Everything is at stake this week as the 2022 CIF Southern Section Playoffs are set to begin for these high school football teams as they fight for a chance at the State Championship.

Here are this week’s match-ups:

West Ranch (10-0) vs. St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy (8-1)

After going undefeated this season, the West Ranch Wildcats are set to face off against the St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy Warriors in their first game of the Division 3 2022 CIF Southern Section Playoffs. West Ranch had an unbelievable season, going undefeated and rightfully winning the Foothill Championship for the first time in the school’s history. Leading the offense, quarterback Ryan Staub ranks in 7th place in the CIF Southern Section passing yards leaderboards with a total of 2,406 yards. Also shining on the field, is the Wildcat special teams as wide receiver Maverick Diaz has shown he can win championships, ranking 1st in the CIF Southern Section kickoff return yards.

The St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy Warriors were so close to a perfect season with only 1 loss in the season and an undefeated league record of 3-0. The Warriors have a pretty impressive defense to take on West Ranch’s strategic offense. Warrior’s defensive end, D’angelo Davis has shown his grit and determination with 13 total sacks and an average 4.7 tackles per game. Next to him on defense, tight end Kevin Johnson has proven his strength on the field with 4 total sacks. West Ranch and St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy are set to face off on Friday at Valencia High School with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

Golden Valley (6-4) vs. Summit (5-5) 

Set to face off in the Division 7 2022 CIF Southern Section Playoffs, the Golden Valley Grizzlies take on the Summit Skyhawks. A key player on the Grizzlies, wide receiver Ajani Smith has been a shining player on this team playing for offense, defense and special teams. In fact, with 443 total return yards, Smith stands in 13th place in the CIF Southern Section Leaderboard. Smith has a total  of 627 receiving yards, and proving his skills on defense, Smith has had 3 interceptions throughout the season. Quarterback Christopher Melkonian has proven his confidence to move out of the pocket to get that touchdown, with nine touchdowns and 215 rushing yards. Strengthening their running game, wide receiver Julian Rios ranked 6th in the division’s rushing yard leaderboard with a total 468 yards.

Coming in at second in the Sunkist League, the Summit Skyhawks thrive in the running game as well, averaging even more yards than the Grizzlies per game, 258.4. Summit running back Bryan Calderon has been averaging 108.9 yards per game. On defense, the Skyhawks have been doing well as Mark Mitchell is averaging 8.9 tackles per game. Golden Valley is set to take on Summit on Friday at Canyon High School with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

Hart (4-6) vs. Claremont (7-2)

After extending their season to post-season play via coin toss, the Hart Indians make it to the 2022 CIF Southern Section Division 7 playoffs, and they are set to take on the Claremont Wolfpack. Hart has had anything but an easy journey to the playoffs. After a 4 game losing streak, the Indians felt a playoff opportunity slipping through their fingers, but Hart proved their resilience, crawling their way to 3 wins before ending the season. Truly the underdogs in the Foothill League, Hart has spent the last couple games proving they deserve this playoff spot. Ranked 5th in the CIF Southern Section, wide receiver Shawn Irwin has a total 1,141 receiving yards under his belt, proving his strengths on offense. Of course, Irwin’s chemistry with quarterback Timmy Larkins has been a definition variable in their success, and with more than 2,300 yards passing, Larkins proves the Indians deserve that spot on the playoffs. Hart is going to have a chance to prove themselves, showing they deserve a chance at the State Championships.

The Claremont Wolfpack came in 1st in the San Antonio League, and they went undefeated in their 3 league games. Going on a 5-game winning streak, Claremont is going to be looking to make this game six in order to advance in the playoffs. Claremont shines on their running game with an average 178.1 rushing yards per game. Their star running back, Caden Campuzano showed his fortitude, shining on both the receiving and the rushing end of plays. Campuzano ranked 2nd in the rushing yards Division 7 leaderboards with 735 total yards. Campuzano also ranked 6th in the Division 7 receiving yards leaderboards with 411 yards. Hart is set to face off against Claremont on Saturday at Valencia High School with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

Saugus (8-2) vs. Millikan (5-5)

The Saugus Centurions will take on the Millikan Rams to start off the Division 4 2022 CIF Southern Section Playoffs. The Centurions came so close to clinching the Foothill Championship for another consecutive year, but after coming up short of the title, Saugus turned to the opportunity at the CIF Championship. On offense, quarterback TJ Cataldi has an impressive 1,851 yards passing. On the receiving end, wide receiver AJ Goodman was able to haul in 649 yards receiving. Unfortunately for the Centurions, running back Vinny Gallagher who proved an unstoppable force throughout the season, suffered an injury to his right foot during a game against Canyon.

The Millikan Rams, like Saugus, ended 2nd in the Moore League. Shining on the receiving end of offense, wide receiver Jordan Anderson stands with 902 total yards receiving for his team from quarterback Miles Jackson. Jackson led his team to the playoffs with an astounding performance in the season, ranking 4th in California’s leaderboards with 3,123 yards passing. On defense, Saugus quarterback is going to have to keep an eye out for defensive end Ethaniah Steffany who has had seven sacks this season so far. Saugus is set to host the Millikan Rams on Friday at College of the Canyons with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

Valencia (5-5) @ Newport Harbor (6-4)

The Valencia Vikings will face off against the Newport Harbor Sailors in an away game in their first Division 4 2022 CIF Southern Section Playoff game. After coming in 3rd in the Foothill League, the Vikings are looking to redeem themselves this playoff season. “Special Teams wins championships” could ring true with this team as kicker Cameron Fontal has proven to have a very successful season, ranking 12th in the state of California with a 41.47 punting average. In the division, quarterback Trey Erickson ranks 5th in the league with a total 1,087 yards passing, but what good is a pass without an exceptional receiver on the other end. That is where wide receiver Brandon Boetang shines, ranking 8th in the division with 418 total yards receiving. In the air or on the ground, Valencia proved their strong running game with running back Daniel Hernandez who ranked 4th in the division with 521 total rushing yards.

On the other hand, Newport Harbor was not so prosperous in their league, finishing 4th making it to the playoffs, showing their resilience to make it. In the entire CIF Southern Section, quarterback Colton Joseph stands at 12th with more than 2,300 yards passing. Newport Harbor is set to host the Valencia Vikings on Friday with kickoff set for 7:00 p.m.

Santa Clarita Christian (6-3) vs. San Luis Obispo Classical Academy (2-4)

The Santa Clarita Christian Cardinals make it to the 8-man Division 2, 2022 CIF Southern Section playoffs and are set to host the San Luis Obispo Classical Academy Grizzlies. The Cardinals finished 3rd in their Liberty 8-man league, with a 2-2 league record. Quarterback Cayden Rappleye ranks 11th in the state of California with 1,168 total yards passing, and on the other end wide receiver Eli Duhm averages 74.1 yards receiving per game.

The Grizzlies had a tough season. After finishing 4th in their Coasty Valley League with a 1-3 record, the Grizzlies are looking to prove they belong in the playoffs with a victory over the Cardinals. Santa Clarita Christian is set to host San Luis Obispo Classical Academy on Saturday at Hart High School with kickoff set for 1:00 p.m.

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.