Football: St. Bonaventure-Corona Centennial game was big

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Way back on Sept. 9, when Ventura St. Bonaventure defeated Corona Centennial, 29-27, who knew that game would turn out to be so much more influential than just a season opener.

It could be the game that is used to decide a CIF state championship bowl berth.

Centennial could win the Inland Division, but if Westlake or St. Bonaventure win the Northern Division, Centennial would be left out of a bowl spot, because the Pac-5 champion would likely get the other bid.

Anybody trying to figure out bowl possibilities come week 14 is going to use the St. Bonaventure-Centennial game almost as a Kevin Bacon-like six degrees of separation.

St. Bonaventure, which beat Centennial, which beat Mater Dei, which beat Santa Margarita . . . You start to get the picture. Mission Viejo, which beat Long Beach Poly but lost to Redlands East Valley, could be playing Servite, which beat St. John Bosco, which lost to Loyola, which lost to Upland . . .

Of course, Upland or Redlands East Valley could thrust themselves into the discussion with a win over Centennial down the road.

But I have a feeling that the most important game of 2011 will have turned out to be St. Bonaventure-Centennial.

-- Eric Sondheimer