Bosco, Poly, St. Anthony, Compton, Jordan favored by Calpreps in semis
LONG BEACH >> St. John Bosco football and Long Beach Poly football are among some of the local favorites in the CIF Southern Section playoffs.
The postseason is heating up, as only 56 out of the 216 teams have made it to week three of the playoffs.
It is time to take another look at the Calpreps.com football computer rankings before the CIF-SS semifinals.
The rankings have changed every week. That’s because every result has the potential to impact a team’s rating based on factors like their current strength of schedule and their opponents’ overall win-loss record.
Seven of the 17 Long Beach Press-Telegram area teams that qualified for the playoffs have made it to the CIF-SS semifinals.
Here’s a look at the current Calpreps rankings, as of Tuesday, for the area’s remaining playoff teams, plus the Calpreps predictions for this week’s games:
1. St. John Bosco (10-1)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 2 Previous ranking: 2
In Division 1, St. John Bosco vs. Servite is undoubtedly the game of the week when it comes to high school football across the nation. Bosco, after beating Los Alamitos 63-38 on Friday, is ranked No. 4 nationally and Servite (9-2) is ranked No. 7 nationally by MaxPreps. The teams played each other on Oct. 29, Bosco winning 24-10 in the final game of the regular season. They are extremely familiar, as Trinity League foes, finishing second and third in league play, respectively.
Bosco vs. Servite was the matchup coach Jason Negro expected. Negro is hoping for another win, which would likely set up a Bosco vs. Mater Dei matchup in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game.
Calpreps is projecting Bosco to beat Servite 28-27 in a close game at Panish Family Stadium on Friday at 7:30 p.m.
2. Long Beach Poly (9-3)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 22 Previous ranking: 28
Long Beach Poly is continuing its march up the Calpreps rankings, as it has dominated the first two rounds of the CIFSS Division 4 playoffs. As the No. 1 seed in Division 4, Poly is now ranked ahead of all but two Division 3 teams by Calpreps. At this rate, they could end up being ranked ahead of more than half of Division 2 teams by the end of the season.
However, the Jackrabbits aren’t concerned with rankings, they are focused on winning the school’s 20th CIF football championship. Poly beat Upland 49-3 on Friday. That exceeded Calpreps’ expectations of the game, in which they projected Poly to win a close game 24-19.
Calpreps is projecting Poly to beat Cypress (10-2) by a score of 35-20 at Veterans Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.
3. Dominguez (10-2)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 57 Previous ranking: 60 Dominguez is continuing to make its mark in the CIF-SS Division 6 playoffs, after beating Santa Ana 4034 courtesy of a late touchdown on Friday. Interestingly, Calpreps’ computer rankings believed it would be a close game, projecting a 34-33 Dominguez win at home.
The Dons will be on the road for the semifinals, this time against Newport Harbor (5-7) on Friday at 7 p.m. Calpreps is projecting another tight game but has Newport Harbor winning 31-24.
4. St. Pius XSt. Matthias (10-2)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 75 Previous ranking: 84
St. Pius X-St. Matthias earned a spot in the Division 7 semifinals by beating Rio Hondo Prep 34-20 on the road on Friday. The Warriors’ next game is on the road again, this time against Mira Costa in Manhattan Beach.
Calpreps is projecting a close game but is giving Mira Costa (7-5) the slight edge 31-30 on Friday at 7 p.m.
5. St. Anthony (8-4)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 118 Previous ranking: 139
St. Anthony is another Long Beach team that is marching through the CIFSS playoffs. The Saints were projected by Calpreps to lose their Division 10 quarterfinal game against Katella 22-21 but coach Raul Lara’s team prevailed 48-17.
Calpreps is projecting St. Anthony to beat Salesian (9-3) 38-28 in a road semifinal Friday at 7 p.m., which would avenge their 43-41 loss to their Del Rey League foe back on Oct. 14.
6. Long Beach Jordan (7-5)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 142 Previous ranking: 157
For the first time in school history, Jordan has made it to a CIF-SS semifinal game. However, J Town is thinking Division 11 championship or bust.
Although Jordan was the higher-rated team last week, Calpreps projected the Panthers would lose their road game against Granite Hills 35-34 in the quarterfinals. The Panthers did not get the memo, ultimately winning 34-27 over Granite Hills.
Calpreps is projecting Jordan to beat Twentynine Palms (9-1) 28-26 in a tight game at home Friday at 7 p.m.
7. Compton (6-5)
Calpreps CIF-SS ranking: 158 Previous ranking: 173
Compton’s double-wing offense has been extremely hard to stop in the CIF-SS Division 12 playoffs. Compton won its first-round game 58-0. Compton won its quarterfinal game 24-21 on the road against Walnut on Friday.
The No. 1-seeded Tarbabes will be on the road again this week, this time in their semifinals game against Tahquitz (6-4) in Hemet on Friday at 7 p.m.
Calpreps is projecting another close Compton win 27-20, which would put the Moore League’s third-place team into a CIF-SS championship game.