California (CIF) State high school football championships at Pasadena City College: Previews, game times for all divisions
Pasadena City College is one of three Southern California sites joining El Camino College in Torrance and Saddleback College in Mission Viejo to host 15 CIF State Bowl championships.
Check out these previews all being played at Pasadena City College below pitting regional champions from the South and North.
Editor's note: Check back here all weekend for live updates, photos, game stories, video highlights, state packages and more from SBLive reporter Lance Smith for each of the state-championship games.
DIVISION 6-AA — 4 p.m. Friday
North: St. Vincent de Paul (12-2), North Coast Section Division 6
South: Wasco (9-5), Central Section Division 5
State finals record: St. Vincent (0-0), Wasco (0-0)
Head coaches: Trent Herzog (St. Vincent), Chad Martinez (Wasco)
Players to watch – St. Vincent: WR/S Jack Davis (72 catches, 1,198 yards, 14 TDs; 390 yards, 13 TDs rushing; 64 tackles, 2 interceptions; 2-star safety – offer from Puget Sound), QB Gabe Casanovas (171 for 258, 2,594 yards, 34 TDs; 772 yards, 12 TDs rushing), RB/LB Mason Caturegli (1,035 yards, 6 TDs rushing; 67 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 2 interceptions), WR/DB Nico Antonini (41 catches, 556 yards, 7 TDs; 76 tackles, 6 interceptions), DL Robert Rooks (79 tackles, 20 TFLs, 10.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 blocked punt, 1 blocked FG; 3-star – offer from Yale), DL Jack Olyphant (64 tackles, 16 TFLs, 6 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles; 2-star – offer from Minot State), LB Dylan Brown (105 tackles, 16.5 TFLs, 5 sacks), DL Nour Elbelisy (60 tackles, 12 TFLs, 4.5 sacks; 2-star – offer from Minot State)
Players to watch – Wasco: RB/DB Hami Lopez (1,478 yards, 20 TDs rushing), RB/LB Michael Dominguez (1,069 yards, 11 TDs rushing), RB/LB Ram Lopez, QB David Manzo, DL Jacob Robredo, WR/DB Isaiah Acosta
Fact check: Featuring a pair of thousand-yard rushers (H. Lopez and Dominguez), Wasco runs the double wing and averages just four passes per game... Wasco is 5-0 in one-score games to St. Vincent's 2-2 record.
Skinny: Stopping the run is one of the trademarks for a Mustangs team with 105 tackles for loss and three nationally-ranked defensive linemen. That doesn't bode well for Wasco. CalPreps' forecast gives this game the biggest David versus Goliath dynamic of the weekend at PCC.
CalPreps computer prediction: St. Vincent 38, Wasco 14
SBLive prediction: St. Vincent 31, Wasco 20
DIVISION 4-AA – 8 p.m. Friday
North: Soquel (12-2), Central Coast Section Division 2
South: Jurupa Hills (9-6), Southern Section Division 8
State finals record: Soquel (0-0), Jurupa Hills (0-0)
Head coaches: Dwight Lowery (Soquel), Citos Marinez (Jurupa Hills)
Players to watch – Soquel: WR/CB Jordan McCord III (42 catches, 629 yards, 11 TDs; 22 tackles, 2 interceptions; 3-star WR – offers from San Jose State and Eastern Washington), RB/LB/DL Justice Grauel Tebong (268 yards, 8 TDs rushing; 81 tackles, 9 TFLS, 2 forced fumbles; 2-star DL), QB Sam Whelan (121 for 177, 1,501 yards, 17 TDs; 212 yards, 4 TDs rushing), WR/DB Braylon Noble (26 catches, 320 yards, 3 TDs; 140 yards, 5 TDs rushing; 2 interceptions, LB/DL Cade Petersen (60 tackles, 10 TFLs, 4.5 sacks)
Players to watch – Jurupa Hills: QB Caleb Ruiz (171 for 299, 2,322 yards, 24 touchdowns; 556 yards and 12 TDs rushing), RB/LB Jordan Pernillo (820 yards, 5 TDs rushing; 17 catches, 189 yards; 4.5 sacks), WR/DB Jaylen Ephraim (42 catches, 692 yards, 9 TDs; 64 tackles, 1 interception, 15 pass break-ups), RB/DB Damien Ortiz (496 yards, 7 touchdowns; 64 tackles, 2 interceptions, 4 forced fumbles), DB Michael Ephraim (96 tackles, 8 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles), DB Durand Johnson (103 tackles, 3 interceptions, 1 blocked FG), DL Arthur Gonzalez (57 tackles, 13 TFLs, 6.5 sacks, 3 blocked FGs), LB Daniel MacCharles (112 tackles, 1 interception)
Fact check: Soquel enters on a nine-game winning streak during which it's allowed just eight points per game... With both its losses coming in blowout fashion, and only two wins that came down to one score, Soquel is a bit less experienced in close games than battle-tested Jurupa Hills... Jurupa Hills started 1-4 after playing a grueling non-league schedule, and is 8-2 since.
