is limping just a bit, no one has said he is NOT playing.

Talked to St. Francis coach Jim Bonds, and he said it will be a game-time decision.

The winner tonight has the inside track for the league title with one more game remaining next week. Alemany is 5-3, 1-0, and St. Francis is 7-1, 1-0.

-- Gerry Gittelson

One year later and the Bell-Jeff of Burbank girls basketball team just keeps rolling along.

Last year, the Guards won the state Division V championship and this year they want more.

They could be on their way with three new players.

Freshman Leslie Lopez-Wood enrolled in the summer, Layana White transferred from Canyon and sophomore Marilyn Flynn transferred from Burroughs of Burbank.

If that wasn't enough, Bell-Jeff returns Margeaux Gupilan, Julia Tani, Rishonda Napier and Jasmine Smith.

There should be no shortage of victories for Bryan Camacho and the Guards.

Jet Reich, the top boys water polo player at the school has committed to Pepperdine.

Reich leads the Lions in goals scored this season.

Crespi of Encino setter Daniel Stork has committed to UC Irvine.

Stork is one of the best setters in California and is excited to play for the 2009 NCAA champions.

FIVE GAMES TO WATCH
All games tonight

BISHOP AMAT (8-0, 1-0) at CRESPI (4-4, 0-1), 7:30 p.m. - Crespi must shore up its special teams and avoid 15-yard penalties to knock off Serra League rival.

LOYOLA (3-5, 0-1) at NOTRE DAME (7-1, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. - Returning All-America QB Ryan Kasdorf is 18-2 as a starter for defending Serra League champ Notre Dame.

ST. FRANCIS (7-1, 1-0) at ALEMANY (5-3, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. - This should be a close one, so turnovers could be the difference in this Mission League showdown.

SAUGUS (3-5, 2-1) vs.Valencia (8-0, 3-0) at College of Canyons, 7:30 pm - High-scoring Valencia can clinch the Foothill League title with win over the rebuilding Centurions.

SYLMAR (4-4, 2-1) at RESEDA (5-3, 2-1), 7:00 p.m. - Both have hopes of wrestling away Valley Mission title from three-time champion San Fernando.

OTHER GAMES

All games tonight at 7 p.m. unless indicated

ALPHA
Campbell Hall vs. Sierra Canyon at Granada Hills HS, 7:00pm
Kilpatrick vs. Montclair Prep at Pierce College, 7:00pm

DEL REY
Harvard-Westlake at Cathedral, 7:00pm

FOOTHILL
Golden Valley at Canyon, 7:00pm
West Ranch vs. Hart at Valencia, 7:00pm

FRONTIER
Grace Brethren vs. Fillmore at Moorpark College, 7:30pm
Malibu at Santa Paula, 7:30pm

GOLDEN
Littlerock at Knight, 7:00pm
Highland at Lancaster, 7:00pm
Palmdale vs. Eastside at Antelope Valley, 7:00pm
Antelope Valley at Quartz Hill, 7:00pm

MARMONTE
Moorpark at Agoura, 7:00pm
Newbury Park at Calabasas, 7:00pm
Thousand Oaks at Royal, 7:00pm
Westlake at Simi Valley, 7:00pm

MISSION
St. Francis at Alemany, 7:30pm
Chaminade at St. Paul, 7:30pm

PACIFIC
Crescenta Valley at Burroughs, 7:00pm
Hoover vs. Arcadia at Glendale HS, 7:00pm
Glendale at Muir, 7:00pm

PACIFIC VIEW
Camarillo at Hueneme, 7:00pm

PREP
Viewpoint vs. Flintridge Prep at Occidental College, 7:00pm

RIO HONDO
Monrovia at La Canada, 7:00pm

SANTA FE
Bell-Jeff at Salesian, 7:00pm

TRI-VALLEY
Nordhoff at Oak Park, 7:30pm
Oaks Christian at Santa Clara, 7:30pm

Friday, November 6th

EAST VALLEY
Verdugo Hills at Arleta, 2:15pm
North Hollywood at Canoga Park, 7:00pm
Grant at Van Nuys, 7:00pm

