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Dan Albano reacts to the CIF-SS football quarterfinals and takes a first look at the semifinals this week:
1. What result from the quarterfinals surprised you the most?
Easy. Orange Lutheran’s 20-19 victory at St. John Bosco. I answer confidently because I picked Santa Margarita to beat undefeated Sierra Canyon, another result that stunned many on a rainy Friday night.
The Lancers’ upset shocked me for a few reasons.
They lost to St. John Bosco 48-0 in the Trinity League on Oct. 10. They were on the road against a program that hasn’t lost consecutive games since 2011 (at home to Servite and Santa Margarita). They’ve played multiple quarterbacks while St. John Bosco has standout Koa Malau’ulu.
Yes, the rain affected all passing games in the quarterfinals but St. John Bosco has multiple running backs and an excellent defense. And the Braves averaged 5.9 yards per carry en route to 208 yards on Friday.
But a 44-yard interception return for a score — off a deflection — by sophomore defensive back King Rich Johnson in the fourth quarter provided one of the big plays the Lancers’ defense needed.
I also was shocked because I believed Orange Lutheran’s best chance to knock off St. John Bosco was last season but the Lancers lost twice to the Braves by a combined seven points.
Orange Lutheran’s resiliency definitely impressed.
2. Outside of Division 1, what other results caught your attention?
Villa Park in Division 4 and Pacifica in Division 10 struck me.
The Spartans handled Great Oak 30-6 in the quarterfinals after defeating undefeated Westlake on the road in the first round.
Pacifica posted a 13-7 win against a Liberty team that pushed Orange Vista in a one-point loss for the Ivy League title.
Villa Park and Pacifica face tough opponents in the semifinals in San Jacinto and Hillcrest, respectively, but I believe both will advance to the finals.
3. What players impressed you the most in the quarterfinals?
Speaking of resiliency, Orange Lutheran QB Reagan Toki comes to mind again. The junior completed 7 of 11 passes for 105 yards and two TDs against St. John Bosco.
His clutch performance evoked memories of his hot play to start the season.
But the list of standout performances is lengthy.
Orange Lutheran running back Sean Morris rushed for a season-high 121 yards.
Santa Margarita junior lineman Isaia Vandermade recorded three sacks and forced a fumble on defense and played on the offensive line against Sierra Canyon.
In Division 13, Saddleback linebacker Chris Romero continued to rack up tackles with 17 in 28-11 triumph at Santa Rosa Academy.
Beckman running back Makhi Czaykowski for a season-high 204 yards and two TDs in a victory against Fullerton.
How good is Czaykowski?
“This dude is the best I’ve coached since Josh Webb,” said Beckman offensive coordinator Willy Puga, who coached Webb at Garden Grove.
4. What semifinal matchups look the most exciting?
Both Division 1 clashes offer plenty of storylines. Can Orange Lutheran pull another reversal against Santa Margarita? The Eagles beat the Lancers 28-7 in the Trinity League. And can Mater Dei find redemption at Centennial? The Huskies forced seven turnovers in a 43-36 win against the visiting Monarchs in early September.
But I’m also intrigued by the run of San Clemente, which plays at physical and athletic Leuzinger.
Since losing to Mission Viejo, the Tritons have defeated Los Alamitos, Edison, Beaumont and Vista Murrieta. That’s a heck of a run and if they beat Leuzinger on the road, that would be a spectacular semifinal.
Los Alamitos at Murrieta Valley is also fascinating in Division 2. Two explosive offenses that can run the ball. Defense, however, could settle that one.