CIF State Finals Preview and Predictions

Grant vs. Pacifica (Oxnard)

CIF Division 2-AA Championship

Friday, 12/13, 4 PM – Saddleback College

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck | Reporter: Isabella Lyons

Watch Live on Spectrum Sportsnet

PREVIEW:

The California high school football season comes to an exciting conclusion with the CIF Division 2-AA Championship as the Grant Pacers and the Pacifica Tritons (Oxnard) face off in the opener of State Championship Weekend. Both teams will head south for this climactic game at Saddleback College, marking the 17th and final week of a thrilling season.

For Grant, this marks a return to the State Championship Weekend after falling just short to the La Serna Lancers in last year’s opener. The Pacers are back with redemption on their minds after a narrow 32-30 victory over Saint Francis in last week’s Northern California Regional Final.

Senior quarterback Luke Alexander was a standout, completing 27 of 35 passes for 300 yards and two touchdowns. Senior running back Brandon Lambert also shone, rushing for 123 yards on 14 carries. Alexander’s efforts were bolstered by impressive performances from wide receivers Koby Shabazz and Deangleo Knight, who each surpassed 110 receiving yards.

Meanwhile, Pacifica (Oxnard) punched their ticket to the State Final with a commanding 37-20 victory over Narbonne in the Southern California Regional Final. Senior quarterback Dominick Duran led the charge, completing 18 of 33 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Defensively, the Tritons were anchored by a stellar performance from Isaiah Phelps, who recorded six solo tackles and 12 assisted tackles.

Both teams bring momentum, talent, and determination into this championship battle. Will Grant finally clinch their long-awaited title, or will Pacifica (Oxnard) continue their dominance? Tune in on Spectrum SportsNet to witness the action live.

RICHARD’S PREDICTION:

Grant finishes the 2024 revenge tour with a 30-14 victory.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Luke Alexander and Grant gets revenge from last season’s state final loss with a big win, 42-21.

Pittsburg @ Lincoln

CIF D1-AA Championship

Friday, 12/13, 8pm – Saddleback College

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck | Reporter: Isabella Lyons

Watch Live on Spectrum Sportsnet

PREVIEW:

The Pittsburg Pirates (12-2) will hit the road and travel down to Orange County to take on the Lincoln Hornets (11-2) in the CIF D1-AA State Championship.

Last year, the Pirates endured a heartbreaking three-point loss to Folsom in the CIF Regional Finals. This season, they’ve made redemption their mission, dominating most regular-season opponents and securing a thrilling one-point victory over Folsom to avenge last year’s defeat.

Leading the charge is star quarterback Marley Alcantara, who has thrown 40 touchdown passes without a single interception — an extraordinary feat he’ll look to extend tomorrow night. On defense, playmaking defensive back Jadyn Hudson, tied for 5th in the state for interceptions, will aim to shut down Lincoln’s passing game.

Lincoln, too, seeks redemption after last year’s one-point state final loss to Granite Hills. Their resilience shone in the CIF Regional Finals against Newbury Park, where they overcame a fourth-quarter deficit to score 20 unanswered points and win 34-27. Key players include linebacker Munir Kassa, with 12 sacks this season, and running back Aden Jackson, who’s scored 17 touchdowns.

With both teams hungry for a title, Friday’s championship showdown promises to be electric.

RICHARD’S PREDICTION:

Pittsburg heads back up north with a state title, winning 22-19.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Pittsburg captures another state title with a big win, 35-21.

Twelve Bridges @ Palos Verdes

CIF D2-A Championship

Saturday, 12/14, 11:30am – Saddleback College

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck | Reporter: Isabella Lyons

Watch Live on Spectrum Sportsnet

PREVIEW:

The Palos Verdes Sea Kings (10-5) will host the Twelve Bridges Raging Rhinos (14-0) in the 2024 CIF D2-A State Championship.

Palos Verdes is red-hot this postseason. In their last matchup against Bakersfield Christian, the Sea Kings trailed by three at halftime but flipped the script with a dominant defensive effort in the second half. They shut out BC’s offense entirely, highlighted by a clutch pick-six from safety Jace Demoss. Offensively, they’re led by dynamic quarterback Ryan Rakowski, a dual threat who excels through the air and on the ground. Preventing Ryan from navigating the end zone will require a near-perfect performance from the Twelve Bridges defense.

Meanwhile, Twelve Bridges comes into this matchup riding a flawless 14-0 record. Most of their victories have been by three scores or more, showcasing their offensive firepower. Running back Braeden Ward, who has scored an outstanding 39 touchdowns, which ranks him at #30 nationally. Ward and his offense will need to maintain the ground attack to overcome the gritty, physical defense of Palos Verdes in Saturday afternoon’s clash.

RICHARD’S PREDICTION:

Palos Verdes completes their playoff hot streak with an exciting 21-18 victory.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Palos Verdes wins their first state title with a 24-17 win.

