Mid-Valley Division
First Round Games
La Canada (5-4) at Valley Christian (7-3)
The Crusaders are primed and ready to make a run at the championship. Rightly so, coach Erick Streelman was a little miffed that his team was awarded only the seventh seed despite winning the Olympic League, knocking off defending division champ Paraclete in the process, and losing two games to Cypress and St. Margaret's, both of which have solid chances at winning their divisions. But as Streelman put it, "You got to beat everybody anyhow." Valley Christian, with a spread offense led by QB Kevin Running (2,016 yards, 18 TDs) and WRs Tanner Miller (525 yards, 5 TDs) and Tyler Boer (408, 3 TDs) and sprinkle of wildcat formations mixed in, start with the Spartans, the third-place team out of the Rio Hondo League. This game is likely just a precursor to a second-round game between V.C. and second-seeded San Dimas.
Northwest Division
First Round Games
Harvard-Westlake (7-3) at Centennial (7-3)
The Pioneer League-winning Apaches, who won just one game a year ago, were awarded the eighth seed and will host ninth-seeded Harvard-Westlake, the third-place team out of the very tough Del Rey League, in a tough first-round game. If Centennial is to win, it will have to rely on the likes of offensive and special team playmakers such as Kevin Smith, Theron West, Kurt Davis and Nelson Gammage to continue to put up points. It wouldn't be surprising if the game was a high-scoring affair. "It's the playoffs," Apaches coach Eric Scott said. "It's not about how many points you put up, it's about winning and losing." Defense appears to be Centennial's weakest link, something that Wolverines QB Max Heltzer (1,560 yards, 17 TDs), RB Jamias Jones (605 yards, 12 TDs) and WR Jackson Liguori (700 yards, 10 TDs) can exploit. "It's been an up-and-down deal," Scott said of the defense. However, Scott hopes the gravity of the situation will sink in to his team. "I've preached all week that we have to win or we go home." If the Apaches can win, they will likely get defending champ and one of the state's best teams, Oaks Christian, in the second round. Centennial is looking forward to that challenge. "You can't keep from thinking about that," Scott said. "But you can't get to the second game if you don't win the first one."
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