PrepXtra Live Pairings Show. Plus story on today’s playoff pairings

Intro: Pac-5 discussion with Aram and Fred discussing whether Amat deserves to be in the Pac-5 Division
28:00 mark: Inland Division and how Charter Oak got a ridiculous draw.
39:45 mark: Southeast Division, can the Hacienda get out of the first round?
45:45 mark: Mid-Valley Division, can anyone beat the top four seeds?
55:00 mark: Northwest Division, Gladstone and La Puente with winnable games?


By Fred J. Robledo, SGVN
twitter.com/sgvtribpreps

There were no real surprises following the CIF-Southern Section football playoff pairings on Sunday.

As expected, Bishop Amat earned an at-large berth in the Pac-5 Division after losing to Notre Dame on Friday and Charter Oak, who has been dominant all season, earned the fourth seed in the Inland Division though it received the tougheset road possible for a seeded team.

The Sierra League champion Chargers (9-1) open against Chaparral (7-3), a third-place team from the difficult Southwestern League — a league that boasts top-seed Vista Murrieta.

If Charter Oak is fortunate enough to move on, it could face Rancho Cucmaonga in the second round.

In other Inland Division first-round games, South Hills (6-4) has the almost impossible task of facing top-seed Vista Murrieta (10-0) on the road while Chino Hills (7-2), second in the Sierra, earned a home game against Citrus Belt third-place Redlands (7-3).

Bishop Amat (7-2-1) was extremely fortunate to avoid the top seeds in the Pac-5 Division after sneaking in with an at-large berth.

Bishop Amat will be at Moore League champion Long Beach Poly (7-3) on Friday at Veterans Stadium.
If the Lancers advance, they could possiblly get second-seed Mission Viejo at home in the second round.

“I don’t know about feeling good about (playing them),” Amat coach Steve Hagerty said of Long Beach Poly. “No matter how you want to spin it we’re happy that we’re in the playoffs and still playing.

“We don’t have control over who we play, but all the teams in the Pac-5 are good. What we know about Poly from the past is they’re always althletic and physical, so I don’t know about any of this stuff (of having a good draw).”

Valle Vista League champion San Dimas (9-1) earned the fourth seed in the Mid-Valley Division and will open against Windward (5-3), a third-place team from the Alpha.

If San Dimas advances, a possible second-round game against San Marino (9-1) could be next.
“CIF did a good job of putting it all together,” San Dimas coach Bill Zernickow said. “Only thing I know about
Windward is they’re from the West side of Los Angeles and have a great basketball team.”

On a possible showdown against San Marino, Zernickow was direct.

“Once we get past Windward, we’ll look forward to playing those guys,” Zernickow said. “They’re extremely well coached.”

In other Mid-Valley Division games Mission Valley League co-champion South El Monte (6-4) will have its hands full in an all-area first-round match-up against Covina (7-3), a third-place finisher in the VVL.

El Monte (7-3), which shared the MVL with South El Monte, is home in the first round against Montebello (6-4) while Arroyo (6-4) travels to Almont League champ Bell Gardens (8-2).

Northview (7-3), second in the VVL, travels to face fourth-seed Sierra Canyon (9-1), which was second to top-seed Paraclete (9-1) from the Alpha League.

Defending Southeast Division champion West Covina (5-5) finished in a four-way tie in the Hacienda League but entered the Southeast playoffs as the No. 1 entry from the Hacienda, drawing San Gabriel Valley third-place entry Paramount (8-2), though Paramount finished in a three-way tie for first.

Bonita (5-5) was the second-place entry from the Hacienda and is hosting Del-Rio runner up Santa Fe (5-5).
Rowland (7-3) is on the the road at fourth-seed Downey (7-3) and Diamond Ranch (7-3), which earned the at-large berth in the Southeast, is at second seed La Serna (9-1).

Montview League champion Gladstone (9-1) was hoping to earn a seed in the Northwest Division but was satisfied with its draw. The Gladiators will host Del Rey third-place entry Mary Star of the Sea (4-5) in the first round on Thursday at Citrus College.

Gladstone is having its best season since 2005 and is looking for its first playoff victory since 1977.
“After 14 years we got who we thought we were going to get, We’re fine with it,” Gladstone coach Albert Sanchez said. “There’s no good or bad. It’s playoff time and we have to go at it like no other way, it’s championship football.”

Montview League co-champion La Puente (8-2) is also home against El Seguno (6-2) while Sierra Vista (7-3) has to make the long trip to take on second-seed Nordoff (9-1).

“We don’t know much about these teams,” La Puente coach Brandon Rohrer said. “When we were in the Mid-Valley division we could go down the street and scout our opponents. We don’t know much about the teams in this division.”

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