The JSerra and Mater Dei boys soccer rivalry is one of the better rivalries in Orange County high school sports.
So many high-stakes games have been the centerpiece of the rivalry.
The stakes are high again this week as JSerra and Mater Dei play each other twice in the CIF Southern Section Open Division playoffs.
JSerra (8-4-4) is the home team against Mater Dei (14-1-3) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. Mater Dei is the home team against JSerra on Saturday at 5 p.m.
The cumulative score from both games will determine which team advances to the Open Division championship game Feb. 28. The CIF-SS uses the Champions League-style format only in the Open Division playoffs.
Four Orange County teams — JSerra, Mater Dei, Orange Lutheran and Valencia — are in the Open Division final four.
JSerra advanced to the final four via a 7-1 win and 3-3 tie against Redondo Union. Mater Dei advanced with 4-0 and 4-1 wins over Mira Costa.
Mater Dei beat JSerra in their two Trinity League matches this season, 1-0 at JSerra and 4-1 at Mater Dei.
JSerra and Mater Dei are the past two CIF-SS Open Division champions. JSerra won the Open Division championship last season. Two seasons ago, Mater Dei was the Open Division champion.
Mater Dei coach Sean Ganey and JSerra coach Erik Kirsch love the rivalry and look forward to it continuing in this week’s playoff games.
“I’m excited to see what our group does,” Kirsch said. “We’ve gotten better since the last time we played them at Mater Dei. I want to see where our team has gone since the last time they beat us.”
“This is so fun,” Ganey said. “All of our teams’ kids know each other. They’ve all played together or against each other, and to do it again for your school in a high-leverage game is very special.”
It’s Orange Lutheran (12-3-3) vs. Valencia (16-1) in the other half of the Open Division final four. The two teams have not played each other this season. Tuesday’s game is at Orange Lutheran at 5 p.m., followed by Friday’s game at Valencia at 5 p.m.
NOTES
Three Orange County teams advanced to the quarterfinals in Division 1: Canyon (17-1-3), Servite (12-7-1) and Sunny Hills (20-2-2). …
Division 5 has an all-Orange County quarterfinal Tuesday: Tustin (14-5-4) at Esperanza (7-8-6). …
CIF-SS finals in boys and girls soccer will be played at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach and at Fred Kelly Stadium at El Modena High on Feb. 28. Which divisions play when and where will be announced after the semifinals. Game times on Feb. 28 will be 10:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. …
The CIF Southern California Regional playoffs begin March 3. The first CIF State championships will be payed March 13-14.