Recently in Eastern Division Category

All-CIF football Eastern Division team
Offensive Player of the Year:
Jamaal Williams, Summit, 12, RB; Bernard Porter, Summit, 12, QB
Defensive Player of the Year:
Donte Deayon, Summit, 12, DB; Nolan Peralta, Elsinore, 12, LB
Coach of the Year:
Tony Barile, Summit

OFFENSE
Running back:
Davien Payne, Citrus Hill, 12
Taleeb Isom, Kaiser, 11
Adarius Hogan, Serrano, 12
Jamaal Morrow, Heritage, 11
Marshaun Coprich, Oak Hills, 12
Quarterback:
Trevor Hodge, Citrus Hill, 11
Offensive line:
Mark Knapp, Serrano, 12
Tony Aguilera, Summit, 12
Isaac Villegrana, Summit, 12
Aisea Hansen, Kaiser, 12
Matt Schwerin, Ridgecrest Burroughs, 12
Jacob Costilow, Elsinore, 12
Alex Guertin, Heritage, 12
Receiver:
Anthony Johnson, Paloma Valley, 12
John Goodman, West Valley, 11
Tyler Basket, Apple Valley, 12
K.J. Young, Citrus Hill, 11
Maleak Williams, Granite Hills, 12
Utility:
Chad Virgil, Heritage, 12
Kicker: Andres Velasco, Silverado, 12

DEFENSE
Defensive back:
Kyle Trammel, Silverado, 11
Justin Strong, Summit, 11
Allen Stubbs, Elsinore, 11
Darius Allensworth, Heritage, 11
Andre Mitchell, Citrus Hill, 12
Daniel Davis, Oak Hills, 11
Defensive line:
Justin Van Natta, Serrano, 12
Terrance Lange, Sultana, 12
Marcel Buchanan, Silverado, 12
Nikko Taylor, Summit, 12
Kennan Sykes, Summit, 11
Tavita Hala, Temescal Canyon, 12
Cody Blackwell, Elsinore, 12
Linebacker:
Victor Iosefa, Silverado, 12
Kevin Trujillo, Kaiser, 11
Chris Levai, Serrano, 12
Tony Hifo, Heritage, 12
Darnell Murray, Citrus Hill, 12
Utility:
Darryl White, Silverado, 12
Punter:
Jonathan Gonzalez, Apple Valley, 12

Summit won the school's first-ever CIF title in any sport, defeating Menifee Heritage 24-17 in the Eastern Division football championship game on Saturday night at Heritage. QB Bernard Porter's 5-yard touchdown run with 8:33 to play snapped a 17-17 tie and sent Summit to victory.

Here are some stats, notes and observations, much of which didn't make it into my story.

First, the stats:
SUMMIT
Sr. Jamaal Williams 16-187 rushing, 1 TD
Sr. Donte Deayon 13-66, 0 TD, 1 reception-10
Sr. QB Bernard Porter 1-4-0, 10 yards passing, 9-23 rushing, 1 TD
Jr. Tarik Myles 5-29, 1 TD before leaving with an injury.
Total yards: 315
First downs: 12
Penalties: 4-20
Fumbles-lost: 4-1

HERITAGE
Sr. QB Chad Virgil 8-14-0, 120 yards passing 0 TD, 0 INT, but 2-6 for 46 yards in the second half.
Jr. RB Jamal Morrow 23-carries, 113 yards, 1 TD
Sr. FB Tony Hifo, who at 5-10, 255, was talked up by many before the game as the second coming of Mike Alstott. He was a nonfactor on offense with six carries for 5 yards.
Total yards: 281
First downs: 13
Penalties 4-22
Fumbles-lost 2-1

Key moments:

1. Late in the second quarter, Summit was protecting a 10-7 lead and looking to extend it to 17-7, when Deayon fumbled and Heritage recovered on the Heritage 4 with 2:49 left in the half. Two plays later, Morrow fumbled and Summit's Charles Okonkwo recovered at the Heritage 9. The two turnovers were the only two in the game. Two plays later, Jamaal Williams scored to make it 17-7 with 1:09 left in the half.


2. Now trailing 17-7, Heritage drove down the field for a first-and-goal at the 2 after Summit misplayed a long pass into a 28-yard completion to the 2. After one pass was barely called incomplete in the end zone, only 2.8 seconds remained. Summit coach Tony Barile called timeout, to set up a field goal block. Instead given more time to think about it, Heritage coach Kraig Broach decided to go for it and Morrow scored on a 2-yard run on the final play of the half to make it 17-14.


3. Heritage took its second drive of the second half from its 19 to a fourth-and-1 at the Summit 13. Broach decided to go for it, and Morrow's 4-yard run made it a first-and-goal at the 9. But after Hifo ran for 2 yards, Morrow was thrown for a three-yard loss to the 10 on a hit by Summit's Cody Pantages. Looking to avoid a costly turnover, Heritage kept it conservative on third down and Morrow only got to the 9. Deciding it was too far to try to go for it on fourth down again, Heritage then had Logan Nutter's successful 26-yard field goal to make it 17-17 with 10:29 to play in the game.


4. I'm not sure if this was intentional or not, but Heritage then kicked very short on the kickoff. The ball eventually was pitched to Deayon, who ran about 40 yards back to the Heritage 40. Four plays later, Porter was in the end zone with a go-ahead score. Heritage's next drive was a three-and-out so when Heritage got the ball back with 3:04 to play, it was panic time. And the panic did not win.

Offensive Player of the Year - Seth Middlemas, Elsinore
Defensive Player of the Year - Nolan Peralta, Elsinore
Coach of the Year - Tony Peralta, Elsinore

Offense
Seth Middlemas, RB, Sr., Elsinore
Scott Benson, RB, Sr., Heritage
Jimmy Awolesi, RB, Sr., Kaiser
Taylor Ruize, RB, Sr., Serrano
Davien Payne, RB, Jr., Citrus Hill
Antawaun Jones, RB, Sr., Granite Hills
Montigo Alford, RB, Sr., Summit

Zeek Julien, QB, Sr., Victor Valley
Vance Passamquindici, OL, Jr., Victor Valley
Anthony Gordon, OL, Sr., Beaumont
Joey Nicholas, OL, Sr., Serrano
Gary Dixon, OL, Sr., Summit
Nick Letay, OL, Sr., Kaiser
Corbitt Kestly, OL, Sr., Elsinore
David Kogan, OL, Sr., Heritage
Cavion Flournoy, WR, Sr., Apple Valley
Devon Blackman, WR, Sr., Summit
Dewayne Brown, WR, Sr., Kaiser
Issaiah Kepley, WR, Sr., Victor Valley
Ron Douglas, WR, Sr., Ridgecrest Burroughs
Derrick Dison, UTL, Sr., Ridgecrest Burroughs
Leo Farias, K, Jr. Serrano

Defense
Donte Deayon, DB, Jr., Summit
Kindrick Haynes, DB, Sr., Kaiser
Davonte Manning, DB, Sr., Kaiser
Donovan Adams, DB, Sr., Heritage
Allan Stubbs, DB, So., Elsinore
Daniel Rodriguez, DB, Jr., Elsinore
Jay Fisher-James, DL, Sr., Granite Hills
Hecter Sotelo DL, Sr., Serrano
Matthew Ceja DL, Sr., Summit
Walter Earnest DL, Sr., Kaiser
Xavier Evans DL, Sr., Kaiser
David Irving DL, Sr., San Jacinto
Zachary Dembrowski DL, Sr., Elsinore
Nolan Peralta, LB, Jr., Elsinore
Dennis Taylor, LB, Sr., Kaiser
Jimmy Musgrave, LB, Sr., Silverado
Ethan Hillyer, LB, Sr., Serrano
Tony Hifo, LB, Jr., Heritage
Aaron Woodard, LB, Sr., Oak Hills
Victor Iosefa, LB, Jr., Granite Hills
Damione Backus, UTL, So., West Valley
Juan Soto, P, Sr., Elsinore

After how I did last week, picking incorrectly in both semifinals in the Central and Eastern Division, I'm pretty sure no one wants the endorsement of this blog. But they are going to get it.

