Rankings and favoritism didn’t matter to eight underdogs in the 26 San Diego Section first-round playoff games.
Two each of 11, 10, and 9 seeds prevailed over sixes, sevens, and eights in the divisional brackets. The most significant reversal saw 12 seed Scripps Ranch put it to No. 5 La Jolla, 42-0. Clairemont, another No. 5, also won, over 4 seed Calipatria.
Compared to seedings in basketball tournaments, the Falcons entered the game with a 35 per cent chance of winning. Since the NCAA event expanded in 1985, No. 12 seeds are 55-101 against fives.
Reports have circulated in the community known for its groves of eucalyptus trees (a City of San Diego worker once told me 3 million) that Scripps Ranch coach Marlon Gardinera may step down at the end of the season. Gardinera, whose team visits fourth-seed El Camino in the second round, is 60-36 (.625) as the Falcons head coach since 2017, including a state II-A championship and 13-1 season in 2021.
LOOKING BACK
Thousands of games had been played since the last time there was an 11-10 result. Santana defeated Bonita Vista in a Division V first-round contest by that score, matched only once, in 1982, when San Dieguito defeated Vista.
Santana won when 40 seconds remained after the Sultans scored a touchdown to close to 10-9 and lined up for a tying point after kick, but holder Koko Thornton took the snap and passed to Xavier Bennett for the winning two-point conversion.
TRUE GRID
St. Augustine’s Pai Polamalu, the son of retired Pittsburgh Steelers all-pro Troy Polamalu, rushed for 263 yards in 28 carries, scored five touchdowns, caught three passes for 67 yards and a touchdown, and completed a pass for 32 yards, accounting for 362 of the Saints’ 479 yards as the D-II No. 8 seed defeated No. 9 Mater Dei, 45-20…if that wasn’t enough, Pai also intercepted a couple passes….
STATE RATINGS
Max Preps:
9, Mission Hills; 10, La Costa Canyon; 11, Carlsbad; 13, Cathedral; 20, Lincoln; 21, Granite Hills; 24, San Marcos; 27, Point Loma; 33, Mount Miguel; 35, Oceanside; 42, Rancho Bernardo.
Cal-Hi Sports:
12, Mission Hills; 13, La Costa Canyon; 15, Cathedral; 19, Carlsbad; 20, Lincoln; 38, Granite Hills; 45, Point Loma; On Bubble, Mount Miguel, San Marcos.
Cal Preps:
59.2, Mission Hills; 57.3, La Costa Canyon; 53.4, Carlsbad; 50.2, Lincoln; 50.2, Point Loma; 49.2, Cathedral; 45.3, Granite Hills; 42.4, San Marcos; 36.9, Mount Miguel; 36.5, Oceanside; 34.9, Rancho Bernardo. STATE: 87.4, Bellflower St. John Bosco.
