Football: City Section predictions

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Football, turkey and predictions. What a treat on Thanksgiving. Here’s a look at Friday’s City Section quarterfinals.

Division I

San Pedro 28, Crenshaw 27: There’s a reason San Pedro is 11-0. The team is good. Don’t listen to the skeptics who say the Pirates haven’t played anyone. They haven’t, but that doesn’t mean their record should be ignored. This team has enough speed on defense to beat the Cougars.

Venice 35, Carson 28: It’s week 12, so by now, Venice’s defense has figured out how to stop the run, right? Well, Carson is going to send its running backs up the middle again and again. If Venice’s defense responds, the Gondoliers will advance to the semifinals. If not, the Colts will be dancing on the field afterward.

Dorsey 24, Birmingham 14: Jaydon Mickens of the Dons knows it’s playoff time, because he has begun to raise his game to a different level. The Dons are headed into the semifinals.

Narbonne 42, West Adams 28: West Adams put on an effective pass rush during its upset of Crenshaw. Narbonne had better be ready to block for quarterback Troy Williams.

Division II

South East 42, Fremont 7: Robert Lewis is going to eat lots of turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving, but with all the running he’s going to do on Friday, the calories will quickly disappear.

Canoga Park 28, Bell 14: The Hunters are starting to play like the team everyone thought they would be.

Granada Hills 21, Van Nuys 14: These are two schools with programs showing improvement.

Marshall 42, Lincoln 28: Marshall has put together one of the most entertaining passing offenses in the City Section. If it’s a South East-Marshall final, the busiest person at East L.A. College will be the scoreboard operator.

-- Eric Sondheimer