The CIF state football championships will unfold this weekend in Southern California, with 30 teams playing across 15 divisions in quest of finishing the season with a top prize.
De La Salle will be back in action after having a bye during the regionals.
The Spartans, aiming for their eighth state title but first in a decade, will play Santa Margarita for the Open Division championship on Saturday night in Mission Viejo.
Five other teams from the Bay Area News Group’s coverage area – St. Ignatius, McClymonds, El Cerrito, Bishop O’Dowd and Lincoln-San Jose – are also making the trip to SoCal after capturing NorCal championships last weekend.
There are plenty of storylines:
– The South Bay community is celebrating as longtime Lincoln coach Kevin Collins has the San Jose school on the brink of a state crown.
– De La Salle, a team filled with talent, has one player who provides the heartbeat: Middle linebacker Bubba Vargas.
– Oakland, still mourning the tragic murder this fall of legendary Laney College and Skyline High coach John Beam, has two teams seeking state titles: McClymonds and Bishop O’Dowd.
– St. Ignatius has bounced back from a 2-6 start to win six in a row, a streak that has lifted the San Francisco school into a state title game for the first time and thrilled first-year head coach JaJuan Lawson, who took over from Lenny Vandermade.
– El Cerrito, one year after a postseason ban for using ineligible players, has roared back to appear in a state final for the first time.
Here is a closer look at the games, with the complete schedule below the capsules:
OPEN DIVISION STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: DE LA SALLE VS. SANTA MARGARITA
Records: De La Salle 12-0, Santa Margarita 12-3
Kickoff: Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, 8 p.m.
How De La Salle qualified: Won the North Coast Section Open Division championship over Pittsburg 24-17
How Santa Margarita qualified: Defeated Centennial-Corona 42-7 in the Southern Section Division I title game
Top De La Salle players to watch: RB/DB Jaden Jefferson, TE Landon Cook, RB Duece Jones-Drew, RB Brady Smith, QB Brayden Knight, OL/DL Wyatt Ferguson, DL Mya Telona, DL TJ Finau, LB Bubba Vargas.
Top Santa Margarita players to watch: WR Trent Mosley, RB Jaion Smith, QB Trace Johnson, LB Leki Holani, DL Isaia Vandermade, CB Ca’ron Williams.
How to watch: NFHS Network
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks Santa Margarita to win 27-10.
– Nathan Canilao
3-AA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: ST. IGNATIUS VS. VENTURA
Records: St. Ignatius 8-6, Ventura 13-2
Kickoff: Friday at Fullerton Union High School District Stadium, 8 p.m.
How St. Ignatius qualified: Won the CCS Division II title with a 24-21 victory over rival Sacred Heart Cathedral in the final. Stretched winning streak to six with a 17-13 victory over Monte Vista in NorCal 3-AA regional.
How Ventura qualified: Routed St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 63-28 to capture the Southern Section Division VI championship. Edged Arroyo Grande 35-28 to win the SoCal Division 3-AA title, extending its win streak to 10.
Top St. Ignatius players to watch: QB Caedon Afsharipour, WR Zui Shelton, LB Charlie Ball.
Top Ventura players to watch: QB Derek Garcia, WR Jack Cunningham, LB Tristan Phillips.
How to watch: NFHS Network
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks SI to win 28-24.
– Darren Sabedra
3-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: MCCLYMONDS VS. KENNEDY-DELANO
Records: McClymonds 11-2, Kennedy 12-3
Kickoff: Saturday at Fullerton UHSD Stadium, 7 p.m.
How McClymonds qualified: Won the Oakland Section championship by defeating Oakland Tech 34-0. Then beat Roseville in NorCal regional final 42-34 at home.
How Kennedy qualified: Defeated Independence-Bakersfield 49-13 to capture the Central Section Division III title. Beat Carson in the SoCal regional final 35-33.
Top McClymonds players to watch: QB Berell Staples, WR Prince Staten, WR/DB Rahsjon Duncan, RB Dominic Davis, DL Koi Taiese.
Top Kennedy players to watch: RB Jace Demacabalin, RB Cristian Hernandez, RB Jamison Membreve, LB Anthony Lara.
How to watch: NFHS Network
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks Kennedy to win 38-28.
– Nathan Canilao
4-A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: EL CERRITO VS. BECKMAN-IRVINE
Records: El Cerrito 12-2, Beckman 12-3
Kickoff: Saturday at Buena Park High School, 7 p.m.
How El Cerrito qualified: Won the North Coast Section Division III championship by defeating Ukiah 32-21. Then beat Menlo-Atherton in the NorCal regional final 20-16 on the road.
How Beckman qualified: Defeated Brea Olinda 30-24 to capture the Southern Section Division VIII title. Beat Hillcrest in the SoCal 4-A regional final 46-40.
