News Reader.info

In other playoff games tonight: CITY 4-A DIVISION Carson (4-6) vs. No. 1 Taft (10-0) at Taft High, 7 p.m.--The second-seeded Toreadors are coming off the most successful regular season in

school history. Taft hasn’t gone past the second round since 1992, when it reached the 3-A final. Nick DiPadova set a school season record with 1,964 yards passing and 26 touchdowns. He also

has run for 13 scores. Sedric Hurns saw his first action at tailback last week since suffering a knee injury in week six. The Colts, traditionally one of the strongest programs in the City

Section, have struggled in recent years, returning to the playoffs after a one-year absence. Patrick McCall has gained 1,187 yards in 153 carries and scored 10 touchdowns. CITY 3-A DIVISION

Birmingham (5-5) vs. Van Nuys (6-4) at Van Nuys High, 7 p.m.--Van Nuys, third-place team in the Valley Pac-8 Conference, has won four of five games. Birmingham, fourth in the Northwest

Valley Conference, has sputtered, winning two of five. Birmingham averages 306 yards per game to Van Nuys’ paltry 224. The Braves’ ground game is fueled by Emmanuel Evans, the area’s

fourth-leading City rusher with 1,426 yards and 12 touchdowns. Birmingham’s Scott Doherty has completed 71 of 143 passes for 938 yards and 10 touchdowns. Demetrus Patterson has caught 24

passes for 396 yards and seven touchdowns. Rushing yards account for more than 75% of Van Nuys’ offense. Carlos Mack has 904 yards and 11 touchdowns. SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION II Downey

(4-6) vs. No. 2 Hart (8-2) at College of the Canyons, 7:30 p.m.--Downey lost to San Gabriel League champion Paramount by eight points and second-place Dominguez by five. Downey’s Rigo Pena

has not passed for more than 174 yards in a game and top rusher Bo North has a little over 600 yards. Hart’s Travis Carroll has completed 66.3% of his passes for 2,265 yards and 24

touchdowns. He has three strong receivers--Cody Joyce, Scott Collins and Brian Pritchett. Chris Wright rushed for a season-high 92 yards last week. The Indians have allowed only 7.4 points

per game in the last five weeks. No. 4 Antelope Valley (7-2) vs. Diamond Bar (6-4) at Walnut High, 7:30 p.m.--The Antelopes are the best No. 3-seeded team in the playoffs, having finished in

a three-way tie for the Golden League championship. Diamond Bar, No. 2 team from the Sierra League, needed a 14-9 victory over Nogales last week to qualify for the playoffs and did so

because Joe Spicer connected with Alvin Graham on an 80-yard pass play for the key touchdown. With running back Deron Tyler hobbled by an injury, the running game has been ineffective.

Antelope Valley holds the opposition to under 100 yards passing per game. The Antelopes will rely on the passing of Justin Mobley and a variety of running backs. Antelope running back-free

safety Tony Walker has rushed for 971 yards and has 14 touchdowns. West Covina (3-6-1) vs. No. 9 Palmdale (8-2) at Palmdale High, 7:30 p.m.--Palmdale backs Jan Brown (turf toe and thigh

bruise) and Jason Anderson (flu) have been less than healthy lately. Each has rushed for 769 yards. Brown was on pace for 1,200 yards but has not been a factor for a month. Palmdale’s Jeremy

Coleman has 916 yards and 14 touchdowns on 68 passes. Malosi Leonard has seven touchdowns among his 12 receptions and Pat Opperman has seven on 13 catches. The Falcon defense ranks No. 1

among Division II teams from the region. The Bulldogs rely on Terence Spencer, who has 1,022 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns. SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISION III Righetti (4-4) vs. No. 3 Notre

