URGENT UPDATE: All four high school football teams from Santa Cruz County have secured spots in the Central Coast Section (CCS) playoffs, and they are set to hit the road for crucial quarterfinal matchups this weekend, as confirmed during the CCS seeding meeting on Sunday.
On Friday, November 24, Soquel (9-1), the No. 5 seed in Division I, faces off against No. 4 Palma (10-0) at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas at 7 p.m. Soquel hopes to avenge its only loss of the season, a tight 28-21 defeat against Palma on Halloween. Injuries have plagued Soquel, with more than five starters sidelined, presenting a significant challenge as they prepare to tackle Palma’s standout junior running back, Eli Dukes, who has amassed over 2,000 yards and 27 touchdowns this season.
Soquel’s confidence remains high, according to junior running back Keyandre Bailey. “We gotta have the same mentality going in, otherwise it’s going to be a (bad) result,” he stated, emphasizing the team’s resilience despite injuries.
In another Division I quarterfinal, No. 6 Saint Francis (5-5) from Mountain View is set to compete against No. 3 Los Gatos (7-3). The stakes are high, as the winners of these matchups will advance to face the Open Division runner-up for the D-I title on either November 28 or 29.
Meanwhile, fierce rivals Scotts Valley (8-2) and San Lorenzo Valley (SLV) (8-2) are both in Division IV, potentially facing each other in the semifinals if they can pull off wins in their quarterfinal games. Scotts Valley, seeded No. 6, is set to challenge No. 3 Lincoln (7-3) in San Jose, while No. 7 SLV takes on No. 2 Willow Glen (8-2). These matchups are crucial for both teams, with high hopes riding on their performances.
As for the Division V bracket, Santa Cruz (7-3), the No. 7 seed, will compete against No. 2 Sobrato (6-4) in Morgan Hill on Saturday, November 25, at 1 p.m. Coach Sergio Escobar remains optimistic, noting, “We’ve got a shot. People don’t want to see us get in the dance, because once we start boogieing, we clear the dance floor.”
With emotions running high and the pressure mounting, all four county teams are ready to seize their opportunities in the playoffs. The games promise to be intense, and fans are eagerly anticipating the action.
IF YOU GO:
CCS Quarterfinals:
– Friday, November 24, 2023:
– D-I: No. 5 Soquel (9-1) at No. 4 Palma (10-0), 7 p.m. at Rabobank Stadium
– D-IV: No. 6 Scotts Valley (8-2) at No. 3 Lincoln (7-3), 7 p.m.
– D-IV: No. 7 SLV (8-2) at No. 2 Willow Glen (8-2), 7 p.m.
– Saturday, November 25, 2023:
– D-V: No. 7 Santa Cruz (7-3) at No. 2 Sobrato (6-4), 1 p.m.
Stay tuned as these thrilling playoff matchups unfold this weekend. The excitement is palpable, and the stakes have never been higher!
