Huntley’s Round 2 Picks
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The playoffs are here and the games will be much more competitive and difficult to pick. Despite it getting harder to pick just seven quality games to break down, I will continue previewing and making picks throughout the playoffs. I…
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Continue ReadingThe playoffs are here and the games will be much more competitive and difficult to pick.
Despite it getting harder to pick just seven quality games to break down, I will continue previewing and making picks throughout the playoffs. I went 4-3 last week.
Here is a look at seven of the top playoff games in Southern California this week.
SAN DIEGO
DIVISION 1
LA COSTA CANYON VS. MATER DEI CATHOLIC
La Costa Canyon played a brutal schedule this season in the brutal Avocado League and playing two Southern Section playoff teams in nonleague. They walked through their first round matchup against Steele Canyon and quarterback Conner Annicharico had a big game. Mater Dei Catholic is the defending Division 1 champion and dominated the Metro-Mesa League after a tough nonleague slate. USD commit Dominic Nankil Dominic Nankil 6'1" | 170 lbs | QB Mater Dei Catholic | 2023 State CA has been great at quarterback with 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The Crusaders are loaded at receiver with Surahz Buncom Surahz Buncom 6'4" | 175 lbs | DB Mater Dei Catholic | 2023 State CA and Jeremiah McClure Jeremiah McClure 6'2" | 195 lbs | WR Mater Dei Catholic | 2023 State CA . Tre Edwards Tre Edwards 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Mater Dei Catholic | 2023 State CA leads the defense. Both teams are battle tested and this should be a close game, but I expect Mater Dei to pick up a close win.
The pick: Mater Dei Catholic
SOUTHERN SECTION
DIVISION 5
ALEMANY VS. AQUINAS
Both teams want to run the ball here and Alemany has been playing without a quarterback for over a month now. Paden White Paden White 5'11" | 175 lbs | RB Bishop Alemany | 2024 State CA runs the ball well for Alemany from the quarterback position and Jeremiah Claiborne Jeremiah Claiborne 6'1" | 200 lbs | RB Bishop Alemany | 2023 State CA is a 1,000 plus yard rusher. Siaosi Tapaatoutai Siaosi Tapaatoutai 6'5" | 275 lbs | OL Bishop Alemany | 2023 State CA and Siale Uluave Siale Uluave 6'5" | 350 lbs | OL Bishop Alemany | 2023 State CA lead the line and La’Mario Claiborne La’Mario Claiborne 6'2" | 240 lbs | DL Oak Hills | 2025 State CA is a great young defender. Jusyis Solis Jusyis Solis 6'0" | 185 lbs | ATH Aquinas | 2025 State CA is an excellent sophomore running back for Aquinas and Dre Robles is a good dual threat quarterback. This game could go either way but I think Aquinas is a bit deeper and can throw if the run doesn’t work out.
The pick: Aquinas
DIVISION 4
CYPRESS VS. MILLIKAN
Millikan is red hot since having to forfeit its first five games of the season. Myles Jackson Myles Jackson 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Millikan | 2024 CA has been putting up numbers at quarterback and defenses have to pick their poison with receivers Ryan Pellum Ryan Pellum 5'11" | 170 lbs | WR Millikan | 2024 State CA and Jordan Anderson Jordan Anderson 6'1" | 165 lbs | WR Newport Harbor | 2024 State CA . The Rams ran the ball last week with running back Jaden Hunt Jaden Hunt 5'9" | 160 lbs | DB Millikan | 2023 State CA . Cypress is 11-0 and it has a lot to do with junior quarterback Aidan Houston. Matthew Morrell Matthew Morrell 6'4" | 195 lbs | WR Cypress | 2023 State CA and Trevor Monteleone Trevor Monteleone 6'1" | 190 lbs | ATH Cypress | 2023 CA are matchup nightmares and will be some of the more physical skill players that Millikan will face this season. Cypress is going to try to slow the game down and dictate pace while Millikan will try to speed things up. This game will come down to penalties and who makes one less mistake late in the game.
The pick: Cypress
DIVISION 2
SIERRA CANYON VS. SERRA
The two Mission League foes will play in a rematch after Sierra Canyon won the first matchup 35-21. The Sierra Canyon running back duo of Dane Dunn Dane Dunn 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Sierra Canyon | 2025 State CA and Terrell Cooks Terrell Cooks 5'9" | 160 lbs | RB Sierra Canyon | 2024 State CA Jr. were excellent in the first matchup and Alonzo Esparza Alonzo Esparza 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Los Alamitos | 2025 State CA managed the game well. Xavier White and Nevada Miller Nevada Miller 5'11" | 175 lbs | DB Sierra Canyon | 2025 State CA led the defense in that game. Sierra Canyon forced Serra to throw the ball and Zacharyus Williams Zacharyus Williams 6'2" | 195 lbs | WR Serra | 2024 State CA had a big game receiving. Serra wants to get Cincere Rhaney Cincere Rhaney 5'11" | 210 lbs | RB Serra | 2024 State CA to run the ball better this time around and maybe get the ball to Rodrick Pleasant Rodrick Pleasant 5'11" | 180 lbs | DB Serra | 2023 State CA in space. The big question is can Serra beat Sierra Canyon through the air if the Trailblazers shut down the run again? Stanford commit Cameron Brandt Cameron Brandt 6'4" | 260 lbs | DL Sierra Canyon | 2024 CA sure is hard to block.
