Birmingham seeded No. 1, looks for another Open title
The Birmingham football team steamrolled through most of its opponents during the regular season, so it was no surprise Saturday to see the Patriots receive the No. 1 seed in the Open Division of the CIF L.A. City Section playoffs.
The Patriots, who are 8-2 overall and won the West Valley League title, are vying for their fourth straight Open Division title. They have not lost to a City Section team since 2017, a stretch of 39 consecutive wins.
Birmingham will open the eight-team Open Division playoffs against No. 8 seed Narbonne (4-6) on Nov. 9.
Granada Hills Charter (7-2-1), which won the City Division I title last season, is the No. 5 seed and will open the playoffs at No. 4 Carson (9-1).
The other matchups in the first round are No. 7 San Pedro (5-4) at No. 2
Garfield (9-1), and No. 6 Palisades (7-2) at No. 3 Gardena (9-1).
The Open semifinals are Nov. 17 and the championship game will be played Nov. 24 or 25 at a site to be announced.
Birmingham finished the regular season Friday with an 83-6 win over Taft in its league finale. It won six games this season by 49 or more points.
Here is a look at the area teams in the other divisions:
No. 9 seed Kennedy (8-2) will be at No. 8 Cleveland (7-3) in the first round on Friday. The winner of that game could face No. 1 seed Banning (4-6) in the second round. Banning opens the playoffs against No. 16 seed Santee (7-3).
Kennedy won the Division II championship last season.
Also in the first round Friday, No. 13 El Camino Real (3-7) is at No. 4 Dorsey (4-6).
DIVISION I >>
This division is loaded with area teams, including three of the top four seeds — No. 1 Arleta (8-1), No. 2 Chatsworth (46) and No. 3 San Fernando (9-1).
Here are the first-round matchups Friday for the area teams: No. 16 Bernstein (7-3) at Arleta; No. 9 Fairfax (6-4) at No. 8 Panorama (8-2); No. 12 Taft (2-8) at No. 5 Eagle Rock (5-5); No. 13 Sylmar (55) at No. 4 Dr. Maya Angelou Community (10-0);
DIVISION II >>
No. 14 Hollywood (8-2) at San Fernando, and No. 15 Sun Valley Poly (6-4) at Chatsworth.
The highestseeded team from the area is No. 10 North Hollywood (3-6). The No. 1 seed is Bell (3-7).
In the first round Friday for the local teams: No. 14 Van Nuys (4-6) at No. 3 Chavez (4-6); No. 11 Grant (2-8) at No. 6 South East (3-7), and No. 7 L.A. University (2-7) at North Hollywood.