Sports

Football: Los Alamitos Looks for First Playoff Win in Nearly 10 Years

Can Alamitos win its first playoff game in nearly a decade? What kind of success will the Sunset League have? Let the discussions begin.


By Martin Henderson


The Southern Section office released playoff pairings for this week's first round of games, which begin Friday. Saddleback Valley Christian plays the one Saturday game.

Here's a look at who to be watching out for, and who came away from Sunday's release event thinking the world is against them.

Kickoffs are scheduled for 7 p.m., unless stated otherwise.

PAC-5 DIVISION

Top Bracket

Agoura (6-4) at No. 1 St. John Bosco (10-0)

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Long Beach Cabrillo (4-6) at Tesoro (8-2), 7:30 p.m.

Servite (5-5) at Westlake (8-2), 7:30 p.m.

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Lakewood (5-5) at No. 4 Alemany (8-2)

Bottom bracket

Orange Lutheran (7-3) at No. 3 Long Beach Poly (9-1)

St. Bonaventure (7-3) at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (7-3)

Mater Dei (8-2) at Oaks Christian (8-2), 7:30 p.m.

Encino Crespi (4-6) at No. 2 Mission Viejo (10-0), 7:30 p.m.

2012 Championship: Long Beach Poly 35, Mater Dei 17

Who got screwed: South Coast League champion Mission Viejo got a tougher first-round game than second-place Tesoro, and has Mater Dei (on the road) or Marmonte West champion Oaks Christian—averaging 47 points per game—in the second round. 

Potential first-round upset: Orange Lutheran over Long Beach Poly. OLu led St. John Bosco before the Braves pulled away in the second half. OLu lost to Servite on the last play of the game, 20-19; Poly lost to Servite, 31-24. If OLu is on its game, Poly will have its hands full.

Darkhorse: In Travis Waller, Servite has a dual threat quarterback (anyone remember Cody Fajardo in 2009?) and, if it can win at Westlake in the first round, would play a home game against fourth-seeded Alemany. 

The likeliest scenario: St. John Bosco outscoring Mission Viejo in an epic shootout.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Top Bracket

Canyon (5-5) at No. 1 La Habra (9-1)

Newport Harbor (5-5) at Dana Hills (5-5) 

Los Alamitos (8-2) vs. Foothill (8-2) at Tustin

Fullerton (8-2) at No. 4 Valencia (8-2) 

Bottom Bracket

Cypress 6-4) vs. No. 3 Edison (7-3) at Orange Coast College

Buena Park (8-2) at Villa Park (8-2) at El Modena

Fountain Valley (7-3) at San Juan Hills (9-1), 7:30 p.m.

Huntington Beach (5-5) at No. 2 Yorba Linda (10-0)

2012 Championship: Edison 28, Villa Park 10

Who got screwed: San Juan Hills won its first league title, but plays a first-round at-large opponent in Fountain Valley that beat Los Alamitos when Los Al was ranked third in the division. Foothill, the Century League champion, didn't get any breaks either.

Potential first-round upset: As an at-large team, Huntington Beach is no ordinary 15 seed. Yorba Linda is undefeated, but how would the Mustangs do if they were in the Sunset League? They wouldn't be undefeated, that's for sure. 

Darkhorse: Los Alamitos is in the right quarter bracket to reach the semifinals, where it needs one good performance to beat La Habra—a team it played years ago when the Highlanders were becoming a county power. The downside to that scenario: The Griffins haven't won a playoff game since 2004. 

The likeliest scenario: Edison repeating as champion with a low-scoring victory over La Habra.

