Video: California Top 5 Games of the Week Trinity League teams dominate this week's top showdowns.
California playoffs are in full swing. Big quarterfinal games are being held throughout the state. But only one section features five games that feature 10 Top 25 teams: The Southern Section.
This week, the Southern Section's Division 1 tournament gets underway in what is regarded as perhaps the toughest bracket in American.
The nation's top two ranked teams, No. 1 Mater Dei and No. 2 St. John Bosco face a couple of very capable squads, the state's 16th-ranked team Bishop Amat (La Puente) and No. 11 Calabasas, respectively.
The two best games in the division pit No. 8 Servite (Anaheim) at No. 5 Mission Viejo and fourth-ranked Centennial (Corona) hosting No. 13 JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano).
Servite sophomore quarterback Noah Fifita.
File photo by Jann Hendry
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Top Players
The
CIF Southern Section Division 1 bracket is filled with the best teams
in the state. All three of Servite's losses have come against national Top 25
opponents and the Diablos roll into this one 10-0. They've outscored
the opposition 443-73 but face their toughest test. Troy
Thomas has the Friars back playing at a high level and they have one of
the best sophomore quarterback/wide receiver duos in Fifita and
McMillan.Since 2009, the teams have split four meetings, with Servite winning the last two in 2016 (49-28) and 2017 (38-36).
Friday, 7 p.m.
Top Players
Calabasas (8-2) was moved up to the Open Division and all the Coyotes have to do is beat a
team that has played in the Southern Section's top division six
consecutive years. This one features some of the best talent in the
state, especially at the wide receiver position. Burton, Wilson,
Turner-Gooden, Hutson, Loya,
Beaux Collins and
Jode McDuffie all have offers from multiple Power 5 schools. These schools have never met in football. Uiagalelei is rated the top quarterback in the country for St. John Bosco (9-1).
7 p.m. Friday
Top Players
In another D1 matchup, don't be fooled by JSerra's 6-4 record. All four losses have come to state Top 25 teams, including No. 1 Mater Dei (51-14) and No. 2 St. John Bosco (49-10). Centennial (8-2) also lost to Mater Dei by a similar 42-12 score to start the season. The Huskies then dropped a 44-41 heartbreaker to San Diego Section power Cathedral Catholic two weeks later, but since have won seven straight, scoring at least 50 in six of those games and more than 60 four times. The tough part about slowing down Centennial is that it averages 231 yards per game on the ground and 225 through the air. In their six wins, the Lions have allowed 65 points. These teams have not met after 2003.
7 p.m. Friday
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Rancho Verde: QB
A.J. Duffy (6-1, 197), RB
Jordan Jefferson (5-7, 165), WR
Jonah Carnell (5-11, 170), WR
Andre' McKinney Jr. (5-8, 145), CB
Kelvin Richards (5-10, 160).
In D2 play, these two programs have also not met. Duffy, only a sophomore, has thrown for 2,494 yards and 26 touchdowns. Most have been to Carnell and McKinney, who have combined for 96 receptions, 1,510 yards and 17 TDs. Jefferson has also rushed for 1,217 yards and 21 touchdowns, so Rancho Verde (10-1) is extremely balanced. San Clemente (9-2) is very stingy on defensive. Four times it has allowed a touchdown or less.
7 p.m. Friday
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No one is expecting Amat to put up huge fight because, well, no one has has really come close to the nation's top-ranked team all season. Top 5 national teams St. John Bosco (14) and St. Frances Academy-Baltimore (16) were somewhat close, but the Monarchs were up by three scores for the majority of those games. The rest of the margins of victory were similar: 30, 56, 36, 29, 37, 45, 45 and 37. Could Mater Dei (10-0), led by the nation's likely Player of the Year Young (3,559 total yards, 48 touchdowns) possibly let down? Could they be eying a return date with Bosco in two weeks? Possibly, but doubtful. Amat (9-1), which has lost only to JSerra (38-14), has won games over ranked teams Alemany (25-24), Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks (35-21) and Serra-Gardena (20-13).