NORTHERN
Eagle Rock at Lincoln, 6:00pm

VALLEY MISSION
Kennedy at Panorama, 7:00pm
Monroe at San Fernando, 7:00pm

WEST VALLEY
Granada Hills at Chatsworth, 7:00pm
El Camino Real at Cleveland, 7:00pm

NONLEAGUE
Poly at Bell, 7:00pm
Vasquez at Yucca Valley, 7:00pm

SATURDAY

OLYMPIC
Whittier Christian at Los Angeles Baptist, 1:00pm
Valley Christian vs. Village Christian at Glendale, 7:00pm

.813 - Combined winning percentage (26-6) of four opponents to beat
Crespi

4 - Consecutive shutouts by Paraclete

26 - Touchdowns scored by St. Genevieve's QB Chris Navarro

27 -- Area single-season sack record held by Mike Carl (Reseda, 1986)

28- Oaks Christian's winning streak

256 - Career wins by Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney, the area's
all-time leader

1,358 -- Rushing yards by Panorama's Malcolm Thomas

Four Highland players, two of them starters, have been kicked off the team in the aftermath of a Halloween incident Saturday in which an alleged robbery was committed against an adult. The four were arrested and are scheduled to appear Friday in juvenile court.

"It's like Halloween is a night where you can push your limits, but when you're 15 sometimes you don't know what those limits are," Highland coach Randy Block said. "I was told to remove them from the team, and that's what I've done."

-- Gerry Gittelson

For many years, the San Fernando Valley's top two Southern Section
boys' basketball programs, Harvard-Westlake of Studio City and
Campbell Hall of North Hollywood, have wanted to play each other.

It has never happened, even though the campuses are just two miles
apart.

They were always in different playoff divisions, and because
Harvard-Westlake participates in the seven-team Mission League there
were never extra nonleague games after the Wolverines filled their
quota of three tournaments.

But things have changed.

The new Southern Section playoff divisions have been released, and
this season both are in Div. III-A. That means Harvard-Westlake,
which has won nine section titles and two state titles, and Campbell
Hall, which has won five section titles and three state titles, could
meet in the playoffs.

It's something to think about, as the first day of basketball
practice is right around the corner. City Section teams begin Monday,
and Southern Section teams start the following Saturday, Nov. 14. The
City season opens Nov. 23, followed by the Southern Section on Nov.
30.

"I would love to play Campbell Hall. It would be great because
they're right down the street," Harvard-Westlake coach Greg Hilliard
said. "I guess now there's a reasonable chance we could see them in
the playoffs, but that's so far ahead it would be conjecture. But if
the draw worked out, even though it's so far down the line, if we're
both still around, I would love to have that chance to play them."

Both return two of their top players. Damiene Cain and Erik Swoope
are back for Harvard-Westlake, and James Johnson and Austin McBroom
are back for Campbell Hall.

Some of the area's other elite returnees are Bryce Jones and De'Andre
Daniels from Taft of Woodland Hills, Lonnie Jackson of Valencia and
Alex Tiffin of Thousand Oaks.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Canyon's football team is having a tough year, but the Cowboys
(0-8) have one of the area's top young receivers in freshman Drew
Wolitarsky, who had five receptions for 121 yards last week in a
Foothill League loss to West Ranch of Stevenson Ranch.

Wolitarsky, a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder, has 35 catches for 649 yards, an
18.5 average, and five touchdowns.

Another Foothill League freshman making a football impact is
defensive back Tedric Thompson, who has worked his way into the
starting lineup for first-place Valencia (8-0).

-- Gerry Gittelson

Greg Seidenglanz, a senior football player at Chaminade of West
Hills, should be called Greg "Blue Shoes" Seindenglanz because of his
one-of-a-kind, shiny blue cleats.

