Coach Paige Nobles, with quarterback Jaden Piazza, leads Northwood into Friday night’s CIF playoff opener. (Photo Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone)
Northwood’s football team faces a formidable challenge Friday night at 7:30 when it faces Rio Hondo Prep at Kare Field in Irwindale in the opening round of the CIF Division 12 playoffs.
Rio Hondo Prep, the Prep League champion, is 9-0 while Northwood, 8-2, is the second place finisher in the Pacific Coast League.
“Northwood is very excited to be once again playing post season football. This is the second traight season and my first season as Northwood’s head coach making it into post season play,” said Northwood Coach Paige Nobles.
“Northwood will be facing a very tough and well coached and undefeated Rio Hondo Prep football team. Since this will be our first time facing each other I really don’t know much about them except they are undefeated for a reason. Rio Hondo Prep knows how to get after it and they have some really good football players on their team.
“Watching them on film also shows me they are extremely well coached. This team doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. So the keys to a Northwood victory must be mistake free football on all aspects of the game and be extremely disciplined.”
The winner of Friday’s game moves on to the second round next week against the Jurupa Hills vs. Coachella Valley game.
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