Santa Clara takes third divisional title with OT victory

Wow! Thanks to a one-yard TD run on fourth down by QB Randi Vines, Santa Clara won its first Southern Section title in 42 years with an incredible 20-14 overtime victory over Bishop Diego in the Mid-Valley Division final.

Junior RB Cierre Wood, pictured and the apple of every recruiter's eye, finished with 209 yards in 29 carries and scored the tying TD with 1:38 left in regulation.

I knew this one would be close, but even though Santa Clara beat the Cardinals, 42-41, in Frontier League play this season, I thought the Saints would build up a little more breathing room in the rematch. But Bishop Diego put up one heck of a fight and proved that only inches -- not yards -- separate these two excellent parochial programs.

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Image by Ken Hively/Los Angeles Times

It's a funky sock kind of night for Poly

Vaughn Telemaque just intercepted his third pass of the night with 56 seconds left in the game, in the end zone.

That clinched Poly's 17th Southern Section title, 13-3 over Crespi. The pass by Brian Bennett from the 15-yard line was intended for 6-foot-7 Joseph Fauria.

It was a rare occasion for Crespi to throw in the direction of Telemaque, who intercepted two passes in the first quarter.

It was Telemaque who was addressed by officials before the game for wearing striped socks, thereby not being in uniform conformity because his teammates wore solid-color socks.

-- Martin Henderson

Basketball fans can be silly sometimes...

... and fans can be presumptuous.

As the crowd was filing out of Westchester High Saturday night, the excitable Taft rooters -- some overheated by the Toreador's 67-60 victory over host Westchester in the Westchester Tip-Off Classic final, couldn't resist yelling "preview of the City championship baby!"

Be sure to tune into the state bowl selection show

No matter what happens tonight in the Pac-5 Division final, be sure to tune into the CIF State Bowl selection show, which will be broadcast live at 3 p.m. Sunday on FSN West.

Will Inland Division champs Corona Centennial get the nod from the 10 CIF section commissioners to represent the south in the state Division I championship bowl game or will City Section champs Birmingham finally get some love? These questions and many more will be answered on live television tomorrow afternoon.

Of course, we'll have complete coverage here on the blog, too, so feel free to stop by and stay for awhile.

-- Austin Knoblauch

Time running out on Crespi

Joseph Fauria just caught his first pass of the game, on fourth and 14, with 2:18 left in the game. Crespi just converted its second fourth-down play on this drive. There's 1:09 left, the Celts trail, 13-3, and they need 25 yards for a score. 

Theses better be the best plays in the Crespi playbook.

-- Martin Henderson

Riverside North rolls to big win in Eastern Division final

For those of you still holding your breath, Riverside North took advantage of eight turnovers, didn't collapse in the fourth quarter and held on for a 67-35 victory over host Palm Desert in the Eastern Division final.

I need to go warm my fingers and fill my belly. It has been a long day.

-- Dan Arritt

Poly must have gotten a good talking to because it scored

Poly Coach Raul Lara told me before the game, "We talked about scoring. We need to score."

Which his team did on the second play of the game, courtesy of Melvin Richardson's 69-yard run. I'm guessing he finally broke down and talked about it again with his team, maybe during one of the television timeouts.

The Jackrabbits just drove 80 yards after Crespi missed its field goal attempt. Richardson ran 20 yards to get it to the four and then he scored on the next play with 9:22 left. This was still anybody's game before that.

But now leading 13-3, Poly's 10-point lead -- tenuous as a 10-point lead is with nearly a quarter to play -- seems almost insurmountable.

-- Martin Henderson

Crespi gets a break, then misses the opportunity

The first break of the second half falls Crespi's way. A low snap was not handled by Long Beach Poly punter David Skara. Crespi took over at the 34, but immediately got called for a hold to move it back to the 45.

However, Austin Shanks just ran for a first down and the Celts have the ball at the 22. The rain has lightened up. The Celts recovered their own fumble and are back at the 27.

See what I mean. A step forward, two steps back.

These teams are better than this.

They have to be. I ranked them in my top 5.

Christian Nastos' 33-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Romeo Robinson.

Poly still leads, 6-3, with 1:53 left in the third quarter.

-- Martin Henderson

Among St. Margaret's fans where some Cowboys too

Not all the fans on St. Margaret's side were wearing maroon and navy blue. Some were wearing green and gold, as in Canyon Country Canyon green and gold.

"There were so many Canyon staff, student and parents that I could barely get to the locker room at halftime because people were lined up hugging me," said Tartans first-year Coach Harry Welch, who was a longtime coach at Canyon before switching schools last summer. "I had trouble addressing my own team from my emotional reaction to the loyal supporters from Santa Clarita. It means a lot to me."

Citrus Hill wins East Valley Division championship

Citrus Hill (14-0) rolled to a 28-6 victory over host San Jacinto (11-3) in the East Valley Division title game. 

-- Dale Ruhe, guest blogger