Dame (9-1) at Notre Dame High, 7:30 p.m.--Notre Dame has advanced to the semifinals three times since 1989 and won the Division III title in 1994. The Knights allow an average of 11 points a

game, fewest in Division III, and score 31.9 points a game. Justin Fargas rushed for 329 yards in last week’s 42-0 victory over Harvard-Westlake, raising his region-leading total to 2,114

yards. Righetti, third in the Northern League, is coming off a bye, the Warriors’ second of the season. Robert Villa has rushed for 986 yards. Tommy Criner has passed for 1,084 yards and

eight touchdowns. Wide receiver Jason Ferkel has 34 receptions, seven for touchdowns. Pasadena (6-4) vs. No. 6 Camarillo (9-1) at Camarillo High, 7:30 p.m.--Camarillo dodged every bullet in

the Marmonte League by relying on Joe Borchard’s bullet passes. The 6-foot-4 senior has passed for 2,184 yards and 21 touchdowns, completing 149 of 289 with eight interceptions. He also ran

for six touchdowns. Mike Anger is the leading receiver with 74 catches for 966 yards. The Scorpions intercepted 15 passes, five by Eugene Jackson, four by Justin Howe and three by Andy

Kroneberger. Pasadena is a run-oriented team that finished third in the Pacific League. Newbury Park (8-2) vs. No. 10 Ventura (9-1) at Ventura High, 7:30 p.m.--Newbury Park is the at-large

team and Ventura the Channel League champion, yet Ventura Coach Phil McCune says Newbury Park is a heavy favorite. Newbury Park’s Chris Czernek has passed for 3,280 yards and 24 touchdowns,

completing 214 of 369. Patrick Reddick has 65 catches for 1,141 yards, including 32 catches in his last three games. Garrett Hobba, a linebacker-running back, leads the Panthers in tackles

with 102 and in touchdowns with 20. Ventura’s Jeramie Jackson has rushed for 1,429 yards. Mike Anderson has passed for only 648 yards, and Jackson is the leading receiver with 13 catches.

Linebacker Joe Martinez heads a Ventura defense that has returned four interceptions for touchdowns. No. 8 Westlake (8-2) vs. Crescenta Valley (6-4) at Glendale High, 7:30 p.m.--Westlake

faces a defense that is surrendering 186 passing yards per game. Casey Preston passed for 2,884 yards and 29 touchdowns while leading Westlake to third place in the Marmonte League. Joey

Cuppari had 57 catches for 1,099 years and 13 touchdowns. The Falcons hope to eat up the clock with a ground-based offense that carried them to second place in the Pacific League. Kenny

Pritchett, who rushed 254 times for 1,608 yards and 18 touchdowns, should be healthy after nursing a sore ankle against Arcadia last week. Other games: City Section, 4-A Division: At 7 p.m.,

El Camino Real (7-3) vs. San Pedro (10-0) at Daniels Field, San Pedro, Kennedy (7-3) at Palisades (8-2). 3-A Division: At 2 p.m., Roosevelt (5-5) at Verdugo Hills (6-4), Chatsworth (5-5) at

University (5-5). At 7 p.m., Belmont (3-7) at Canoga Park (6-4), Eagle Rock (6-4) at North Hollywood (5-5), Monroe (6-4) at Bell (6-4). Southern Section, Division II: At 7:30 p.m., Saugus

(5-5) vs. Peninsula (10-0) at South Torrance High, Santa Monica (7-3) vs. Highland (7-3) at Quartz Hill High, Burroughs (8-2) at Dominguez (9-1). Division III: At 7:30 p.m., Harvard-Westlake

(6-4) vs. Muir (8-2) at Pasadena City College, Rio Mesa (8-2) at Arroyo Grande (8-1), St. Francis (7-3) vs. Dos Pueblos (8-2) at San Marcos High. Division IX: At 7:30 p.m., La Canada (4-6)

vs. Beverly Hills (10-0) at El Segundo High, Montclair Prep (7-1) at Mira Costa (7-3). Division X: At 7:30 p.m., Fillmore (3-7) at Nordhoff (9-0-1), Santa Paula (6-4) vs. Bishop Diego

(8-1-1) at Santa Barbara City College, Ontario Christian (7-3) at Calabasas (7-3), Moorpark (4-6) vs. Orange Lutheran (9-1) at Brea Olinda High. Division XI: At 7:30 p.m., West Valley (8-2)

vs. Village Christian (8-2) at Kennedy High, Kilpatrick (2-7) vs. Paraclete (7-3) at Antelope Valley College, Serrano (2-8) vs. L.A. Baptist (7-3) at Alemany High. MORE TO READ