• Support
  • Advertise
  • Locations
  • Contact
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTERS
San Clemente Times
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Graduation Special
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide 2023
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
    • WSL Rip Curl Guide 2023
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Graduation Special
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide 2023
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
    • WSL Rip Curl Guide 2023
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who
No Result
View All Result
San Clemente Times
No Result
View All Result

Two for the Road: SCHS Football Opens Playoffs at Valencia, Despite No. 2 Seed

Staff by Staff
November 7, 2019 4:20AM
in SPORTS & OUTDOORS, Sports Headlines
Two for the Road: SCHS Football Opens Playoffs at Valencia, Despite No. 2 Seed

San Clemente football earned the No. 2 seed in CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs. The Tritons will travel to Valencia High of Valencia for their first-round matchup on Friday, Nov. 8. Photo: Alan Gibby/Zone57

0
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Zach Cavanagh

The San Clemente football team was rewarded for its wait.

After a bye week to end the regular season, the Tritons (8-2) earned the No. 2 seed in Division 2 when the CIF-SS playoff brackets were released on Sunday, Nov. 3.

However, the seeding came with a bit of a catch, as San Clemente will not open in the friendly confines of Thalassa Stadium. Instead, the Tritons will play at Valencia High of Valencia on Friday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m.

“A little bit (disappointed), but I knew the bracket rules,” San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said. “We had the opportunity to play some at-large teams, but we get Valencia.”

As a league champion, Valencia (7-3) earned the right of a first-round home game, by CIF-SS rules. San Clemente finished as the runner-up in the South Coast League to Mission Viejo.

“It’ll be a good test,” Ortiz said. “When I first got here in the 2000s, Hart and Canyon (of Canyon Country), they were the top dogs in that area. Valencia has taken that area.”

The Vikings won the Foothill League for the 11th consecutive year.

Valencia won its seven games by an average of nearly 28 points per game, including back-to-back 50-point wins to open the season and two shutouts in league play: 34-0 over Golden Valley of Santa Clarita and 45-0 over West Ranch of Valencia.

The Vikings’ three losses weren’t to slouches, either. Valencia lost three games in a row in September to Division 2 No. 1 seed Sierra Canyon, 28-10; Division 4 at-large selection Loyola, 29-14; and Division 1 selection Calabasas, 35-7.

Valencia got its business done through the air this season.

Senior quarterback Ryan Morrison completed 54% of his passes for 2,142 yards and 20 touchdowns, with six interceptions. Most of Morrison’s passes have been caught by the tandem of senior Mitchell Torres (42 receptions for 681 yards and five TDs) and sophomore Zamondre Merriweather (30 receptions for 512 yards and five TDs). Seniors Jayden Lawrence and Jake Santos and sophomore Brandon Tompkins have also been major players in the passing game.

Santos is the leading rusher and finisher for the Vikings with 102 carries for 501 yards and 10 TDs.

This first-round matchup could be decided by each group’s best unit taking on the other, as San Clemente’s formidable defense will be tested by that high-powered Vikings offense.

The Tritons finished the regular season with 32 forced turnovers (19 interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries). The ball-hawking efforts were led by a trio of seniors: Trey Torticill (three interceptions and four fumble recoveries), Nick Billoups (five interceptions) and Trenton Brail (four fumble recoveries).

San Clemente held opponents to 186 yards passing per game. Morrison and the Vikings threw for 214 yards per game.

With Valencia on the playoff schedule, the San Clemente faithful may have memories of 2016 dancing in their heads. On the Tritons’ run to their first CIF-SS and state championships, San Clemente hosted Valencia in the CIF-SS semifinals and advanced with a 41-35 win.

However, San Clemente knows that, good omens or not, any run to a CIF-SS title this season will require running a gauntlet.

“From my perspective,” Ortiz said, “that Division 2 bracket is more competitive than the Division 1 bracket with those two monsters (national top-two Mater Dei and St. John Bosco). It’s a tough bracket. Some very good football teams from the top down. (We’re a) No. 2 seed, and we’re playing a league champion.”

Sierra Canyon (9-1, Gold Coast League champion), San Clemente, Norco (8-2, Big VIII League runner-up) and Rancho Cucamonga (7-3, Baseline League champion) are the top four seeds, in order.

The San Clemente-Valencia winner will play either Ivy League champion Rancho Verde (9-1) or Serra of Gardena (7-3) on Nov. 15. San Clemente would host Rancho Verde or travel to Serra.

Zach Cavanagh

Zach Cavanagh is the sports editor for Picket Fence Media. Zach is a California Journalism Award winner and has covered sports in Orange County since 2013. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @ZachCav and follow our sports coverage on Twitter @SouthOCSports.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related

Tags: cifCIF-SSDivision 2Featuredfirst roundNo. 2 seedPlayoffsSan Clementetriton footballTritonsValenciaVikings
ShareTweetPin
Staff

Staff

Related Posts

Dana Wharf Whale Report: Rare Sightings of Bryde’s Whales and Guadalupe Fur Seals Highlight Whale Watching Trips

Dana Wharf Whale Report: Rare Sightings of Bryde’s Whales and Guadalupe Fur Seals Highlight Whale Watching Trips

September 29, 2023
Nomination Period Opens for Veterans of the Year Awards

Nomination Period Opens for Veterans of the Year Awards

September 29, 2023
City Opens New, Unique Playground at San Gorgonio Park

City Opens New, Unique Playground at San Gorgonio Park

September 28, 2023
CoastLines: Let Safety & Fun on E-bikes Coexist

Public Safety Committee Looks to Provide Traffic Safety Suggestions to Council

September 28, 2023
Next Post
Triton Report: Boys Water Polo, Girls Tennis Win CIF-SS Playoff Openers

Triton Report: Boys Water Polo, Girls Tennis Win CIF-SS Playoff Openers

Discussion about this post

No Result
View All Result

SC Times Daily
Get important news and updates delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Subscriptions
Don’t get the SC Times delivered to your home? Subscribe today.

Advertising
Get new customers and drive traffic to your business. Advertise with us.

Support Local Journalism
For less than the cost of a couple of cups of coffee a month, become an “Insider” member and continue to get “Local News You Can Use” from the only independently owned, dedicated local news organization in South Orange County.

Contribute today.

Picket Fence Media is a proud member of the SoCal Media Network.

  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Dana Point Times
  • The Capistrano Dispatch
  • Terms of Use
  • About Us

© 2023 Picket Fence Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Calendar
    • Event Calendar
    • Submit an Event
  • Sections
    • Eye on SC
    • Soapbox
      • Submit a Letter
    • Getting Out
    • SC Living
    • Sports & Outdoors
    • SC Surf
    • Dana Point Times
    • Capistrano Dispatch
  • Digital Edition
  • Best of SC
  • Explore SC
  • Legals & Classifieds
    • Locals Only Business Directory
    • Classifieds
    • Submit a Classified
    • Obituaries
    • Announcements
    • Submit an Announcement
    • Legal & Public Notice Advertising
  • Special Publications
    • A New You
    • Aging Well – For the Young at Heart
    • Best of San Clemente
    • Crib to College
    • Festival of Whales Event Program
    • Go See Do
    • Good Eats
    • Graduation Special
    • Holiday Happenings & Gift Guide
    • Home Improvement Guide 2023
    • Money Matters
    • San Clemente Trolley Route Map
    • Summer Camp Guide
    • Swallows Day Parade & Mercado Event Guide
    • The Green Issue
    • Triton Football Preview
    • WSL Rip Curl Guide 2023
  • Real Estate
    • South County Real Estate Guide
    • Real Estate – Who’s Who

© 2023 Picket Fence Media