Now that the preliminaries are over, it’s time for the main events and they commence Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in CIF Southern Section Southeast Division opening-round playoff matches as Burroughs High hosts Norwalk at Memorial Field, while Dominguez Compton plays Burbank at Moyse Field on the campus of Glendale High.
The Indians went 7-0 in the Pacific League, 9-1 overall for the first time since 2006, and own a nine-game winning streak after knocking off Burbank 47-21 behind senior quarterback Steven Hubbell’s five touchdown passes and 265 yards.
Hubbell has thrown for 1,507 yards with 25 scores and three interceptions. Hubbell has an additional 202 yards on the ground with six touchdowns.
The Indians’ best and most-productive tailback has been junior Chance Bell, who has 1,375 yards with 23 scores, and is coming off a 165-yard performance against the Bulldogs.
Junior running back Sammy Duran has 287 yards with two touchdowns, and senior running back Ash Hawkins has 208 yards with two scores.
Hubbell will target senior wide receiver Erick Hernandez (30 passes for 454 yards and 12 touchdowns) and senior wide receiver Cade Borland (29 receptions for 350 yards and four scores).
Hubbell’s other choices include senior wide receiver Robert Awunganyi (10 catches for 203 yards with two scores) and senior wide receiver Nick Mercado (15 receptions for 177 yards and five touchdowns).
The defense has been solid and is led by multiple players including senior lineman Cole Gurley (14 solo tackles with 45 assists, 10 sacks and one fumble recovery) and senior linebacker Branden Garcia (nine solo tackles and 54 assists).
Senior defensive back Devlin Jimenez has contributed 15 solo tackles, 29 assists, one and a half sacks, three interceptions and two passes defended, while senior linebacker Connor Garden has 14 solo tackles, 34 assists, five sacks, two picks, four passes defended and one fumble recovery.
Senior linebacker Josue Chicas Ortiz has 11 solo tackles, 42 assists, three and a half sacks and two fumble recoveries, while senior defensive back Jarret Wrobel has 23 solo tackles, 22 assists with five picks and five passes defended.
Awunganyi, a defensive back, has 20 solo tackles, 23 assists, two interceptions, nine passes defended and one fumble recovery.
Norwalk (5-5 with two unreported scores) prefers to run the football and is led by senior Chris Walker (659 yards with eight scores) while senior Kirk Brown has 556 yards with nine scores.
Senior quarterback Ausencio Navarro has thrown for 473 yards with two scores and one pick, and his favorite targets are junior Raylind Butler (11 catches for 170 yards) and senior Andrew Maldonado (six catches for 120 yards).
Junior defensive end Jordan Thomas has 35 solo tackles with four sacks, one fumble recovery and one pick, while Brown, an outside linebacker, has 32 solo tackles.
The Bulldogs (6-4 and 5-2 in league) have gone 4-2 over their last six games and look to rebound after the loss to the Indians.
Junior signal-caller Guy Gibbs has tossed 13 touchdown passes with five picks and has 1,234 yards. Gibbs’ favorite receiver is senior Max Weisman (25 catches for 369 yards with four scores).
Junior wide receiver Forest Fajardo has 21 catches for 324 yards with six scores, while sophomore running back Darnell Williams has 13 receptions for 125 yards.
Williams is the leading rusher with 556 yards and five scores, while sophomore running back Blake Quinteros has 389 yards with four touchdowns.
Defensively the Bulldogs are led by junior defensive back Andy Reyes, who has 78 solo tackles, 30 assists, four sacks, three passes defended and four fumble recoveries.
Senior defensive back David Medrano has 36 solo tackles, 39 assists with two sacks, three passes defended and one fumble recovery, while junior defensive back Miguel Vasquez has 34 solo tackles, 27 assists, one pick, 11 passes defended and two fumble recoveries.
Fajardo, a defensive back, has 34 solo tackles, 12 assists, five picks and 14 passes defended, while junior lineman Damien Flores has 24 solo tackles, 26 assists, two sacks, one interception and one pass defended.
Dominguez Compton (7-3) is a run-first offense and is paced by senior Ioane Niupulusu (1,058 yards and eight scores). Senior Henry Williams has 961 yards with nine scores and senior Royce Anson has 941 yards with nine touchdowns.
Junior Craig Tafua is the quarterback and has 375 yards with six scores and two interceptions.
Senior tight end Semisi Fakasiieki has six catches for 132 yards with three scores and sophomore tight end Sentuli Finau has 11 catches for 123 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior middle linebacker Siupeli Finau leads the way with 53 solo tackles and 40 assists with three sacks, while Fakasiieki, an outside linebacker, has 49 solo tackles, 31 assists, two picks and two fumble recoveries.
