Sonora head coach Kirk Clifton shows off CIF NorCal D2-A title plaque to some of his players after win on Saturday vs Woodcreek. Photo: Jordan Georgeson / Gold Country Media.
After a night of “AA” regional finals, the CIF regional finals were held on Saturday in the “A” divisions, led by NorCal 1-A champion Central East of Fresno and SoCal 1-A champion Pacifica of Oxnard. Both Sonora (14-0) and Rio Hondo Prep (15-0) also won in 2-A region finals as what we’d call legit small schools and thus will play next week in one of the greatest small school matchups in state history.
Note: We hope you enjoy this free post on CalHiSports.com. After the preseason, all weekly and final state rankings are available only to our Gold Club members as well as our state stat star of the week honor rolls. Some of our upcoming all-state football posts also will be Gold Club only. To check out getting a Gold Club membership to see all of those rankings plus all of our updated state record lists, totally authentic historical features, recruiting player ratings and more, CLICK HERE.
CHECK OUT CALGAMESWANTED.COM
Created for Coaches by Coaches for California Varsity High School Head Coaches and Athletic Directors, Start building your schedule with CalGamesWanted.com.
User friendly to take the stress out of scheduling.
CIF State Championship games will be played next week at sites in Southern California — Saddleback College (Mission Viejo), Buena Park High & Fullerton District Stadium.
The Open Division championship (in which there are no regional games beforehand) will be next Saturday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. at Saddleback College between state No. 1 Santa Margarita of Rancho SM (10-3) and state No. 5 De La Salle of Concord (12-0). Saddleback also is scheduled to be hosting the CIF state title games for D2-AA and D1-AA on Friday, Dec. 12 and then D2-A and D1-A on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Check the CIF state website on Sunday for dates and times of the other state finals at Buena Park and Fullerton.
DIVISION 1–A
North: Central East of Fresno (Central Sec D1AA) 55, Pittsburg (NCS D1) 36
Based on the way that Pitt manhandled a Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa team last week that had a win over a Sacramento Grant team that handed Central East its only loss, this would qualify not as an upset but as one of those scores with a surprisingly high victory margin. Pitt (12-2 and No. 12 in the state coming in) also only lost 24-17 two weeks ago to state No. 5 De La Salle of Concord.
The type of game that it turned out to be has been the same for Central East (now 12-1 and looking to move up from No. 15 in the state) over the last six or seven weeks. It was an overwhelming offense with senior Brandon Smith at RB and junior Jelani Dippel at QB. Unofficial stats from reporter Mitch Stephens had Smith with statement game totals of 38 carries for 270 yards and two TDs. Dippel had three interceptions, but hit on four TD passes and ended with 204 yards through the air. Two of his TDs went to senior Bayon Harris, who now has 25 on the season.
Central East, known as Central of Fresno last year when it lost to Edison of Huntington Beach in the CIF D1-A state final, had a 98-yard drive for its first TD, then went up 14-0 after an interception. Xavier Jones then made it 21-7 on a 52-yard run on a reverse. Turnovers by Pitt, including a fumbled kickoff return, also helped the Bengals to 34-14 lead at halftime.
The highlight for the Pirates, who are still looking for their first CIF state title after winning five straight CIF North Coast Section titles, was one-handed catch in the end zone for the first touchdown by Arizona signee R.J. Mosley (who will be future teammate of Brandon Smith’s at Arizona). In this game, sophomore Javale Jones and senior Carlos Torres both played at QB with neither one doing particularly well. Sophomore Kenny Ward had a big night with five receptions for 223 yards and two TDs.
Oxnard Pacifica’s Deville Warner scores the winning TD on a blocked punt return with 42.7 seconds left on Saturday at Granite Hills (El Cajon). Photo: footballpacificatritons / Instagram.com.
South: Pacifica of Oxnard (CIFSS D3) 42, Granite Hills of El Cajon (SD D1) 35
This regional matchup of schools looking to win their second CIF state title came down to a blocked punt with 42.8 seconds left that Pacifica’s Deville Warner grabbed and ran it in for a touchdown that broke a 35-35 tie. The Tritons then stopped the Eagles on downs in the final seconds.
