Pacific Coast League Teams Face Tough Playoff Road

Here’s the spine-tingling news for fans of Pacific Coast League football: Three of the league’s six teams will play at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the first round of the Southern Section Division VII playoffs.

Now for the troublesome flip side: None is likely to be around for the semifinals in two weeks.

The PCL, which moved up a rung from Division VIII this year, will be represented by champion Laguna Hills, runner-up Costa Mesa and third-place Trabuco Hills. But thanks to an unfavorable draw, only Laguna Hills seems to have a realistic chance of sticking around past this weekend.

Trabuco Hills was hit hardest, matched against defending division champion and top-seeded Serra. Costa Mesa will travel to Arroyo Grande, seeded fourth.

But first, the positive.

Laguna Hills won its first league championship with a 5-0 record (8-1-1 overall). The Hawks will play host to Camino Real League runner-up St. Monica (6-4, 4-1) at Mission Viejo High School. A victory would probably earn them a game against No. 2 San Marino (9-0).

Laguna Hills-St. Monica will feature teams with balanced offenses and showcase Laguna Hills quarterback Casey Sullivan against his former teammates.

Sullivan, who transferred from St. Monica this year, passed for 1,237 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is complemented by senior fullback Marwan Saba, who rushed for 1,073 yards and scored 11 touchdowns.

St. Monica is led by 1,000-plus-yards running back Nail Benjamin, quarterback Dion Bergeron (1,100 yards passing) and wide receiver Keith Walk-Green (eight touchdown receptions).

“They are bigger than we are and probably faster,” Laguna Hills Coach Steve Bresnahan said. “We got a tough team in St. Monica.”

Perhaps, but not as imposing as what Trabuco Hills has to face.

The Mustangs (4-5-1, 3-2) gained a playoff berth as a wild card and visit Gardena to play Serra (8-0, 5-0), which scored 50 or more points in three Camino Real League games.

Jerold Henry, Serra’s senior halfback, scored 21 touchdowns and 12 two-point conversions. He had 302 yards and five touchdowns on seven carries in a 54-3 rout of St. Anthony.

“I would be a little bit more optimistic if it wasn’t for their victory (24-10) over St. Paul at St. Paul. You just don’t beat them (St. Paul) in their own turf,” Trabuco Hills Coach Jim Barnett said.

Trabuco Hills will attempt to counter with sophomore quarterback Pat Barnes, who passed for 874 yards; Ben Rooker, a 6-3, 225-pound senior running back who rushed for 517 yards and 10 touchdowns, senior tight end Julian Ford, who caught 27 passes for 396 yards.

Waiting for Costa Mesa is Arroyo Grande and Clemente Sainten.

Sainten, a junior transfer from Fontana, is an all-purpose back who rushed for 985 yards, had a team-leading 15 catches for 266 yards and returned two kicks for touchdowns. He led the Eagles to second place in the Northern League with a 3-1 mark (8-1 overall).

Costa Mesa needs a big game from quarterback Ryan McEvoy (1,127 yards passing and nine touchdowns), and running backs Jermaine Jackson (588 yards rushing) and Quoc Pham (546 yards) if it fancies an upset.

DIVISION VII

Defending Champion--Serra.

First-Round Schedule: Friday, 7:30 p.m.--Trabuco Hills (4-5-1) at Serra (8-0); La Mirada (8-2) vs. Harvard (9-1) at Burbank Burroughs High School; Temple City (8-1-1) vs. Norwalk (8-1-1) at Excelsior High School; Costa Mesa (6-4) at Arroyo Grande (8-1); St. Francis (7-3) vs. Glenn (8-2) at La Mirada High School; St. Monica (6-4) vs. Laguna Hills (8-1-1) at Mission Viejo High School; El Segundo (5-4-1) at San Marino (9-0). Saturday, 7:30 p.m.--Blair (4-5-1) at Lompoc (9-1).

Top Teams--Serra, San Marino, Lompoc, Arroyo Grande, Harvard.

Dark Horse: Laguna Hills.

Best Draw: Lompoc. The Braves would not play another league champion until the semifinals.

Worst Draw: Trabuco Hills plays defending champion Serra in first game.

Key Players: Jerold Henry, RB, Serra; Kent Dahn, RB, Harvard; Napoleon Kaufman, RB, Jerrold De Georgia, QB, Lompoc; Nail Benjamin, RB, Dion Bergeron, QB, Keith Walk-Green, WR, St. Monica; Marwan Saba, RB, Casey Sullivan, QB, Laguna Hills; Clemente Sainten, RB, Clayton Millis, QB, Arroyo Grande; Duby Ospina, WR, Ryan McEvoy, QB, Costa Mesa.

Noteworthy: The first round will feature a game between champions--Trabuco Hills, the Division VIII winner the past two years, against defending Division VII titlist Serra. Friday’s schedule also matches Laguna Hills quarterback Casey Sullivan against former teammates at St. Monica.