Miraleste Playoff Hopes Dwindle

Miraleste High School’s football team lost, 41-21, to visiting Whittier Christian on Saturday and saw its hope of an at-large berth in the Southern Section Division IX playoffs fade.

“I don’t think we’ll be in the playoffs,” Coach Todd DeAngelis said of his Marauders, who finished the season 5-4 (3-3 in the Olympic League).

Injured Miraleste tailback Dan Sarner rushed for 130 yards in 11 carries, including an 80-yard TD run, and caught two passes for 78 more yards.

The Marauders held Whittier Christian fullback Ron Papazian to 77 yards, but tailback Scott Jordan had 200 yards in 31 carries and two touchdowns. Quarterback Nick Sanchez hit flanker Alex Davila for 109 yards and three touchdowns.

The Olympic League is guaranteed only two playoff berths in Division IX, and those are going to Whittier Christian (10-0, 6-0) and Valley Christian (9-1, 5-1). For Miraleste to get in, Southern Section officials would have to tag both the league’s third-place team, Santa Margarita (7-3, 6-2), and Miraleste as at-large selections.