Three local teams in CIF grid semifinals

By OC Tribune Staff on November 18, 2019 • ( Leave a comment )

MARINA will play Hemet in a CIF-SS Division 11 semifinal game on Friday. Above, a Viking defender (Dane Brenton, left) knocks the ball loose from an Ontario Christian player last week (OC Tribune photo).

And now, it’s just three. A trio of local high school football teams have advanced to the CIF-SS semifinals. Here’s quick look at the matchups as we see them. All games are scheduled for Friday at 7 p.m.

Orange at Simi Valley (Division 10). The Panthers go into this game with an 11-0 record. They have a balanced attack with QB Daylen Pedroza (2075 yards passing, 23 touchdowns) and Isacc Galvan (1717 yards rushing, 23 touchdowns). They’ve scored 50 or more points in six games. Simi Valley’s Pioneers are 9-3 and are also balanced. Their quarterback is Travis Throckmorton with 1846 yards passing and 17 passing TDs. On the ground, Elijah Leiva leads the attack with 1406 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns.
Marina at Hemet (Division 11). The Vikings are 10-2 and the team has two good quarterbacks in Jack Miller and Gavin del Toro, who have combined for 24 touchdowns and over 1900 yards. The Vike ground attack relies chiefly on Pharoah Rush (922 yards, 12 TDs) and Brantt Riederich (685 yards, seven TDs). For Hemet’s Bulldogs (8-4), the offense is based on quarterback Jeremiah Graves, who’s thrown for 1810 yards and 10 scores. He’s also rushed for 624 yards and nine TDs.
Loara at South/Torrance (Division 14). The Saxons (10-2) are the only local tram playing locally. LHS will host the game at Glover Stadium in Anaheim. The tri-champs of the Garden Grove League are on a six-game winning streak.South High of Torrance (8-4) puts its hopes on Drew Nash, who has 2386 passing yards and 29 TDs. He’s also run for 255 yards and two TDs.

Puga steps down at Westminster

According to published reports, Willy Puga has resigned from head coaching post at Westminster High. In his two seasons with the Lions, his teams compiled a 2-18 mark.

That’s quite a contrast to his record at Garden Grove High where the Argonauts went 41-12 over four years, winning three Garden Grove League titles. Grove made it to the CIF finals three times during the stretch, winning the CIF-SS Southern Division crown in 2010.