It’s a very exciting night for football fans of two Santa Ana teams and for eight other squads in CIF semifinals

Coach Bruce Rollinson leads Mater Dei into tonight’s semfinals. (File photo: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)

It’s going to be an exciting night for two football programs based in Santa Ana, who will be playing miles apart tonight in the semifinals of the CIF playoffs.

Defending CIF Division 1 and state open division champion Mater Dei, the private school, takes on Centennial at Santa Ana Stadium in the Division 1 semifinals at 7 p.m.

Third seeded Mater Dei (10-2) will have its side of the stadium packed and second-seeded Centennial (12-0) will bring a big crowd too.

It was an amazing year for Mater Dei last year when it went 15-0. The Monarchs path to the finals is a bit more challenging this year. It hopes to advance into next week’s Division 1 finals at Cerritos College against the St. John Bosco-Oaks Christian winner. St. John Bosco is the top seed.

In another county, many Santa Ana fans are expected to be in attendance at Fontana to cheer on the public school, Santa Ana, in the Division 8 semifinals against Kaiser. Santa Ana got to the semifinals of Division 12 last year. The Saints are in Division 8 this year and aiming for that coveted berth next week in the championship game.

Many Santa Ana fans have expressed their support of the Saints on social media and the campus has most likely been full of excitement this week.

The winner moves on to face the Alta Loma-Arcadia game next week.

BIG NIGHT FOR OTHER FOOTBALL TEAMS TOO

There are 10 CIF semifinal football games involving Orange County teams tonight. Laguna Beach is at Artesia in Division 12, Capistrano Valley hosts Cajon in Division 3 and Corona del Mar plays at Camarillo and Villa Park hosts Grace Brethren at El Modena in Division 4.

In Division 7, Valencia hosts San Jacinto, in Division 9, Garden Grove is at San Gorgonio and Brea Olinda hosts North Torrance. In Division 11, Western is at Beaumont.

Please check our OC Sports Zone score ticker tonight for updates.

TUSTIN’S MYRON MILLER MADE HIS MARK WITH THE TILLERS

We were a bit surprised to hear that Myron Miller had resigned as Tustin’s head football coach. Miller made it clear he was resigning, not retiring.

At 75, he still believes he can coach somewhere and we agree.

He’s still on top of the game, communicates well with the athletes and he cares very much about those athletes.

When we interviewed Miller a few years ago, he said he planned to be coaching at Tustin until he was 80. Well, everyone needs a change once in a while and someone will hire Miller.

Football is his life. He would miss it if he’s not involved.

He will be back somewhere doing what he does best. We’re sure of that.

SANTA ANA LOOKING FOR ONE MORE VICTORY TO REACH FINALS

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