With the win, Pacifica (No. 17 in the State TOP 50) also moved to 15-0 on the season and will be one of two schools at the CIF state finals that could tie the state record of 16-0 that was first set in 2013 on the same day by Corona del Mar of Newport Beach and St. John Bosco of Bellflower. Rio Hondo Prep in D2-A will be other one. The Tritons also just the second in Ventura County history to even get to 15-0, which Camarillo achieved in 2015 before it lost in a state final.
Granite Hills won its state title in 2022 in D2-A but has lost in regional finals the last three years to Mission Viejo (D1-AA), Edison of Huntington Beach (D1-A) and now Pacifica. The Eagles (10-4) did a great job coming back on Saturday from a 35-14 halftime deficit. They scored on three straight possessions and tied the game at 35-35 in the third quarter on a 48-yard TD pass from junior QB Zac Benitez to Parker Johnson.
Isaiah Phelps, regarded as one of the top junior LBs in the state, had a career high of 208 yards rushing for Pacifica plus two touchdowns.
DIVISION 2–A
North: Sonora (SJS D6) 41, Woodcreek of Roseville (SJS D3) 14
We don’t know if the Wildcats’ faithful were yelling “Bring on St. Mary’s” or “Bring on Folsom,” but moving up last year’s D4A state champions up to 2A was more than proved correct by the manner in which this game played out. It was domination for Sonora, a small town team for the ages. The win clinched a likely spot in the big show for next week as the Wildcats should be in the first of three games played on Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo and we expect to be on the same field that De La Salle and Santa Margarita will be playing on to cap the weekend. There was one year in which the 2-A game got moved out for 3-AA and that could theoretically happen, but why wouldn’t everyone in the media, TV and CIF not want it to be part of the main course?
Sonora (which improved to 14-0 after we put it at No. 50 in the State TOP 50 rankings this week) now will attempt to take down 15-0 Rio Hondo Prep of Arcadia, which amazingly is an even smaller school that they represent. We have ranked Sonora No. 1 and RHP No. 2 for the State Small Schools TOP 10 all season long. Woodcreek came into Saturday’s game expecting to be able to go up and down the field on even terms with the Wildcats, based on the 56 points it scored in last week’s win vs Oakdale in the D3 section final. But the Sonora defense did a better job and didn’t allow a score until the second half. Cash Byington scored on a 17-yard run to start the scoring for Sonora. It went to 21-0 at halftime on a 3-yard TD run by Brody Speer. Then to start the third quarter it was 24-yard TD pass from Eli Ingalls to Byington that made it 28-0. Ingalls had earlier scored on a 30-yard run.
South: Rio Hondo Prep of Arcadia (CIFSS D5) 26,
Santa Fe Christian of Solana Beach (SD D2) 21
Before having to play 14-0 Sonora in the final game, of course, Rio Hondo Prep couldn’t spend one second looking past Santa Fe Christian, which entered the night at 12-0 and played the Kares in a very tight contest.
It was a classic run team vs pass team matchup. Rio Hondo Prep threw one pass, but didn’t need to as its ground game chewed up the yards. Christian Lee scored on a 2-yard run in the third quarter to make it 20-14 and then scored again with four minutes after on a 4-yard run after the defense got a fourth down stop deep in SFC territory. Lee ended with 122 yards and four TDs, according to the San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Nate Shine also ran the ball well with 117 yards.
Dax Labrum led the Eagles with a reported 233 yards passing and two touchdowns. He found Chase Woolley from 6 yards out with 57 seconds left in the game, but Rio Hondo Prep batted away the onside kick attempt to ice the win. It is the second straight CIF regional title for the Kares, who lost in the D3-A state final in overtime last season to Vanden of Fairfield.
