Plenty of Playoff Berths Still Available

There are a myriad of possible combinations going into the final week of the high school football season. For instance, no league involving county teams has settled on an outright champion and only a trio knows who their three automatic playoff spots go to.

With the Southern Section set to release postseason schedules next Sunday, here’s the line.

Academy--Capistrano Valley Christian (6-2, 4-0) and St. Margaret’s (4-3, 4-0) have qualified for playoff spots and meet Friday to determine the league title.

Century--Villa Park (3-5-1, 3-0-1) and Foothill (5-4, 3-1) are in. A Villa Park victory over Canyon (3-5-1, 2-1-1) Friday secures the league title. A Canyon victory forces a tie with Villa Park for the league title or second place, depending on the outcome of the Foothill-Orange (0-9, 0-4) game. A Canyon victory over Villa Park coupled with a Foothill victory gives the Knights the league title.

Empire--Cypress (5-4, 3-1) and El Dorado (6-3, 3-1), both qualifiers, meet Thursday to decide the league title. By virtue of its victory over Century (2-7, 2-2) Saturday, Kennedy (6-3, 2-2) kept its hopes alive and could lock up the third spot with a victory over Katella (6-2-1, 2-1-1) Friday. However, Katella advances with a win or tie.

Freeway--Only Sonora (2-7, 0-4), which plays La Habra (2-7, 1-3) Friday, is eliminated. Fullerton (5-4, 4-0) has clinched at least a tie for the league title. If Fullerton and Sunny Hills (5-4, 3-1) tie for the league title, Fullerton owns the tiebreaker, having defeated the Lancers. Victories by Fullerton, Sunny Hills and La Habra would leave La Habra tied with Buena Park (2-7, 2-2) and Troy (5-4, 2-2) for third place, and probably a coin flip. Sunny Hills and Troy play Friday.

Garden Grove--Pacifica (7-2, 5-0) has clinched at least a title tie in this seven-team race. Second-place Los Amigos (6-3, 4-1) owns tiebreakers with La Quinta (7-2, 3-2) and Santiago (7-2, 3-2) by virtue of beating them in the regular season and is simply playing for seeding Friday against defending league champion Rancho Alamitos (4-5, 2-3), which will miss the postseason for the first time this decade. La Quinta, attempting to make its first playoff appearance since 1990, can secure a playoff spot with a victory at Garden Grove. Santiago would get in if La Quinta loses and the Cavaliers upset Pacifica.

Golden West--Westminster’s shocking 34-23 upset of Servite (4-5, 3-1) made this a complicated race that could be decided by a couple of coin flips. Only Ocean View (3-6, 0-4) has been eliminated. Westminster (4-5, 2-2) plays at Tustin (5-4, 3-1) Thursday. A loss and the Lions are out. Santa Ana (3-6, 2-2) has to beat Servite (4-5, 3-1) Friday for a shot. An Ocean View upset knocks Saddleback (3-5-1, 2-2) out of contention.

Olympic--Orange Lutheran (8-1, 5-0) is in. So is Cerritos Valley Christian (6-2, 4-1). Calvary Chapel (4-3-1, 2-2) kept its hopes alive by beating Whittier Christian (5-4, 1-3), 40-8, Saturday, and owns the tie breaker if the two end up tied for third. If Ontario Christian (5-4, 1-3) defeats Calvary Chapel Friday, the Knights would be awarded the final playoff spot if Brethren Christian (4-5, 0-4), defeats Whittier Christian. A three-way tie for third would exist if Ontario and Whittier Christian win, and Calvary Chapel loses.

Orange--Brea Olinda (8-1, 4-0) can wrap up its second consecutive league title with a win Friday over visiting Savanna. Western (7-2, 3-1) finishes second with a victory over Anaheim (0-9, 0-4), Savanna (7-2, 2-2) has to beat Brea and hope for a Valencia (5-4, 2-2) loss to Magnolia to make the playoffs. Otherwise, Valencia is in.

Pacific Coast--Late last week, front-running Laguna Hills forfeited five victories for using an ineligible player and threw this race into a tumult. Only Estancia (1-8, 0-4) and Laguna Hills (1-8, 1-3) are out. Costa Mesa (6-3, 3-1) and University (5-3-1, 3-1), by virtue of receiving forfeits from Laguna Hills, have crawled into a first-place tie with Aliso Niguel (4-5, 3-1), which was beaten Thursday by Laguna Hills, 12-10. Laguna Beach (3-6, 2-2), which saw its 39-0 loss to Laguna Hills nullified, can complicate the race for the final spot with a victory over visiting University, while Aliso Niguel and Costa Mesa have fate in their own hands when they meet Friday for no worse that a share of the league title.

Sea View--Irvine (7-1-1, 3-0-1), Santa Margarita (7-2, 3-1) and Woodbridge (8-0-1, 3-0-1) have qualified for the playoffs. If Woodbridge beats Santa Margarita and Irvine gets by Newport Harbor Friday, the Warriors and Vaqueros share the league title.

South Coast--Second-ranked Mater Dei (8-1, 4-0) and Trabuco Hills (8-0-1, 3-0-1) settle the race for first place Friday at Trabuco Hills. San Clemente (5-3-1, 2-1-1) earned the third automatic berth and eliminated Mission Viejo (5-4, 1-3) with a 24-21 victory last week.

Sunset--Huntington Beach (6-3, 1-3) believes it will get the Division I wild-card spot if it beats Edison (3-6, 0-4) Friday. Los Alamitos (9-0, 4-0), Esperanza (8-1, 3-1) and Fountain Valley (7-2, 3-1) are already in, but the Oilers have played very respectively and had a 5-0 nonleague record.