Centennial vs. Santa Margarita: Clash for the 2025 CIF-SS Ford Championship.

Jared Brown | Ejsports

In Southern California high school football, Coach Matt Logan of Corona Centennial has become the only public-school coach in the state to decipher a similar “code”: defeating private-school powers in the Southern Section Division I playoffs. Logan guided Centennial to consecutive championships in 2014 and 2015, but for the next eight seasons, his teams were unable to overcome St. John Bosco or Mater Dei. That changed on Friday night. Before a crowd of roughly 4,000, Centennial defeated Mater Dei 28–27 in a Division I semifinal, earning a place in Friday’s championship game against Santa Margarita at the Rose Bowl. For any public school, navigating the strength and depth of Trinity League opponents presents significant challenges, yet the Huskies have continued to compete fearlessly. The question remains: how did Centennial finally “break the code”? For years, St. John Bosco and Mater Dei collected exceptional talent on both the offensive and defensive lines, along with unmatched depth, making postseason victories against them increasingly improbable. This season, however, both programs showed uncommon vulnerability. Assistant coach Anthony Catalano explained, “They’re not what they were.

They have weaknesses.” Mater Dei played without an elite running back comparable to Jordon Davison, and its inexperienced offensive line struggled while costly penalties accumulated. St. John Bosco, likewise, faced issues with an inexperienced quarterback and lacked a dominant running back. Although both schools continued to field some of the nation’s strongest receiving units, the season demonstrated that late-game success still depends on the ability to run the ball effectively. This year marks the first time since 2015 that Mater Dei has recorded three losses, and the first time since 2012 that neither Mater Dei nor St. John Bosco has appeared in the Division I final, a year in which Long Beach Poly claimed the title. Centennial must now confront one more private-school opponent—Santa Margarita. The teams previously met on August 28, when Santa Margarita prevailed 33–27 in overtime. Logan was absent from that game due to a health concern. For Centennial to win the rematch, it must break through the Eagles’ defense, which features strong talent across the line, linebacking corps, and secondary. Head coach Carson Palmer and his staff—comprised largely of former NFL players—have demonstrated strong leadership and strategic expertise, successfully guiding the team through one of the region’s most demanding schedules. The upcoming weekend promises to be an exciting one for both the Southern Section and the City Section. Crenshaw (10–1) returns to the City Open Division final, where it will face eleven-time champion Carson at Los Angeles Southwest College. Interim coach Terrence Whitehead and his players hope to secure a victory for Robert Garrett, who has been on administrative leave all season. Carson’s junior quarterback, Chris Fields III, has played a standout role throughout the year.

In Southern Section Division II, San Clemente will host Los Alamitos in a rematch of their earlier Alpha League contest, which the Tritons won. Sophomore quarterback Preston Beck has shown notable improvement over the past five weeks, and the game serves as a rare example of two programs competing largely with homegrown, non-transfer athletes. Division III features a matchup of highly regarded junior quarterbacks: Taylor Lee of undefeated Oxnard Pacifica and Ryan Rakowski of Palos Verdes, who led his team to a title last season. In Division V, undefeated Rio Hondo Prep (13–0) seeks its third straight championship against a Redondo Union team appearing in its first final since 1944. In Division XIII, Montebello has reached its first championship game since 1935 and will play for its first-ever title against Woodbridge. The competitive-equity playoff format continues to expand championship opportunities for programs with limited historical success. For many fans, this diversity in finalists provides a refreshing alternative to the predictability of past seasons.