DIVISION 3–A
North: McClymonds of Oakland (Oak Sec) 42, Roseville (SJS D4) 34
The Warriors (11-2) were one division lower last season in D3-AA and lost in the NorCal final to Amador Valley of Pleasanton. They also are ranked higher than D3-AA NorCal winner St. Ignatius for having a win over a team (St. Francis of Mountain View) that beat St. Ignatius. This seemed like a good spot for Mack to gain a fifth CIF state title. In this game, head coach Michael Peters’ team took a 14-0 lead without running an offensive play. That was due to a 62-yard kickoff return TD by Jessie King Jr. after Roseville scored on its first series. And then on Roseville’s second series, Irshad Miles grabbed an interception and ran it back for a 28-yard TD. Mack’s offense did get going later in the game and took a 42-20 lead with 9:35 left on the third rushing TD of the game by QB Berell Staples. The Tigers (11-3) didn’t give up and after they recovered a second consecutive onside kick with 4:39 left in the game they had an opportunity to tie the score. Mack’s defense then got the stop it needed on a fourth down and the offense was able to then run out the clock. Gold Country Media had Mason Susnara of Roseville with 199 yards passing and four TDs. J.J. Yong caught three of those TD passes. King Jr. also had a 53-yard TD on a screen pass from Staples to go with his kickoff return.
Jace Demacabalin from Kennedy of Delano enjoyed a Kern County record-breaking night on Saturday night at Carson. Photo: Hudl.com.
South: Kennedy of Delano (Central Sec D3) 35, Carson (LA City Open) 33
It was difficult for the Colts to stop Kennedy’s Wing-T offense all night long, but they they had a big chance with 3:14 left in the game when QB Chris Fields (who had two TDs passing and two earlier TD runs) broke into the end zone on a 4-yard run. Carson (10-4) still needed a two-point conversion to tie the score, but was denied. Kennedy (12-3) thus hung on for the win and will now try to beat a team with four CIF state titles to get one itself. Jace Demacablin was the star once again for the TBirds. Journalist Trevor Horn reported Jace with 40 carries for 229 yards, which enabled him to break the Kern County record for career rushing. Demacablin will enter the game vs Mack with 7,132 yards. The previous county record of 7,100 was set 32 years ago by Steve Wofford of Bakersfield.
DIVISION 4–A
North: El Cerrito (NCS D3) 20, Menlo-Atherton of Atherton (CCS D3) 16
The visiting Gauchos (12-2) went over to the other side of the Bay and got past the Bears to win their first CIF NorCal title. We saw them in their last appearance, a loss to Los Gatos in D2-A in 2023. El Cerrito scored the winning touchdown with just under four minutes left on a 54-yard touchdown catch and run by sophomore Cannon Jenkins from DeJuan Compton Jr. He also had an interception in the fourth quarter. The Gauchos were not eligible for the postseason a year ago due to the use of ineligible. Some of the players still on roster do have experience of playing games against De La Salle, Monterey Trail, Amador Valley and others so this placement in D4-A is looking good for El Cerrito so far. M-A (8-7) took the lead in the fourth quarter with 4:23 left on a 1-yard run by Monty Turner. The Bears started 0-4, but ended 7-7, which included a win over higher-ranked Wilcox of Santa Clara.
South: Beckman of Irvine (CIFSS D8) 46, Hillcrest of Riverside (CIFSS D10) 40
It hasn’t been easy for the Patriots, including an overtime win in the CIFSS D8 final over Brea Olinda, and this one wasn’t, either. In the end, though, they are through to the state finals and will meet El Cerrito from the Bay Area next week for a state title. The key for Beckman (12-3) was taking the 46-40 lead with 4:44 left in the game by Makhi Czaykowski and then going for an onside kick that was recovered. Head coach Marcello Giuliano explained to OC Varsity that the assumption was that the defense likely wasn’t going to stop the Trojans from scoring so there would time left on the other side to score again. The Beckman offense, though, never let Hillcrest get the ball again and took a knee at the 1-yard line to end the game. Czaykowski has been one of the top playoff performers in Orange County and shined for the Patriots with 213 yards rushing and two TDs plus he caught a TD pass. Noah Nam also had more than 200 yards passing (222 as reported by OC Varsity) with two TD passes and two TD runs. Hillcrest (8-6) just about matched Beckman and would have but one possession didn’t happen for a good reason and that was a 95-yard kickoff return TD by Nicholas Bernal. Matthew Ramos also passed for 249 yards and two TDs and he rushed for 55 yards and one score. This was the only matchup in this year’s regionals that involved two CIFSS champions from different divisions.
Beckman head coach Marcello Giuliano celebrates with players after team topped Hillcrest on Saturday in regional title game. Photo: Fernando M. Donado / For OC Sports Zone.
