Narbonne has to hurdle a tough obstacle -- Birmingham -- to the title

Harbor City Narbonne must handle a tough crowd just to reach the City Section football title game, which might not seem unusual except for one thing:

The Gauchos are the top-seeded team in the Championship Division.

“We didn’t get a good draw, not for the No. 1 seed,” Narbonne Coach Manuel Douglas said Tuesday. “Usually, you don’t get a Birmingham in the second round.”

That would be Lake Balboa Birmingham, the two-time defending City champion that has won six of its last seven games. If the Gauchos (10-1) defeat the ninth-seeded Patriots (6-5) tonight at 7 in a quarterfinal at Narbonne, either fourth-seeded Crenshaw or fifth-seeded Los Angeles Jordan -- two of the better teams left in the playoffs -- would await in a semifinal game.

“If we win those games and win the title, there will be no question who the City champion is,” Douglas said.

Narbonne and Birmingham have split their last two playoff meetings, with Birmingham winning, 21-0, in a 2004 semifinal and Narbonne prevailing, 27-20, in a 2003 first-round game.

The pick: Narbonne.

In other Championship Division quarterfinals:

L.A. Jordan (7-4) at Crenshaw (8-2)

Tonight, 7

Jordan Coach Elijah Asante has proclaimed this game matching the only remaining inner-city teams in the Championship Division as the local version of the Bayou Classic. “We know that this will be the game of our lives,” Asante said. “We invite the challenge.” Stopping a Crenshaw offense that includes bruising tailback Hayes Pullard, strong-armed quarterback Marquis Thompson and speedy receiver Noel Grigsby will be a herculean task for the Bulldogs. But the Cougars must contend with James Boyd, Jordan’s prolific quarterback and defensive end.

The pick: Crenshaw.

Venice (6-5) at San Pedro (10-1)

Tonight, 7

Venice had quietly put together a five-game winning streak before loudly trumpeting its arrival with a 25-20 victory over Carson in the first round. Things will only get trickier for the seventh-seeded Gondoliers against second-seeded San Pedro, which suffered its only loss in triple overtime against Narbonne.

The pick: San Pedro.

San Fernando (8-3) at Woodland Hills Taft (10-1)

Tonight, 7

Sixth-seeded San Fernando toppled a traditional City power in the first round when it defeated Dorsey, 27-19. To pull a shocker against third-seeded Taft, the Tigers must stop powerful running back D.J. Morgan, who hasn’t been held below 100 yards rushing since the Toreadors’ 49-13 loss to Gardena Serra on Oct. 10.

The pick: Taft.

Tonight’s other games (all start at 7) . . .

City Invitational Division: Arleta (11-0) vs. Huntington Park (6-4) at North Hills Monroe High; L.A. Wilson (8-3) at Fairfax (7-4); West Adams (8-3) at Franklin (9-2); El Camino Real (7-4) at L.A. Roosevelt (9-2).

City 8-man semifinals: View Park Prep at Fulton Prep; Animo South Los Angeles vs. Annenberg at Santee.

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ben.bolch@latimes.com