GAME OF THE WEEK
DIVISION 1-A
BAKERSFIELD LIBERTY (11-2) VS. NO. 7 YORBA LINDA (13-0)
Where, when: Yorba Linda High, Saturday, 6 p.m.
Live coverage: NFHS Network
Analysis: Liberty is the CIF Central Section Division I champion. The Patriots have won eight in a row going into this game, including a 29-13 win over San Joaquin Memorial in the CIF-CS Division 1 championship game. Liberty senior running back Jalen Hankins has rushed for 1,112 yards and 18 touchdowns. He accounted for 174 of the Patriots’ 227 rushing yards in the win over San Joaquin Memorial. Liberty, No. 19 in the CalHiSports.com state rankings that have Yorba Linda at No. 24 shut out San Joaquin Memorial, a team that averaged 34 points a game this season, in the second half of that game. Yorba Linda’s defense was strong, too, in its CIF Southern Section final. The Mustangs, No. 24 in the state rankings, defeated Upland 9-6 in the Division 3 championship game as Jayden Flaig kicked a 42-yard field goal with two seconds left. Yorba Linda’s offense struggled and lost two turnovers in the first half. Liberty’s defense might be as good as Upland’s defense. The Patriots’ offense will be better than Upland’s offense.
Winner: Liberty
Laguna Hills High School’s Troy Leigber (6) and Tyler Guzman (8) celebrate after beating the Golden Valley Grizzlies 28 – 27 in the CIF Southern Section Division 7 Championship Game at Canyon High School Saturday, November 26, 2022. The final score was 28 – 27. (Photo by Kevin Karzin, Contributing Photographer)
DIVISION 3-A
NO. 24 LAGUNA HILLS (13-1) VS. BIRMINGHAM (9-4)
Where, when: Birmingham High, Saturday, 7 p.m.
Analysis: CalPreps.com, which establishes team ratings that are used by the CIF Southern Section to place teams in divisions for the playoffs, projects this to be a close game with Laguna Hills winning 27-26. Birmingham scored touchdowns on its first five possessions of a 49-13 victory over Garfield in the Los Angeles City Section Open Division championship game. Birmingham senior running back Naiim Morgan rushed for 292 yards and four touchdowns. Laguna Hills has a fine running back, too. Troy Leigber has rushed for 2,337 yards and 39 touchdowns. He ran for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the Hawks’ 28-27 win over Golden Valley in the CIF-SS Division 7 championship game. The path Laguna Hills took to get its CIF section championship looks more difficult than Birmingham’s, which should have the Hawks better prepared for this matchup.
Winner: Laguna Hills
Northwood’s Eugene Miyata throws a pass as Lakewood’s Noah Mallon chases him during the CIF-SS Division 8 championship game at Lakewood High School in Lakewood on Saturday, November 26, 2022. (Photo by Kyusung Gong/Contributing Photographer)
DIVISION 4-AA
NO. 22 NORTHWOOD (13-1) VS. DELANO KENNEDY (11-2)
Where, when: Kennedy High, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Analysis: Kennedy reached a season-high points total in a 40-20 win over Sunnyside in the CIF Central Section Division III championship game. Kennedy rushed for 390 yards. Five rushing touchdowns were scored by five different players. Thunderbirds freshman running back Jace Demacabalin had a team-leading 149 yards on 24 carries. They threw only four passes. The 20 points allowed in that championship game was only the second time this season Kennedy has given up 20 or more points. Northwood senior running back Adam Harper had another big game last week in the Timberwolves’ 35-14 win over Lakewood in the CIF-SS Division 8 final. He rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries. Sometimes after a team wins a CIF-SS championship it is satisfied and not excited about playing in regional competition, especially when looking at the sort of long bus trip the Timberwolves must take for this game. Northwood seems to be a team that wants to keep playing for another two weeks.
Winner: Northwood
Laguna Beach Nick Rogers #1 is congratulated for his third-quarter TD against Diamond Bar by Laguna Beach Chase Tyson #81 in the third quarter during a Division 9 championship game, on Nov. 26, 2022 in Diamond Bar, CA. (Photo by John McCoy, Contributing Photographer)
DIVISION 4-A
GRANADA HILLS (11-2) VS. NO. 25 LAGUNA BEACH (11-3)
Where, when: Laguna Beach High, Saturday, 6 p.m.
Analysis: Granada Hills defeated Palisades 44-7 in the Los Angeles City Section Division I championship game. The Highlanders have scored like that before. In 10 of their 11 wins they have surpassed 40 points. Granada Hills senior Dijon Stanley rushed for 367 yards and five touchdowns including a 90-yard scoring run. Stanley finished fourth in the 400 meters at last year’s CIF State Track and Field Championships and he’s committed to Utah. Laguna Beach has a terrific passing attack led by sophomore quarterback Jackson Kollock, who threw three touchdowns passes last week in the Breakers’ 36-28 win over Diamond Bar in the CIF-SS Division 9 championship game. Having a passing game like Laguna Beach’s is a major advantage, especially in lower-division playoff game. Granada Hills has not played against many teams that throw it as well as Laguna Beach.
Winner: Laguna Beach
Whittier Christian running back Jake Martinez (5) runs for a touchdown against Lynwood in the CIF-SS Division 14 football championship game at Whittier College on Friday November 25, 2022. (Photo by Keith Durflinger, Contributing Photographer)
DIVISION 7-A
WHITTIER CHRISTIAN (10-4) VS. CRENSHAW (6-7)
Where, when: Crenshaw High, Saturday, 6 p.m.
Analysis: Whittier Christian beat Lynwood 20-7 in the CIF-SS Division 14 final last week. The Heralds held Lynwood to 41 rushing yards and had two interceptions. Jake Martinez rushed for 127 yards, returned a punt 45 yards to set up a touchdown and contributed one of the interceptions. Crenshaw won the CIF Los Angeles City Section Division III championship with a 49-14 victory over Wilson. The Cougars took a 2-7 record into the playoffs before four one-sided playoff wins. Whittier Christian’s defense and running attack will be in control in this game. The winner plays at Lincoln of San Francisco in the state 7-A championship game Dec. 10 at 1 p.m.
Winner: Whittier Christian
Fryer on Football last week: 1-4
Season to date: 49-20
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