Valencia wins first CIF Southern Section football championship

Don Ray Hall scored two touchdowns in Valencia’s 28-14 win over visiting Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 championship game at Valencia High School on Friday night.

It was the first CIF Southern Section championship for Valencia High School. The Vikings were 0-5 in CIF Southern Section championship games entering Friday night’s game against Oaks Christian.

Hall’s second touchdown of the game, on a 97-yard kickoff return to start the second half, broke a 7-7 tie. He also scored a rushing touchdown in the first quarter.

Oaks Christian took a 7-0 lead before Hall tied the score with 2:23 to play in the first quarter.

Valencia and Oaks Christian went into halftime tied at 7-7.

Valencia’s Daniel Hernandez gave the Vikings a 21-7 lead, scoring on a 3-yard run with 9:00 to play in the third quarter.

Oaks Christian answered by scoring a touchdown to cut the lead to 21-14.

Giorgio Spriopoulos capped the scoring with a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Valencia heads to the CIF State Championships. The Vikings (8-4) will play Scripps Ranch from San Diego (12-1) in the Division 2-A Southern California Regional championship game on Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.

Scripps Ranch is the second-place team from the Eastern League and won the San Diego Section Division 2 championship. Scripps Ranch shut out La Jolla, 42-0, in the San Diego Section Division 2 championship game.

Scripps Ranch is led by running back Jalen Shaw, who has rushed for 849 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, and wide receiver Conor Lawlor, who has 1,099 receiving yards and scored 17 touchdowns.

The winner of the CIF Southern California Regional Division 2-A championship game will play the winner of the Northern California Regional Division 2-A championship game between Manteca and Wilson on Dec. 11.

Saugus High finishes in sixth place at Southern California Schools Band and Orchestra Association championships

The Saugus High band and color guard capped a celebrated season by finishing in sixth place in the Southern California Schools Band and Orchestra Association Division 4-A championships at Ramona High School in Riverside on Saturday night.

Saugus High was making its first appearance in the Southern California championships in five years. The last time the band and color guard competed in championships was in 2016. There was not a Southern California championship competition in 2020.

The Saugus band, performing its "Nocturn" routine, entered the Southern California championships after winning sweepstakes awards at Oxnard High School and Quartz Hill High School competitions. The Saugus High band and color guard was one of 12 schools to qualify for the Division 4-A championships.

West Ranch High School won first place in Division 4-A. The West Ranch band and color guard also won awards in high auxiliary (for color guard), high percussion and high music. 

Hart High finished in second place in Division 4-A.

Valencia faces Oaks Christian in CIF Southern Section Division 5 championship football game

Valencia’s Cameron Fontal kicked a 39-yard field goal to give his team a 24-21 win over Chino Hills in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 football semifinal playoff game at Valencia High School on Friday night.

It capped a furious finish to the game with Valencia scoring 17 points in the fourth quarter to oust Chino Hills from the playoffs.

The Vikings trailed Chino Hills, 14-7, at the end of the third quarter. Duhron Goodman tied it 14-14, scoring a touchdown 12 seconds into the fourth quarter.

Valencia took the lead 21 seconds later when Jake Staufer returned an interception for a touchdown and gave the Vikings a 21-14 lead with 11:27 to play in the game.

Chino Hills tied the score, 21-21, with just under six minutes to play, setting the stage for Fontal’s game-winning field goal.

He kicked the 39-yard field goal with two minutes left to play in the game.

Valencia (7-4) entered the CIF Southern Section playoffs as an at-large team from the Foothill League, the fourth-place team in the league standings.

Oaks Christian (7-6) is the second-place team from the Marmonte League. 

Valencia plays Oaks Christian in the CIF Southern Section Division 5 championship game at Valencia High on Friday night at 7:30 p.m.

Oaks Christian beat El Modena, 24-14, in the other CIF Southern Section Division 5 semifinal. 

Saugus High band and color guard earn berth in Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association championships

The Saugus High School band and color guard are marching into the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association championships in Riverside on Saturday on a high note.

The Saugus High band won two sweepstakes awards in the field competition at Oxnard High School and took third place in the Division 4-A competition in the Battle of the Bands at Moorpark High School on Saturday.

It was a busy weekend for the Saugus High band and color guard with two competitions in Ventura County. The members of the band and color guard learned after the Moorpark High competition they qualified for the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association championships at Ramona High School in Riverside. The top bands in Southern California from Division 3-A and Division 4-A are competing at Ramona High. Saugus is in Division 4-A.

“My goal this year was to just make it in,” said Saugus High band director Bob Grigas. “I was fine if we got 12th place this season, and right now we are slated for sixth. This is so exciting and everyone should be very happy and proud of the work that you have all put in to make us a championship band.  