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Top Bracket

Loara (6-4) vs. No. 1 Corona del Mar (10-0) at Newport Harbor

Estancia (4-4) vs. Los Amigos (8-2) at Bolsa Grande

Woodbridge (6-4) vs. Santa Ana Valley (7-2-1) at Santa Ana Stadium

Rancho Alamitos (4-6) at No. 4 Westminster (6-4)

Bottom Bracket

Calvary Chapel (7-3) at No. 3 Irvine (8-2)

Magnolia (7-3) at Segerstrom (7-3)

Katella (7-3) at Costa Mesa (7-3) at Estancia

Orange (7-3) at No. 2 Garden Grove (10-0)

2012 Championship: Corona del Mar 35, Garden Grove 10

Who got screwed: Corona del Mar, despite being the No. 1 seed, faces an opponent who last week beat fourth-seeded Westminster, 38-35, and scored a 35-0 victory over Estancia which could be CdM's second-round opponent. 

Potential first-round upset: Calvary Chapel dropped 62 points on Laguna Beach—56 points in regulation—and have scored 41 or more in seven of their last eight games. Estancia beat Calvary 24-14 last week, and Estancia lost to Irvine, 40-6. The feeling here is that If Irvine doesn't pay attention to details, this game is a lot closer than that.

Darkhorse: None.This is a two-team race. 

The likeliest scenario: A rematch of 2012 with Corona del Mar beating Garden Grove for its third consecutive title.

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

Top Bracket

Arrowhead Christian (7-3) at No. 1 Fontana Jurupa Hills (8-2)

Brethren Christian (8-2) at Shadow Hills (6-4)

Banning (5-5) at Santa Clara (7-3) 

Sage Hill (5-5) at No. 4 Upland Western Christian (10-0), 7:30 p.m.

Bottom Bracket

Ontario Christian (6-4) at No. 3  Big Bear (8-2)

Fillmore (8-2) at Citrus Valley (5-5)

Rim of the World (7-3) at Linfield Christian (6-4)

Twentynine Palms (4-6) at No. 2 St. Margaret's (9-1)

2012 Championship: Rim of the World 34, Ontario Christian 31

Who got screwed: Linfield Christian's four losses were to teams that were collectively 35-4, and for that, the Lions drew the defending champion in the first round.

Potential first-round upset: Fillmore over Citrus Valley. Since losing to Santa Clara on Oct. 11, 33-24, Fillmore of the lightly regarded Frontier League has outscored four opponents, 182-51, including avenging the loss to Santa Clara with a 48-14 victory.  

Darkhorse: Rim of the World was the fourth-ranked team in the division by coaches, even after getting upset in overtime by Citrus Valley, but can't be on the same side of the bracket as top-seeded Jurupa Hills. Rim was the third-place entrant from the Mountain Valley League last year when it won the title; it's the third-place entry this year, too.   

The likeliest scenario: St. Margaret's beats Jurupa Hills for the title.

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Top Bracket

Santa Clarita Christian (5-5) at No. 1 Mission Prep (8-2) 

St. Genevieve (7-3) at Pasadena Poly (8-2)

California Military Institute (6-4) vs. Saddleback Valley Christian (8-2) at St. Margaret's, Saturday

St. Anthony (7-3) vs. No. 4 Desert (8-2)

Bottom Bracket

Chadwick (7-3) at No. 3 Salesian (8-2)

Boron (7-3) vs. Capistrano Valley Christian (9-1) at San Clemente, 7:30

Excelsior (7-3) at Anza Hamilton (5-5)

St. Monica (3-7) at No. 2 Rio Honda Prep (9-1)

2012 Championship: Rio Hondo Prep 28, Mission Prep 21

Who got screwed: Desert from Edwards AFB will get an at-large team in the first round, but one that gained nearly 400 yards in a 64-37 loss to third-seeded Salesian. St. Anthony also beat a common opponent, Desert Christian, by 34 points; Desert won by 20.

Potential first-round upset: St. Anthony over Desert.

Darkhorse: Saddleback Valley Christian began the season playing for a fallen teammate, so there's an emotional element that can't be measured. The Warriors are positioned in the right bracket to make a run.

The likeliest scenario: Salesian upsets Rio Hondo in the semifinals and Mission Prep in the finals.

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: How do you think the playoffs will play out?


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