Isaac Drake of Eureka St. Bernard’s celebrates after scoring TD during heavy rainstorm in CIF D5-A bowl game held in Laguna Hills. Photo: Patrick Takkinen/OCSidelines.com.
For a one-stop check of all of the CIF state bowl winners crowned on Saturday, Dec. 19 (plus the two on Friday) with an MVP chosen for each game, this is the place to go. First-time champions are everybody except De La Salle (7) and Central Catholic (4). We predicted the winners from all 13 games last Wednesday and were correct 10 times.
To see our expanded breakdowns and photos from Saturday’s major division bowl games played at Sacramento State, CLICK HERE.
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Open Division
Concord De La Salle (13-1) 28,
Corona Centennial (14-1) 21
It’s the seventh CIF state title for the Spartans, their second in a row and sixth in seven years. Their only loss to a California team in seven years was to St. John Bosco in 2013, which some believe is the best team from Southern California ever and only beat DLS 20-14.
MVP: Antoine Custer. He rushed for 120 yards on 18 carries with two TDs and made big hits on defense, often defended Corona Centennial’s Javon McKinley.
Open Division Small Schools
Modesto Central Catholic (16-0) 56,
San Marino (15-1) 21
The Raiders tied a record set in 2012 by De La Salle for winning fourth straight CIF state bowl game. They also became sixth team to finish 16-0 and will finish No. 1 in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division III state rankings.
MVP: Justin Rice. Fresno State recruit started slow, but ended with 216 yards rushing on 19 carries and two TDs.
Division I-AA
Mission Viejo (16-0) 24,
San Jose Bellarmine (13-2) 0
The Diablos won their first CIF state title in football and became fifth team to finish 16-0.
MVP: Colin Schooler. Standout two-way junior RB-LB piled up 230 yards on 31 carries and led the Diablos with nine tackles.
Division I-A
Harbor City Narbonne (14-2) 28,
Concord Clayton Valley (13-2) 14
The Gauchos showed they might have been good enough to win the title if they had been placed higher in D1-AA with Mission Viejo. They won school’s first CIF state football title.
MVP: Sean Riley. This was hardest game MVP choice of weekend, but Riley flashed his talent on several plays, particularly on a 27-yard TD run, and he had 93 yards and two TDs on 16 carries.
Division II-AA
Loomis Del Oro (10-6) 16,
Camarillo (15-1) 13
Head coach Casey Taylor’s squad won its first CIF state title after finishing second twice in state bowl losses to Helix (La Mesa) and Bakersfield. Camarillo, with the loss, also will not finish No. 1 in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division III state rankings.
MVP: Camrion Davis. Yes, replays showed that he actually stepped out of bounds on a 59-yard touchdown run, but it was an amazing play regardless and he finished with 197 yards, two TDs and made plays on defense. A junior to watch for next season.
Citrus Hill kicker Manny Berz made another field goal in win vs. St. Francis of Mountain View. Photo: Courtesy family.
Division II-A
Perris Citrus Hill (14-2) 23,
Mountain View St. Francis (12-3) 20
The Hawks gained their first CIF state title in topping school from same league as DI-AA finalist Bellarmine. They came back after falling behind 13-0 in the first quarter and are now in the running to be No. 1 in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division II state rankings.
MVP: Devin Floyd. Known as the “The Dude,” he rushed for 175 yards and one TD, including a 60-yard run to set up a score after St. Francis missed a chip shot field goal late in the game that would have tied it up.
Division III-AA
La Mirada (13-3) 27,
Moraga Campolindo (14-2) 3
After winning the school’s first-ever CIF title in any sport last March in boys hoops with a triple OT thriller over Archbishop Mitty, it wasn’t quite as dramatic in beating the Cougars, who went 16-0 last season and won CIF D3 state bowl game. La Mirada will move up in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division II state rankings.
MVP: Sei-J Lauago. According to the Long Beach Press-Telegram, he rushed for “almost” 200 yards and three TDs, including a 75-yarder on the first carry of second half to help break it open. Lauago’s rushing at the end of the season was a key factor in the Matadores coming back from that 76-8 loss in their first game to St. John Bosco.
