Erik Boal
Crescenta Valley High football Coach Alan Eberhart was just happy
to be at the CIF Southern Section office when the playoff pairings
were announced Sunday.
Flintridge Prep's Marty Konrad was happy to be there, but wasn't
exactly enamored with his opening-round opponent.
Jim Bonds knew he would be there, but St. Francis' mentor wasn't
done any favors when it came to his first-round draw.
And for the first time since 1995, La Canada Coach Rich Wheeler
was relegated to staying at home after not earning an at-large berth
in Division X.
That summarized the events for four area squads -- three of which
qualified for the postseason as their league's No. 3 entry or an
at-large team -- on a busy day in Los Alamitos.
CV (6-4), Flintridge Prep (4-5) and St. Francis (6-4) all open the
playoffs Friday on the road, with the Rebels playing at 7 p.m. and
the Falcons and Golden Knights starting at 7:30 p.m.
By virtue of its 49-28 win Friday against fourth-seeded Arcadia
(9-1), Eberhart's squad played its way into Division III's lone
at-large berth, but was rewarded with a matchup against top-seeded
Manhattan Beach Mira Costa (10-0).
"There was a time where I thought there wouldn't be a CIF Sunday,
but I'm just happy to be here," Eberhart said.
"But [the coaching staff and the kids] believe that there isn't
that much difference between Arcadia and Mira Costa and the kids saw
[Friday] that if they play hard 100% of the time, good things will
happen.
St. Francis wound up in the opposite half of the bracket as CV, as
Bonds' squad will face San Gabriel Valley League champion Compton
Dominguez (6-4).
"Hopefully we can wake up in time to make some noise in the
playoffs," said Bonds, who was still reeling from Friday's 42-7 loss
to Santa Fe Springs St. Paul.
"The effort has to improve because Dominguez is going to try to
exploit the same things St. Paul did."
Flintridge Prep -- which tied for the Prep League crown, but
earned the No. 3 entry -- will face Delphic League tri-champion
Pasadena Marshall (5-5), which earned the No. 2 seed behind North
Hollywood Campbell Hall (5-5). The Division XIII contest will be
played at Muir High.