CENTRAL DIVISION
Colton at Rancho Verde
The Yellowjackets played an instant classic last week to get to their first final in 29 years, outpointing Cajon 42-41 in overtime on Randy Valdez's leaping 35-yard, 3rd-and-20 touchdown reception. But Colton has itself a task in front of it. Rancho Verde seems to be beating all of the ghosts of its previous playoff flameouts into submission, scoring 161 points in three games coming into this one. I think Colton will test the Mustangs for a while, but Rancho Verde is a bit too deep for the Yellowjackets.
Rancho Verde 35, Colton 21

EASTERN DIVISION
Summit at Elsinore
Besides Yucca Valley's first-round victory over Aquinas in the East Valley Division, Elsinore's victory at Kaiser last week might have been the biggest surprise of the playoffs to date. Summit's win at Serrano last week wasn't shocking, but it was an impressive upset. Can Summit hold up to Elsinore's physicality and make some big plays with Devon Blackmon and Montigo Alford. I'm going yes. I'll take the SkyHawks to win the school's first-ever CIF title in any sport.
Summit 28, Elsinore 22

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Paraclete 35, Sierra Canyon 30

INLAND DIVISION
Vista Murrieta at Corona Centennial
These teams aren't in our coverage area, but this game should be a dandy. The Inland Valley's best pushed these two top seeds hard last week, with Rancho Cucamonga taking Vista Murrieta to overtime before falling 35-28 and Chino Hills entering the fourth quarter only down 28-23 to top-seeded Centennial before losing 42-23. I was at the Chino Hills-Centennial game last week and was extremely impressed by Centennial's fearless, quick-strike offense. They'll be too much for the Broncos in my opinion.
Centennial 48, Vista Murrieta 27

Some real good matchups this week, as you'd expect at this stage in the playoffs.

INLAND DIVISION

Corona Centennial at Chino Hills
No. 1 Centennial is known for the explosive offense, but Chino Hills has been putting up some gaudy totals in the playoffs, throwing up 70 on Corona and 45 on Etiwanda to get to this point. Can the No. 4-seeded Huskies keep up with Centennial and pull the shocker? Upland did have some success, but I think Centennial will wear down Chino Hills in the second half like it did the Highlanders.
Corona Centennial 49, Chino Hills 30

Rancho Cucamonga at Vista Murrieta
If there's one thing teams can do in the Inland Division, it's score points by the truckload. Both of these teams were ballin last week, with No. 3 Rancho hitting up Roosevelt for 51 points and No. 2 Vista Murrieta putting up 48 in waxing Norco. I really like what Rancho Cucamonga has done, but I think the Cougars may be a year away from winning this game. I like the seeds to hold and the Broncos to win a doozy.
Vista Murrieta 38, Rancho Cucamonga 28

CENTRAL DIVISION

La Quinta 27, Rancho Verde 24
Have to stick with my pre--playoff pick here, though Rancho Verde's 49-3 win over a red-hot San Gorgonio team definitely turned some heads.

Cajon at Colton
This is where I'll be Saturday and quite frankly, I can't wait. Cajon won the first matchup in October, winning 29-20 at Colton, but the Yellowjackets will have star RB Tyler Ervin back. Colton's offense has exploded the last two weeks, combining for 89 points. Cajon quarterback Thomas Carter exploded last week too, looking like Vince Young in the 2006 Rose Bowl (sorry USC fans) in the win over Arlington. Been hemming and hawing on this one, but I'll go with Cajon and its 9-game win streak.
Cajon 28, Colton 27

EASTERN DIVISION

Elsinore at Kaiser
The No. 4 seeded Tigers will come in unafraid and try to match top-seeded Kaiser punch-for-punch. Not sure that is the best way to face the Cats, who have pummeled every opponent in their path, with the Apple Valley schools being their latest two victims. Have a hard time imagining Elsinore being able to hold up for a full four quarters.
Kaiser 36, Elsinore 14

Summit at Serrano
While I'm happy to be at Cajon-Colony, it sucks that I can't clone myself and go to this one as well. Summit has probably the most explosive combo of offensive players in the county in Devon Blackmon and Montigo Alford, but has a tough test ahead of it with Serrano's physical, brawling defense. The SkyHawks went punch to punch with Kaiser better than anyone else has, but a Saturday night in frigid Snowline Stadium is a bit too much to overcome.
Serrano 23, Summit 14

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

Paraclete 38, St. Margaret's 20

Sierra Canyon at Yucca Valley
Can the Yucca Valley Cinderella ride continue for one more week? The Trojans have been the feel-good story of the playoffs, upsetting No. 2 seeded Aquinas in the first round and toppling Mountain Valley League champ Rubidoux last week. But their defense will be tested by a potent Sierra Canyon passing attack that allows the Trailblazers to score 40.6 points per game. I picked the Trojans last week, but I feel the run ends here.
Sierra Canyon 28, Yucca Valley 12

Saturday is going to be a huge day, as four county teams will be playing, including two county-county games.

INLAND DIVISION
Corona Centennial at Chino Hills (Friday)
Rancho Cucamonga at Vista Murrieta (Saturday)

CENTRAL DIVISION
Rancho Verde at La Quinta (Friday)
Cajon at Colton (Saturday)

EASTERN DIVISION
Elsinore at Kaiser (Friday)
Summit at Serrano (Saturday)

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
St. Margaret's at Paraclete (Friday)
Sierra Canyon at Yucca Valley (Saturday)

Just got back in town from Thanksgiving and will get these done real quick before heading out to Ramona High School for Cajon-Arlington.

Inland Division

Corona Centennial at Upland
In the battle between defending CIF champions last week, Upland took down Chaparral to help the Baseline League to a 3-0 mark. While that victory was impressive, Centennial is a different, more potent beast. Upland will score some, but not nearly enough to keep up.
Centennial 52, Upland 21

Chino Hills at Etiwanda
Can the Eagles pull off another upset? The Etiwanda defense stepped up huge in the win at Redlands East Valley, but Chino Hills just put up 10 touchdowns on Corona. The Huskies are humming on that side of the ball and should win a shootout.
Chino Hills 45, Etiwanda 35

Rancho Cucamonga at Roosevelt
The Cougars are playoff-savvy and looked good against Murrieta Valley, while Roosevelt had to scratch and claw against Claremont. Look for Rancho to keep the Baseline contingent alive.
Rancho Cucamonga 34, Roosevelt 28

Vista Murrieta 41, Norco 27

Central Division

Rancho Verde at San Gorgonio
Rancho Verde is the top seed in the bracket, but they had to scratch and claw to get past the Spartans in week one. And that's before San G caught fire with its current seven-game win streak. I still like Rancho Verde though.
Rancho Verde 29, San Gorgonio 21

La Quinta at Chino
This is easily the toughest test that 11-0 Chino has had to face this year, as La Quinta is perennially among the top teams in whatever division it is playing in. Chino has been quite the story, but I'm not sure it's fully prepared for this.
La Quinta 28, Chino 22

Cajon at Arlington
The second-hottest team in the county goes against a red-hot player, as the Cowboys' 8-game winning streak will be tested by Arlington and their star RB Superiorr Reid, who has 32 touchdowns. Cajon is good but I like Arlington's smashmouth style.
Arlington 35, Cajon 24

Palm Springs at Colton
While both of these teams put up ridiculous point totals last week, I think we'll see some defense in this one. Both of these teams are stout on that side of the ball, though I feel Palm Springs has a bit more oomph.
Palm Springs 20, Colton 14

Eastern Division

Kaiser at Granite Hills
The Cats have apparently declared war on the city of Apple Valley, as they took out Apple Valley High last week. Granite Hills is scrappy, but they don't have the firepower to challenge Kaiser.
Kaiser 36, Granite Hills 6

Victor Valley at Elsinore
The Jackrabbits resurgence continued last week with another last-minute win, this time against Norte Vista. But Elsinore on the road is a tough task and I'm not sure if the Jackrabbits will be able to wave their magic wand again.
Elsinore 28, Victor Valley 24

Heritage at Summit
Heritage has been impressive this year, running off 11 wins to grab the No. 3 seed. But player for player, Summit might be the most talented team. I like the SkyHawks to come through with a mild upset.
Summit 30, Heritage 27

Serrano at Ridgecrest Burroughs
Going up to Ridgecrest is a tough task for anyone. But if there's any team that can handle it, its' the Diamondbacks. The Serrano D is playing at a high level, which should be the difference.
Serrano 17, Burroughs 9

East Valley Division

Paraclete 42, Grace Brethren 24

St. Margaret's at Big Bear
This has already been played, with St. Margaret's prevailing 17-6.