Skinny: Anchored by its unwavering defense, Soquel is the clear favorite. But it's hard to put a price on Jurupa Hills' advantage in experience facing adversity.
CalPreps computer prediction: Soquel 22, Jurupa Hills 8
SBLive prediction: Soquel 21, Jurupa Hills 14
DIVISION 7-A – 11 a.m. Saturday
North: Strathmore (11-4), Central Section Division 6
South: Bell Gardens (10-5), Southern Section Division 14
State finals record: Strathmore (1-2), Bell Gardens (0-0)
Head coaches: Jeromy Blackwell (Strathmore), Hector Novoa (Bell Gardens)
Players to watch – Strathmore: RB/DB Jacob Poole (1,709 yards, 22 TDs rushing; 19 catches, 310 yards, 4 TDs; 417 yards KR/PR, 4 TDs; 31 tackles, 1 interception), WR/DE Julian Ceballos (14 catches, 230 yards, 1 TD; 87 tackles, 12 TFLs, 9 sacks), QB Bryson Bias (84 for 155, 1,086 yards, 12 TDs; 194 yards, 2 TDs rushing), RB/LB Gerardo Ruiz (558 yards, 7 TDs rushing; 98 tackles), DB/K Roman Hernandez (577 KR/PR yards, 2 TDs; 66 tackles, 4 interceptions), LB Abee Hernandez (134 tackles), CB Sacramento Gonzalez (4 interceptions)
Players to watch – Bell Gardens: RB Daniel Tovar, RB/DB Gerardo Gutierrez, QB Jacob Reyes, WR/SS Sean Allen, LB Rogelio Nieves, DL Jonathan Calderon, DL Ivan Barajas
Fact check: The only team at PCC this weekend with state championship experience, Strathmore had three straight appearances in 2016-18 and won in 2017. That was all under Blackwell, who's been at the helm since 2000... Strathmore is lethal on special teams, totaling seven touchdowns and 1,408 yards returning kicks and punts... Bell Gardens has won every game in which it scored more than 16 points, and lost every other.
Skinny: Between Strathmore's pedigree and favor in the computer rankings, it enters as a heavy favorite. But scrappy Bell Gardens is lights-out when it gets an early lead.
CalPreps computer prediction: Strathmore 28, Bell Gardens 14
SBLive prediction: Strathmore 21, Bell Gardens 14
DIVISION 4-A – 3 p.m. Saturday
North: Palma (10-4), Central Coast Section Division 3
South: Mission Oak (10-5), Central Section Division 3
State finals record: Palma (0-0), Mission Oak (0-0)
Head coaches: Jeff Carnazo (Palma), Marty Martin (Mission Oak)
Players to watch – Palma: WR Logan Saldate (58 catches, 1,104 yards, 14 TDs; 4-star Notre Dame commit – 13 Division I offers), QB/FS Thomas Nunes (109 for 190, 1,677 yards, 18 TDs; 716 yards, 9 TDs rushing; 22 tackles, 1 interception; 2-star ATH prospect – offers from San Diego and Lewis & Clark), LB Noah Orozco (115 tackles, 13 TFLs), LB Caden Scherer (78 tackles, 11 TFLs), OL/DL Tommy Ducker (29 tackles, 10 TFLs; 2-star Cornell commit), RB/FS Drew Molinari (668 yards, 6 touchdowns rushing; 46 tackles, 6 TFLs, 3 blocked FGs; 2-star ATH prospect with four offers), RB Eli Dukes (805 yards, 8 TDs rushing)
Players to watch – Mission Oak: WR/RB/SS Kenny Jackson (773 yards, 7 TDs rushing; 48 catches, 731 yards, 7 TDs; 2 interceptions; 3-star ATH – offers from San Jose State, Bethune-Cookman, and Campbell), QB Daniel Gonzalez (201 for 353, 3,012 yards, 35 TDs; 504 yards, 12 TDs rushing), WR/CB Cameron Azevedo (48 catches, 705 yards, 9 TDs; 55 tackles, 6 interceptions), WR/FS Jacob Ramirez (29 catches, 687 yards, 7 TDs; 61 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries), RB/DB Achilles Sierra (545 yards, 6 TDs rushing; 38 catches, 409 yards, 5 TDs; 2 interceptions), FB/LB Isaiah Rivera (249 yards, 3 TDs rushing; 99 tackles, 14 TFLs), LB Nathen Abrahams (84 tackles, 16 TFLs, 5.5 sacks)
Fact check: Palma's Saldate is the top-ranked recruit playing in Pasadena this weekend, and Mission Oak's Jackson is also near the top... Mission Oak has scored 30 points in five straight games, and is coming off perhaps its two best defensive showings of the season in holding Kerman and Rio Hondo Prep to 14 points each... Palma is unbeaten away from
Skinny: On paper, the most evenly-matched games of the five, with little separating the two sides. Both teams have performed similarly playing comparable schedules, and reached another gear come playoff time. Expect an exciting duel between the two blue chip receivers.