"They are a little bright," coach Ed Croson said.\

-- Gerry Gittelson

In today's world, if you never get a chance to see some of the
area's top athletes in person or on TV, you can do so by pushing a
button. I did a quick check on YouTube and found online video of
football player Malcolm Jones from Oaks Christian, basketball player
Bryce Jones from Taft and baseball player Ryon Healy from Crespi of
Encino.

-- Gerry Gittelson

-- St. Francis of La Canada has unique football uniforms because of
the cloth retro numbers, a nod towards the school's proud past that
included a Southern Section championship in 1964.

"The old-fashioned numbers, it's been that way for a long time,"
coach Jim Bonds said. "We've always liked them, so we've kept them.
It's pretty cool, but our uniform supplier doesn't like them because
he has a hard time tracking down those retro numbers because nobody
uses them anymore."

In other St. Francis football news, star multipurpose back Dietrich
Riley said he's feeling better after missing one game because of a
hamstring injury, but Bonds said Riley remains doubtful for a Mission
League showdown Friday between the visiting Golden Knights (7-1, 1-0)
and Alemany of Mission Hills (5-3, 1-0).

"Dietrich's status has not changed, and he is not practicing," Bonds
said. "I'm a little skeptical. Yes, he's feeling better but for a guy
whose game is speed, I would hate to put him out there without his
hamstring being 100 percent. It might have long-term effects. So it's
day to day right now, and it will be a game-time decision."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Max Napolitano, a defensive back for Oaks Christian, is soon expected
to commit to Yale, and that would give the Lions seven Division
I-bound seniors. The others are quarterback Nick Montana
(Washington), running back Malcolm Jones (UCLA), offensive lineman
Erik Kohler (Washington), defensive linemen Alani Fua (BYU) and
Cassius Marsh (LSU) and linebacker Zac Stout (BYU).

"There could be one more with Silas Goma," Oaks Christian coach Bill
Redell said. "I think he's a D-1 defensive back, too."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Arleta's football game Friday against visiting
Verdugo Hills has been switched from 2:15 p.m. to 7 p.m. The school
is bringing in temporary lights to accommodate homecoming.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Darrell Scott, who played two seasons at Moorpark and was once considered the nation's No. 1 tailback, is on the run again.

The sophomore has quit Colorado's football team, with plans to transfer to UCLA, according to a story in the Denver Post.

Scott did the same thing in high school, leaving Moorpark after rushing for more than 3,000 yards as a junior to play his final season at Northern Division rival St. Bonaventure of Ventura.

-- Gerry Gittelson

Charles Washington, a starting defensive back for Crespi of Encino,
is like a one-armed bandit after being fitted for a bee-hive sized
soft cast because of a broken hand.

"Nothing is going to stop me from playing. I don't even feel it
because I have so much adrenaline," Washington said.
Washington, a junior transfer from Leuzinger of Lawndale who began
his prep career at national power Katy High in Katy, Tex., wore the
wrap for the first time Friday in a 23-21 loss at Notre Dame of
Sherman Oaks.

On a pass play in the second half, Washingon was in good position but
failed to catch what would have been an interception, though he
played well enough to remain in the game the entire night, as
high-powered Notre Dame was held to its second-lowest point total of
the season.

"You've got to respect Charles. He's a tough kid," Crespi coach
Jeremiah Ross said.

Meanwhile, two seasons after advancing to the 2007 Pac-5 final while
coming within a wisp of qualifying for a CIF State Bowl berth, Crespi
(4-4, 0-1) is in danger of not making the playoffs for the second
consecutive year.

To qualify, the Celts probably have to win their final two games,
beginning Friday at 7:30 p.m. against visiting Bishop Amat of La
Puente (8-0, 1-0), ranked No. 14 in the state by Cal-Hi Sports. Only
two of four Serra League teams qualify for the playoffs, and there is
one at-large berth to split between the entire division.

