High school football: California regional matchup predictions

By Kevin Askeland Nov 28, 2021, 6:00am

Mater Dei, De La Salle expected to meet for CIF Open Division championship game once more.

After a one-year absence due to COVID-19, the California Interscholastic Federation will hold a series of 26 regional playoff games and crown 15 state champions over the next two weeks. The process begins today when the CIF section commissioners meet at 11 a.m. to match up the 56 section championship teams for the bowl series.

The commissioners will match teams based on won-loss record, head-to-head competition, strength of schedule, win-loss record of common opponents and various ranking services.

MaxPreps gets a head start on the process by making its own predictions on how the bowl match-up selections will play out. The predictions are made with the assumption that all 56 section champions decide to participate, and with the placement of certain Central Section champions in either the Southern California or Northern California regional playoffs.

The CIF office told MaxPreps Saturday that Central Section teams can be placed in either regional "depending on what makes the most sense."

The official bowl game matchups are expected to be released Sunday afternoon by the CIF office. Look for those complete pairings on MaxPreps later this afternoon.
Mater Dei's Raleek Brown (4) flipped into the end zone in Friday's 27-7 win over Servite to win the Southern Section Division I championship.
Mater Dei's Raleek Brown (4) flipped into the end zone in Friday's 27-7 win over Servite to win the Southern Section Division I championship.
Photo by Louis Lopez
MaxPreps Bowl Game Predictions

Open
Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 11-0 vs. De La Salle (Concord), 10-2



1AA
NorCal — Serra (San Mateo), 11-1 vs. Folsom, 10-3
SoCal — Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 9-2 vs. Orange Lutheran (Orange), 10-4

1A
NorCal — Central Catholic (Modesto), 12-1 vs. Pittsburg, 9-2
SoCal — Serra (Gardena), 8-4 vs. Liberty (Bakersfield), 10-2

2AA
NorCal — Bullard (Fresno), 9-4 vs. Manteca, 10-3
SoCal — Long Beach Poly (Long Beach), 11-3 vs. Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista), 11-0

2A
NorCal — Vanden (Fairfield), 11-2 vs. Windsor, 11-1
SoCal — Scripps Ranch (San Diego), 11-1, vs. Valencia, 8-4

3AA
NorCal — Campolindo (Moraga), 10-3  vs. McClymonds (Oakland), 10-1
SoCal — Helix (La Mesa), 9-3 vs. Newport Harbor (Newport Beach), 7-7

3A
NorCal — Wilcox (Santa Clara), 9-4 vs. Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 12-1
SoCal — Aquinas (San Bernardino), 9-5 vs. Patrick Henry (San Diego), 10-2



4AA
NorCal — San Marin (Novato), 12-1 vs. Escalon, 12-1
SoCal — Birmingham (Lake Balboa), 8-5 vs. Serrano (Phelan), 11-3

4A
NorCal — Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton), 6-7 vs. Chico, 9-3
SoCal — Colony (Ontario), 7-6 vs. Northview (Covina), 8-6

5AA
NorCal — Central Valley Christian (Visalia), 10-4 vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory (San Francisco), 6-7
SoCal — Venice (Los Angeles), 8-3 vs.Palo Verde Valley (Blythe), 11-2

5A
NorCal — Sutter, 10-1 vs. Argonaut (Jackson), 10-3
SoCal — Northwood (Irvine), 9-5 vs. Independence (Bakersfield), 8-6

6AA
NorCal — University Prep (Redding), 13-0 vs. St. Vincent de Paul (Petaluma), 11-1
SoCal — Quartz Hill, 9-4 vs. Righetti (Santa Maria), 5-8

6A
NorCal — Fall River (McArthur), 11-0 vs. Aragon (San Mateo), 9-4

7AA
NorCal — Le Grand, 8-5 vs. Salesian College Preparatory (Richmond), 9-2
SoCal — Morro Bay, 7-6 vs. Loara (Anaheim), 8-6



7A
NorCal — Balboa (San Francisco), 8-4
SoCal — Taft (Woodland Hills), 7-7
Balboa earned a spot in the NorCal regional after beating two-time state champion Lincoln in the annual San Francisco Section title game on Thanksgiving at Kezar Stadium.
Balboa earned a spot in the NorCal regional after beating two-time state champion Lincoln in the annual San Francisco Section title game on Thanksgiving at Kezar Stadium.
Photo by Ernie Abrea



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