CdM’s CIF Division 3 championship team led by quarterback Ethan Garbers (No. 4) opens the state regional playoffs Saturday. (Photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
Corona del Mar, San Juan Hills, Sunny Hills, Esperanza and Marina, who all won CIF Southern Section titles, are advancing into the CIF Regional Football Championship Bowl Games beginning next weekend.
The state finals will be held Dec. 14-15 at Cerritos College.
St. John Bosco, which defeated Mater Dei 39-34 in the CIF Division 1 title game, moves on to the open division CIF State Championship Bowl Game to face De La Salle on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Cerritos College at 8 p.m.
Corona del Mar (14-0) will host Oceanside (11-3) in the 1A opener Saturday at 6 p.m. at Newport Harbor. Coach Dan O’Shea’s Sea Kings defeated Grace Brethren 56-28 to win the Division 3 title Friday night.
“They’re a phenomenal team with a rich tradition and certainly one of the very best in Southern California,” said CdM Coach Dan O’Shea.
Now, the Sea Kings go for a state title.
“Everything we think about involves the number 16,” O’Shea said.
San Juan Hills, the Division 4 champion, will host Aquinas (12-2) in the 2AA opener Friday at 7:30 p.m.
Sunny Hills, the CIF Division 8 champion, will play at Bakersfield Christian (10-3) Saturday at 6 p.m. in the 3A opener.
Marina, the CIF Division 11 champion, will host La Jolla (9-4) Saturday at 6 p.m. at Westminster in the 4A opener.
“It’s great,” said Marina Coach Jeff Turley. “We got another home game. We are real excited about getting to play for state.”
Esperanza, the CIF Division 13 champion, will host Reseda (10-3) in the 5A opener Saturday night at 6 at Yorba Linda.
-Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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