“I am so excited to complete this season and go out with a bang.”

The Saugus band and color guard won sweepstakes awards in auxiliary and high visual at the Oxnard High competition. The band and color guard also won first place in the Division 4-A category and took third place in the open percussion category in Oxnard.

In the Battle of the Bands at Moorpark High, the Saugus High band and color guard took third place in band in Division 4-A. 

Golden Valley High was third in band in Division 3-A.

Hart High won first place in band and high auxiliary in Division 4-A, and won the sweepstakes award in high visual.

West Ranch High won the sweepstakes awards in auxiliary, high music and tournament band.

Valencia reaches semifinals of CIF football playoffs

The Valencia football team knocked La Habra out of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs and advanced to the semifinals.

Valencia quarterback Trey Erickson scored two rushing touchdowns and passed for another in his team’s 24-6 win over La Habra at Valencia High School on Friday night.

Valencia receiver Duhron Goodman caught a 17-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to give the Vikings a 14-0 lead.

Valencia took a 14-0 lead at halftime and was up 17-0 after three quarters. La Habra didn’t score its first touchdown until the fourth quarter.

Valencia plays Chino Hills in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs on Friday night at Valencia High in a matchup of two at-large teams in the playoffs. Valencia (6-4) is an at-large team from the Foothill League. Chino Hills (7-5) earned an at-large playoff berth from the Baseline League.

Chino Hills beat Summit, 15-8, in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs.

On the other side of the playoff bracket, El Modena faces Oaks Christian. El Modena (8-4) is an at-large team from the Crestview League. Oaks Christian (6-6) is the second-place team from the Marmonte League. 

Saugus High wins sweepstakes award in percussion at Music in Motion band competition in Bakersfield

The Saugus High School percussion section won the sweepstakes award out of 20 bands in the Music in Motion competition at Centennial High School in Bakersfield on Saturday night.

The Saugus band and color guard also won two other awards in the competition that included high school bands from Santa Monica, San Luis Obispo and the Antelope Valley.

The Saugus High band, the only band in the competition from the Santa Clarita Valley, won first place in band and first place in color guard in Division 4-A.

The competition season continues for the Saugus band on Saturday with a doubleheader. They are entered to compete in competitions at Oxnard High School and in the Moorpark High School Battle of the Bands.

Valencia last team standing from Santa Clarita in the CIF football playoffs

Valencia is the only football team from the Foothill League to advance to the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Saugus, West Ranch and Golden Valley lost in their first-round playoff games. 

Valencia made quick work of Rio Mesa, the second-place team from the Channel League, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 5 playoffs, winning 45-13 on Friday night. The Vikings (5-4) took a 31-0 lead in the second quarter and buried host Rio Mesa (7-4) early. 

Valencia, an at-large team from the Foothill League that had to cancel its league finale against Saugus because of a COVID-19 outbreak, plays La Habra in the second round at Valencia High School on Friday.

La Habra (6-5), the Freeway League champs, beat Tustin, 31-14, in its first-round game.

In other action, Saugus, the Foothill League champion, lost to visiting Rancho Cucamonga, 21-7, at College of the Canyons in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs on Friday night.

Rancho Cucamonga (6-5), an at-large team from the Baseline League, took a 14-0 lead in the first half. The Cougars took a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 33-yard touchdown pass. Rancho Cucamonga scored its second touchdown on a 55-yard pass after recovering a Saugus fumble on the 45-yard line.

Saugus (8-2) scored its first touchdown of the game in the third quarter, a 13-yard touchdown pass, to cut Rancho Cucamonga’s lead in half, 14-7. Saugus missed a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter and didn’t convert a fourth-and-1 play from the 3-yard line, turning the ball over on a drive in the third quarter.

Rancho Cucamonga scored on a 12-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to go up 21-7.

Rancho Cucamonga plays Roosevelt (6-4), the third-place team from the Big VIII League, in the second round of playoffs on Friday night.

West Ranch, the second-place team from the Foothill League, lost to Lawndale, 34-14, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs.

West Ranch (8-3) led 7-6 after the first quarter, but Lawndale took the lead, 13-7, on a touchdown in the second quarter and outscored West Ranch, 21-7, in the second half.

Lawndale (9-2), the Pioneer League champion, plays La Serna (9-2) the Del Rio League champion, in the second round of the playoffs on Friday night.

Golden Valley (4-6), the third place team from the Foothill League, lost to La Mirada, 35-29, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 7 playoffs. 

Golden Valley took an 8-0 lead in the first quarter, and led 15-13 at halftime against La Mirada (7-4), the second-place team from the Suburban League.

