Weekly Football Previews: St. Francis football readies for showdown with Cathedral

Whether by record, rankings or schedule, it appears that the St. Francis High and Los Angeles Cathedral football teams are evenly-matched heading into Friday’s Angelus League showdown downtown at 7 p.m.

The defending co-league champion Phantoms are ranked third in the latest CIF Southern Section Division III poll, while St. Francis is fourth. Both squads are 8-0 and 3-0 in league and they are the last two top-10 undefeated teams in the division.

While high school football site calpreps.com predicts Cathedral will win, 28-24, both teams have reached Friday’s game with a track record of impressive victories.

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Using calpreps.com’s point system, the Golden Knights have the most difficult win on either team’s schedule, having taken down high-flying Buena Park, 28-19, at Friedman Field on Sept. 30.

Yet, it could be argued that the Phantoms racked up the biggest nonleague victory in the Angelus League’s brief three-year reestablishment when they defeated Division I Loyola, 21-19, on Sept. 16.

Though Cathedral shared last year’s league title, St. Francis has defeated the Phantoms three straight seasons and five out of six times that the teams have met since Cathedral joined the Mission League before the teams became members of the Angelus League.

When asked what concerns him most about the Phantoms, St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds was quick to point to one particular area.

“Their athleticism,” Bonds said. “They have great athletes on offense and defense and a couple of big defensive ends that we have to slow down so we can open up some running lanes. We’ve got our work cut out.”

Though there are similarities between the squads, there are also stark differences.

While St. Francis is firm at signal-caller with Michael Bonds (1,510 yards and 18 touchdowns versus three interceptions), Cathedral has rotated a pair of quarterbacks in senior Andrew Tovar (1,625 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions) and freshman Brian Young (1,052 yards and 11 touchdowns with five picks).

The Golden Knights are also happy to run the ball and have to the tune of averaging 167.9 yards per game, while pass-happy Cathedral carries for 79 yards a game.

St. Francis has three receivers with 20 or more receptions led by Daniel Scott (26 catches for 470 yards and eight touchdowns). Scott would be Cathedral’s No. 4 receiver, as the Phantoms boast a talented corps led by Jamire Calvin, a 2017 U.S. Army All-American.

Calvin has caught 63 passes for 1,056 yards and 10 touchdowns and is one of two Army All-Americans on the Phantoms, along Hunter Echols, one of the talented ends Bonds mentioned.

The USC-bound Echols has five sacks, but 30 quarterback hurries.

Perhaps the biggest difference between the schools is the number of stars per squad.

Cathedral has five players who are ranked by rivals.com, which includes defensive backs Rhedi Short (Arizona) and Jeffrey Manning (Oregon State) and wide receiver Arex Fleming (Oregon State).

St. Francis has one ranked player in Bonds.

“There’s an old saying in athletics for years,” Jim Bonds said. “A great team can beat a team of great athletes. If we play together and have each other’s back and rally around each other, then we can beat anybody on any given night.”

For those unable to attend or find a parking spot, the game will be livestreamed at www.foxsports.com/west/prepzone-stream.

Chadwick at Flintridge Prep, 7 p.m. Friday: Friday night football on the campus of Flintridge Prep football is a rare thing.

But it might well be a good thing as the Rebels have played on three consecutive Saturdays and they’re riding a three-game losing streak.

Flintridge Prep’s return to the eight-man level also means a return to its rivarly with Chadwick.

Though the Rebels’ biggest rival is considered Pasadena Poly, on the gridiron, there was never any love lost between Flintridge Prep and Chadwick, which won the teams’ last meeting in 2013 and won four of the last five meetings.

The game will have plenty of importance as Flintridge Prep (4-3) is ranked sixth in CIF Southern Section Eight-Man Division I and Chadwick (7-1) checks in at No. 8.

Both are looking to solidify playoff berths.

Both freelance teams are vying for at-large berths, which will be released by the CIF Southern Section office by 6 p.m. Sunday night.

La Cañada def. Blair via forfeit: For the first time this season, the Spartans have won two straight games, though it’s come in most unconventional fashion.

Blair has forfeited the 2016 Rio Hondo League season and though prominent website Maxpreps.com is not recording forfeit wins, the CIF office said they will be recorded as such.

So, the Spartans will be 5-4, 2-2 in the Rio Hondo League heading into their finale against San Marino on Nov. 4.