It didn't pay to be the favorite in 2012. In the Pac-5's last seven games, the lower seed won four, including all three games in the Semi-Finals and Finals. It wasn't just the Pac-5 that featured upset after upset though as young teams who were beaten early in season grew up and won CIF-SS Championships.
No. 1 Corona Centennial played their best game of the season on the biggest stage. The Huskies' defense played inspired football in slowing down Vista Murrieta enough to let its powerful offense outscore the Broncos. Junior defensive back Gavin Andrews was matched up one-on-one with superstar Su'a Cravens for much of the night. While Cravens got his catches, Andrews came up with the play of the night, breaking up the 2-point conversion attempt to Cravens that would have tied the game at 30. Head coach Matt Logan may not know what to do with a returning starter at quarterback after having to put a new starter on the field each of the last two years, but I think he'll welcome the change.
No. 2 Long Beach Poly should consider adopting the Phoenix for its 2012 team mascot, for no team rose from the ashes like the Poly Jackrabbits. Left for dead after losing three straight at the beginning of the season by a combined score of 105-18 - including a 56-0 loss to City-Section Champ Narbonne - head coach Raul Lara and his team went back to basics and put the fundamentals into a young, but talented team. It has to be considered the coaching job of the year as the Jackrabbits could have folded up tents. Instead Poly had a remarkable run through the playoffs on the backs of a swarming defense and a powerful running game. Poly should be one of the favorites next year with a host of returning talent including arguably the best safety/corner tandem in the Southern Section right now in sophomore corner Iman Marshall and junior safety John Smith.
No. 3 Vista Murrieta is a two-point conversion away from forcing overtime with Centennial. Do they deserve to fall two spots for a game that was virtually tied against the No. 2 team? Maybe, but Poly's playoff run and how they're playing right now gave them the nod. It felt like deja-vu as the Broncos and quarterback Nick Stevens had the ball late with a chance to score in the Inland Division Championship against Centennial. But unlike 2011, the Broncos needed the score and the 2-point conversion and Vista Murrieta's season was over as the pass to Cravens was batted away. There is going to be a massive rebuilding job at Vista Murrieta next year with so many seniors leaving, but don't count the Broncos out. They haven't played for three-straight CIF Championships because they don't know how to rebuild.
No. 4 Mission Viejo started the playoffs as the top ranked team in the Pac-5. For all we know, they're the second-best team in the Pac-5. Only the Diablos had the misfortune of meeting the Poly juggernaut in just the second round. Mission Viejo loses some talent for the 2013 season including two-way star Max Redfield, but the Diablos return the explosive duo of quarterback Ian Fieber and running back Alex Suchesk. Mission Viejo will open the season in the Top 5 next year.
No. 5 St. John Bosco was Poly's Semi-Final victim, and the second-straight team that Poly hung its first loss on. Bosco overcame a lot of adversity both on and off the field this year to win 12 games on the field before almost finding a way to beat Poly despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. The Braves are likely to open the season in the pole position for 2013, No. 1.
No. 6 Serra avenged an early loss to Chaminade with a victory at home on Friday night in a 30-28 thriller. Like Bosco, Serra has a young team that will be one of the favorites in their Division next year. Junior defensive back/wide receiver Adoree Jackson is one of the best athletes in the Southern Section regardless of year, and the Cavaliers found themselves a difference maker at running back in sophomore Malik Roberson. Eased into the rotation this year, Roberson took over in the playoffs.
No. 7 Mater Dei found out what Mission Viejo and St. John Bosco already knew, the Poly defense is legit. WR Thomas Duarte got his catches but was contained for most of the night against the Jackrabbits, but the real story was the Monarchs inability to run the ball. Quarterback Chase Forrest was under duress the entire night, and Mater Dei finished the game with negative rushing yards. Mater Dei loses Duarte but will return Forrest and several receivers that will put on an aerial display in 2013.
No. 8 St. Bonaventure is another team who is set at quarterback for the 2013 season. Sophomore Ricky Town has poise beyond his years and will be even more dangerous in 2013. The Seraphs lose big-time running back Zachary Green to graduation, but junior TE Bryce Dixon is one of the Southern Section's top talents. Sophomore running back Marcus Chambers will step in and pick up some of the slack left by Green, but senior linebacker Patrick Kenney's shoes might be a little tougher to fill.
No. 9 Chaminade may talk about the onside kick, but close calls are part of every game. The annual injustice I would like to see addressed is the scheduling. Chaminade beat Serra during the regular season, finished ahead of the Cavaliers winning the Mission League, and was the Western's No. 1 seed. Chaminade's reward? Playing the CIF Western Division Championship Game at Serra. That's got to change. Junior Donovan Lee rushed for over 600 yards this year and will try and fill the shoes of Terrell Newby who will move on to the next level. More of the load will likely fall to junior quarterback Brad Kaaya who was terrific after taking the controls full time at mid-season.
No. 10 Edison felt they had something to prove after the Sunset League was moved out of the Pac-5, and the Chargers took care of business. Edison knew the road to the Southwest Division Championship wouldn't be easy, and the Chargers had their hands full in their rematch with Villa Park for much of the game before pulling away comfortably with a 28-10 victory. Edison has a rebuilding job of its own next year needing to replace their quarterback Alex Torgersen, four of its five leading rushers, three leading receivers and eight leading tacklers.
