The matchups for the CIF-State Northern California regionals have been set and numerous area teams have made the cut.
As expected, Serra (11-2) will take on Del Oro-Loomis (12-2) at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Division I game at San Jose City College. The teams have a common opponent, as Serra fell to De La Salle 21-14 and Del Oro lost to the Spartans 41-3.
"It's a little anticlimactic because everything we read and all the research we did and the fact we won the Open Division indicated we'd make it," Serra coach Patrick Walsh said. "I think it would have been utterly shocking if we hadn't been selected. For us it was more a matter of who we'd be playing and where, rather than if."
The regional will be the first post-CCS playoff game Serra has ever competed in.
"We're thrilled to have the opportunity to play in the first regional game in Serra history," Walsh said. "We're very excited to be working today."
Walsh is also pleased with the location of the game. The Central Coast Section submitted San Jose City College as a possible venue and it suits Serra just fine, as the Padres defeated Bellarmine there 17-7 in the WCAL opener and downed Mitty 21-7 in Friday night's CCS Open Division title game.
"We feel like it's a good alternative to playing in Sacramento," Walsh said. "San Jose is closer to Serra than Sacramento and there's some comfort in playing there, especially after playing there just last week."
Walsh also said the status of starting safety Kavapele Maka is uncertain for this week's game. Maka's neck swelled after the CCS semifinal victory against Bellarmine and he did not play against Mitty.
No big surprise either in the Open Division as De La Salle (13-0) will face Folsom (14-0) after DLS's crushing win over California in the NCS Open Division title game. The regional game is Saturday at Diablo Valley College.
Making the cut in DIII was Sacred Heart Prep (12-1) which overwhelmed Pacific Grove 56-21 in the CCS DIV title game. The Gators will meet El Cerrito (12-2) on Saturday at De Anza High in Richmond.
Sacred Heart Prep star running back Andrew Segre learned of the Gators' good fortune Sunday afternoon when teammate Chris Lee texted him. Segre ran for six touchdowns and 351 yards on Saturday night against P.G. So it's been a good couple of days for the Gator senior.
"I just found out," Segre said. "It's awesome. We get one more week together as a team. It's amazing; I just found out and I'm still shocked."
Winners of the regional bowl games will advance to the state bowl title games the following weekend at the StubHub Center in Carson, near Los Angeles.
Left out in the cold in DII was Miramonte, as Manteca will meet Enterprise on Saturday at Lincoln High in Stockton.
McClymonds will represent the Bay Area in DIV, taking on Central Catholic on Friday at Lincoln High in Stockton.
All regional games are at 7:30 p.m.
Here is the full schedule for both NorCal and SoCal:
OPEN DIVISION
North: Folsom (14-0, 5-0) vs. De La Salle (13-0) at Diablo Valley College - Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Centennial, Corona (12-2, 5-0) vs. St. John Bosco (14-0, 5-0) at Cerritos College - Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION I
North: Del Oro (12-2, 5-0) vs. Serra, San Mateo (11-2, 6-0) at San Jose City College – Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Bakersfield (11-2, 5-0) vs. Mission Hills (12-1, 3-1) at Mission Hills HS (San Marcos) – Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION II
North: – Manteca (13-1, 7-0) vs. Enterprise (12-0, 6-0) at Lincoln HS (Stockton) – Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Chaminade (12-2, 4-1) vs. Hart (12-2, 3-2) at College of the Canyons – Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION III
North: Sacred Heart Prep (12-1, 4-1) vs. El Cerrito (12-2, 6-0) at De Anza HS (Richmond) – Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
South: Nordhoff (13-1, 3-1) vs. Corona del Mar (14-0, 5-0) at Orange Coast College – Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
DIVISION IV
North: McClymonds (10-2, 5-0) vs. Central Catholic (13-1, 6-0) at Lincoln HS (Stockton) – Friday, Dec. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
South: The CIF will honor the request of the court and will not be making any announcement regarding the team selection for the SoCal DIV regional until Dec. 9 following the hearing in the San Diego Superior Court.
