CIF Section Predictions

High School - Boys
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Here are my predictions for the CIF Section tournaments (I posted my Southern Section predictions in another thread):

NCS Open Division

  1. Miramonte. I think all four of the NCS Open Division games will be close. I’m picking Miramonte to beat Archie Williams by 2 goals in the semifinals and De La Salle by 1 in the finals. If center defender Patrick Stice (Cal) doesn’t play against De La Salle or isn’t close to 100 percent, I think De La Salle will beat Miramonte by 1.
  2. De La Salle over Campo by 2 or 3 in the semifinals.
  3. Archie Williams by 1 over Campo in the 3rd place game. Archie Williams has a solid starting group and good coaching but I don’t think they have enough depth to beat Miramonte or De La Salle.
  4. Campo

NCS Division 1

  1. Redwood. A top 20 team.
  2. Tam. The Tam/College Park semifinal game could go either way. Tam has been inconsistent this year but could be very good next year.
  3. College Park
    (3.) San Ramon Valley

CCS Open Division

  1. SHP is hoping that center Oliver Marcin (2026) will be fully healthy by the championship game. I think he’s the best player in Northern California.
  2. Bellarmine. St. Francis will be a slight favorite against Bellarmine in the semifinals but I’m picking Bellarmine by 1 because of their history and coaching.
  3. St. Francis has had a very good year.
    (3.) Menlo has a very good freshman class.

Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 (the highest Division)

  1. Rio Americano
  2. Davis
  3. Jesuit
    (3.) Turlock

Central Section Division 1 (the highest Division)

  1. Buchanan
  2. Clovis
  3. Clovis West
    (3.) Clovis North

Los Angeles City Section Open Division

  1. Palisades
  2. Cleveland
  3. San Pedro
    (3.) Birmingham
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Here are my predictions for the San Diego Section Open Division Tournament:

  1. Cathedral Catholic. Watch out for Cathedral next year.
  2. Bishop’s
  3. La Jolla
    (3.) Carlsbad. An up-and-coming program with Spencer Rodman as the coach.
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Here are some scores from yesterday’s games:

San Diego Section Open Division Tournament
Cathedral Catholic 16
Canyon Crest 7

Carlsbad 12
Santana 10

La Jolla 15
Torey Pines 11

Bishop’s 18
Poway 8

Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 Tournament (the Section’s highest Division)
Rio Americano 29
Tokay 1 (Where is Chris Humbert when you need him?)

Pitman 11
Oak Ridge 10

Granite Bay 20
Inderkum 12

Jesuit 21
Enoch 3

Turlock 29
Pleasant Grove 0

Lodi 24
Franklin 3

McClatchty 20
Lincoln 7

Davis 24
River City 7

The Sac-Joaquin Section is the only Section to conduct a 16-school tournament in its top division. Judging from yesterday’s first-round scores, it doesn’t have the depth to conduct a competitive 16-school tournament. Nor does any other CIF Section.

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It is probably true that CIF SJS is not that deep, but, on top of it, teams are split into divisions according to the enrollment (with a few exceptions).

For example, this year, Ripon is #2 seed in Division 2, the second-highest division at SJS. Ripon went 1-0 against Davis, #2 seed in Div 1, beating them at Davis 13:10, went 2-1 against Turlock, #3 seed in Div 1, recently beating them 17:9 and 15:10 and losing 14:15 in early September, and went 1-0 against Granite Bay, #5 seed at Div 1, beating them 17:11. Ripon did not play Rio Americano, #1 seed in Div 1, and Jesuit, #4 seed.

Enrollment-wise, Ripon should have been in Div 3, the lowest water polo division at SJS, but after winning it several years in a row, they got bumped up to Div 2 (which they won last November).

I agree that it probably would be better if CIF SJS just let the top eight teams
(Rio Americano, Ripon, Davis, Rocklin, Jesuit, Turlock, Granite Bay, and Merced) play in the Open Division.

P.S. On a related note, Turlock should have been seeded lower in Div 1, and Ripon should have probably been the #1 seed in Division 2.

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Speaking of Ripon, one of their team members, LH attacker Brody Biedermann, is among the top seniors in the country. His younger sisters are also very good players.

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11/9 scores:
DLS 8, Campo 7
Menlo 16, Santa Cruz 6
SHP 13, Mitty 10 (it was 11-3 at the half)
Miramonte 11, AW 10 in sudden-death overtime
St. Francis 17, Los Gatos 9
Redwood 12, Terra Linda 8
College Park 10, Las Lomas 6

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In CCS: Harker 15, Bellarmine 14 (OT)

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San Diego Section Open Division Semifinals:

Cathedral Catholic 13
Carlsbad 2

La Jolla 12
Bishop’s 11

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Wow
First time Bishops not in CIF SDS finals since 2017

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I saw the score on the San Diego Section website. I thought Bishop’s was going to win. They beat La Jolla by 8 on October 31.

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First time Bishop’s has lost to La Jolla in the playoffs in 27 years.

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NCS Open Division 3rd place game:

Campolindo 13
Archie Williams 8

NCS Division 1 semifinals:

Redwood 12
San Ramon Valley 9

Tamalpais 6
College Park 5

CCS Open Division semifinals:

Sacred Heart 13
Menlo 9

St. Francis 13
Harker 11

Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 semifinals:

Rio Americano 16
Jesuit 6

Davis 14
Turlock 8

Central Section Division 1 semifinals:

Buchanan 13
Righetti 10

Clovis West 14
Clovis 9

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Well, this isn’t a prediction, it’s an accomplished fact – still, I can hardly believe it.

On Wednesday at L.A. Valley College, the CIF-Los Angeles City Section finals took place. In Open Division, it was Cleveland 15, Palisades 4. Palisades was going for their 12th straight premier division title. Instead, Cleveland (of Reseda) won its first title since 2010.

In Division 1, Granada Hills Charter defeated Kennedy (also in Granada Hills), 21-10.

I don’t follow CIF-LACS very closely, so maybe I shouldn’t be surprised. Anyway, congratulations to the two new section champions.

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Westlake beats Mira Costa in sudden death. Wild game.

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JSerra leading Newport at half by 3. They’ve had a lot of success at center

Newport wins 11-10

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First time Bellarmine has not been in the semi final game of the CCS tournament since 2007, congrats to Harker, and a good game against Saint Francis!

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