St. Mary’s of Stockton players got a CIF NorCal title plaque after their blue banner from the Sac-Joaquin Section last week. Photo: Mark Tennis.
Stockton St. Mary’s & Cathedral Catholic of San Diego both win D1-AA regional crowns and will meet next Friday at Sac State for state title. State-ranked Calabasas also goes down in second straight amazing comeback win for San Diego Madison in D2-AA. Every division written up in this post. We’ll have similar package after Saturday games.
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Notes: California’s two Open Division teams are seeded directly into the state final, which will be played next Saturday at Sac State between state No. 1 St. John Bosco of Bellflower (12-2) and state No. 4 De La Salle of Concord (11-1). State No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) & state No. 3 Centennial (Corona) both lost to St. John Bosco in CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.
See Saturday CIF Regional Scoreboard for Division 1-A, Division 2-A, Division 3-A, Division 4-A, Division 5-A & Division 6-A.
DIVISION 1–AA
North:
St. Mary’s (Stockton) 49,
Freedom (Oakley) 40
Despite committing four first-half turnovers, the Rams (14-1, No. 7 in the state) advanced to their second CIF state final by defeating the Falcons, who finished 11-2.
Junior RB Dusty Frampton was overpowering as injuries limited the St. Mary’s passing game. He rampaged for 349 yards on 37 carries, a season high, and scored five TDs. According to the Stockton Record, he now has 2,166 yards and 41 TDs for the season.
“It was quite a battle between two great teams,” said St. Mary’s head coach Tony Franks. “We found a way to hang in there on the ground and we had a huge stop to get the ball back, then were able to get the first downs and run out the clock.”
Ronnie Rivers had a 91-yard kickoff return and Kevin Longeran had an interception return TD to help keep Freedom, ranked No. 12 in the state, within striking distance. The Falcons had lost 42-7 to De La Salle in the CIF North Coast Section Open Division final and played the Rams much closer.
Cathedral Catholic head coach Sean Doyle collects CIF SoCal title plaque after team topped Narbonne on Friday. Gauchos were trying to win D1-AA state title after winning it in D1-A last season. Photo: SoCalSidelines.com.
South:
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 35,
Narbonne (Harbor City) 28
In Cathedral Catholic’s only other appearance at the CIF state finals, guess which team the Dons beat to win the D2 crown in 2008? Yep, St. Mary’s of Stockton.
Playing at home, the state’s No. 6 ranked team (14-0) outlasted the No. 5 Gauchos (14-1) by stopping a play from the 17-yard line as the clock expired. Narbonne, which was behind 28-7 at halftime, needed a score on that play to perhaps force overtime or win it on a two-point conversion.
Sophomore RB Shawn Poma rushed for four TDs to lead Cathedral Catholic.
Jalen Chatman tied it up for Narbonne at 28-28 in the fourth quarter by throwing a 14-yard TD pass to Tyronne Marshall. Chatman was sacked on the final play of the game.
DIVISION 2–AA
North:
Valley Christian (San Jose) 31,
Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 6
Miles Kendrick piled up 138 yards rushing on 10 carries and scored twice as the Warriors outclassed a Cardinal Newman squad that probably was placed too high on the NorCal board.
Head coach Mike Machado’s team, ranked No. 21 in the Cal-Hi Sports State Top 25, also held the Cardinals (winners of the CIF North Coast Section D4 title) to 33 yards rushing and 86 yards passing.
Valley Christian will be making its first attempt to win a CIF state football title next Friday in Sacramento.
South:
Madison (San Diego) 60,
Calabasas 53 (OT)
In the most wild-and-wacky CIF regional bowl game perhaps ever played, the Warhawks followed up their massive comeback from the previous week in the CIF San Diego Section D1 final with an even more remarkable one.
Madison trailed by 19 points in the fourth quarter as Calabasas built a 47-28 lead behind QB Tristan Gebbia (who finished with seven TD passes).
QB Terrell Carter and RB Erick Buchanan (scored five TDs) sparked the comeback but the team needed a late interception by standout LB Sampson Niu and a 44-yard field goal with three seconds left to force overtime.
In the extra period, Madison took its only lead of the game on a TD and PAT. Calabasas could not answer. A fourth-down pass from the 1-yard line from Gebbia to All-American recruit Darnay Holmes was incomplete.
Madison is returning to the CIF state finals for the third time, but is making its first trip to Sacramento. The Warhawks lost in the 2010 D3 final to Escalon, then won in the 2012 D3 final over Marin Catholic of Kentfield, which also was the final high school game played by future NFL No. 1 pick Jared Goff.
Calabasas lost for the first time, ended 14-1 and will no doubt have to take a major dump in the next state rankings. The Coyotes were No. 10 last week. Madison has had to be behind Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) due to a head-to-head loss.
