This week’s top games

Highlights of this week’s high school football playoff schedule:

CITY SECTION

* Sylmar (12-0) at Woodland Hills Taft (12-0), 7 p.m., Friday: The only two unbeaten teams in the section collide in this semifinal game. They haven’t played since 1997 when Taft won, 8-6, on a rain-drenched field. Sylmar has been underrated because of a weak schedule, but the fifth-seeded Spartans have passed every test behind running back C.J. Gable and improving quarterback John Austin. Taft’s team speed on defense could neutralize Gable, but it will help if linebacker Malcolm Smith can play. He has been recovering from a dislocated elbow and is questionable. Top-seeded Taft has the kind of balance on offense that will severely test Sylmar’s defense.

* Los Angeles Dorsey (10-2) at Los Angeles Crenshaw (9-3),

7 p.m., Friday: There’s much more at stake -- a trip to the City final -- than the first time these Coliseum League teams met, with Crenshaw winning, 16-13. Dorsey running back Stafon Johnson had an injured hand in the previous meeting. He has rushed for more than 2,000 yards. Crenshaw’s offensive and defensive lines have been dominant in recent weeks, and the improvement in quarterback Marques Curtis gives the Cougars an edge. Crucial for the Dons will be the play of quarterback Joel Childress, who must complete an occasional pass to take pressure off Johnson.

-- ERIC SONDHEIMER

SOUTHERN SECTION

* Santa Ana Mater Dei (8-4) vs. Los Angeles Loyola (8-4) at East L.A. College, 7:30 p.m., Friday: All eyes will be on junior quarterback Kyle Valente, who became the starter for fourth-seeded Mater Dei when freshman Matt Barkley broke his collarbone Friday in a 42-27 Division I quarterfinal victory over Colton. The Monarchs look to beat their Serra League rival for the second time this season, having won in overtime, 19-16, one month ago. Loyola, after upsetting top-seeded Huntington Beach Edison, 26-22, in a quarterfinal, will be eager to get at Valente, but the Cubs can’t forget tailback Ahmed Mokhtar, who has run for 248 and 251 yards in consecutive playoff games.

* Anaheim Servite (9-3) vs. Anaheim Esperanza (10-2) at Santa Ana Stadium, 7:30 p.m., Saturday: Perhaps no team has more momentum than Servite, which was 2-8 last season and lost two of its first three games this season under new Coach Troy Thomas. A 28-20 upset of second-seeded Long Beach Poly in a Division I quarterfinal -- the Friars’ sixth consecutive victory -- inspired even more confidence. Against Esperanza, the Friars will face a more disciplined, physical team that has lately dominated its opponents. Rocky Taloa and Charles Neal, who have each rushed for more than 1,000 yards, lead a double-wing offense that has scored at least 42 points in five of its last six games.

* Mission Viejo (12-0) vs. Newhall Hart (10-2) at College of the Canyons, 7:30 p.m., Friday: Top-seeded Mission Viejo has won 26 consecutive games and 67 of its last 68, but don’t expect fourth-seeded Hart to be in awe. The Indians, who should deliver a more inspired performance than last week’s 21-19 Division II quarterfinal victory over Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos, were the last team to beat the Diablos, 25-7, in the 2003 championship game. Hart quarterback Tyler Lyon will need to come up big. Mission Viejo, a 50-20 winner over Hart in last year’s quarterfinal, features an exceptional running back in Chane Moline and a defense that has given up only 29 first-half points.

-- MARTIN HENDERSON

* Valencia (9-3) at Canyon Country Canyon (11-1), 7 p.m., Saturday: It’s rematch time, with Canyon having won the earlier Foothill League game, 49-21. Valencia’s defense tried to focus on running back J.J. DiLuigi, who has scored 39 touchdowns, opening the way for quarterback Austin Civita to run 13 draw plays. Canyon’s defense will have to take another shot at containing quarterback Michael Herrick and running back Shane Vereen. Herrick, the state career passing leader, enters the game with 10,812 passing yards.

-- ERIC SONDHEIMER