CIF football pairings released with some intriguing first round games plus the brackets for every division

Corona del Mar and Katella among teams earning top seeds in playoffs

The CIF football brackets are out and there are some interesting first-round match-ups.

Local teams Corona del Mar (8-1-1) and Katella (10-0) are among the squads who earned top-seeds. Corona del Mar, which tied for first place in the Sunset League, is seeded first in Division 4 and Katella (10-0) first in Division 8.

CdM and Villa Park (10-0) are the top seeded teams in Division 4. CdM hosts Redondo Union while Villa Park hosts Yucaipa.

In Division 1, St. John Bosco, which defeated Mater Dei 41-18 on Oct. 13 is seeded first and Centennial second.

TO SEE THE CIF PLAYOFF BRACKETS FOR EVERY DIVISION, CLICK HERE AND THEN GO TO EACH DIVISION

St. John Bosco (10-0) opens at home against Serra (5-5) while Centennial hosts Orange Lutheran (5-5).

Mater Dei (8-2) opens on the road against Valencia/Valencia (7-3) Friday night in a Division 1 opener. If Mater Dei wins, the third-seeded Monarchs would face the winner of the Bishop Amat-Mission Viejo game in the second round.

Some coaches and players, including those at Irvine, had to wait until today to find out their playoff fate.

But at around 11 a.m. today, Irvine football coach Erik Terry and his players found out they are advancing to the CIF playoffs. The Vaqueros will host Ocean View Friday in the Division 11 playoffs at Irvine Stadium. Irvine finished in a tie for second place with Northwood, which will be making its first playoff appearance since 2014. Northwood is in Division 12.

The Timberwolves, seeking their first playoff win since 2010 will play Rancho Alamitos, the Garden Grove League champion Friday at Bolsa Grande.

It’s the first time Irvine has been in the playoffs since 2014 when the Vaqueros lost to Villa Park in the opening round.

“We drew Ocean View in our first round game,” Terry said. “They were the tri-league champions of the PAC-4 and one of the top teams in Division 11.  We are thrilled to be back in the playoffs and we know we have our work cut out for us.”

Woodbridge football coach Rick Gibson found out his team, the Pacific Coast League champion, will be home at University High in the Divsion 8 playoffs against Temecula Valley, a team he describes as “a very good at-large team.”

Woodbridge could be in store for a rematch with Santa Ana if both teams get past the first round.

Santa Ana, the Orange Coast League champion, hosts Fountain Valley Friday night in the CIF Divison 8 playoffs at Santa Ana Stadium. Santa Ana is third-seeded in Division 8. Santa Ana (8-2) won a nonleague game against Woodbridge 40-21 on Sept. 13 and  Godinez transfer Patrick McMorris, an all-purpose start, was not yet eligible. The Saints rolled past their competition in the Orange Coast League, defeating Orange 29-0 in a battle for first place Friday night.

Woodbridge is 7-3 and won its first league title in 20 years allowing just seven points in five league games.

North Hills League champion Foothill, which had a strong second half of the season to capture the North Hills League title, is home on Friday at Tustin to host Aliso Niguel in the Division 9 playoffs. Aliso (9-1) is fourth seeded in Division 9.

Tustin and Huntington Beach are among the football teams who have received at-large berths in the CIF Division 6 playoffs.

Tustin will play at South Hills and Huntington Beach will play at St. Margaret’s Friday, Nov. 2.

Orange Lutheran received an at-large berth in Division 1, Tesoro in Division 2 and Fountain Valley in Division 8.

Beckman (5-5 overall) was also hoping for an at-large berth but did not receive one after being upset by University 34-23 Friday night in the final Pacific Coast League game of the season.

Some key opening round match-ups on Friday, Nov. 2:

—Fountain Valley plays third seeded Santa Ana, the Orange Coast League champion, in Division 8. Santa Ana is home and the game will be played at Santa Ana Stadium.

—Mater Dei plays at Valencia of Valencia Friday night in Division 1.

—Katella, top seed in D8, hosts Summit Friday night.

—PCL champ Woodbridge hosts Temecula Valley, at at-large team in Division 8. The game will be at University.

—Northwood plays Rancho Alamitos, the Garden Grove League champion, Friday at Bolsa Grande High in D12.

—North Hills League champ Foothill hosts Aliso Niguel in Divsion 9 at Tustin High.

—PCL’s No. 2 team Irvine hosts Ocean Friday at 7 p.m. in Division 11 at Irvine Stadium.

—Western, which tied for first in the Pac-4 League, is home Friday against Patriot in Division 11. Western is third-seeded.

—Laguna Beach hosts Saddleback Valley Christian in Division 12.

—Orange, the Orange Coast League runner-up, plays at North Torrance, the Pioneer League champion, in D9.

—Segerstrom, the No. 2 team in the Big 4, plays at San Marino in D9

.—Big 4 League champion Garden Grove hosts West Torrance in Division 9.

—At-large team Tustin plays at South Hills Friday night in Division 6

.—At-large team Huntington Beach plays at St. Margaret’s in Division 6.

—Capistrano Valley Christian, coached by Rick Curtis, former University, Irvine and Northwood coach, is home against Loara in D13.

-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com