Bay Area high school football 2023: State championship weekend preview

CIF state football championships

OPEN DIVISION: SERRA VS. MATER DEI-SANTA ANA

Records: Serra 12-0; Mater Dei 12-1

Kickoff: Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, 8 p.m.

How to watch in Bay Area: NFHS Network

Series history: Second meeting between the teams in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present) and a rematch of the 2021 Open Division state title game, which Mater Dei won 44-7.

Storylines: Serra has won 28 consecutive games against opponents not named Mater Dei or St. John Bosco. … .The Padres are appearing in their third Open state title game in a row, having lost to Mater Dei in 2021 and Bosco 45-0 last season. … Serra has not played since overpowering Wilcox 63-27 in the CCS Open final on Nov. 17. … The Padres will bring a senior-laden team to Saddleback, with many of their players (Jabari Mann and Joseph Bey among them) having played in the previous two state title games. … Mater Dei is loaded again with high-end talent, including QB Elijah Brown and DL Aydin Breland, and is coming off a 35-7 rout of Bosco in the Southern Section Division I championship game at the LA Coliseum on Nov. 24. … The victory over Bosco avenged a 28-0 loss to the Braves in mid-October. … Mater Dei is seeking its fourth Open Division state title, all since 2017. … Serra is 1-4 in state title games, its victory coming against Cajon 38-14 in the 2-AA game at Sacramento State in 2017.

Computer projection: Calpreps.com says Mater Dei wins 44-8.

– Darren Sabedra

DIVISION 1-AA: DE LA SALLE VS. MISSION VIEJO

Records: De La Salle 11-2; Mission Viejo 12-3

Kickoff: Friday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, 8 p.m.

How to watch in Bay Area: NFHS Network

Series history: The teams played four consecutive seasons starting in 2004. Mission Viejo won the first two (17-14 and 36-26), De La Salle won the next two (35-28, 35-7).

Storylines: De La Salle has won 11 in a row since opening the season with losses to Orange Lutheran and Serra. … The Spartans are coming off their most impressive victory of the season, a 41-0 rout of Clovis North in the 1-AA NorCal regional title game last week. … Turning to its bread-and-butter – the veer option offense – DLS ran for 317 yards in 40 carries while holding Clovis North to 203 total yards. … Derrick Blanche rushed for 146 yards and two TDs in 19 carries to lead the Spartans in the regional. … Mission Viejo’s two quarterbacks, Luke Fahey and Draiden Trudeau, have combined to pass for 3,303 yards and 40 touchdowns. … Their top target, Vance Spafford, has 77 receptions for 1,510 yards and 21 TDs. … Mission Viejo has won seven in a row, its last loss to San Clemente 20-10 on Oct. 13.

Computer projection: Calpreps.com says Mission Viejo wins 24-19, a similar score to last week’s prediction when the computer had Clovis North beating DLS 19-14.

– Darren Sabedra

DIVISION 2-A: LOS GATOS VS. CENTRAL VALLEY CHRISTIAN-VISALIA

Records: Los Gatos 12-2; Central Valley Christian 14-1

Kickoff: Saturday at Pasadena City College, 7 p.m.

How to watch in Bay Area: NFHS Network

Series history: The teams have never met in at least the MaxPreps era (2004 to present)

Storylines: Los Gatos rallied from a 6-0 halftime deficit to defeat El Cerrito 14-6 in the NorCal 2-A title game to advance to the program’s first state championship. … Leading tacklers Henry Masters (155), Scott Garwood (123) and Nate Goldsbury (115) will need to be in top form to stop CVC running back Bryson Donelson (2,727 rushing yards and 41 touchdowns). … Los Gatos has not allowed more than 20 points in any of its previous five games. … The Wildcats have an opportunity to become the first CCS team since Serra and St. Francis in 2017 to win a state championship.

Computer projection: Calpreps.com takes Los Gatos 35-21.

– Joseph Dycus

DIVISION 3-AA: ACALANES VS. BIRMINGHAM-LAKE BALBOA

Records: Acalanes 10-4; Birmingham 12-2