Third-seeded Santa Ana football team prepares for opening CIF playoff test against Fountain Valley

Santa Ana Coach Charlie TeGantvoort, shown during a recent practice, is preparing his team for the CIF playoffs Friday night (Photo: Fernando M. Donado, For OC Sports Zone).

It was quite a regular season for the Santa Ana Saints football team, which captured the Orange Coast League title with a 5-0 record, capped by a 29-0 victory over Orange Friday night.

Now, the Saints (8-2 overall) will try to keep the winning ways going in the CIF Divsion 8 playoffs when they host Fountain Valley, a fifth place team from the rugged Sunset League Friday night at 7 at Santa Ana Stadium. Santa Ana is seeded third.

Coach Jimmy Nolan’s Fountain Valley team (5-5) earned a trip to the playoffs as an at-large team.

“We are blessed to be in the playoffs for a fifth year in a row,” said Santa Ana Coach Charlie TeGantvoort. “We plan on continuing to work hard on improving ourselves in all areas of the game. We have drawn a very talented opponent in Fountain Valley High School who will be a very tough match up for us.” 

TeGantvoort expressed confidence that his players will be ready for Friday’s game.

“Our players have been great all year with the way they prepare themselves,” he said. “Our student-athletes on our football team have shown that they truly understand that they will only find success if they are willing to put the effort in and work for it.”  

Santa Ana’s offense is led by quarterback Julian Gomez, who has passed for 1,270 yards and six touchdowns and also rushed for 462 yards.

Drew Ramirez has rushed for 1,004 yards and 375 receiving yards and Patrick McMorris has rushed for 905 yards and accounted for 355 receiving yards.

Jesus Cruz has rushed for 376 yards for the Saints.

The winner of Friday’s game faces the Woodbridge vs. Temecula Valley game next week. Santa Ana defeated Woodbridge 40-21 on Sept. 13 and that was before McMorris had become eligible.

FOUNTAIN VALLEY GETS READY TO TAKE ON SANTA ANA

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