Twentynine Palms at Sierra Canyon
The Wildcats were impressive in rolling over Sage Hill, but going out to the San Fernando Valley from the High Desert is a lot to ask. Sierra Canyon will pull away late in this one.
Sierra Canyon 34, Twentynine Palms 16

Rubidoux at Yucca Valley
The Trojans pulled off the shocker of the playoffs, heading to San Bernardino and shocking No. 2 Aquinas. Now they face a Rubidoux team that they tied in September. I think Cinderella has another dance after this one.
Yucca Valley 20, Rubidoux 18

Now off to the Eastern Division, where the game is "Catch Kaiser if you can."

Apple Valley at No. 1 Kaiser
If I'm the Sun Devils, I'm pretty bitter right about now. While Apple Valley's 5-5 record wasn't ground-breaking, the Sun Devils are hardly the worst team and shouldn't be the sacrificial lamb to the undefeated Cats. But that's precisely what they are. Apple Valley is intriguing on offense, but Kaiser has murdered people all year and will do the same tomorrow.
Kaiser 45, Apple Valley 6

Granite Hills at Beaumont
Granite Hills, which lost to Apple Valley in the regular season and had the exact same league record and finish in league as the Sun Devils, got a winnable draw, at least for the first round, as Beaumont isn't exactly a dominating opponents. But the Mountain Pass League champs are good and will win a low-scoring, hard-hitting duel.
Beaumont 14, Granite Hills 12

Norte Vista at Victor Valley
This is a rough draw for the Jackrabbits, as Norte Vista's grind-it-out, ball-control style netted it a trip to the semifinals a year ago. You can bet that the Braves will rely on Ryan Ruiz to play keep away from Victor's potent offense. However, the Jackrabbits took a huge step in beating Burroughs for the Desert Sky League title last week and that confidence will carry over.
Victor Valley 24, Norte Vista 16

Oak Hills at No. 4 Elsinore
The continuation of the Bulldogs' building process has Oak Hills in a tough spot, as the Bulldogs didn't get much respect for being the No. 2 team in their league. Elsinore held it own in recent years in the Central Division, advancing to the finals in 2006, and will be a tough go of it. Marshaun Coprich and Jeremiah Armstead will have success, but not quite enough.
Elsinore 26, Oak Hills 17

Silverado at No. 3 Heritage
If there was any proof necessary to validate the theory that tough nonleague schedules mean something, it came with the selection of 5-4-1 Silverado to the playoffs over 7-3 San Jacinto. The Hawks' philosophy of taking on all comers worked once again, albeit in a different way than normal. However, a 10-0 Heritage team is a tough draw for the Hawks, who just don't have the guns this year for a long run.
Heritage 34, Silverado 20

West Valley at Summit
West Valley has been a playoff underachiever recently, getting bounced in the first round as a higher seed in each of the last three years. They don't have to worry about that, as they'll be the clear underdogs against a Summit team with the best skill-position talent in the division. Summit is prone to lapses, but if the SkyHawks are on, this will get ugly quick.
Summit 38, West Valley 6

Ridgecrest Burroughs 35, Citrus Hill 30

Temescal Canyon at No. 2 Serrano
Kaiser is getting the hype in this division, and for good reason, but seasonal progression indicates that it's the year of the Diamondback. Serrano has gone from losing in the first round (2006) to the quarters (2007) to the semis (2008) to the championship game last year (2009). So the logical progression is a title. While that may not happen, a comfortable win over Temescal Canyon will.
Serrano 28, Temescal Canyon 7

If you want to see county teams do their thing, this is the division for you. With No. 1 Kaiser destroying people and No. 2 Serrano being, well, Serrano, we could have an all-county championship game.

First Round
No. 1 Kaiser over Apple Valley
Beaumont over Granite Hills
Victor Valley over Norte Vista
No. 4 Elsinore over Oak Hills
No. 3 Heritage over Silverado
Summit over West Valley
Ridgecrest Burroughs over Citrus Hill
No. 2 Serrano over Temescal Canyon

Quarterfinals
Kaiser over Beaumont
Elsinore over Victor Valley
Summit over Heritage
Serrano over Burroughs

Semifinals
Kaiser over Elsinore
Serrano over Summit

Championship
Kaiser over Serrano

A couple of surprises here. First was that Silverado was named the at-large team over a 7-3 San Jacinto team. The SkyHawks were rewarded for a tough nonleague schedule that included a victory over Summit. I'm also surprised that No. 1 seeded Kaiser faced Apple Valley and not their crosstown rival Granite Hills. Serrano got the No. 2 seed in the division.

Apple Valley (5-5) at No. 1 Kaiser (10-0)
Granite Hills (5-5) at Beaumont (7-3)
Norte Vista (5-5) at Victor Valley (8-2)
Oak Hills (7-3) at No. 4 Elsinore (8-2)
Silverado (5-4-1) at No. 3 Heritage (10-0)
West Valley (5-5) at Summit (7-2-1)
Ridgecrest Burroughs (6-4) at Citrus Hill (8-2)
Temescal Canyon (6-4) at No. 2 Serrano (9-1)

With the football pairings set to be released tomorrow, here are my predictions for the Inland, Central and Eastern Divisions. It's the first time I've ever done this, so we'll see how it goes.

As a note, I have Coachella Valley as the Central Division's at-large and I chose a 7-3 San Jacinto as the Eastern's at-large over a 5-4-1 Silverado.

INLAND DIVISION
No. 1 Corona Centennial (Big VIII No. 1) vs. Yucaipa (Citrus Belt No. 3)
Upland (Baseline No. 2) vs. Claremont (Sierra No. 2)
Redlands East Valley (Citrus Belt No. 1) vs. Murrieta Valley (Southwestern No. 3)
No. 4 Chino Hills (Sierra No. 1) vs. Corona (Big VIII No. 4)
No. 3 Rancho Cucamonga (Baseline No. 1) vs. Charter Oak (Sierra No. 3)
Roosevelt (Big VIII No. 2) vs. Chaparral (Southwestern No. 2)
Redlands (Citrus Belt No. 2) vs. Norco (Big VIII No. 3)
No. 2 Vista Murrieta (Southwestern No. 1) vs. Etiwanda (Baseline No. 3)

CENTRAL DIVISION
No. 1 Rancho Verde (Inland Valley No. 1) vs. Coachella Valley (at-large)
Colony (Mt. Baldy No. 2) vs. Colton (San Andreas No. 3)
Cajon (San Andreas No. 1) vs. Montclair (Mt. Baldy No. 3)
No. 4 La Quinta (Desert Valley No. 2) vs. La Sierra (Inland Valley No. 4)
No. 3 Chino (Mt. Baldy No. 1) vs. Carter (San Andreas No. 4)
Arlington (Inland Valley No. 2) vs. Palm Desert (Desert Valley No. 3)
San Gorgonio (San Andreas No. 2) vs. Valley View (Inland Valley No. 3)
No. 2 Palm Springs (Desert Valley No. 1) vs. Garey (Mt. Baldy No. 4)

EASTERN DIVISION
No. 1 Kaiser (Sunkist No. 1) vs. Granite Hills (Desert Sky No. 3)
Citrus Hill (Mountain Pass No. 2) vs. Temescal Canyon (Sunbelt No. 3)
Elsinore (Sunbelt No. 2) vs. Apple Valley (Mojave River No. 3)
No. 4 Summit (Sunkist No. 2) vs. West Valley (Mountain Pass No. 3)
No. 3 Heritage (Sunbelt No. 1) vs. San Jacinto (at-large)
Victor Valley (Desert Sky No. 1) vs. Oak Hills (Mojave River No. 2)
Beaumont (Mountain Pass No. 1) vs. Ridgecrest Burroughs (Desert Sky No. 2)
No. 2 Serrano (Mojave River No. 1) vs. Norte Vista (Sunkist No. 3)

Upland and REV move their way up in the Inland Division in the most significant news from the polls.