CalPreps computer prediction: Palma 31, Mission Oak 24
SBLive prediction: Mission Oak 27, Palma 26
DIVISION 2-A – 7 p.m. Saturday
North: Los Gatos (12-1), Central Coast Section Division 1
South: Central Valley Christian (14-1), Central Section Division 2
State finals record: Los Gatos (0-0), Central Valley Christian (0-2)
Head coaches: Mark Krail (Los Gatos), Mason Hughes (Central Valley Christian)
Players to watch – Los Gatos: WR/DB/P Jaylen Thomas (57 catches, 1,044 yards, 13 TDs; 102 yards, 1 TD rushing; 85 tackles, 5 interceptions; 534 KR/PR yards; 1,808 all-purpose yards; 2-star ATH – offer from Cal Poly), RB Boxer Kopcsak-Yeung (1,570 yards, 25 TDs rushing; 26 catches, 317 yards, 1 TD; 2-star ATH), QB AJ Minyard (129 for 212, 2,025 yards, 18 TDs), WR/CB Scott Garwood (22 catches, 388 yards, 5 TDs; 4 rushing touchdowns; 123 tackles, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles), LB Nate Goldsbury (115 tackles, 14 TFLs, 17 QB-hurries, 1 interception, 1 blocked punt), LB Henry Masters (155 tackles, 10 QB-hurries, 2 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries), LB Spencer Burg (101 tackles in 10 games)
Players to watch – Central Valley Christian: RB Bryson Donelson (2,737 yards, 41 TDs rushing, 11.2 YPC; 27 catches, 512 yards, 9 touchdowns; 3-star Fresno State commit – seven Division I offers), QB Brent Kroeze (158 for 244, 2,590 yards, 33 touchdowns), WR Gunnar Piepgrass (48 catches, 858 yards, 9 TDs), WR/DB Bryce Crook (27 catches, 530 yards, 6 TDs; 3 interceptions), WR/DB Caden Ritchie (19 catches, 399 yards, 3 TDs; 65 tackles, 5 interceptions), LB Griffin Dunn (100 tackles, 8 TFLs)
Central Valley Christian senior RB Bryson Donelson is the state leader in several offensive categories.
Photo by Richard Posada
Fact check: Donelson leads the state in scoring, touchdowns, and offensive yardage (passing not included... Los Gatos' improvement throughout the season was evidenced by a 49-14 championship rout of Wilcox, which came less than a month after the Wildcats eked out a three-point win over Wilcox in league play...
Skinny: Donelson and Central Valley Christian's offense (43.7 PPG) versus Los Gatos' defense (14.3 PAPG) is the storyline heading in. These teams come in with just three combined losses, and all three came against teams that went on to win CIF titles and receive top-25 rankings in the state. Both sides have proven they can win close games in a variety of fashions, and neither has lost a game since September. This is what championship football is all about.
CalPreps computer prediction: Los Gatos 35, Central Valley Christian 21
SBLive prediction: Los Gatos 30, Central Valley Christian 28
– Lance Smith | lance@scorebooklive.com | @sbliveca