DIVISION 3–AA
North:
Menlo-Atherton (Atherton) 49,
Manteca 21
Just two weeks after M-A’s girls volleyball team played for a state title, the football team will take a shot to win one next week against Paraclete of Lancaster.
The Bears (12-2), who won the CCS Open Division I title, broke open a 7-7 tie in the first half with three straight scores. Manteca (12-2) closed the gap to 35-21 in the second half, but right after that Jordan Mims (who had four TDs in the game) broke loose for a 72-yard TD run to seal the victory.
Players from Paraclete of Lancaster are happy after their team ran off the final seconds of triumph on Friday vs. Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista. Photo: Twitter.com.
South:
Paraclete (Lancaster) 34,
Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista) 18
After knocking off 13-0 Los Altos (Hacienda Heights) to win the CIF Southern Section Division VI title, taking out Mater Dei Catholic in a home game must have seemed a lot easier for the Spirits.
With running backs Jamaal Bell and K.J. Latu both ripping off huge chunk plays, Paraclete led 34-3 before Mater Dei Catholic made the score respectable.
Head coach Dean Herrington’s team is still only 11-4, but has played close in some of those losses to CIFSS heavyweights like Oaks Christian and Los Alamitos.
Mater Dei Catholic wound up 12-2.
DIVISION 4–AA
North:
Campolindo (Moraga) 30,
Palma (Salinas) 21
The Cougars (11-3) advanced to their fourth CIF state football final with a rare road win over the Chieftains (10-4).
Campolindo lost in a state final last year to La Mirada, but won in two previous trips to Carson.
Other than Campo, the only other two road teams to win on Friday in regional finals were Valley View and Bakersfield Christian.
QB Jacob Westphal had a TD pass with just 14 seconds left in the first half while the Cougars also got a 47-yard interception return for a TD from John Torchio.
Palma featured another big night from senior RB Emilio Martinez. He rushed for 187 yards and ended the season with 39 rushing TDs and 2,470 yards.
South:
Bakersfield Christian 28,
Selma 27
The CIF pitting the two Central Section champions from D4 (Selma) against D3 (Bakersfield Christian) turned out to be a good move as the contest came down to the wire.
Bakersfield Christian (13-1) trailed throughout, but took a 28-21 lead on a 80-yard interception return by junior Stephen Figures when the Bears tried a fake punt.
Selma (13-1) would eventually score in the game’s last minute, but was denied on a two-point conversion that probably would have won it.
DIVISION 5–AA
North:
Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 24,
Capital Christian (Sacramento) 21
Representing a school that has won the CIF Open Division state title in boys and girls basketball, the Dragons (14-1) will go for their first title in football next Friday vs. Valley View.
Austin Jones racked up 247 yards rushing on 37 carries for O’Dowd while QB Joe DeLuca threw for 193 yards and three TDs.
Capital Christian (11-3) scored late to close the gap but will have to wait until next year for another CIF run. The Cougars have some strong young players coming up, including sophomore RB D’Marcus Ross.
Valley View of Moreno Valley player poses with title plaque after team topped San Gorgonio. Photo: SoCalSidelines.com.
South:
Valley View (Moreno Valley) 31,
San Gorgonio (San Bernardino) 14
We got the sense that the Eagles (12-3) had been placed too low in the CIF Southern Section and they’re still giving us that feeling. In this victory over the 11-4 Spartans, receiver Robert Heiermann had a monster night with 13 catches for 203 yards and one TD.
DIVISION 6–AA
North:
Amador (Sutter Creek) 21,
Mendota 14
In a game played at Calaveras (San Andreas) right off historic Highway 49, the Mother Lode came out in full force to see the Buffaloes move on to their first CIF state final appearance.
Head coach Bill Baker’s squad got out to a 21-0 lead behind RB Daylan Thetford, who had TD runs of 1 and 75 yards.
Mendota ended a 13-1 season and can take some solace in a strong fourth quarter that did create some nervous moments for the home folks. Amador improved to 14-1.
South:
Rancho Christian (Temecula) 56,
Franklin (Los Angeles) 21
The visiting Panthers of L.A. actually took a 13-8 lead, but then a recovered fumble in the end zone and Elijah Campbell racing for 56-yard TD run turned the game completely around. Rancho Christian, coached by former Orange Lutheran head coach Jim Kunau, improved to 13-2. Franklin concluded its season at 13-2.
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
16 Comments
CIF do something about these horrible officials yesterday was the worst officiated game I have ever seen irrespective of the score to call back three touchdowns on phantom penalties is too much … The game lasted forever because these blind officials through 27 flags . 4 against Freedom, and 23 against SM…. REALLY?!?!?
To call back the touchdown right before halftime because it was an illegal man downfield I challenge anyone to look at the film and tell me who it was these referees are just too much …
Spot on Fred
The Valley Christian/Cardinal Newman game was over before the SM/FHS game started the second half.