INLAND DIVISION
(previous ranking)
1. (2) Vista Murrieta (1-0)
2. (3) Corona Centennial (1-0)
3. (5) Upland (2-0)
4. (6) Norco (1-0)
5. (7) Redlands East Valley (1-0)
6. (1) Chaparral (0-1)
7. (4) Chino Hills (1-1)
8. (9) Rancho Cucamonga (2-0)
9. (10) Charter Oak (1-1)
10. (8) Redlands (1-0-1)
Others receiving votes: Glendora (2-0) Roosevelt (1-0); South Hills (1-0); Los Osos (2-0); Corona (1-0); Riverside Poly (1-0); Yucaipa (1-0); Ayala (2-0); Damien (1-0).

Here they are a day late.

CENTRAL DIVISION
1. Palm Springs   (1-0)
2. Colton   (0-0) 
3. Rancho Verde   (1-0)
4. Arlington   (0-0) 
5. Chaffey   (1-0)
6. La Quinta/LQ   (0-0) 
7. Colony   (0-1)
8. La Sierra   (0-0)  
9. Palm Desert   (0-1)
10. Rialto   (1-0)
OTHERS: Valley View (0-0), Cajon (0-1),Arroyo Valley (0-0), San Bernardino (0-0), Gorgonio (0-0)

EASTERN DIVISION
1. Serrano (1-0)
2. Summit (1-0)
3. Kaiser (0-0)
4. Elsinore (1-0)
5. Citrus Hill (1-0)
6. Burroughs/Ridgecrest (1-0)
7. Oak Hills (0-0) 
8. Silverado (0-1)
9. Temescal Canyon (0-0)
10. Apple Valley (1-0)
OTHERS: Tahquitz (1-0),; Norte Vista (0-0).  

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
1. St. Margaret's (1-0)
2. Rim of the World (0-0) 
3. Sierra Canyon (1-0)
4. Twentynine Palms (1-0)
5. Linfield Christian (1-0)
6. Notre Dame/Riverside (1-0)
7. Paraclete (0-1)
8. Ontario Christian (0-1)
9. Bishop Diego (0-0)
10. Banning (0-0) 
OTHERS: Aquinas (0-1), Campbell Hall (1-0), Sage Hill (1-0), Big Bear (1-0), Brentwood (1-0), Calvary Chap/Downey (1-0), Desert Hot Springs (1-0).

INLAND DIVISION
1. Chaparral (0-0)
2. Vista Murrieta (0-0) 
3. Centennial/Corona (0-0)
4. Chino Hills (1-0)
5. Upland (1-0)
6. Norco (0-0)  
7. Redlands East Valley (0-0)
8. Redlands (1-0)
9. Rancho Cucamonga (1-0)
10. Charter Oak (0-1)
OTHERS: Roosevelt (0-0), South Hills (0-0), Los Osos (1-0), Glendora (1-0).

Meant to post these earlier. My apologies.

INLAND DIVISION
1. Chaparral (Southwestern)
2. Vista Murrieta (Southwestern)
3. Corona Centennial (Big VIII)
4. Chino Hills (Sierra)
5. Charter Oak (Sierra)
6. Upland (Baseline)
7. Norco (Big VIII)
8. Redlands East Valley (Citrus Belt)
9. Redlands (Citrus Belt)
10. Rancho Cucamonga (Baseline)
Others receiving votes: Roosevelt (Big VIII); Murrieta Valley (Southwestern); South Hills (Sierra); Los Osos (Baseline); A.B. Miller (Citrus Belt); Corona Santiago (Big VIII).

CENTRAL DIVISION
1. Palm Springs (Desert Valley)
2. Colton (San Andreas)
3. Rancho Verde (Inland Valley)
4. Arlington (Inland Valley)
5. Chaffey (Mt. Baldy)
6. La Quinta/La Quinta (Desert Valley)
7. Colony (Mt. Baldy)
8. Cajon (San Andreas)
9. Palm Desert (Desert Valley)
10. Moreno Valley (Inland Valley)
Others receiving votes: Valley View (Inland Valley); La Sierra (Inland Valley); Canyon Springs (Inland Valley); Arroyo Valley (San Andreas); Carter (San Andreas); Indio (Desert Valley).

EASTERN DIVISION
1. Serrano (Mojave River)
2. Summit (Sunkist)
3. Kaiser (Sunkist)
4. Silverado (Desert Sky)
5. Elsinore (Sunbelt)
6. Citrus Hill (Mountain Pass)
7. Burroughs/Ridgecrest (Desert Sky)
8. Oak Hills (Mojave River)
9. Barstow (Desert Sky)
10. Temescal Canyon (Sunbelt)
Others receiving votes: Notre Vista (Sunkist); West Valley (Mountain Pass); Apple Valley (Mojave River); Paloma Valley( Sunbelt); Beaumont (Mountain Pass); Granite Hills (Desert Sky).

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
1. St. Margaret's (Academy)
2. Rim of the World (Mountain Valley)
3. Sierra Canyon (Alpha)
4. Paraclete (Alpha)
5. Aquinas (Ambassador)
6. Ontario Christian (Ambassador)
7. Twentynine Palms (De Anza)
8. Linfield Christian (Ambassador)
9. Notre Dame/Riverside (Mountain Valley)
10. Bishop Diego (Frontier)
Others receiving votes: Banning (Mountain Valley); Campbell Hall (Alpha); Grace Brethren (Frontier); Sage Hill (Academy): Big Bear; Rubidoux (Mountain Valley).

A quick cheat sheet of what it will look like the next two years.

Football playoff divisions for 2010 and 2011

CENTRAL DIVISION (one at-large)
Mt. Baldy (4 teams)
San Andreas (4 teams)
Desert Valley (3 teams)
Inland Valley (4 teams)

EASTERN DIVISION (one at-large)
Desert Sky (3 teams)
Mojave River (3 teams)
Sunkist (3 teams)
Mountain Pass (3 teams)
Sunbelt (3 teams)

EAST VALLEY DIVISION (four at-large)
Ambassador (2 teams)
De Anza (2 teams)
Mountain Valley (2 teams)
Academy (2 teams)
Alpha (2 teams)
Frontier (2 teams)

INLAND DIVISION (zero at-large)
Baseline (3 teams)
Citrus Belt (3 teams)
Sierra (3 teams)
Big 8 (4 teams)
Southwestern (3 teams)

An expansion of what I blogged about last night in reference to the new football realignments. Got a hold of some coaches on the topic. This will also run in the Sun and Bulletin tomorrow.

The playoff alignments for various sports, including football, for the 2010-2012 seasons were released by the CIF-SS offices Monday, with some interesting changes in football.

The Baseline and Sierra Leagues, which were in the Central Division the last two years, will swap back into the Inland Division to play against the Citrus Belt League, the Big 8 and the Southwestern Leagues. The Inland Valley League will swap out, moving back to the Central Division with the expanded San Andreas and Mt. Baldy Leagues and the Desert Valley League, which moves up from the Eastern Division. The Sunbelt League switches places with the Desert Valley, moving into the Eastern Division.

These changes will make life tough on the Baseline League, which ripped up the Central Division in both seasons in it. Three of the four semifinalists during the last two years were Baseline teams, with the Central Division title game being an all-Baseline affair (Rancho Cucamonga over Upland in 2008 and Upland over Los Osos in 2009) both seasons.

Another change that will impact the Baseline is the zero at-large entries in the Inland Division. Considering that the Central champion this past year, Upland, was an at-large entry from the Baseline, a brutal league will become even more cutthroat.

As one would expect, division champion Palm Springs dominated the superlatives, with QB Michael Karls and RB Nephi Garcia splitting offensive player of the year honors, LB Christian Spears splitting defensive player of the year with Kaiser LB Josh Shirley and Steve Fabian winning coach of the year.

Well, we are down to the nitty gritty here. The Central and Inland Divisions have blown up on me, leaving Serrano and St. Margaret's as my only chances to predict champions (though with St. Margaret's, getting that prediction right is akin to pick the Lakers to win the Pacific Division). Let's see how we do in the final week.

