It was the day that high school football fans, coaches and players have been waiting for.
CIF officials announced the brackets for the CIF playoffs which include 14 divisions. Playoffs are scheduled for Friday, but games can also be played on Thursday and Saturday due to stadium conflicts.
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Coaches contacted by OC Sports Zone shared their reaction to the playoff brackets on Sunday.
Santa Ana, Division 10
Santa Ana, second place team in the Orange Coast League, will host FIllmore Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium. Santa Ana is top seed in Division 10.
“We are excited to be in the CIF playoffs for the ninth year in a row and looking forward to playing a good Fillmore team Friday night at the Santa Ana Bowl,” said Coach Charlie TeGantvoort. “As always, we will be looking for our seniors to step up and lead us to a successful outcome. Looking forward to seeing Saint nation at the game.”
Santa Ana was undefeated in league before losing to Orange 35-0 Friday night in the game that determined the league title.
Cypress, Division 4
The Centurions, coached by Rick Feldman, host Highland Friday night at Glover Stadium in the Division 4 opener. Cypress captured the Empire League title.
“Highland is very good,” Feldman said Sunday. “I think any of the 16 teams could win it. It is a tough division and very balanced. “
Cypress, 10-0, is led by quarterback Adan Houston and receiver Matt Morrell.
Crean Lutheran, Division 8
The Saints, coached by Rick Curtis, earned a home game Friday vs. Aliso Niguel, an at-large team from the Sea View League. Crean Lutheran, 9-1, finished second to Cypress in the Empire League.
“We are excited to receive a home game as the No. 7-seeded team in Division 8, ” Curtis said. “The division looks well-balanced and Aliso Niguel will be a big challenge for us, coming from the tough Sea View League.
“Aliso Niguel’s head coach, Mike Calahan, and his staff do a great job each week in preparing their team, so we will need to be ready to play. The Wolverines are disciplined and battle tested. It should be a great atmosphere again with two teams battling it out among a sellout crowd.”
The gane will be held at Crean Lutheran’s new on-campus stadium, which seats 1,200.
Former Aliso Niguel varsity coach Kurt Westling is head freshman coach at Crean Lutheran and was a former Saints varsity assistant. Westling, who retired at Aliso Niguel, joined the Crean Lutheran staff in 2020.
Western, Division 7
The Pioneers, the Orange League champions, host Buena Friday at 7 p.m. in the Division 7 opener. Western earned the No. 7 seed.
“It’s going to be a very tough game but blessed to be in the post season and it’s an honor to play in Division 7,” said Coach Dan Davidson.
Portola Division 12
The Bulldogs, the top seed from the Pacific Hills League, play at Rialto Friday night in a Division 12 game.
“They played Loara in a close one last year in the Division 14 CIF finals, and return some talented players on both sides of the ball,” said Portola Coach Peter Abe. “Looking forward to the challenge on Friday night under the lights, as we begin a new phase of the 2022 season. We are grateful for the opportunity to spend another week on the field with the Bulldogs, and are excited to get to work.”
Portola is 3-7 coming into the game.
Segerstrom, Division 11
The Jaguars, 3-7, finished second in the Big Four League with a 2-1 record. Segerstrom, coached by Joseph Tagaloa, takes on St. Margaret’s, the number three team from the Orange Coast League.
“I am excited about our draw because we get another home game,” Tagaloa said. “We have St. Margaret’s who like us have played a tough pre-season schedule. I anticipate a competitive game as they are well coached. Last year we went into the playoffs as a No. 1 seed, but lost in the first round, so this year is different.
“I am not paying attention to seeds or schedule. Instead I am going to make sure we are ready to compete and play at a high level because everyone in the playoffs is good, as seen with St. Margaret’s. This Friday we will be ready to compete for four quarters.”
Santa Ana Valley, Division 12
The Falcons, the No. 2 team from Division 12, play at Victor Valley in the Division 12 opener. It will Santa Ana Valley’s first appearance in the CIF playoffs since 2019.
“We are proud of our program for reaching the playoffs as that has been the goal since day one,” said Coach Alfredo Macias. “We were hoping to host a playoff game, but we look forward to the challenge of facing a talented Victor Valley team in their backyard. Any team who has made it to this point is dangerous, so we will need to be at our best on Friday night.”
RELATED:
CIF playoff rundown, a look ahead and brackets
Last week of regular season in OC was memorable
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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