FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CAPSULES

The Southern Section football playoffs are expected to provide a cornucopia for county football fans.

Mater Dei, the second-ranked team in the country, has a 24-game winning streak and is trying to become the first Orange County team to defend its divisional title since Servite took back-to-back Big Five Conference titles in 1982 and 1983. In fact, the Monarchs have won two of the last three Division I titles and are seeking their fourth championship of the decade. They open at Santa Ana Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Bellflower St. John Bosco, which they defeated, 40-7, earlier this season.

The county’s only other undefeated teams, Santa Margarita (Division V) and Rancho Alamitos (Division VIII), are also expected to be in the title hunt. Defending division champion Santa Margarita hosts Katella at Saddleback College at 7:30 p.m. Friday. Rancho Alamitos plays defending division champion Aliso Niguel at Bolsa Grande at 7 p.m.

Here’s a division-by-division rundown on the playoffs:

Division I

Defending champion: Mater Dei, which beat Los Angeles Loyola, 17-10.

Seeded teams: 1. Mater Dei (10-0), 2. Long Beach Poly (10-0), 3. Loyola (10-0), 4. La Puente Bishop Amat (9-1).

Dark horse: Rialto Eisenhower. Should the 9-1 Eagles get to the championship game, they will deserve it; they probably will have to beat Bishop Amat and Mater Dei in successive weeks.

Notes: Mater Dei begins the defense of its Division I title against Bellflower St. John Bosco, a team the Monarchs defeated, 40-7, in the second game of the season. . . . “We will be seeing an improved team that went through an extremely physical [Del Rey] league campaign,” Mater Dei Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “No one blew them away in league. And they have the revenge factor.” . . . St. John Bosco Coach Jerry Beard on his team’s chances: “Right now we’re playing consistently on defense, but we’re going to have to bring something really big on offense against them. Mater Dei has played big on defense all year.” . . . The last two times Mater Dei entered the playoffs undefeated (1994, 1996) it went on to win the title. . . . San Clemente received the at-large berth over Edison and Encino Crespi. . . . Every league champion--Mater Dei (South Coast), Esperanza (Sunset), Long Beach Poly (Moore), Loyola (Del Rey) and Rialto Eisenhower (Citrus Belt) was 5-0 in league. The top four seeded teams are a combined 39-1 overall. . . . Fountain Valley has a big enough test facing Poly in the first round, and desperately need starters quarterback Jason Morris (shoulder), and running back John Sanders (leg) healthy and back in the lineup. Both were examined Monday. “It will depend on how effective they can be and whether they can practice,” Barons Coach George Berg said Sunday. “Right now I just don’t know.” . . . While Poly is renown for its skilled players--running backs Herman Ho-Ching and Larry Crooms have gained more than 1,000 yards, quarterback Chris Lewis has passed for 1,900 with four receivers catching 20-25 passes, Coach Jerry Jaso said the offensive line is the biggest difference in the team this year. . . . Fontana Coach Dick Bruich said his Steelers, who normally battle power running teams in the Citrus Belt League, have never faced the kind of passing attack Los Alamitos will bring to their first-round matchup. “This is a whole new world for us,” Bruich said. . . . The Steelers had won 19 in a row against Redlands before losing, 24-0, on Friday. It was the Terriers’ sixth shutout this season. . . . The Eisenhower defense held six teams under 10 points this season. . . . Mission Viejo and Esperanza last met in 1984, and it was also a playoff game, which Esperanza won. . . . No matter what happens in the playoffs, Dana Hills Coach Scott Orloff said it’s been a very successful year for the Dolphins. “When I got here they had gone 3-27 the previous three years. My first year we are 3-7. Now we go 7-2-1, and the only losses are to Mater Dei and La Puente Bishop Amat. To have that kind of turnaround in a year and a half is just huge for our program. And the kids believe they can do well in the playoffs.” Dana Hills travels to Redlands for the first round. . . . Although Bishop Amat has plenty of talent, the Lancers miss running back Mike Wagner (1,300 yards, 22 TDs), who sustained a fractured hip in Week Eight against Mission Hills Alemany. . . . The championship game will be Dec. 13 in the Coliseum.