Divisions VIII

Defending champion: La Mirada.

Top teams: La Mirada (9-1), Yucaipa (9-1), Bellflower (8-2), Riverside La Sierra (9-1).

Dark horses: San Marino, Costa Mesa. San Marino, the Rio Hondo League champion, advanced to last year’s Division VIII title game and returns to the playoffs behind quarterback Dan Loyd. Costa Mesa’s ball-control rushing style fits well in this division, and the Mustangs do it better than most.

Top players: Oscar Casillas (Santa Monica St. Monica), quarterback; Dwayne Crenshaw (Costa Mesa), running back; Ryan Hura (La Mirada), running back; Mark Hays (Bellflower), running back; Scott Hofman(South Pasadena), quarterback; Kenny Jackson (St. Monica), running back; Fred Kim (Laguna Hills), running back; Dan Loyd (San Marino), quarterback; Bryan Luxembourger (Costa Mesa), linebacker; Matt Rechner (Trabuco Hills), wide receiver/defensive back; Albert Smith (La Mirada), running back; Binh Tran (Costa Mesa), running back; Derek Uhl (Trabuco Hills), linebacker; Justin Vedder (Laguna Hills), quarterback; DeAndre Watson (La Sierra), running back.

Best draw: San Marino. The Titans face 5-5 Norwalk in the first round, followed by a possible matchup with fourth-seeded La Sierra, as opposed to any of the higher seeds.

Worst draw: La Sierra. The Eagles must play a solid Montebello Cantwell team, runner-up in the Camino Real League, in the first round and then would likely face San Marino in the quarterfinals.

Notes: Top-seeded La Mirada’s only loss of the season came to the top-seeded team from Division VI, Valencia, 23-6. The Matadores are no stranger to Orange County teams--in addition to Valencia, La Mirada faced Century, La Habra and Sunny Hills.