Sports

Football: Newport, CdM in Semifinals Tonight

At stake this week is a trip to the Southern Section finals.


By Martin Henderson


This may be the toughest week in football as the Southern Section semifinals get under way. Anyone who's still playing is doing so because they are good or hot, and sometimes the latter is more important than the former.

Two teams that are hot are Fullerton and Newport Harbor, who have been as good as anyone over the past two weeks. And Corona del Mar and St. Margaret's are good. All hope to advance to championship games next weekend.

The Fullerton-Newport winner will play at 2 p.m. at Angel Stadium on Saturday, Dec. 7, while the others play on Friday night. 

Here's a look at teams from Patch cities still alive, along with the complete schedule for the five divisions that included those teams. 

Fullerton (10-2) at Newport Harbor (7-5)—This may be the game of the night after a couple of improbable victories a week ago, including Newport Harbor’s stunning 49-48 victory over top-seeded La Habra. Quarterback Cole Norris passed for 474 yards against the Highlanders, and receives Quest Truxton and Cory Stowell figure to be able to put up similar numbers if that’s the direction the offense wants to go. But the Sailors also can run the ball, and that’s traditionally been the program’s favorite mode of transportation. Fullerton, the third-place team from the Freeway League, beat a soft No. 4 in Valencia in the first round, 29-21, and then Los Alamitos in the second, 21-7. The Indians have been playing defense to a level they didn’t play during the season; they gave allowed 31.8 points during league play. They will need a big defensive performance if they are going to represent the Freeway League—which was won by La Habra—in the section finals on Dec. 7 at Angel Stadium. The winner plays either third-seeded Edison (9-3) or Huntington Beach (7-5), who comprise two of the three remaining Sunset League teams in the playoffs. 

No. 1 Corona del Mar (12-0) at No. 4 Westminster (8-4)—The top-seeded Sea Kings have won the past two Southern Division championships. They are riding a 22-game winning streak. Conventional wisdom says they plow through Westminster with a balanced attack that includes quarterback Luke Napolitano and running back Cole Martin. Napolitano was nearly perfect in a 42-0 drubbing of Los Amigos in the second round, going 13 for 16 for 221 yards and two touchdowns. Martin has 19 touchdowns and is averaging 6.6 yards per carry.  CdM has victories over a couple of above-average teams, Trabuco Hills and Newport Harbor, while Westminster has lost to a couple of teams that are similar, Fountain Valley and Buena Park. The key is whether Westminster can score more than two touchdowns in a game in which they will almost certainly have to score twice that; the Lions haven’t scored more than 15 whenever they’ve played an upper tier opponent, and they have yet to play anyone as good as CdM, which has scored fewer than 24 points only once. The winner plays either second-seeded Garden Grove (12-0) or third-seeded Irvine (10-2).

No. 3 Big Bear (10-2) at No. 2 St. Margaret’s (11-1)—St. Margaret’s has to be thankful this is a home game. The Tartans won on a neutral field in Fontana last week with a goal-line stand that saved a 27-26 victory over Lake Arrowhead Rim of the World. Joshua Davis has passed for 18 touchdowns and rushed for 19 scores for St. Margaret’s, and Oscar Gomez Jr., has also rushed for 19 TDs. The last time Big Bear faced a team that looked as good on paper as St. Margaret’s, the Bears were beaten by Rio Hondo Prep, 28-13, on Sept. 13. They also slipped up against Lake Isabella Kern Valley, 21-16, but have been perfect since. St. Margaret’s hasn’t had any slip-ups; the Tartans’ only loss was to San Luis Obispo Mission Prep, the top-seeded team in the Northeast Division, but haven’t played anyone else as good as Big Bear. St. Margaret’s beat Twentynine Palms in the first round, 49-6, whereas Big Bear beat the Wildcats, 22-14, in the De Anza League. The winner plays either top-seeded Fontana Jurupa Hills (10-2) or fourth-seeded Upland Western Christian (12-0).

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is the schedule for divisions that included teams from Patch cities; games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted:

PAC-5 DIVISION

Find out what's happening in Newport Beach-Corona Del Marwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Top Bracket

No. 1 St. John Bosco (12-0) at No. 4 Alemany (10-2), 7 p.m.

Bottom bracket

Mater Dei (10-2) vs. No. 3 Long Beach Poly (11-1) at Long Beach City College

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

Top Bracket

Fullerton (10-2) at Newport Harbor (7-5), 7 p.m.

Bottom Bracket

Huntington Beach (7-5) at No. 3 Edison (9-3) at Orange Coast College, 7 p.m.

SOUTHERN DIVISION

Top Bracket

No. 1 Corona del Mar (12-0) at No. 4 Westminster (8-4), 7 p.m.

Bottom Bracket

No. 2 Garden Grove (12-0) at No. 3 Irvine (10-2), 7 p.m.

EAST VALLEY DIVISION

Top Bracket

No. 1 Fontana Jurupa Hills (10-2) at No. 4 Upland Western Christian (12-0), 7 p.m.

Bottom Bracket

No. 3  Big Bear (10-2) at No. 2 St. Margaret's (11-1), 7 p.m.

NORTHEAST DIVISION

Top Bracket

No. 4 Edwards AFB Desert (10-2) at No. 1 Mission Prep (10-2)

Bottom Bracket

No. 2 Rio Honda Prep (11-1) at No. 3 Salesian (10-2)


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