CIF Southern Section football playoffs; Top quarterfinals to watch

Mater Dei, St. John Bosco, Sierra Canyon and Corona Centennial will be in action at home Friday night

The CIF Southern Section high school football playoffs will play its quarterfinal round this week, highlighted by the Division 1 and 2 fields.

The Division 1 field will boast the biggest programs in the state while Division 2 will be comprised of the best matchups - each game will be a toss-up.

(Note: Scroll down for access to each playoff bracket and all quarterfinal matchups)

Here's a deeper look at the top quarterfinal matchups on Friday night.

Orange Lutheran at Centennial, D1

Orange Lutheran QB TJ Lateef is healthy and playing well. The 4-star junior has thrown for 695 yards and four TDs in the last three games.

Centennial's Cornell Hatcher is in the conversation for Player of the Year with the kind of season he's having, tallying 1,852 yards and 32 TDs rushing.

Winner of this game is likely to get St. John Bosco in the semifinal.

• Calpreps predicts Centennial wins 44-22.
• Tarek's pick: Centennial

Santa Margarita at Sierra Canyon, D1

This is what Sierra Canyon has been working for the past three seasons, a Division 1 playoff berth, and it finally earned it after going 10-0 in the regular season. Coach Jon Ellinghouse has made it clear his program isn't just 'happy to be here', he wants to win it all.

Sierra Canyon's defense has been essential to this year's success. However, one weakness has been its ability to defend the pass. That was evident against Gardena Serra in Week 9, and now comes Santa Margarita with a high-level pass attack highlighted by standout wideout Trent Mosley. Mosley has 1,210 yards receiving with 11 touchdowns and is only a sophomore.

Winner of this game is likely to play Mater Dei in the semifinals.

• Calpreps predicts Sierra Canyon winning 41-19.
• Tarek's pick: Sierra Canyon

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All D2 matchups

• Los Alamitos at Gardena Serra
• Absolute toss up, however, Serra has played a much tougher schedule this season. 
• Top running backs will be on display with Serra's Cincere Rhaney and Los Al's Anthony League.
• Calpreps predicts Los Al winning 34-31.
• Tarek's pick: Serra
• Oaks Christian at Mission Viejo
• The Lions certainly have the talent, but can they win the step-up game? Their only losses this year are to Sierra Canyon and Serra.
• Mission Viejo is a Division 1-caliber team, but dropped to D-2 with three losses, including a one-point loss to San Clement (a Division 1 playoff team).
• Calpreps predicts Mission Viejo winning 28-26
• Tarek's pick: Mission Viejo
• Murrieta Valley at Rancho Cucamonga
• If there was an over/under line - whatever it is - take the over. This game is likely to be high scoring.
• MV's Dorian Hoze and RC's Trey Wilson are explosive, talented players to keep an eye on. Expect them to get into the end zone more than once Friday night.
• Calpreps predicts Rancho Cucamonga winning 35-27
• Tarek's pick: Murrieta Valley
• Servite at Long Beach Poly
• Long Beach Poly escaped last week after Darius Curry threw two pick-sixes. If the Colorado State-bound QB can limit the turnovers, the Jackrabbits are in good shape.
• Servite is having a tremendous turnaround season under first year coach Chris Reinert. The Friars were 1-9 last season.
• Calpreps predicts Servite wins 35-31.
• Tarek's pick: Poly

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Villa Park at Chaminade, D3

Chaminade used a tremendous comeback in the opening round to beat Inglewood 39-35 behind the dazzle of QB Seth Shigg, who rushed for 202 yards and three scores. The gauntlet of the Mission League may have prepared the Eagles for a deep playoff run in Division 3.

Villa Park is 10-1 this season after taking down Long Beach Millikan last week. The Spartans also beat a very good Upland team on the road earlier in the year.

This game is a toss up between two very well-coached teams. But the edge might go to the home team Friday night.

• Calpreps predicts Chaminade winning 31-28
• Tarek's pick: Chaminade

Loyola at Yorba Linda, D4

Loyola coach Drew Casani has seen his young team get better each week, which is the sign of a good team. Not all teams improve as the year goes on. The Cubs have non-seniors starting at QB, RB, WR and MLB.

Yorba Linda has an edge in experience and that could play a huge factor at home. Senior RB Chase Jones has over 1,000 yards and 18 TDs, and most major positions are filled with seniors.

• Calpreps predicts Loyola winning 28-24
• Tarek's pick: Yorba Linda

Bonita at Thousand Oaks, D5

Bonita linebacker Noah Mikhail had quite the week. After scoring the game-winning touchdown in last week's playoff opener against Northview, he went on a recruiting trip to Alabama to rub shoulders with coach Nick Saban.

The Bearcats will be on the road to a much-improved Thousand Oaks team led by first-year coach Ben McEnroe, who spent many years as the head coach at Cal Lutheran University. Senior wideouts Silas Kemp and Andrew Lacombe will need to play big to help sophomore QB Jackson Taylor.

• Calpreps predicts Thousand Oaks winning 27-21
• Tarek's pick: Bonita

Check out the quarterfinal matchups in every division:

• DIVISION 1 (8 teams)
• DIVISION 2
• DIVISION 3
• DIVISION 4
• DIVISION 5
• DIVISION 6
• DIVISION 7
• DIVISION 8
• DIVISION 9
• DIVISION 10
• DIVISION 11
• DIVISION 12
• DIVISION 13
• DIVISION 14