Central Division
Los Osos vs. Upland
Really tough game to figure out. On one side you have the Grizzlies, who have won seven games in a row and are exploding scoreboards with their point totals. No brainer pick, right? Not exactly. The last team they lost to was, drumroll please, Upland, and in shutout fashion no less. The Highlanders can choke out even the most explosive offenses, giving up only 27 points in three playoff games.
So do you go with the hot team? Or with the adage of defense wins championships? I'm going with the second, as Upland will finish the job this year after losing in the finals last season.
Upland 17, Los Osos 13

Eastern Division
Serrano at Palm Springs
I proceeded to pick against Palm Springs last week in their matchup with Kaiser, only to see the Cardinals destroy the Cats 41-0. I also caught some guff about it from Palm Springs coach Steve Fabian. Either he's got some moles in San Bernardino County or we have some readers in the Low Desert. Either way, I'm going back to the well. I picked Serrano when the playoffs started and nothing since has convinced me to back off that pick. If anything, watching them score 49 points against Norte Vista reaffirmed my faith in the Diamondbacks.
Serrano 27, Palm Springs 21

East Valley Division
St. Margaret's at Ontario Christian
The Knights have been an awesome story. Veteran coach Laing Stevens comes back from retirement and does his thing, getting Ontario Christian back to the finals unexpectedly. It's not like the Knights are getting lucky either, as they just blasted Grace Brethren 45-0 last week. OC is peaking and looking good. However, St. Margaret's is the gold standard of small-school football. Three CIF titles in a row and a state championship speak for themselves and while I expect OC to come out swinging, I think the fairy-tale run comes just short.
St. Margaret's 26, Ontario Christian 14

And just because I can...
Inland Division
Vista Murrieta 38, Temecula Chaparral 31

Got three out of four here last week, as only Apple Valley couldn't get the job done for me. Still have my pre-playoff champ alive in this division, which is more than I can say for my performance in the Central Division.

Palm Springs at Kaiser
This is a matchup familiar to Kaiser fans, as the Cats and Cardinals faced off in this round in 2005. Palm Springs won that matchup 28-21 and present problems with their multi-faceted spread-option offense. However, Kaiser has some upper-level talent in LB Josh Shirley and RB Anthony Brown that the Cardinals haven't really dealt with. Brown, in particular, is on a roll and Kaiser will ride him to the final.
Kaiser 24, Palm Springs 19

Serrano at Norte Vista
The Braves do their thing, as Norte Vista was able to wear down Apple Valley in the second half last week. Doing that to Serrano, however, is a completly different matter. The last time the Braves faced a team with Serrano's defensive talent level, they were beat 31-8 by Kaiser. I'm not saying the Diamondbacks will rout Norte Vista, but I picked them to win the Eastern title for a reason.
Serrano 27, Norte Vista 14

This division messed me up quite a bit last week. Then again, with the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds being upset, I wasn't the only one who screwed up in their predictions. Hopefully I'll do a bit better this time around.

Palm Springs at Summit
Thanksgiving came six days early for Summit, as they shocked No. 1 seeded Perris Citrus Hill 48-36 last Friday, breaking Citrus Hill's 38-game winning streak in the process. I guess Summit could be ripe for a letdown, but Palm Springs whipped Summit in the first round a year ago, so the SkyHawks are looking for revenge. I'm tempted to pick them again, but I think I like Palm Springs to carry this.
Palm Springs 26, Summit 19

Kaiser at Rim of the World
This is the game I'll be at tomorrow, as the Cats and Fighting Scots get together for the third time in four years. Both teams feature dominating running games, with Kaiser depending on Anthony Brown - who is committed to USC - while Rim rides junior RB Dillon Pretzinger. Kaiser won close battles the last two times they've played and will likely do the same in this one.
Kaiser 20, Rim of the World 14

Riverside Norte Vista at Apple Valley
I saw the Sun Devils pull a 48-27 surprise over No. 3 Silverado last week, which marked Apple Valley's first first-round playoff victory in over 25 years. Norte Vista doesn't have a long history of success either, so one of these teams will be in the Cinderella role come next week. Having seen both teams at different times this season, I feel that Apple is a bit more balanced and will prevail.
Apple Valley 31, Norte Vista 23

La Quinta at Serrano
The Eastern Division opened up a ton for the No. 2-seeded Diamondbacks last week with Citrus Hill and Silverado going down hard. La Quinta is always a tough out this time of year, but I picked Serrano to win this division for a reason - they are darn good. I see the Diamondbacks being a bit too physical for the Blackhawks.
Serrano 24, La Quinta 13

Here is where you'll be going to digest the turkey, stuffing, apple pie and shopping Friday night. A lot of these times may change to 7 p.m.

CENTRAL DIVISION
No. 1 Colton at Rancho Cucamonga, 7:30 p.m.
No. 4 Los Osos at Chaffey, 7:30 p.m.
Etiwanda at Chino Hills, 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Colony at Upland, 7:30 p.m.

EASTERN DIVISION
Palm Springs at Summit, 7:30 p.m.
Kaiser at No. 4 Rim of the World, 7:30 p.m.
Riverside Norte Vista at Apple Valley, 7:30 p.m.
La Quinta at No. 2 Serrano, 7:30 p.m.

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
Aquinas at No. 1 San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's, 7:30 p.m.
No. 4 Fillmore at Bishop, 7:30 p.m.
Simi Valley Grace Brethren at Oak Hills, 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Pasadena Maranatha at Ontario Christian, 7:30 p.m.

INLAND DIVISION
No. 1 Redlands East Valley at Temecula Chaparral, 7:30 p.m.
Corona Centennial at No. 4 Moreno Valley Rancho Verde, 7:30 p.m.
No. 3 Norco at Riverside Arlington, 7:30 p.m.
No. 2 Vista Murrieta at Redlands, 7:30 p.m.

Now to the Eastern Division, which sees Citrus Hill as the bully that's won 38 games in a row. They have to be due right? Guess we'll see.

Summit at No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill
The SkyHawks ramped up their nonleague schedule so they'd be prepared for playoff action after being disposed of rather easily by Palm Springs in the first round last year. However, it's hard to believe that their schedule has properly prepared them for the juggernaut which is Citrus Hill. Deontae Cooper will get his and Summit will have it take it.
Citrus Hill 45, Summit 17

Barstow at Palm Springs
The Aztecs pulled off the upset of the then-No. 3 seeded Cardinals on the way to the CIF title game last year and Palm Springs will be looking for revenge. But looking for it and getting it are completely different things. Barstow's offense is one of the hardest in the area to prepare for and even harder to stop in practice. Going with the Aztecs to force a rematch of last year's title game.
Barstow 28, Palm Springs 17

Palm Desert at Kaiser
I've actually gotten a chance to see Palm Desert in action and they can score at a pretty high clip. However, they were overpowered by Silverado when I saw them and seem like a finesse squad. Finesse squads do about as well with Kaiser as I do wooing supermodels. Look for the Cats to punch Palm Desert in the mouth quite a few times.
Kaiser 26, Palm Desert 13

San Jacinto at No. 4 Rim of the World
A dangerous game for the Fighting Scots, as San Jacinto always has talent and athleticism and is capable of putting up some big point totals. Whether they are capable of stopping the Rim rushing attack, namely junior RB Dillon Pretzinger, is the million-dollar question. Only one has so far and I don't think No. 2 will come this week.
Rim of the World 28, San Jacinto 22

Apple Valley at No. 3 Silverado
This is where I'll be tomorrow night, as the Sun Devils will try to ride RB Daryon Mosley and play keep away from the Silverado offense. That hasn't been the best strategy, as the Silverado D has steadily improved throughout the Hawks' 8-game winning streak. I think the Hawks have a few too many weapons.
Silverado 31, Apple Valley 18

Riverside Norte Vista 30, Riverside Notre Dame 20
La Quinta 27, Ridgecrest Burroughs 16

Menifee Heritage at No. 2 Serrano
The Diamondbacks have won seven in a row coming in. The Patriots have lost three in a row and four of five. In Snowline Stadium with the temperature falling and the fans at full-throat, I see no reason why either trend would reverse. Serrano wins in a romp.
Serrano 34, Heritage 10

QUARTERFINALS
Citrus Hill over Barstow
Kaiser over Rim of the World
Silverado over Norte Vista
Serrano over La Quinta

SEMIFINALS
Citrus Hill over Kaiser
Serrano over Silverado

CHAMPIONSHIP
Serrano over Citrus Hill

Next up is the Eastern Division, which saw very little surprise in the awarding the top 3 seeds to Perris Citrus Hill, Serrano and Silverado, respectively. It got a little nutty after that though.