Top El Cerrito players to watch: WR Gary Youngblood, RB Joezon Broussard, WR/DB Cannon Jenkins, LB Joell Broussard, QB Dejuan Compton Jr.
Top Beckman players to watch: RB Makhi Czaykowski, QB Noah Nam, OL/DL Roy Chaya, WR Sawyer Nickelson, CB Xavier Musselman-Cano.
How to watch: NFHS Network
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks El Cerrito 27-26.
– Nathan Canilao
5-AA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: BISHOP O’DOWD VS. CHRISTIAN-EL CAJON
Records: Bishop O’Dowd 10-4, Christian 8-7
Kickoff: Friday at Buena Park High School Stadium, 4 p.m.
How O’Dowd qualified: Won the NCS Division VI championship, routing Fortuna 59-21 in the final. Then prevailed at Chico 23-20 in a regional last week.
How Christian qualified: Won the San Diego Section Division III championship with a 28-14 victory over Central-El Centro. Beat Valley Christian-Cerritos 27-13 for the Southern 5-AA regional title last week.
Top O’Dowd players to watch: RB Lamar Ellis, QB Christian Cermenelli-Johnson, ATH Bryan Edwards.
Top Christian players to watch: QB Kaleb Runkle, WR Kai Rosier, LB Chase Togerson.
How to watch: NFHS Network
Computer projection: HSRatings.com picks O’Dowd to win 27-26.
6-AA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: LINCOLN-SAN JOSE VS. VALLEY CENTER
Records: Lincoln 11-3, Valley Center 8-6
Kickoff: Friday at Fullerton Union High School, 4 p.m.
How Lincoln qualified: Won the CCS Division IV championship 49-21 over Branham. Won the NorCal 6-AA title with a thrilling 28-20 comeback win over Gridley.
How Valley Center qualified: Won the San Diego Section Division IV championship 21-14 over Eastlake. Won the 6-AA SoCal title 30-19 over Valley View.
Top Lincoln players to watch: ATH Kyan Phillips, ATH Michael Whitelaw, RB Jonathan Medina
Top Valley Center players to watch: QB Braylon Mitchell, WR Jesse Morales, ATH Joeisha Ryan Tirado
How to watch: NFHS Network
Computer projection: HSRatings.com projects a 38-28 Lincoln win.
Complete state schedule
OPEN DIVISION
De La Salle (12-0) vs. Santa Margarita (10-3) at Saddleback College, Saturday, 8 p.m.
DIVISION 1-AA
Folsom (13-1) vs. Cathedral Catholic (11-2) at Saddleback College, Friday, 8 p.m.
DIVISION 1-A
Central East (13-1) vs. Pacifica-Oxnard (15-0) at Saddleback College, Saturday, 3:30 p.m.
DIVISION 2-AA
St. Mary’s-Stockton (12-2) vs. Bakersfield Christian (13-0) at Saddleback College, Friday, 4 p.m.
DIVISION 2-A
Sonora (14-0) vs. Rio Hondo Prep (15-0) at Saddleback College, Saturday, 11:30 a.m.
DIVISION 3-AA
St. Ignatius (8-6) vs. Ventura (13-2) at Fullerton Union High School District Stadium, Friday, 8 p.m.
DIVISION 3-A
McClymonds (11-2) vs. Kennedy-Delano (12-3) at Fullerton Union High School District Stadium, Saturday, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 4-AA
Sutter (13-1) vs. Barstow (11-3) at Buena Park High School Stadium, Friday, 8 p.m.
DIVISION 4-A
El Cerrito (12-2) vs. Beckman (12-3) at Buena Park High School Stadium, Saturday, 7 p.m.
DIVISION 5-AA
Bishop O’Dowd (10-4) vs. Christian-El Cajon (8-7) at Buena Park High School Stadium, Friday, 4 p.m.
DIVISION 5-A
Calaveras (12-2) vs. Bishop Union (12-3) at Fullerton Union High School District Stadium, Saturday, 3 p.m.
DIVISION 6-AA
Lincoln-San Jose (11-3) vs. Valley Center (8-6) at Fullerton Union High School District Stadium, Friday, 4 p.m.
DIVISION 6-A
Winters (13-1) vs. Morse-San Diego (10-4) at Buena Park High School Stadium, Saturday, 3 p.m.
DIVISION 7-AA
Redding Christian-Palo Cedro (14-0) vs. Woodbridge-Irvine (7-8) at Fullerton Union High School District Stadium, Saturday, 11 a.m.
DIVISION 7-A
Balboa (11-2) vs. South El Monte (11-4) at Buena Park High School Stadium, Saturday, 11 a.m.