The pick: Sierra Canyon
BISHOP AMAT VS. OAK HILLS
Oak Hills is 11-0 but the schedule has not been as hard as Bishop Amat’s. They do hold impressive wins over Highland, Citrus Valley, Apple Valley and two wins over Saint Bonaventure. Karson Cox Karson Cox 6'1" | 190 lbs | RB Oak Hills | 2025 State CA ran the ball well in the first round matchup last week and quarterback Diego Lopez was efficient through the air. Bishop Amat scored 70 last week behind seven rushing touchdowns by Aiden Ramos Aiden Ramos 5'10" | 205 lbs | RB Bishop Amat | 2023 State CA , but the Oak Hills defense is much better than Murrieta Valley’s. Richard Munoz Jr Richard Munoz Jr 5'11" | 185 lbs | ATH Bishop Amat | 2024 State CA . is playing his best ball at quarterback right now and Delano Franklin Delano Franklin 5'11" | 175 lbs | ATH Bishop Amat | 2023 State CA is a great receiver. Stacy Bey Stacy Bey 6'0" | 215 lbs | ATH Rancho Cucamonga | 2024 State CA is back from injury which is big for the Lancers. It will be near freezing at game time which may make Bishop Amat uncomfortable.
The pick: Bishop Amat
DIVISION 1
MISSION VIEJO VS. CENTENNIAL
This game was a blowout last season but I think Mission Viejo is better than they were a year ago and Centennial is slightly worse. Jayson Cortes is back from injury at running back to help Cornell Hatcher Jr. Izzy Carter Izzy Carter 6'1" | 180 lbs | QB Centennial - Corona | 2023 State CA has been great at quarterback and Carson Conklin Carson Conklin 6'1" | 180 lbs | QB Centennial - Corona | 2023 State CA is back and playing well too. Malachi Riley Malachi Riley 6'2" | 180 lbs | WR Centennial | 2023 State CA is the best receiver Mission Viejo has faced since it played Long Beach Poly in week two. Samarai Anderson Samarai Anderson 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Centennial | 2023 State CA , Lucas Conti Lucas Conti 6'5" | 260 lbs | DL Centennial - Corona | 2023 State CA and Owen Chambliss Owen Chambliss 6'3" | 205 lbs | DB Centennial - Corona | 2023 State CA lead the defense. Mission Viejo has an elite offense of its own with Kadin Semonza Kadin Semonza 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA at quarterback. Mikey Matthews Mikey Matthews 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , Jackson Holman Jackson Holman 6'3" | 200 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA and KJ Reed KJ Reed 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA are great receivers. Michael Damato Michael Damato 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , Jack Matranga Jack Matranga 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA and Jonathan Becerra Jonathan Becerra 6'2" | 230 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA will try to stop the fast-paced Centennial offense. I think this will be closer than last year, but I don’t know if the Diablos can close the gap that much.
The pick: Centennial
LOS ALAMITOS VS. LONG BEACH POLY
This is the most anticipated matchup of the week. Los Alamitos has an elite offense led by USC commits Malachi Nelson Malachi Nelson 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA and Makai Lemon Makai Lemon 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA . Damian Henderson Damian Henderson 6'3" | 185 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA has been elite at running back this year and a revelation for Los Alamitos. T.A. Cunningham T.A. Cunningham 6'6" | 270 lbs | DL Los Alamitos | 2024 CA and Sinn Brennan Sinn Brennan 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA lead the Los Alamitos front seven. Long Beach Poly is undefeated for the first time since 2008. Darius Curry Darius Curry 6'1" | 190 lbs | QB Long Beach Poly | 2024 State CA has been mistake-free at quarterback and Devin Samples Devin Samples 5'7" | 190 lbs | RB Long Beach Poly | 2023 State CA is back from injury at running back. Jason Robinson JR Jason Robinson JR 5'11" | 160 lbs | WR San Juan Hills | 2024 State CA is a great receiver but Poly may have the edge on defense here. Dylan Williams Dylan Williams 6'3" | 205 lbs | LB Long Beach Poly | 2024 State CA , Phoenix Tusa Phoenix Tusa 6'0" | 245 lbs | DL Long Beach Poly | 2023 CA and Ikenasio Mikaele Ikenasio Mikaele 6'1" | 215 lbs | LB Long Beach Poly | 2023 State CA can get in the backfield and cause problems for Los Alamitos. Daylen Austin Daylen Austin 6'2" | 180 lbs | DB Long Beach Poly | 2023 State CA can matchup well with one of the Los Al receivers, but they are deep there with Ethan O’Connor Ethan O’Connor 6'1" | 165 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA , Gavin Porch Gavin Porch 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA and Ja’Myron Tron Baker Ja’Myron Tron Baker 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Los Alamitos | 2026 State CA . This game will come down to if Los Alamitos’ offensive line can block Poly and if Henderson can have a big game.
The pick: Los Alamitos
Huntley’s Record: 56-28
Playoff Record: 4-3