Final week football playoff scenarios
SUNKIST LEAGUE
Unlike its college counterpart, given the absence of super conferences in high school football the opportunity for true league championship games isn't often presented.
With one week remaining in the regular season, two such games have fallen into place.
Kaiser (7-2, 4-0) has twice as many consecutive Sunkist League championships as Summit does years of existence as a football program, but Summit (8-1, 4-0) is the team ranked No. 1 in the CIF-SS Eastern Division heading into Friday's showdown with its rival. Kaiser has recovered from two lopsided losses early in the season to win six consecutive games and now sits a win away from an 11th straight league championship. In fact the Cats have lost just one league game during their incomparable run.
Summit, however, has plenty of reasons to believe it will beat Kaiser for the first time in the six-year history of the program and secure its first ever league championship. In fact, Summit outlasted Kaiser in the playoffs last season when the Cats were the No. 1 seed but Summit reached the CIF-SS Eastern Division championship game where it lost a 21-7 game to Wildomar Elsinore. During a two-month stretch in which it was won eight games in a row, Summit has scored at least 35 points each game and allowed an average of 4.1 points per game.
SIERRA LEAGUE
The Inland Valley's other league championship game pits another team with much to prove against the reigning league power. Three-time defending Sierra League champion Chino Hills (6-3, 4-0) has only shared a league with Covina Charter Oak (8-1, 4-0) for two seasons but the Chargers' wildly successful program managed just a third-place finish and swift playoff exit last year.
Did a Charter Oak team that won consecutive CIF-SS Southeast Division championships prior to making the jump to the Sierra League have a down season last year? Perhaps the answer to that question will be presented in the Sierra League championship game Thursday night.
Damien, which was a last-second 65-yard touchdown pass by Chino Hills away from playing Charter Oak for first place in the Sierra League last week now needs a win over Ayala on Thursday to secure the third and final playoff spot.
HACIENDA LEAGUE
Diamond Ranch can earn a share of the Hacienda League championship if it can take down defending league and CIF champion West Covina on Thursday while Diamond Bar can end a seven-year playoff drought with a win over Hacienda Heights Los Altos.
SAN ANDREAS LEAGUE
Carter needs a win over Cajon to secure an undefeated regular season and outright San Andreas League championship but a loss would require the Lions share the title with Cajon. Rialto simply needs a win over a one-win Pacific squad to earn the league's final playoff berth.
CITRUS BELT LEAGUE
Miller and Redlands are playing for the final playoff spot in the Citrus Belt League while Yucaipa and REV duke it out for the league title.
VALLE VISTA LEAGUE
San Dimas and Pomona, who have each lost to Valle Vista League champion Covina, play for second place in league on Thursday. Pomona lost by two to Covina in its league opener while San Dimas later fell by 18.
About Clay
Clay Fowler has been covering high school sports for six years in California and Texas. He was born in Dallas, attended the University of Texas and worked in Central Texas before joining the Daily Bulletin staff in 2006.
Email Clay here
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