"Going back to last year, we've lost our last three league games by a
total of four points," Ross said. "That's why execution is so
important in the Serra League."

-- Gerry Gittelson

Bam Goodall, a three-year starting
quarterback for Taft of Woodland Hills, has been medically cleared after spending one night at a hospital Friday
because of a back injury sustained in a 28-21 victory at El Camino
Real of Woodland Hills -- just in time for a much anticipated West Valley League game between the Toreadors
(5-3, 3-0) and rival Birmingham of Lake Balboa (1-7, 1-2) on Friday at 7 p.m. at Taft.

If at all capable, Goodall figures to remain in the starting lineup,
though for now he has a stiff neck and might not be able to practice
full speed, according to coach Matt Kerstetter.

"He's a tough kid. I knew Bam would be all right because he told me
so Friday as he was laying on the ground," teammate Lucky Radley
said. "Even as they were taking him in the ambulance, Bam was like,
'It's nothing. I'm good.'"

-- Gerry Gittelson

TIGHT RACE IN VALLEY MISSION LEAGUE
San Fernando has won the Valley Mission League title three years in a
row, but this year the Tigers (2-6, 2-1) are among four teams tied
for first with two games remaining, so it's difficult to predict how
things will play out. The others are Reseda (5-2, 2-1), Kennedy of
Granada Hills (5-3, 2-1) and Sylmar (4-4, 2-1).
"It's a log jam," Reseda coach Alonso Arreola said.

MEANWHILE, IN THE MARMONTE LEAGUE ...
In the Marmonte League, Westlake (8-0, 5-0) and Moorpark (8-0, 5-0)
already have secured two of the eight-team league's four playoff
berths, while five others are scrambling to finish third or fourth.
Thousand Oaks (4-4, 3-2) can guarantee a spot Friday by defeating
host Royal of Simi Valley (3-5, 2-3). Newbury Park (6-2, 3-2) and
outsider Agoura (2-6, 1-4) are also in the mix.

Thousand Oaks coach Mike Leibin said the Marmonte League probably
will be rated the toughest league in the Northern Division. That
means a third-place finish could preserve a home game in the first
round of the playoffs, though nothing is for sure.

-- Gerry Gittelson

If you're in the mood for an early game Friday, check out the East
Valley League game between visiting Verdugo Hills (0-7, 0-4) and
high-scoring Arleta (7-1, 4-0). Kickoff is 2:15 p.m., and if the
contest is like most Arleta games, a running clock probably will be
used in the second half, so you can make it home before rush hour. ...

Hart's 56-7 loss Friday to Valencia was the most points allowed by a
Hart team since 1950. It was just the 10th time in Hart's 61-year
history the Indians have surrendered more than 50. ...

After a rocky start that at one point saw Paraclete of Lancaster lose three
nonleague games in a row while experimenting with three quarterbacks,
the defending Mid-Valley Division champion Spirits have recorded four
shutouts in a row. The last time Paraclete (6-3, 3-0) allowed a point
was Oct. 2 in a 28-7 loss to visiting Hart. Idle this week, Paraclete
finishes Nov. 13 at Cerritos Valley Christian.

-- Gerry Gittelson

I was a guest Sunday on CBS News discussing prep football, and if you missed it, you can click here.

-- Gerry Gittelson

All Games at Thousand Oaks High School
First Team Listed Wears Away Uniforms

Pool A: Pool B:

Camarillo Buena
Golden Valley El Segundo
San Marcos Granada Hills
Thousand Oaks Moorpark

Monday, December 28th

2:30PM - Camarillo vs Thousand Oaks
4:00PM - Buena vs Moorpark
5:30PM - Golden Valley vs San Marcos
7:00PM - El Segundo vs Granada Hills

Tuesday, December 29th

2:30PM - Granada Hills vs Moorpark
4:00PM - Camarillo vs San Marcos
5:30PM - Buena vs El Segundo
7:00PM - Golden Valley vs Thousand Oaks

