Carroll Praises Playoff Teams

Pete Carroll, head football coach at USC, was the guest speaker Monday at a luncheon recognizing the 26 football teams that will play for 13 Southern Section titles this weekend.

It provided an opportunity for key players to size up each other at the annual affair and to hear Carroll’s comments praising the talent.

“Southern California football is tremendous,” said Carroll, whose Trojans will play in the Orange Bowl. “It’s enough to put us where we are and put [other] Pac-10 teams in the spotlight.”

But the spotlight Monday belonged to the participating teams, such as Phelan Serrano, which goes into its Division VIII game against host Fontana Kaiser with a 13-0 record -- one of six remaining teams that has not been beaten or tied.

Yet, second-seeded Serrano will be an underdog at Fontana High on Saturday when it takes on top-seeded Kaiser (12-0-1).

“Most people don’t give us a snowball’s chance,” Coach Ray Maholchic said. “I told the players, it doesn’t get any better than going out and proving yourself when nobody believes in you.

“It’s a true test of character, of what you can show.”

Tickets for all Southern Section championship football games are on sale at participating schools.

Tickets for the Division I, II and VI games will also be available at the Edison Field box office, but only on game days, beginning at 9 a.m.

Separate tickets are required for each game.

Tickets are $8 for general admission, $12 for club-level reserve, $9 for upper deck-level reserve and $10 for terrace field-level reserve.

General admission tickets are $4 for children 13 and under.