Rancho Cucamonga vs. Damien has league and playoff implications; here's why

Rancho Cucamonga and Damien are both 8-0 heading into Friday night's Baseline League showdown

Two weeks remain in the high school football regular season.

But for all intents and purposes, the clash between unbeatens Rancho Cucamonga (8-0) and Damien (8-0) in La Verne Friday night (7 p.m.) will likely decide the Baseline League champion, and at the very least provide an inside track for the league crown.

Rancho Cucamonga's final game is against Upland and Damien's season finale is against Etiwanda. Both are scheduled to be played Thursday, Oct. 26. Rancho Cucamonga and Damien have one common opponent: Chino Hills. Rancho beat the Huskies 49-0 and Damien won 34-7.

The Baseline League is having a great year, making it arguably the second-best league in California behind the Trinity League. Despite the quality of teams, the clarity of what happens to the winner and loser Friday night beyond the regular season is still in question. 

Baseline League makes strong case to be second-best league in CA

If Rancho Cucamonga wins, it assures a Division 1 playoff spot, assuming the field is 8 or more due to the Cougars' Calpreps.com rating (No. 7). Anything less than eight teams would be unprecedented. The top division had 10 teams in 2022 and eight teams the two seasons prior (2021, 2019). The last 16-team Division 1 field was in 2018.

If Damien wins, it could drop Rancho Cucamonga into the Division 2 playoff field, but it's unlikely the Spartans would leapfrog into Division 1 playoff territory, unless the Division 1 playoffs were made of 12 teams or more. Damien is ranked No. 16 on Calpreps. A win Friday night could put the Spartans into the top 12.

We'll find out in the next two weeks.

The CIF Southern Section office will release the football playoff brackets on Sunday, Oct. 29.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Rancho Cucamonga Cougars

• Kyren Condoll, CB, Sr. (Duke): 33 tackles, 5 pass deflections, 2 caused fumbles
• Trey Wilson, RB, Sr.: 1,099 yards, 126 carries, 11 TDs
• Jonah Dawson, WR Sr.: 723 yards, 34 receptions, 7 TDs
• Cameron Sermons, WR, Sr.: 510 yards, 36 receptions, 5 TDs
• Rahim Wright, ATH, Sr. (Arizona): 65 tackles, 1 INT
• Stacy Bey, LB, Sr. (Arizona): 40 tackles, 2 sacks

Damien Spartans

• Isaiah Arriaza, QB, So.: 1,839 yards, 21 TDs, 3 INTs
• Ayden Gutierrez, WR, Jr.: 642 yards, 33 receptions, 8 TDs
• Caden Arellano, LB, Jr.: 55 tackles, 1.5 sacks
• Gavin Williams, DB, Fr.: 30 tackles, 5 INTs