The matchups:

Summit (5-5) at No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill (10-0)
Barstow (7-3) at Palm Springs (7-2)
Palm Desert (7-3) at Kaiser (7-3)
San Jacinto (7-3) at No. 4 Rim of the World (9-1)
Apple Valley (5-5) at No. 3 Silverado (8-2)
Riverside Notre Dame (8-2) at Riverside Norte Vista (9-1)
Ridgecrest Burroughs (5-5) at La Quinta (7-3)
Menifee Heritage (5-5) at No. 2 Serrano (8-2)

My initial impression is surprised that Rim of the World got the final seed. While the Fighting Scots have an impressive record, their nonleague record wasn't as ambitious as teams like Kaiser or La Quinta, who were seeded below the Scots. Rim's seeding had a chain effect, putting La Quinta in the same quarterfinal bracket as No. 2 seed Serrano. Serrano coach Ray Maholchic wasn't too happy about the prospect of seeing the Desert Valley League champions that early. As for Kaiser, it will have a chance to prove it's case against Rim in the second round, provided it can get by a tough Palm Desert team in round one.

I also think that the top half of the bracket is loaded. You have the defending CIF champions in Citrus Hill, you have the CIF runner-ups in Barstow, which would have two rematch games if it beats Palm Springs in round one. You have Kaiser, Rim, Palm Desert - all teams capable of making long runs. Meanwhile, the bottom half of the bracket seems more negotiable. I like Silverado's draw a lot, as they should be able to take Apple Valley and will have a talent advantage over the Norte Vista-Notre Dame winner.

As far as a sleeper, I like Kaiser. In watching Citrus Hill's semifinal and championship wins last year, the Hawks had issues with Serrano and Barstow coming right at them physically. While it's possible that Citrus Hill has become more hard-nosed, there isn't a team in this draw that's as good at mixing it up as much as Kaiser is. I see Kaiser being able to overpower its first-round and quarterfinal opponents and having a puncher's chance against Citrus Hill.

Quite a few local players on here, especially from the High Desert. Then again, that's stating the obvious.

Superlatives
Co-Offensive Players of the Year: Caleb Herring, QB, Sr., Perris Citrus Hill; Deontae Cooper, RB, Jr., Citrus Hill.
Defensive Player of the Year: David Adams, LB, Sr., Citrus Hill
Coach of the Year: Doug Dubois, Citrus Hill

Offense
QB - Devon Blackmon, So., Summit
QB - Steven Saunders, Sr., Palm Springs
RB - Dionza Bradford, Jr., Serrano
RB - Jerrelle Green, Sr,. Barstow
RB - Rasheem Johnson, Sr., Indio
RB - Gavin Santos, Sr., Hesperia
WR - Maurice Brown, Sr., Silverado
WR - Maurice Culpepper, Sr., Citrus Hill
WR - Joe Dalacio, Sr., Palm Desert
WR - Jay Waddell, Jr., Hesperia
TE - Greg Smith, Sr., Citrus Hill
OL - Moises Barragan, Sr., Palm Springs
OL - Autry Horton, Sr., La Quinta
OL - Aaron Jeglin, Jr., San Jacinto
OL - J.R. Lafuela, Sr., Riverside Norte Vista
OL - Jesus Reyes, Sr., Barstow
OL - Alexander Soto, Sr., Hesperia
OL - Guillermo Villalobos, Sr., Citrus Hill
OL - Kyle Walsh, Sr., Serrano
Util - Jemeryn Jenkins, Jr., Silverado
Util - Damario Webb, Sr., Barstow
K - Mychal Kebeary, Jr., Palm Desert

Defense
DL - Galvin Emesibe, Sr., Hesperia
DL - Adam Labatos, Sr., Citrus Hill
DL - James Lynn, Jr., Silverado
DL - Kevin Pope, Sr., Serrano
DL - Josh Shirley, Jr., Kaiser
DL - Tulilo Tofi, Sr., Barstow
DL - Trent Wilder, Sr., Palm Springs
LB - Simon Martinez, Sr., Kaiser
LB - Lou Mele, Sr., Riverside Patriot
LB - Danny Reyes, Sr., Hesperia
LB - Dominick Sween, Sr., Ridgecrest Burroughs
LB - Donnell Welch, Jr., Palm Desert
LB - Daniel Zingg, Sr., Palm Springs
DB - Monroe Allen, Sr., Citrus Hill
DB - Trevor Bateman, Sr,. Palm Desert
DB - Jamaal Franklin, Sr., Serrano
DB - Adam Ramirez, Sr., Kaiser
DB - Derron Smith, Jr., Banning
DB - Curtis Webb, Jr., Barstow
Util - Domenic Betts, Sr., Banning
Util - Robert Hartfield, Sr., Indio
P - Ryne Clark, Sr., Palm Desert

Doing this a little early, as I'm off doing the holiday thing for the next two days. Not a bad week last week, though its fair to say that I screwed up games involving public schools in the Redlands Metropolitan Area.

CENTRAL DIVISION

Paloma Valley at No. 1 Rancho Cucamonga
So my upset special wasn't special. Actually, my real upset special was Glendora, but it's all good. Paloma Valley did well, but they'll have their hands full with Rancho, which received quite a scare last week for Colton. Look for Greg Watson and the Rancho passing attack to carry their big fourth quarter over.
Rancho Cucamonga 33, Paloma Valley 20

No. 4 Cajon at Ayala
I was at the Cajon-Etiwanda game last week and it was a hum-dinger, as both teams played their hearts out. The win was big for the Cowboys' psyche, just because they don't have to hear the 'Well, you are just a product of the SAL' talk as much. What they will have to deal with is a darn good Ayala team that can come at you in waves. I picked Ayala before the playoffs and am sticking with that.
Ayala 30, Cajon 27

Glendora at Upland
The jaw-dropping score of the week definitely came from Glendora, which destroyed No. 3 Hemet West Valley. I'll pat my back because I predicted an upset, but I didn't expect the beatdown that took place. Upland beat down Chaffey, which was expected, and plays the Tartans for the third time since last November. Each team has one, and I'm predicting Upland to win the rubber match.
Upland 34, Glendora 28

No. 2 Los Osos at Chino Hills
Richard Brehaut used his legs more than his arm to lead the Grizzlies to victory last week. That's nice, but that ain't going to fly against Chino Hills. The Huskies bulldozed San Gorgonio 52-14 thanks to a monster day from RB A.J. Johnson. Chino Hills keeps plugging along to little fan fare (despite Fowler's exemplary article) and will do so again, "upsetting" Los Osos.
Chino Hills 27, Los Osos 21

EASTERN DIVISION

No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill 36, Palm Desert 25

Serrano at Banning
I'm not going to lie, Banning's win over Kaiser shocked me. I did not see that coming. I guess i should get to know more about Banning, but I don't think they are going to knock off another Eastern power. Serrano trounced La Quinta behind junior RB Dionza Bradford and could very well be the dark horse in this bracket. The Banning story is a good one, but one that will end.
Serrano 28, Banning 14

No. 3 Palm Springs at Barstow
The Aztecs are another one of those teams that doesn't get hype but wins. They can throw three RBs at you in the double-wing and have some massive hombres blocking. But Palm Springs is red-hot and this is pretty much what they do. After whipping Summit, Palm Springs will have its way with Barstow late.
Palm Springs 23, Barstow 16

No. 2 Hesperia at Silverado
Don't look now but the Hawks, who started 0-6, are amazingly still alive and quite a threat behind QB Jemeryn Jenkins. Jenkins is a ridiculous talent, slicing and dicing Patriot for 406 yards last week. However, Hesperia put on a clinic against Notre Dame, barely breaking a sweat in winning 55-27. The rested Scorpions have a little too much sting.
Hesperia 31, Silverado 19

