2014 Week 7: State Postseason Could be Reward

Mission Hills at Oceanside this week brings together the top  teams in the UT-San Diego poll and coaches with a combined 358 victories in their careers.

Oceanside’s John Carroll (239), generally acclaimed major domo of San Diego Section mentors, holds a 7-2-1 record against Chris Hauser (119), but the Mission Hills coach is 2-1-1 against Carroll since 2011, including decisive, 30-6 and 36-14 victories in 2013, the latter earning the Grizzlies their first San Diego Section championship.

Each team harbors hopes of winning berths in the state playoffs.  They won’t be considered for the oft-confusing slate of the Open Division but the winner should merit strong consideration for Division I, as long as it continues to post blowout victories.

Mission Hills earned a D-I opportunity in 2013 but bowed to eventual champion Bakersfield, 35-28. The 4-1 Grizzlies have lost only to Utah’s Provo Timpview, which is 6-0 and had a full game under its belt when San Marcos school opened the season against the Thunderbirds.

Oceanside (5-0) did its due diligence with a schedule more difficult than the Grizzlies’, defeating St. Augustine and intersectional opponents Mission Viejo and Temecula Chaparral, but those three teams have a combined record of only 7-10.

With strong media backing from John Maffei of UT-San Diego, it’s easy to give an edge to Oceanside.  We’ll do that, but the edge is very thin.

Both teams should be ready, each chilling with byes last week.  Meanwhile, focus is shifting to Cathedral as it continues to rehabilitate.

The third-ranked Dons ventured 165 miles north to top undefeated Newbury Park, 42-28, two weeks ago and knocked off Eastlake, 17-14, for its fifth straight win last week.

Results of  voting after Week 6:

*Awarded on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

Others receiving votes:   Sweetwater, 16;  Christian, 11; El Camino, 3; Granite Hills, 2; St. Augustine,  Point Loma, The Bishop’s,  Carlsbad, 1 each.

Nineteen sportswriters, sportscasters, and CIF representatives from throughout San Diego County vote in the weekly poll: John Maffei, Kirk Kenney, UT-San Diego; Terry Monahan, Tom Saxe, Rick Hoff (UT-San Diego correspondents); Bill Dickens (eastcountysports.com); Steve Brand (San Diego Hall of Champions); John Kentera, Ted Mendenhall, Bob Petinak, (The Mighty 1090); Jerry Schniepp (CIF San Diego Section); Rick Willis, Brandon Stone, (KUSI-TV); Bruce Ward (San Diego City Schools); Rick Smith (partletonsports.com); Steve (Biff) Dolan, Rick (Red) Hill (Mountain Country 107.9 FM); Bodie DeSilva (Sandiegopreps.com); Drew Smith (sdcoastalsports.com).

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