Saddleback players celebrate after a league victory this season. (PHOTO: Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone).
Saddleback High School’s football team is gearing up to host Woodbridge in a CIF Division 13 semifinal game Friday night at the Saddleback campus stadium.
Kick-off is at 7 p.m. and rain is predicted most of the day Friday.
The top-seeded Roadrunners (10-2) advanced to the semifinals with a 28-11 victory over Santa Rosa Academy on the road. Saddleback has won seven games in a row.
Chris Romero had 17 tackles and one interception to lead Saddleback.
“Chris is now the leading tackler in Orange County,” said Coach Rob Thompson.
The Roadrunners senior quarterback Andre Scott threw three touchdown passes. He is ranked No. 9 in Orange County and needs 416 yards to pass 3,000 yards this season, Thompson said.
Saddleback is trying to bring home the first football title for the program since 1985. Saddleback, coached by Jerry Witte, defeated La Quinta 34-28 at Orange Coast College to win the CIF Central Conference championship that year.
Woodbridge (4-8) has enjoyed success in the second half of the season and in the playoffs under first-year coach Connor McBride. Woodbridge is in the semifinals for the first time since 2021 when the Warriors lost to Quartz Hill 23-0 in the Division 12 playoffs
Woodbridge, the third place team from the Omicron League, is coming off a come-from-behind 23-16 victory over Buena Park in the rain at University Friday night. Woodbridge, led by freshman quarterback Waylon Stone, running back Kayjahn Pitts and two-way starter David Bosley, has won four of its last five games.
“This week’s game will be a real challenge for us,” Thompson said. “The key to the game will be which team can control the line of scrimmage.”
Woodbridge won the CIF Desert Mountain Conference title in 1987 under Gene Noji and the CIF Division VI title in 1998 under Rick Gibson.
The Woodbridge-Saddleback winner advances to the finals next weekend against the Montebello vs. La Puente winner.
The Woodbridge-Saddleback winner will be on the road for the finals next weekend against either Montebello or La Puente, according to the CIF pre-flips.
—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com
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