CIF Division 8 final remains at Brea Olinda despite requests for venue change

Friday’s CIF Division 8 final will be played at the Brea Olinda campus field. (PHOTO: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

CIF officials said Wednesday Friday’s Division 8 football final between Beckman and Brea Olinda will remain at Brea Olinda despite requests from Beckman officials to move the game because of playing conditions.

“We went to Brea Monday and determined the field was able to work for this game,” Thom Simmons, CIF assistant commissioner told OC Sports Zone Wednesday.

Brea Olinda won a coin flip to host the game Friday but CIF officials had the option of moving the game to another stadium.

Beckman Athletic Director Steve Fischel said school officials asked this week for the game to be moved after learning of conditions at last week’s semifinal between Irvine and Brea Olinda at Brea Olinda.

“Multiple times,” Fischel said when asked how many times school officials asked for a venue change. “CIF is stating that the Brea field is playable and suiteable for a championship game.”

The field is natural grass and conditions worsened last weekend during several days of heavy rains.

Tom Connolly of OC Sports Zone reported in his Irvine-Brea Olinda game story last week that, “the grounds were saturated from the excessive rainfall over the past few days, making footing extremely treacherous and slippery.”

Irvine Coach Tom Ricci also commented about the field conditions for the semifinals after the game. Brea Olinda won 28-12.

“Perhaps on a turf field it would have been a different outcome,” Ricci told OC Sports Zone. “I’m not taking anything away from Brea. They played great but the conditions were horrible, and I can’t blame our kids for any of the mistakes. It’s just frustrating. “

Brea Olinda Coach Justin Villasenor said Tuesday at the CIF press conference in Long Beach:

“The field is much better. No one is used to grass anymore, they got kind of got shocked when it was muddy, which is kind of crazy to me that people wouldn’t think it would be muddy. It’s ready to go, cleared by CIF and we’re ready to rock.”

No rain is expected this weekend.

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