Murrieta Valley vs. Newbury Park CIF Southern Section D2 football final should provide fireworks

Quarterbacks Bear Bachmeier (Stanford commit) and Florida State commit Brady Smigiel will face off in the CIF championship on Saturday.

Murrieta Valley football coach George Wilson speaks about his team at the 2024 CIF Football Luncheon in Long Beach on November 25, 2024. / Heston Quan

This game sells itself.

No. 1 versus No. 2 in the division. Marquee players. College football commits. And the potential for big plays, a lot of points and a close finish for a CIF championship.

What more could you want?

Top-seeded Murrieta Valley (11-2), headlined by Stanford-bound quarterback Bear Bachmeier and running back Dorian Hoze, will host second-seeded Newbury Park (13-0), with Florida State commit quarterback Brady Smigiel and wideout Shane Rosenthal, in the CIF Southern Section Division 2 final on Saturday night at 7 p.m.

The game will be broadcast live on FanDuel Sports Network and NFHS.

Murrieta Valley is known for scoring a lot of points, but has a tendency to let the opponent score a lot of points, too.

"We talk about that before games," Murrieta Valley coach George Wilson said. "This could be a one-point game at the end. We are comfortable with that."

The Nighthawks are averaging 43 points per game this season. Newbury Park is averaging 37 points per game, which makes pundits believe the team with the ball last could be the winner. But if there's a team that's shown it's capable of stopping the opponent, it's Newbury Park's defense.

In the playoffs alone, Newbury Park has held opponents to less than 14 points in each of its three postseason wins - beating San Jacinto 27-0, San Clemente 24-13 and Yorba Linda 20-14.

Murrieta Valley's defense is allowing an average of 40 points per game this postseason after taking down Rancho Cucamonga 49-42, Los Alamitos 49-28 and Oaks Christian 55-52 (OT). Despite the numbers, Newbury Park coach Joe Smigiel believes Saturday's game will provide the biggest test of the season.

Newbury Park football team getting introduced at the 2024 CIF Football Luncheon in Long Beach. / Heston Quan

"It will be the best team we've faced all year, and the defense included," Smigiel said. "I think Bear Bachmeier is the best QB in California. I also think their offense scores so fast, it puts their defense out on the field a lot."

The billing for this game will be pumping the offense, but it could be the team that gets more stops that ends up victorious.

Newbury Park will have to travel 125 miles on Saturday, but its nothing new. The Panthers won their quarterfinal and semifinal on the road in South Orange County against San Clemente and Yorba Linda, respectively. Newbury Park will have traveled nearly 700 miles this postseason.

"We love going on the road. Less distractions and more focus," Smigiel said.

Calpreps.com predicts Newbury Park to win, 34-31.

NOTABLE STATS

Murrieta Valley QB Bear Bachmeier has thrown for 1,151 yards and 12 TDs in five games since returning from injury ... he's also rushed for eight TDs. Dorian Hoze has tallied 1,871 yards rushing and 28 TDs ... junior linebacker Abelardo Leos leads the Nighthawks in tackles with 94.

Newbury Park junior QB Brady Smigiel has tossed for 2,986 yards and 43 TDs ... Princeton commit Shane Rosenthal has caught 69 passes for 1,303 yards and 22 TDs ... Rosenthal also has seven interceptions.

Rosenthal became California's all-time career leader in receptions last week in the team's win over Yorba Linda.

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