Central (Fresno) @ Edison

CIF D1-A Championship

Saturday, 12/14, 3:30pm – Saddleback College

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck | Reporter: Isabella Lyons

Watch Live on Spectrum Sportsnet

PREVIEW:

Our fourth game of the weekend promises to be one of the most thrilling matchups as the Edison Chargers, representing Southern California, take on the Central Grizzlies of Fresno, representing Northern California. Both teams are seeking their first state title in school history, setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown.

Edison enters the game riding the momentum of their first-ever Regional Final victory, a hard-fought 34-28 win over Granite Hills. The Chargers started strong, taking a commanding 27-7 lead into halftime but had to fend off a fierce Granite Hills comeback in the second half. Senior running back Julius Gillick made a triumphant return, dominating the ground game with 253 rushing yards on 38 carries and three touchdowns. Quarterback Sam Thomson also contributed, completing 6 of 12 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

On the other side, Central (Fresno) arrives as the Division 1-A Northern California Regional Final champions following a solid 33-23 victory over St. Ignatius. Sophomore quarterback Jalani Dippel showed poise, completing 16 of 31 passes for one touchdown. The Grizzlies’ ground game was led by junior running back Brandon Smith, who rushed for 162 yards on 23 carries and scored three touchdowns, delivering a standout performance to secure the win.

Both teams bring explosive offenses and gritty determination to the championship stage. Will Edison continue their historic run, or will Central claim the title for Northern California? Tune in to Spectrum SportsNet to witness what could be the game of the weekend.

RICHARD’S PREDICTION:

Edison writes off their storybook season with a 21-20 victory.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Edison wins in a thriller to make history and win their first state title in a 28-24 win.

De La Salle @ Mater Dei

Open Division Championship

Saturday, 12/14, 8:00pm – Saddleback College

Photographer: Jeremy Westerbeck | Reporter: Isabella Lyons

Watch Live on Spectrum Sportsnet

PREVIEW:

The final game of the 2024 high school football season is a clash of titans and a classic rivalry as the Mater Dei Monarchs face off against the De La Salle Spartans in the CIF Open Division Championship. This battle of unbeatens will determine the best team in California and possibly the nation.

The last meeting between these storied programs was on December 8, 2018, at Cerritos College, where the Monarchs emerged victorious with a 35-21 win. Mater Dei leads the series 2-0 against De La Salle and will look to extend their dominance. Last season, the Monarchs shut out Serra of San Mateo 35-0 in the Open Division Championship.

Two weeks ago, Mater Dei claimed the Southern Section Division 1 title with a thrilling 31-24 victory over St. John Bosco. Senior quarterback Dash Beierly completed 9 of 19 passes for 119 yards and one touchdown. On the ground, Oregon commit Jordon Davison delivered an explosive performance, rushing for 196 yards and three touchdowns on 28 carries.

De La Salle returns to Saddleback College a year after falling short in the Division 1-AA Championship against Mission Viejo, losing 27-14. The Spartans now aim to upset the nation’s top-ranked team. In their last game on November 23, De La Salle narrowly defeated Pittsburg in a gritty battle. Senior running back Dominick Kelley was the star, rushing for 173 yards on 18 carries and scoring one touchdown to help the Spartans advance.

This matchup promises to be a fitting finale to the 2024 season. Can Mater Dei solidify their dynasty, or will De La Salle shock the high school football world? Tune in to Spectrum SportsNet to witness the championship action live.

RICHARD’S PREDICTION:

The Monarchs complete their undefeated season and continue its program’s dominant legacy with a 42-10 win over De La Salle.

JP’S PREDICTION:

Monarchs show why they are the number 1 team in the nation with a 38-3 win, being the CIF Open Division Champions for the second year in a row and first under head coach Raul Lara.

JP’s Record on the High School Football Season: 30-21

JP’s Other Picks and Predictions: 

Division 3-AA

Amador Valley @ Frontier

Long Beach City

12/13 8pm

Pick: Amador Valley

Division 3-A

Vanden @ Rio Hondo Prep

Long Beach City

12/14 7pm

Pick: Rio Hondo Prep

Division 4-AA

St. Vincent de Paul @ Highland

Long Beach City

12/13 4pm

Pick: Highland

Division 4-A

Sonora @ St. Pius X St. Matthias Academy

Long Beach City

12/14 3pm

Pick: Sonora

Division 5-AA

Camel @ El Capitan

Fullerton UHSD Stadium

12/13 8pm

Pick: El Capitan

Division 5-A

American Canyon @ Palmdale

Long Beach City

12/14 11am

Pick: American Canyon

Division 6-AA

Arcata @ Portola

Fullerton UHSD Stadium

12/14 7pm

Pick: Portola

Division 6-A

Summerville @ Monte Vista

Fullerton UHSD Stadium

12/14 3pm

Pick: Summerville

Division 7-AA

Moreau Catholic @ Lindsay

Fullerton UHSD Stadium

12/13 3pm

Pick: Moreau Catholic

Division 7-A

Balboa @ Pioneer

Fullerton UHSD Stadium

12/14 11am

Pick: Pioneer