La Mirada scored two touchdowns in the third quarter and took a 28-22 lead. The two teams swapped touchdowns in the fourth quarter for the final score, 35-29.

La Mirada plays Pasadena (8-2), the co-champs of the Pacific League, in the second round on Friday night.

Trinity Classical Academy (7-4) lost to Anaheim, 45-6, in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 13 playoffs.

Anaheim (7-4), the second-place team from the Orange League, plays San Bernardino (6-4) in the second round of the playoffs.

In the CIF Southern Section Division 2 8-man football playoffs, Santa Clarita Christian (0-9) lost to the California School for the Deaf in RIverside, 70-12.

The California School for the Deaf (9-0) plays Desert Christian of Lancaster (4-4) in the second round of the playoffs in Riverside on Friday night.

Santa Clarita Christian football team makes CIF Southern Section 8-man playoffs

Despite going 0-9, the Santa Clarita Chrisitan football team is in the CIF Southern Section Division 8-man playoffs and will face the undefeated California School for the Deaf in the first round on Friday.

Santa Clarita Christian lost every game it played this season and was outscored 455-198, averaging 22 points per game. The Santa Clarita Christian football team played a freelance schedule and earned an at-large berth in the playoffs. The team lost to Mammoth 59-12 in its regular season finale.

The California School for the Deaf is the champion of the Victory League and went 3-0 in league play. The School for the Deaf outscored its opponents 572-144, averaged 63.5 points per game, and beat United Christian Academy 64-20 in its regular season finale.

The game starts at 7 p.m. in Riverside.

Five teams from Santa Clarita prepare for CIF football playoffs

Four teams from the Foothill League and five teams from the Santa Clarita Valley are heading to the CIF Southern Section football playoffs.

Saugus, West Ranch, Golden Valley and Valencia earned playoff berths and will represent the Foothill League. Trinity Classical Academy finished in third place in the Cross Valley League and is playing in the CIF Southern Section Division 13 playoffs.

Saugus is the Foothill League champion and plays Rancho Cucamonga in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 3 playoffs on Friday at College of the Canyons. Saugus comes in with a 9-1 record, an undefeated 5-0 record in the Foothill League and a six-game winning streak.

Rancho Cucamonga is 5-5, finished 2-2 in the Baseline League, and comes in as an at-large team in the playoffs. Rancho Cucamonga won its Baseline League finale, 45-44 in overtime, against Damien, which went 0-4 in league.

Rancho Cucamonga lost to Valencia, 31-28, in Week 2 on Sept. 10.

Saugus went 5-0 in the abbreviated Foothill League season in the spring. The last time Saugus won the Foothill League championship was 13 years ago, in 2008, when the Centurions went 9-4 and 5-0 in league.

West Ranch, the second place team in the Foothill League, plays Lawndale in the first round of the Division 4 playoffs at Valencia High School on Friday. West Ranch was 8-2 and 4-1 in the Foothill League. The Wildcats beat Hart, 21-16, in the Foothill League finale.

Lawndale won the Pioneer League championship, is 6-3 overall, and went 5-0 in league play. Lawndale enters the playoffs with a four-game winning streak and is coming off a 55-7 win over El Segundo in the Pioneer League finale.

Valencia is scheduled to play Rio Mesa in the first round of the Division 5 playoffs in Oxnard on Friday. Valencia ended the season with a forfeited loss to Saugus and a 4-5 record. Some of the Valencia football players tested positive for COVID-19 and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health did not allow the team to play its season finale. 

Valencia ended with a 2-3 record in the Foothill League. The Vikings enter the playoffs with an at-large berth. It has yet to be determined if Valencia will be allowed to play in the playoffs.

Rio Mesa is the second-place team from the Channel League, has a 7-3 record, and has won seven of its past eight games.

Rio Mesa was 4-1 in the Channel League and beat Santa Barbara, 17-14, in the season finale. Rio Mesa beat Golden Valley, 20-19, in Week 2 on Sept. 10.

Golden Valley plays La Mirada in the first round of the Division 7 playoffs at Excelsior High School in Norwalk on Friday. Golden Valley went 4-5-1, finished in the third place in the Foothill League with a 2-3 record, and shut out Canyon 42-0 in the Foothill League finale to snap a three-game losing streak.

La Mirada is the second-place team from the Suburban League with a 6-4 record and went 3-1 in league play. La Mirada won its season finale by forfeit over Firebaugh for its third win in a row. La Mirada beat Bellflower 33-12 the week before in its last game played on the field.

Trinity Classical Academy plays Anaheim in the first round of the Division 13 playoffs in Anaheim on Friday. Trinity is 7-3. Anaheim is 6-4 and the second place team from the Orange League.