High School Football Highlights from Southern California
Southern California saw some thrilling action on the football fields this past Friday, November 8, as the CIF-Southern Section and L.A. City playoffs kicked off with the first round games. Fans were treated to a mix of surprise wins, strong performances, and dramatic finishes.
Division 1 Results
In one of the standout matchups, Sierra Canyon topped Servite 38-14. Senior running back Dane Dunn shined with three touchdowns. Quarterback Wyatt Becker, who is committed to Utah, also performed impressively. Next up, Sierra Canyon will face the top-seeded Mater Dei in the quarterfinals on November 15.
Meanwhile, Santa Margarita cruised past Inglewood with a score of 59-26, setting up a challenging clash against St. John Bosco, who is seeded No. 2, also on November 15.
Division 2 Action
The highly contested Division 2 saw Murrieta Valley pulling off a close victory over Rancho Cucamonga at 49-42. Senior running back Dorian Hoze was a standout, securing five rushing touchdowns including the game-winner with just 10.5 seconds on the clock. They will now host the No. 1 seed in the next round.
Los Alamitos edged out Leuzinger, finishing 36-22, while Serra defeated Downey 28-7 thanks to a solid performance from quarterback Jimmy Butler.
Division 3 Showdowns
In Division 3, the game between Simi Valley and Notre Dame was a rollercoaster, ending with a nail-biting 49-47 victory for Simi Valley. Senior Brice Hawkins threw five touchdowns, including the decisive one in the final quarter. Simi Valley, ranked No. 1, now prepares to face La Habra, who won their game against Mira Costa 27-24.
More Exciting Matches
The excitement didn’t stop there as Culver City narrowly defeated Capistrano Valley 38-35, and Thousand Oaks edged out St. Paul 14-10 in a tense match that came down to the last moments of play. Huntington Beach also had a thrilling game, winning 56-39 against Western in a high-scoring affair.
As teams continue to advance, fans can look forward to more thrilling matchups in the upcoming quarterfinals. The competition will only get tougher as schools strive for the coveted CIF-SS titles!