Wednesday, December 30th

2:30PM - San Marcos vs Thousand Oaks
4:00PM - El Segundo vs Moorpark
5:30PM - Camarillo vs Golden Valley
7:00PM - Granada Hills vs Buena

Thursday, December 31st

10:00AM - Pool B 4th vs Pool A 4th
11:30AM - Pool B 3rd vs Pool A 3rd
1:00PM - Pool B 2nd vs Pool A 2nd
2:30PM - Pool A 1st vs Pool A 1st

Six local teams will participate in this years MaxPreps.com Holiday Classic.

75 teams will converge upon San Diego playing at five different venues.

Taft, Simi Valley, Campbell Hall, Flintridge Prep, Van Nuys and tiny Community Charter are entered from the area.

Schedules will be realeased shortly.

Stay tuned......

2009 San Fernando Valley Invitational
Dec. 18-23

All first-round games Friday Dec. 18

Games at Crespi High
Crespi vs. Poly-Sun Valley, 7 p.m.
Knight vs. Burroughs, 4 p.m.
L.A. Jordan vs. Moorpark, 5:30 p.m.
University-Los Angeles vs. Ribet Academy, 8:30 p.m.

Games at Kennedy High
Montclair Prep vs. Santiago-Corona, 8:30 p.m.
Notre Dame vs. West Ranch, 5:30 p.m.
Kennedy vs. Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.
Palisades vs. Verdugo Hills, 4 p.m.

Games at Alemany High
El Camino Real vs. Newbury Park, 7 p.m.
Burbank vs. Reseda, 4 p.m.
Alemany vs. Beverly Hills, 5:30 p.m.
Hart vs. Grant, 8:30 p.m.

Games at Granada Hills High
Chaminade vs. North Hollywood, 7 p.m.
Westlake vs. Sierra Canyon, 5:30 p.m.
Granada Hills vs. Milken Community, 2:30 p.m.
Golden Valley vs. Lancaster, 4 p.m.

www.sfvtournament.org

twitter.com/dnpreps

2009 Chaminade Christmas Classic

Dec. 26-30

All first-round games on Friday Sat. Dec. 26

Chaminade vs. Northridge Academy, 9 a.m.
San Fernando vs. Newbury Park, 10:30 a.m.
Eastside vs. Burbank, 12 p.m.
Golden Valley vs. Granada Hills, 1:30 p.m.

Valencia vs. St. Bonaventure, 3 p.m.
Lancaster vs. Monroe, 4:30 p.m.
Kennedy vs. Montclair Prep, 6 p.m.
Menlo vs. Calabasas, 7:30 p.m.

Campbell Hall High School
Coaches vs. Cancer Classic
2009

Monday:
6:00 pm Poly vs. Hoover
7:30 pm Campbell Hall vs. Canoga Park

Tuesday:
5:00 pm Canoga Park vs. Hoover
6:30 pm Buckley vs. University
8:00 pm Monroe vs. Calabasas

Wednesday:
5:00 pm Calabasas vs. University
6:30 pm Buckley vs. Monroe
8:00 pm Campbell Hall vs. Poly

Thursday:
4:30 pm Poly vs. Canoga Park
6:00 pm CAMPBELL HALL GIRLS GAME
7:30 pm Campbell Hall vs. Hoover

Friday:
6:00 pm University vs. Monroe
7:30 pm Buckley vs. Calabasas

Saturday:
12:30 pm 4th Place Pool A vs. 4th Place Pool B
2:00 pm 3rd Place Pool A vs. 3rd Place Pool B
3:30 pm 2nd Place Pool A vs. 2nd Place Pool B

6:30 pm 1st Place Pool A vs. 1st Place Pool B

Home team is first team listed and will wear white.

Pool A Pool B
Campbell Hall Buckley
Canoga Park Calabasas
Hoover (Glendale) Monroe
Poly (Sun Valley) University