I checked the replay. The refs error’d with the illegal man downfield call because they saw #21 Dusty Frampton blocking and then break for the middle downfield, unaware “what a shock” that he was actually legal. No one else wearing green broke for downfield. Total blown call on a great play!
Not to mention the flawed system that had us just coming off of an emotional tough WIN or go home game against Folsom, our 4th playoff mind you and 14th overall. And Freedom playing a meaningless 2nd playoff game, 12th overall, against DeLaSalle that in my humble opinion, they folded up the tents in the beginning of the 2nd quarter because they had nothing at stake and wanted to stay fresh and healthy for their game against SM. So the DeLaSalle is way better than SM because they beat Freedom by 35 points in a game Freedom cared absolutely nothing about and SM only winning by 9 is RIDICULOUS at best!!!
Yes, but it’s even more ridiculous for a computer to rank St. Mary’s ahead of DLS, which it did this week. Maybe DLS isn’t “way better” than SM but they’re definitely better. You can’t completely dismiss the obvious difference in comparative scores.
In your professional opinion, can you honestly say a team with absolutely nothing to lose, playing and knowing they will lose to DLS and it did not matter knowing they would move one, playing two less games against a team that is playing their 15th and coming off of a win or go home game against a 4x defending Section champ that knock you out of the playoffs in the semifinals the season before won’t have a pretty drastic affect in that game which would affect the score. I mean with your logic, Bosco should beat DLS by 50+ based on what they did to servite (70-7ish) and what DLS did to servite (28-27ish). I can hear the argument, DLS has hit their playoff stride yada yada. Bosco just beat MD who is better than anyone DLS has played based on your rankings. Let’s say Bosco is better than us. 39 points absolutely not. Because Dusty Frampton and his 640+ yards and 8 tds in two games, Section and regional championship I might add, might have made a HUGE difference. I mean we had two leads without him. I would really love for folks to look at things with objectivity and based on current seasons. I feel like too much credit is given for the wrong reasons. Also, the computer takes strength of schedule when ranking He teams correct. Well, SM ‘s 7 of 10 games were against playoff teams. 2 lost in 1st round, 2 in 2nd round and 3 played for Section championships. Two are now playing for state championships. One ranked in the top 5 in the country. Come on mark, DLS’s resume isn’t that good. And if Bosco beats DLS by more than 39 points, who is better then, SM or DLS, using your previous “score” comparison? Just My humble opinions my friend.
I just made a statement regarding comparing common opponents. SM scores 49 against Freedom despite 5 turnovers, most unforced. DLS plays mistake free and puts up 42. SM may have scored 70+ against Freedom if we have no stupid turnovers or decisions. Anyway, the one that REALLY matters is Friday at 8!!! It should be fun I tell you!!!
Quick question about your rankings: you claim that Madison needs to be behind Vista M because of a week one loss to them; however, you placed San Clemente in the top 25 last week ahead of Oceanside even though they had lost to them in week one… why? you guys do a pretty good job with your rankings but a little more consistency would be welcomed
San Clemente has beaten Heritage, Valencia, Murrieta Valley and now Edison in the last four weeks. That overcomes all of its losses except Mission Viejo.
Vista Murrieta also beat Bishop Amat in the CIFSS D1 playoffs, then lost to Mater Dei. To us, they overcome their loss to JSerra by doing that and also due to having a win over Madison. Vista Murrieta still has to be behind Murrieta Valley but can be ahead of Madison.
But at the end of the day it was a week one game.. a close one at that… not saying it shouldn’t count but you have seen enough football to know week one games aren’t all that significant come season end…. not sure how quality heritage and Valencia are either…. didn’t calabasas beat valencia?
Calabasas did beat Valencia, correct. Valencia also beat Bakersfield.
Ok got it, just didn’t care for the rationale all that much considering it is arbitrarily used in this case in that it hurt one team and not the other. Both teams have been blown out by top teams in the state I guess. I’ve seen both teams play (admittedly I only watched SC play in week 1) and I would say both are pretty equal but Madison is the more talented team across the board… SC is likely better coached.
“Calabasas lost for the first time, ended 14-1 and will no doubt have to take a major dump in the next state rankings. The Coyotes were No. 10 last week. Madison has had to be behind Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) due to a head-to-head loss.”
Calabasas may have been the softest team I have ever seen play at this level. Coach literally blew the game due to a refusal to have a running game.
For those who didn’t see the game against Madison, they didn’t just have a poor running game, they literally only had *one play* where someone lined up behind the QB… and that was on a QB sneak. Up 19 in the 4th quarter and kept on throwing. Lost the game because they had no means to control the clock.
That may all be true but they also won 14 games doing the same thing right?
Teams can easily get overwhelmed by that offense, then start trying to match scores. That’ll kill you every time. Beside, most of the Coyote’s schedule wasn’t very good. Best win was against Valencia, who also got punked by Chaminade.
My guess is that Madison may have been one of the few teams that could match their scoring and didn’t cave.