DIVISION 5–A
North: Calaveras of San Andreas (SJS D7) 35,
Miramonte of Orinda (NCS D6) 7
Powerful fullback Enrique Hernandez rushed for two third-quarter touchdowns as the Red Hawks (12-2) expanded a 14-7 at halftime to 28-7 and were not threatened again. Calaveras is one of five CIF Sac-Joaquin Section teams that will be going down to Southern California next weekend looking for a state title. It has not won one before, but it looking to match the same accomplishment that SJS D7 winner Summerville did of winning one from last year. Miramonte (8-6) had already lost starting QB Carson Blair earlier this season with an injury and in this game his replacement, sophomore Lane Dalton, who led the Mats to an upset of Hayward in the section final, went out with a hamstring injury only 40 seconds into the game.
South: Bishop Union (Central Sec D5) 47, South Gate (LA City D1) 28
A 41-6 blitz in the second and third quarters helped the Broncos pull away from the Rams. We had thought the CIF might place them in a NorCal game with a trip through the Sonora Pass (still open) to play Calaveras of San Andreas. Now those two will play in a state final after Bishop won in a SoCal regional. Bishop QB Emory Dondero led that blitz that broke a 14-14 tie in the second quarter. He threw a 56-yard TD pass to Carlos Sualez before halftime and then came out after that with a 3-yard TD pass to Angel Santana. He then ran for a score and and passed for another to put the game out of reach. Both Bishop and Calaveras are playing for their first CIF state title.
DIVISION 6–A
North: Winters (Northern Sec D4) 26,
Minarets of O’Neals (Central Sec D6) 12
One year after the Warriors had their 12-0 season end with a loss to Arcata in the D6-AA NorCal final, they are going to the state finals at 12-1 after getting a home win vs the Mustangs. Minarets (12-2) battled back after being down 18-0 at halftime, but with the score 18-12 Lane Brown had a long run and then threw a 30-yard TD pass to Luke Felson for some breathing room. Those two also hooked up for a TD earlier in the game while Ward also had a TD pass to Anthony Matamoros. The Warriors are looking to win their first CIF state title.
South: Morse of San Diego (SD D5) 54,
Grace of Simi Valley (CIFSS D12) 40
Our SoCal Special Teams/Multi-Purpose Player of the Week from last week, Superior Garrar, kept up his superlative play for the Tigers. He rampaged for 364 yards rushing and scored four TDs. Morse (10-4) will now look to win its first-ever CIF state title next week vs Winters. DeVell Green also had a 77-yard punt return plus an interception for Morse. The Grace passing attack almost was equal to Garrar. Riley Williams threw for four touchdowns, three that went to Landon Cooper. Riley also scored on a quarterback keeper. Grace wrapped up a 11-4 season slate.
DIVISION 7–A
North: Balboa of San Francisco (SF Section) 38,
Piedmont Hills of San Jose (CCS D5) 10
We’ll be watching the Bucs (11-2) closely as they are out to defend their D7-A state title. They won in their regional and state final a year ago by scores of 41-6 and 55-27 and it seemed pretty obvious to us that they should have been in 7-AA or higher. This score is just another example. Mekai Smith has been another huge story surrounding Balboa. He unofficially had 198 yards rushing but officially he had three touchdowns, including an 80-yarder. Smith now has 49 TDs for the season, which as we reported last week based on our exclusive all-time state records is a new Bay Area record, surpassing the previous mark of 48 set in 2006 by Jahvid Best from Salesian of Richmond. The CCS champion Pirates wrapped up a 10-4 season.
South: South El Monte (CIFSS D14) 56, Santee of Los Angeles (LA City D3) 7
Gabriel Canchola caught a 50-yard TD pass from Michael Maldonado and later returned a punt 62 yards for a score as the Eagles posted a running clock win vs Santee. More details weren’t immediately available but we know that Santee’s Darnell Miller did not score in the game so his final total for touchdowns scored will be 43. He also entered as the leading rusher in the state with more than 3,100 yards, but those totals for him were not reported. South El Monte (10-5) has never won a CIF state title. Santee ended 10-5 overall.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle.