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

No. 1 St. Margaret's at Yucca Valley
Yucca Valley has been an awesome story, recovering from several tattered years to win a De Anza League co-championship and a playoff game. It's a great job Tim Connavo is doing out there. However, this isn't going to be pretty. St. Margaret's hasn't been challenged all year and Yucca, for all their strengths, don't have the ability to.
St. Margaret's 41, Yucca Valley 16

Pasadena Maranatha at Big Bear
The Bears made me look smart, which is hard to do, coming up with the brassy 33-32 upset over No. 4 Santa Paula. It's been a tough year at Big Bear, but you know the Bears will growl at playoff time. I'll be up the hill to watch them take on Maranatha, which is just annoying to type. So I'll predict. I am tempted to take the Bears, but I picked the other team (see what I did there?) last week. Can't change now.
Maranatha 24, Big Bear 20

No. 3 Aquinas at Twentynine Palms
I kind of wish I was at this game Friday, because this one is going to be a war. Aquinas has been rolling over fools this year behind QB Tyler Stirewalt and his merry band of skill-position playmakers, but the Falcons' only loss came to Twentynine Palms - a team that put 63 up on Brethren Christian last week. I expect the Palms to be jumping, but Aquinas to exact revenge.
Aquinas 28, Twentynine Palms 26

No. 2 Brentwood 27, Fillmore 13

INLAND DIVISION

No. 1 Corona Centennial 42, Vista Murrieta 10

No. 4 Miller at Murrieta Valley
The Rebels looked awesome on offense in their 48-21 victory over Roosevelt, gaining well over 500 yards and looking like the juggernaut unit it was last year under A.J. Springer. yeah, Juan Flores and David Dash next year could be mad scary. However, the defense has showed some signs of slippage lately, which won't be helped by Murrieta Valley. I have the Rebels losing a heartbreaker on the road, similar to their loss to Chaparral last year.
Murrieta Valley 28, Miller 23

Redlands East Valley at No. 3 Temecula Chaparral
After impaling the Santiago Sharks, REV looks to take out a Chaparral team that's been hell on the CBL in recent years. The Pumas took out REV two years ago and Miller this year, meaning they have run up quite a tab. The REV offense has erupted lately, but I don't see them evening the bill this week. I will be at the game though to see if I'm wrong and to see if Lindsay Soto is there. I can always hope.
Chaparral 23, Redlands East Valley 19

Norco 27, Riverside North 17

Last week: 26-6. Overall: 232-54-4.

This is what we got. All games are preliminarily set for Friday at 7:30 p.m.

CENTRAL DIVISION
Paloma Valley at No. 1 Rancho Cucamonga
No. 4 Cajon at Ayala
Glendora at Upland
No. 2 Los Osos at Chino Hills

EASTERN DIVISION
No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill at Palm Desert
Serrano at Banning
No. 3 Palm Springs at Barstow
No. 2 Hesperia at Silverado

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
No. 1 St. Margaret's at Yucca Valley
Maranatha at Big Bear
No. 3 Aquinas at Twentynine Palms
No. 2 Brentwood at Fillmore

INLAND DIVISION
No. 1 Corona Centennial at Vista Murrieta
No. 4 Miller at Murrieta Valley
Redlands East Valley at No. 3 Chaparral
Riverside North at Norco

This is another division with huge local representation, as the High Desert schools and Sunkist League go at it here.

Rim of the World at No. 1 Perris Citrus Hill
It's impressive that the Fighting Scots are here, having made a 21-point second-half comeback at Apple Valley to do it. But Citrus Hill, with QB Caleb Herring having committed to UNLV and RB Deontae Cooper receiving D-1 interest as a junior, has way too much firepower. This will be like a 16-1 matchup you'd see in the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Citrus Hill 48, Rim of the World 6

Riverside Notre Dame at No. 2 Hesperia
Speaking of Division I players, Notre Dame probably wishes it had RB Kenjon Barner, now a freshman at Oregon, back this year. The Titans will have a hard time matching up with Hesperia's physicality up front. And the Scorpions, with RB Gavin Santos and WR Jay Waddell, can beat you up top too.
Hesperia 38, Notre Dame 7

Summit at No. 3 Palm Springs
A lot of people are calling this upset. Ok, well maybe one reader, but still, this is an interesting matchup. The SkyHawks are young, but have a lot of speed, athleticism and moxie, as evidenced by their comebacks against Norte Vista and Bloomington. Palm Springs may be lacking in the speed department, but the Indians have size. Its that size that will make the difference late.
Palm Springs 23, Summit 20

Banning at No. 4 Kaiser
The Dick Bruich watch is going on, as any game could be the last for the legendary coach. But it won't be this game. Kaiser hasn't lost in six straight games and are coming off a dominating 435 rushing-yard performance against Riverside Patriot. Banning, which was 0-10 two years ago, is a great story, but it won't be the team that ends Bruich's career.
Kaiser 36, Banning 7

La Quinta at Serrano
As far as name matchups go, this one might be the most vibrant. Both of these schools are always in the CIF title discussion, but it might be far-fetched to get much of a run out of either school this year. La Quinta, though second in the Desert Valley League, was 0-5 and usually noncompetitive during the nonleague season, while Serrano lost three games as well. But I can't see the D-backs going down at Snowline Stadium.
Serrano 31, La Quinta 17

Barstow at San Jacinto
San Jac was a power in the East Valley Division, playing runner-up the last two years to Big Bear and Citrus Hill, respectively. I'm not sure they've gone up against a running attack as comphrensive as Barstow's double-wing though. It will be a physical matchup, but I think the Desert Sky represents here. Then again, I'm always wrong on Barstow predictions.
Barstow 24, San Jacinto 19

Silverado at Riverside Patriot
One look at the Hawks' 3-7 record could cause one to shudder, but Silverado took on one of the more brutal nonleague schedules in the section. That rugged slate will help Silverado immensely, as Patriot's physical running attack won't seem nearly as intimidating. It's been a long time for Patriot/Rubidoux, and it will be a short time in the postseason.
Silverado 20, Patriot 14

The other game of note between teams that aren't in San Bernardino County:
Palm Desert 34, Ridgecrest Burroughs 23

Quarterfinals
No. 1 Citrus Hill over Palm Desert
Serrano over No. 4 Kaiser
No. 2 Hesperia over Silverado
No. 3 Palm Springs over Barstow

Semifinals
No. 1 Citrus Hill over Serrano
No. 2 Hesperia over No. 3 Palm Springs

Final
No. 1 Citrus Hill over No. 2 Hesperia

According to the CIF, all of Friday's playoff games are to start at 7:30 p.m. unless noted. Well, there are plenty of games to be noted involving area teams that are moving to 7 p.m.

Games being played at 7 p.m. include the following:

Roosevelt at Miller (Inland Division)
Etiwanda at Cajon (Central Division)
Riverside Notre Dame at Hesperia (Eastern Division)
Summit at Palm Springs (Eastern Division)
Silverado vs. Riverside Patriot at Rubidoux HS (Eastern Division)
Yucca Valley at Bishop (East Valley Division)
Ontario Christian at Pasadena Maranatha (East Valley Division)

All other games are at 7:30 as of right now.

Here's a big glumping of high school football games. Enjoy.

CIF-SS FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS
First-round matchups (all games on Friday)

CENTRAL DIVISION
Colton (6-3-1) at Rancho Cucamonga (9-0-1); Ontario (6-4) at Menifee Paloma Valley (7-3); Colony (5-5) at Ayala (8-2); Etiwanda (5-5) at Cajon (9-1); Glendora (7-3) at Hemet West Valley (9-1); Upland (8-2) at Chaffey (8-2); San Gorgonio (6-4) at Chino Hills (9-1); Wildomar Elsinore (5-5) at Los Osos (8-2).

