A look ahead at football championship weekend’s key games.
Cleveland (5-8) vs. San Fernando (10-3), City Division II, Friday 6 p.m., at Birmingham Charter
Friday night is where the rubber hits the road in a No. 1 vs. No. 2-seeded matchup of two City programs that are on polar opposite sides of the spectrum when it comes to football pedigree. No. 1 Cleveland will be playing for its first-ever City title while San Fernando is eyeing the program’s ninth City title (the last coming in 2017).
Cleveland is led by junior Moyo Odebunmi (1,122 yards rushing, 11 TDs), senior Jesus Fuentes (475 receiving yards, six TDs), and junior Cobe Green (101 tackles, 10 TFL, three FF). The Cavs will have an edge in this game due to their strength of schedule which included Crespi (10-1), Crenshaw (10-1, and playing in the Open Division final), and Birmingham (West Valley League champion). Despite all those games resulting in defeat, the players are suited for anything San Fernando has to offer.
That said, the Tigers have standouts, too. Senior QB Julian Sarzo has passed for 1,585 yards and 22 touchdowns (through nine games, according to MaxPreps). Senior running back Melvin Pineda leads the team with 667 rushing yards and wideout Andrew Newchurch is the top target through the air with 629 yards and nine TD catches.
Tarek’s pick: Cleveland
OTHER NOTABLE CIF FINALS
Corona Centennial (11-1) vs. Santa Margarita (9-3), CIF-SS D1, Friday 7 p.m., at Rose Bowl
This is the most anticipated Division 1 final in more than a decade due to the fresh teams vying for what’s known nationally as the hardest high school football division to win in America.
For the first time since 2011, the Southern Section’s top division will not include St. John Bosco or Mater Dei. In fact, since 2016, the finalists have been Mater Dei and St. John Bosco all but one year (2021, Servite lost to Mater Dei). Parity has won the day, and high school sports fans are eating it up.
The two teams clashed early in the season. Santa Margarita won 33-27 in overtime.
Santa Margarita is led by former USC quarterbacks and Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer, who’s in his first year at the helm. Meanwhile, Centennial coach Matt Logan is over 300 wins and eyeing his 11th CIF title with the Huskies. Both are a combined 3-0 against Mater Dei (Centennial beat the Monarchs twice), which lends local media and pundits alike to believe there might be a shift atop the football world in the Southland. Only time will tell …
But as for this week, all eyes are on two new programs at the historic Rose Bowl.
Tarek’s pick: Centennial
Los Alamitos (11-2) at San Clemente (9-4), CIF-SS D2 final, Saturday, 7 p.m.
The rematch for all the marbles. When these two met in Week 9, Los Alamitos was 8-0 and might’ve been looking ahead to Week 10’s season finale against powerhouse Mission Viejo. Some might say the clash with San Clemente was a trap game.
San Clemente won 28-9.
Now, the two teams will represent the Alpha League in the Division 2 final. Los Alamitos is led by two-way star Lenny Ibarra. San Clemente will lean on its well-rounded approach anchored by a strong running game (Carson Sloan) and stout defense (Patrick Norman).
It will be hard to beat Los Alamitos again.
Tarek’s pick: Los Alamitos
Rio Hondo Prep (13-0) at Redondo Union (9-4), CIF-SS D5 final
Rio Hondo Prep’s story is remarkable. The small private school in Arcadia has just 82 boys and is eyeing a third straight CIF crown after winning Division 9 in 2023 and Division 7 in 2024 while taking out big public schools with huge enrollments.
Just one more public school stands in the way of the Kares’ three-peat. Redondo Union, which has been a different team in the second half of the season due to transfers, is led by QB Cole Leinart, son of former USC Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart.
Rio Hondo Prep is led by two-time CIF Player of the Year Noah Penunuri, who is well over 1,000 yards rushing and up to 22 touchdowns this season.
Tarek’s pick: Rio Hondo Prep, the team of destiny