Division III-A
San Diego Rancho Bernardo (13-2) 35,
Atherton Sacred Heart Prep (11-4) 14
School known most for baseball claimed its first CIF state football title in topping a school that was making its second bowl appearance. The Broncos will be in the top 10 in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division II state rankings.
MVP: Devaughn Vele. The senior WR/DB got some praise on Twitter and gets this in a close pick over teammates Milan Grice (RB) and Mark Salazar (QB). Vele caught seven passes for 126 yards and two TDs and had an interception on defense.
Division IV-AA
Hanford (14-1) 33,
Chula Vista Bonita Vista (12-3) 21
The Bullpups were the only CIF Central Section team to hoist a CIF state title trophy and won their first state football title. Hanford won a D1 state title in girls basketball in 2001. The Bullpups will be in the top 10 of the final Cal-Hi Sports Division III state rankings.
MVP: Joseph McDaniel. He helped limit the production of Bonita Vista RB Greg Bell (2,400-yard rusher) as a linebacker and had 158 yards rushing himself. He also scored twice.
Mark Paule Jr. scored the winning touchdown with 53 seconds left for Sierra of Manteca in D4-AA state bowl game. Photo: Courtesy school.
Division IV-A
Manteca Sierra (10-5) 20,
Chowchilla (12-3) 15
The Timberwolves captured their first CIF state title. They’re from the same league (Valley Oak) as Central Catholic, which means the VOL became the first league to win two bowl games in same season. Not every section, however, including the Southern Section, currently has a section playoff format that allows teams from the same league to compete in different divisions.
MVP: Mark Vicente. The Sierra QB had a 65-yard TD run in the first half and threw a nine-yard game-winning TD pass to Mark Paule Jr. with 53 seconds left in the game.
Division V-AA
Chula Vista Mater Dei Catholic (15-0*) 56,
Reedley Immanuel (11-3) 21
As thought for most of the season, the Crusaders resembled a team more similar to San Marino (the CIF’s choice along with Chatsworth Sierra Canyon for the Small Schools Open Division in the south) than a team that should have been in Division V and rolled to their first state title. They’ll be near the top in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division IV state rankings.
MVP: Chris Jones. According to our friend Steve Brand (who covered the game for the San Diego Union-Tribune) the junior QB rushed for 126 yards and two TDs and passed for 164 yards and one score.
Division V-A
Eureka St. Bernard’s (14-1) 28,
SJ Capistrano Saddleback Valley Christian (15-1) 21
The Crusaders brought their rainy, far North Coast weather down 700 miles with them to Laguna Hills in their win over SVC for their first state title. They will now also wait to see where they finish in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division V state rankings (probably no lower than fifth).
MVP: Jack Rice. The junior QB for St. Bernard’s couldn’t pass much due to the conditions but rushed for 148 yards on 41 carries and scored twice.
Division VI-AA
East Nicolaus (13-2) 16,
Coronado (10-5) 6
Not only did the Spartans win their first state title, but got the first trophy for any school from the CIF Northern Section. They will be ranked either eighth or ninth in the final Cal-Hi Sports Division V state rankings.
MVP: Eddie Herrera. He’s been a playmaker for the Spartans all season and according to press reports came up with a pair of big interceptions to head coach Travis Barker’s defense.
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: @CalHiSports
3 Comments
Great recap. Overall, we could say Year 1 of the current format was succeed. Increased exposure for overlooked teams/regions and quality football.
My takeaway from state championships. NorCal runs old-style, run oriented offenses while SoCal features athletes in space. Top 6 south scoring offenses made state or regionals. I was shocked to see NorCal defenses hold them all below scoring averages. Very good tackling in NorCal
Attendance took a huge hit!!! Not sold that the games need to be in Sacremento. There is no pull for fans/fams to make trip to cow town. SoCal is the spot even if CIF has to pay to rent the StubHub.
Like the Time Warner deal…another BAD DECISION by these clowns!!!
La Mirada has won numerous CIF titles in several sports. Last spring they won their first STATE title in any sport when basketball won.