EASTERN DIVISION
Rim of the World (6-4) at Perris Citrus Hill (10-0); Palm Desert (8-2) at Ridgecrest Burroughs (6-4); La Quinta (4-6) at Serrano (7-3); Banning (6-4) at Kaiser (6-3-1); Summit (8-2) at Palm Springs (7-3); Barstow (7-3) at San Jacinto (7-2-1); Silverado (3-7) at Riverside Patriot (7-3); Riverside Notre Dame (6-4) at Hesperia (10-0).

EAST VALLEY DIVISION
North Hollywood Campbell Hall (5-5) at San Juan Capistrano St. Margaret's (10-0); Yucca Valley (6-4) at Bishop (5-4); Ontario Christian (5-5) at Pasadena Maranatha (9-1); Big Bear (6-3-1) at Santa Paula (8-2); Kern Valley (5-5) at Aquinas (9-1); Huntington Beach Brethren Christian (4-6) at Twentynine Palms (7-3); Edwards AFB Desert (7-3) at Fillmore (8-2); Arrowhead Christian (6-4) at Brentwood (9-1).

INLAND DIVISION
Yucaipa (5-5) at Corona Centennial (10-0); Vista Murrieta (8-2) at Moreno Valley (7-3); Riverside Arlington (5-5) at Murrieta Valley (7-3); Roosevelt (6-4) at Miller (10-0); Moreno Valley Vista del Lago (5-5) at Temecula Chaparral (9-1); Corona Santiago (6-4) at Redlands East Valley (9-1); Redlands (5-5) at Riverside North (6-4); Norco (6-4) at Moreno Valley Rancho Verde (10-0).

MID-VALLEY DIVISION
El Monte (5-5) at Monrovia (8-2); Duarte (5-5) at Los Angeles Baptist (6-4); Cerritos Valley Christian (7-3) at Rosemead (8-2); Baldwin Park Sierra Vista (4-6) at San Dimas (9-1); City of Industry Workman (5-4) at Covina Northview (8-2); San Marino (8-2) at Paraclete (7-3); El Monte Arroyo (3-7) at Temple City (5-4-1); Covina (4-6) at Azusa (9-1).

SOUTHEAST DIVISION
Bell Gardens (5-5) at Covina Charter Oak (9-0-1); Whittier California (8-2) at Crescenta Valley (8-2); San Gabriel (5-5) at Whittier La Serna (9-1); Burbank Burroughs (7-3) at Rowland Heights Rowland (8-2); Diamond Ranch (4-6) at Pasadena Muir (9-1); West Covina South Hills (8-2) at Montebello Schurr (7-3); Bonita (7-3) at West Covina (8-2); Burbank (5-5) at Santa Fe (9-1).

PAC-5 DIVISION
La Puente Bishop Amat at Long Beach Poly; San Clemente at Anaheim Esperanza; Los Angeles Loyola at Mission Viejo; Lakewood at Anaheim Servite; Los Alamitos at Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro; Long Beach Jordan at Santa Ana Mater Dei; Orange Lutheran at Fountain Valley; Compton at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

WESTERN DIVISION
Redondo Union at Palmdale; West Hills Chaminade at Beverly Hills; San Monica at Downey Warren; Lancaster Eastside at Manhattan Beach Mira Costa; La Canada St. Francis at Quartz Hill; Palos Verdes Peninsula at Lynwood; Downey at Culver City; Palmdale Highland at Mission Hills Alemany

NORTHERN DIVISION
Newbury Park at Ventura St. Bonaventure; Oxnard Pacifica at Paso Robles; Santa Maria Righetti at Saugus; Santa Barbara at Thousand Oaks; Westlake at Oxnard; Ventura at Valencia; Newhall Hart at Atascadero; Camarillo at Moorpark.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION
Garden Grove Pacifica at Santa Ana Foothill; Anaheim Magnolia at Tustin; Anaheim Canyon at Cypress; Santa Ana Valley at Fullerton; Fullerton Sunny Hills at Anaheim Western; Trabuco Hills at Placentia Valencia; Huntington Beach at Placentia El Dorado; Anaheim at La Habra.

SOUTHERN DIVISION
Artesia at Laguna Hills; Garden Grove Santiago at Costa Mesa; Norwalk at Garden Grove; Irvine at Westminster; Santa Ana Calvary Chapel at Lakewood Mayfair; Santa Ana Segerstrom at Fountain Valley Los Amigos; Laguna Beach at Santa Ana; La Mirada at Corona Del Mar.

NORTHWEST DIVISION
South Torrance at Westlake Village Oaks Christian; Los Angeles Cathedral at Santa Maria Pioneer Valley; Torrance Bishop Montgomery at North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake; Morro Bay at North Torrance; Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Santa Maria St. Joseph; El Segundo at Oxnard Santa Clara; Carpinteria at Los Angeles Verbum Dei; Templeton at Gardena Serra

NORTHEAST DIVISION
Mojave at San Juan Capistrano Saddleback Valley Christian; Webb at Silver Valley; Banning Twin Pines at Panorama City St. Genevieve; La Canada Flintridge Prep at Riverside Christian; Mammoth at Temecula Linfield Christian; Burbank Bellarmine-Jefferson at Anaheim Fairmont Prep; Long Beach St. Anthony at Arcadia Rio Hondo Prep; Inglewood Amino Leadership at Boron

The CIF-Southern Section football playoff brackets were released a few hours ago. Definitely some interesting things going on in the pairings. Here are some early observations on the brackets, which can be downloaded from www.cifss.org.

Central Division
- Rancho Cucamonga wasn't done any favors. Although the 9-0-1 Cougars were awarded the No. 1 seed, they got paired up with Colton in the first round. The Yellowjackets may not be as good as they usually are, but that double-wing offense is a headache to defend. Los Osos, on the other hand, got the No. 2 seed and is hosting Elsinore out of the Sunbelt League. If it wins, it'll face the Chino Hills-San Gorgonio winner.

- Chaffey also should be a little perturbed, as the Mt. Baldy League champions get the pleasure of hosting Upland, the third-place team in the Baseline League. It will be tough for the Tigers to match up with that firepower.

- Chino Hills-San G is a rematch of a game played on Oct. 3 at San G, won 42-20 by Chino Hills. Needless to say, tough draw for the Spartans.

- Cajon, the SAL champ, gets wild-card Etiwanda in the first round. The Cowboys were the No. 4 seed but will be tested by an explosive Eagles team. Ayala, the Sierra No. 1 seed, also gets a tough draw by hosting two-time defending division champion Colony.

Eastern Division
- Hesperia has a pretty favorable draw. As expected, the Scorpions got the No. 2 seed in the division behind Citrus Hill and draws Riverside Notre Dame in the first round. It'll get the Silverado at Patriot winner in the quarterfinals if it wins. The other league champion on its side of the bracket - Palm Springs - was 7-3 in a mediocre Desert Valley League.

- Rim of the World has a rough matchup, having to face No. 1 seed Perris Citrus Hill and its star RB Deonte Cooper. Ridgecrest Burroughs wasn't done many favors either, as it hosts Palm Desert - which was ranked near the top of the division rankings all year.

- Kaiser gets Banning in the first round and has a very intriguing second-round matchup if it wins, as it will face the La Quinta at Serrano winner.

East Valley Division
- Aquinas gets the No. 3 seed and hosts Kern Valley in the first round. Should it win, it could have a tasty rematch with Twentynine Palms, which dealt the Falcons their only loss. There's also potential for a Big Bear-Ontario Christian rematch in the second round.

- Arrowhead Christian and Big Bear qualify as at-larges and have tough first round matchups, as the Eagles play at No. 2 seed Brentwood while the Bears head to Santa Paula.

Inland Division
- Miller gets the No. 4 seed and hosts Roosevelt, which is making its first playoff appearance in school history.

- Lots of revenge possibilities. Redlands East Valley is on the same side of the bracket with Redlands, and the Wildcats get a chance to avenge their loss to Corona Santiago in the Inland semifinals a year ago. If Redlands wins at Riverside North and Norco wins at Moreno Valley Rancho Verde, a rematch of their overtime semifinal two years ago would happen.

- Rancho Verde, the No. 2 seed, got a tough first-round matchup with a seasoned Norco squad and isn't done any favors in round two, having to face Redlands or two-time Eastern Division champ North.

- Yucaipa gets the unenviable task of facing Corona Centennial. That could get ugly quick.