2021 Week 15: Scripps Ranch Travels to DII-A Playoff

Scripps Ranch and the rubber will hit the road Saturday for a 6 p.m. game in the Southern California Division II-A playoffs at Santa Clarita Valencia, 160 miles away.

Coach Marlin Gardinera’s team,  11-1 and averaging 44 points after a 42-0 win over La Jolla in the San Diego Section finals last week, are on a 31-6 roll since 2018.

The Falcons veered from the path of the historically middling program since the school opened in 1993.

Gardinera (33-14) took over in 2017, when the Falcons were in the midst of a six-losing-seasons-in-seven funk and went 2-8.

The unsuccessful birds of prey flapped their wings with a 6-4 record in 2018 and took flight in 2019, when the Falcons were 12-1, losing in the section finals to La Jolla, 17-10.

Running back Jalen Shaw had 170 yards and three touchdowns in 25 carries last week. Quarterback Jax Leatherwood, a 6-foot, 7-inch junior, has thrown for more than 3,000 yards.

Valencia, not be confused with the school of the same name in the Southern California community of Placentia, is 8-4, on a five-game winning streak, having defeated Westlake Village Oaks Christian, 28-14, in a Southern Section final last week.

Scripps Ranch has a 40.0 rating from Cal Preps.com, Valencia 40.5. Valencia is 56^th and Scripps Ranch 58^th in the state, according to Max Preps. Neither team is in Cal-Hi Sports’ top 50.