Football: Mission League intrigue

With Chaminade’s upset win over Alemany on Friday night and Gardena Serra’s close victory over Bishop Amat, things are getting interesting in the Mission League.

It still appears that Serra (6-1, 3-0) is the team to beat for first place, with Bishop Amat (5-2, 2-1) likely for second place. But all bets are off for third place and the final Pac-5 Division playoff spot.

Alemany (5-1, 1-1) is still reeling from its 43-40 loss to Chaminade (4-2, 1-1) when Dymond Lee took the Eagles on a 96-yard scoring drive at the end of the game. “Dymond Lee threw a couple of passes on that last drive that were very impressive,” Alemany Coach Dean Herrington said.

Most troubling for the Warriors, though, was that they missed 26 tackles in the game, according to Herrington.

“It was the most heart-breaking loss in my 31 years of coaching,” Herrington said.

Now Alemany has to face Bishop Amat and recover quickly. “We can beat any team we play and lose to anyone,” Herrington said.

One team everyone better not forget about despite its 1-5 record and 0-2 mark in league is Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

“They’re the best 1-5 team,” Herrington said. “Notre Dame played Serra tough.”

Notre Dame’s losses have come to top 25 teams Serra, Bishop Amat, Corona Centennial and Oaks Christian, plus San Mateo Serra. The toughest part of their schedule is done. Now they get to face Chaminade and could immediately get back into the playoff picture.

Loyola (6-1, 2-1) has a bye this week before finishing up with Alemany, Notre Dame and Bishop Amat.

The one school that seems out of it is Crespi (1-6, 0-3). The Celts, hurt by injuries and inexperience, haven’t scored more than one touchdown in a game in their last four games.

But Herrington warns, “Anyone can beat anyone.”

That means the Mission League figures to be unpredictable until the very end.

Twitter:@LATSondheimer