L.A. Baptist, Paraclete Expected to Dominate

Teams from the Valley and Ventura County region have dominated the smaller divisions all season, and the playoffs should be no exception.

L.A. Baptist and Paraclete are seeded first and second, respectively, in Southern Section Division XI and neither appears in for much of a challenge on the road to the final.

The only challenge the Spirits will face is third-seeded Cathedral, led by 2,000-yard running back Chris Hanks. If L.A. Baptist and its high-octane offense can get out of the first round, the Knights should cruise to the final. The Knights were seeded first last season but lost to Serrano in the first round.

“After last year, we’re pretty focused,” Knight Coach Mark Bates said. “If we lose, it’s going to be because we get beat, not because we let down.”

The Division X bracket is littered with area teams. St. Bonaventure, Moorpark and Nordhoff are seeded first, second and fourth, respectively. Defending Division champion St. Bonaventure has the toughest first-round game. The Seraphs face Calabasas, which stumbled into the playoffs with injuries, but are now at full strength.

FIRST-ROUND GAMES

Tonight Unless Noted

DIVISION IX

MONTCLAIR PREP (5-2-1) vs. MIRA COSTA (8-2)

At Mira Costa High, 7:30 p.m.

The Mounties, put on probation in 1990 for recruiting violations, are still paying the price. A freelance team that draws from an enrollment of a Division XI school (380), Montclair Prep must face second-seeded Mira Costa, with an enrollment five times the size. The Mustangs, Ocean League champions and division runner-up a year ago, knocked the Mounties out of the playoffs last season. Running back Robert Bowens (843 yards, 8.9 yards per carry) will need a big game for the Mounties to have a chance.

DIVISION X

CALABASAS (6-4) vs. ST. BONAVENTURE (9-1)

Saturday at Ventura High, 7:30 p.m.

An intriguing game between the top-seeded Seraphs and the No. 16 Coyotes. The Seraphs, who won the Tri-Valley League, destroyed Frontier League fourth-place finisher Calabasas two weeks ago, 34-3, but Calabasas was missing 10 players with injuries. Now the Coyotes are relatively injury-free and will have back, among others, running back-linebacker Robby Coppola and two-way tackle Jon Ellinghouse. St. Bonaventure has won nine straight since an opening-day loss to Paraclete.

FILLMORE (2-8) vs. MOORPARK (9-1)

At Moorpark High, 7:30 p.m.

The second-seeded Musketeers should have little trouble with fourth-place Tri-Valley League finisher Fillmore, which is in the playoffs only because the division allows fourth-place finishers. The Frontier League champion Musketeers, led by linebacker Shane Brogdon, allow only 160 yards per game, second in the region. Fillmore averaged less than two touchdowns a game. Moorpark quarterback Chad Willis has thrown for 1,171 yards and 16 touchdowns and should easily pick apart a Fillmore defense that allowed 336 yards per game.

BISHOP DIEGO (4-6) vs. NORDHOFF (6-4)

At Nordhoff High, 7:30 p.m.

The No. 4-seeded Rangers, runner-up in the Frontier League, are looking to avenge a 13-9 loss to Bishop Diego in Week 5. They will have to overcome the loss of quarterback Brandon Titus, who has a chipped right shoulder bone, if they are to do it.

SANTA PAULA (4-6) vs. CARPINTERIA (7-3)

At Carpinteria Middle School, 7:30

The third-seeded Warriors, second-place finishers in the Tri-Valley League, defeated the Cardinals, 35-19 in Week 2. Santa Paula, which allowed 277 yards a game, finished third in the Frontier League. Quarterback Wille Zavala, who has thrown for 1,526 yards and 13 touchdowns with 21 interceptions, must keep possession of the ball for his team to have a chance.

DIVISION XI

BANNING (6-4) vs. L.A. BAPTIST (9-1)

At Alemany High, 7:30 p.m.

L.A. Baptist will go as far as receiver Tim Feirfeil (63 catches, 1,475 yards) and quarterback Peter Dirksen (2,635 yards, 27 touchdowns, two interceptions) will take the Knights. The Alpha League champions have the top-ranked offense in the region, with a 431-yards per-game average, and a defense that is much improved over last year. Banning, the fourth-place finisher in the Skyline League, runs a wing-T offense that may cause some trouble, but it will be tough for the Broncos to score enough points to win on the ground.

KILPATRICK (5-4) vs. PARACLETE (9-1)

At Antelope Valley College, 7:30 p.m.

Paraclete linebacker Rob McShea and defensive linemen Peter Cich and Josh Foster will have their hands full trying to contain the Mustang running game. The second-seeded Spirits allowed just 76 rushing yards a game this season, but Kilpatrick, led by Jermaine Marshall, rushed for 314 yards a game--91% of their offense.

VILLAGE CHRISTIAN (7-2-1) vs. YUCCA VALLEY (7-3)

At Yucca Valley High, 7:30 p.m.

A rematch of Yucca Valley’s 7-6 victory in last year’s semifinals in which Crusader Coach Mike Plaisance decided to go for a two-point conversion with three minutes remaining. The Trojans, defending Division champions and second-place finisher in the Skyline League, average 6-foot-1, 220 pounds on the line.

DIVISION XII

MAMMOTH (6-4) vs. FLINTRIDGE PREP (5-4)

At Duarte High, 7 p.m.

J.P. Blecksmith leads the option-style offense of the Rebels. The quarterback passed for 869 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for 592 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading his team to a second-place finish in the Prep League.