Here are the teams we are predicting to win in this weekend’s CIF state football championships. We don’t know about any injuries that may have occurred in previous game or this week in practice. These are all made with utmost respect to all teams involved. If anyone wants to add their picks in comments below, feel free. If anyone goes 13-for-13, we’ll give out prizes but not sure how many that might be.
To hear about some the reasons why we chose each team to win, watch our Facebook Live presentation through our Facebook page.
OPEN DIVISION
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 45,
De La Salle (Concord) 17
DIVISION 1-AA
Folsom 36, Helix (La Mesa) 28
DIVISION 1-A
Narbonne (Harbor City) 27, Pittsburg 21
DIVISION 2-AA
Serra (San Mateo) 38, Cajon (San Bernardino) 37
DIVISION 2-A
St. Francis (Mountain View) 28, Grace Brethren (Simi Valley) 17
DIVISION 3-AA
Shasta (Redding) 31, Bishop Diego (Santa Barbara) 27
DIVISION 3-A
Steele Canyon (Spring Valley) 27, Half Moon Bay 25
DIVISION 4-AA
Crenshaw (Los Angeles) 28, Placer (Auburn) 21
DIVISION 4-A
Milpitas 42, Southwest (El Centro) 28
DIVISION 5-AA
McClymonds (Oakland) 21, Golden West (Visalia) 14
DIVISION 5-A
Katella (Anaheim) 34, Fortuna 28
DIVISION 6-AA
Orange 48, Strathmore 40
DIVISION 6-A
Vincent Memorial (Calexico) 48, Galileo (San Francisco) 21
12 Comments
Open- DLS 38 – MD 34 (DLS slow game down, couple turnovers and 17 point 2nd half comeback).
D1AA – Folsom 48 – Helix 19
D1A – Narbonne 19 – Pitt 14
D2AA – Cajon 26- Serra 17
D2A – St. Francis 33 – GB 10
D3AA – Bishop Diego38- Shasta 17
D3A – HMB 14. – SC 13
D4AA Placer 21 – Crenshaw 19
D4A – Milpitas 36 -EC 0
D5AA Mack 56 – SW 21
D5A Katella 34 – Fortuna 31
D6 AA Orange 26 – Strathmore 10
D6A VM 13 – G 7
Fumble;
Dela knocking off Mater Dei! Wow! That would be a bigger upset than Grant Union beating L.B. Poly 25-20 in the 1st Open in ’08.
The Monarchs seem loaded with more talent this year than the ’13 Bosco team that beat 1 0f the 3 best ever (in my opinion) DLS teams 20-14 (and I thought that game was not nearly as close as the “official” score either) in the ’13 Open. I think most who have followed the Spartans over the years would agree that the ’17 Dela team is not of the caliber of their ’13 squad.
Yeah, actually bigger upset than Grant because LB Poly had huge talent but undisciplined. MD is both. DLS will come with a plan to stay with them. I think a lot like 2 years ago when they matched Centennial in run & gun game that was more like a Folsom speed than typical DLS. I’m rooting for Rollinson to get one but DLS has been thinking about MD for 2 months- they have a plan…
DLS 2013 was the year they had McKenzie up front on defense as a junior to go with some other super linemen (several of which came back in 2014 and won Open Division). Still didn’t have much of a QB and other than the one year of Anthony Sweeney (2014) they have really only had one top QB since Matt Gutierrez (1999-2001) and that was Bart Houston. Bosco and Mater Dei as currently constructed will never again not have a top-flight D1 college-bound QB.
Serra looking great, congrats to them. Southern Section take note this is what an Orange Lutheran or Santa Margarita could do if you let go the ego and spread the sections again…
De La Salle has a chance. Last year they were very young and are now looking for redemption. If they can control the ball with their running game, get breaks, score on trick plays, who knows?
Folsom vs. Helix is a train wreck waiting to happen. Folsom’s receivers won’t be dropping open touchdown passes like Oaks Christian. St. John Bosco would have been a much better opponent, matching what may be the two best teams next year. And next year will be more of the same, with either DLS or Folsom in the 1-AA.
Well put! Especially on D1-AA in future as SS competitive equity is not static. Once teams like OC or Valencia get rolling they could be put up in D1 next year while a team on downside is dropped making SSD2 worse each year.
Why is it that all games are not played at a neutral site?
Don’t know exact answer but has to do with south teams traveling for games up north and north teams traveling south to make up for it in other divisions. We’ll find out Friday if CIF will be continuing to have the top five games at Sac State for next three years or whether we’re moving to somewhere else. If it’s down south, then the lower division games next year will be in the north.
Open- MD 45 – DLS 28
D1AA – Folsom 42 – Helix 28
D1A – Pitt 24 – Narbonne 21
D2AA – Serra 35 – Cajon 28
D2A – St. Francis 31 – GB 21
D3AA – Shasta 34 – Bishop Diego 31
D3A – HMB 21 – SC 14
D4AA Placer 27 – Crenshaw 24
D4A – Milpitas 28 -SW 21
D5AA Mack 31 – GW 28
D5A Fortuna 28 – Katella 21
D6 AA Strathmore 28 – Orange24
D6A VM 35 – Galileo 27
Congrats to Folsom. What a year for that truly great team. But again in perspective #2 team in NorCal went up against about #20 SoCal team because of SSD1… Not that Folsom couldn’t beat any team but they should get chance to do so.
Tonight’s game Strathmore vs Orange sorry have to disagree. This is will be an outstanding game but Strathmore High is coming from a very small town that has a lot of heart and the team has been together since pups football. Wishing both the best am going with Strathmore High Football over Orange. Will be a very good and close game. Best to both tonight. “Go Spartans”