Football: Pac-5 playoff predictions

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I’ll be the first to admit it. I’ve done a terrible job of predicting game outcomes this season. Last time I checked, my winning percentage was somewhere around 60%, and I believe every time I’ve picked a winner in a game involving Mater Dei I’ve been wrong.

So I’m going to go out on a creaky limb here and say that this week I’m going to nail it. I’m going to go four for four in predicting the Pac-5 Division playoff quarterfinals. I’ll have a longer preview on each game in Friday’s paper, but here’s an early look at each game, along with a pick:

Mission Viejo at Lakewood: This is a tough call. Mission Viejo features prolific quarterback Allan Bridgford and has lost only one game. The Lancers are really starting to hit their stride with junior quarterback Jesse Scroggins and junior running back Jerry Stone, who’s been on a tear since returning from ineligibility. With the exception of Long Beach Poly, the Moore League has struggled to get past the quarterfinal round in recent years, but I like the Lancers to pull the upset. The pick: Lakewood.

Mater Dei at Tesoro: Mater Dei has been a better team since it started running the ball more effectively, and the Monarchs defeated Tesoro last year in the first round. But this is a different Tesoro team, and I think playing at home gives the Titans a slight edge. The pick: Tesoro.

Sherman Oaks Notre Dame versus Orange Lutheran at Santa Ana Stadium: Notre Dame has been unstoppable against a brutal schedule, and I don’t see that changing here. In fact, I could see the Knights winning by 10 or more points. The pick: Notre Dame.

Long Beach Poly versus Esperanza at Placentia Valencia High, Saturday: This could be close and it could be ugly. But Poly’s defense should prevail. The pick: Poly.

--Ben Bolch