High school football: All three La Jolla teams prep for playoffs; Bishop’s wins Coastal League championship

La Jolla’s three varsity high school football teams are on their way to the CIF San Diego Section playoffs after completing the regular season with convincing victories.

The Bishop’s School and La Jolla High School finished unbeaten in their respective leagues to win the league titles.

Games in the eight-division San Diego Section tournament begin Friday, Nov. 3, and end Saturday, Nov. 25. Division champions (other than Division VI) will advance to the CIF State Southern Regional championships Dec. 1-2. State championships — involving winners of the regional finals — will be held Dec. 8-9.

Bishop’s 27, Santa Fe Christian 0

Seven times, Santa Fe Christian moved the ball into Bishop’s side of the field in the teams’ showdown for the Coastal League championship on Oct. 27.

And when the day was done, the Eagles had the same amount of points they started the game with: zero.

Both teams went into the regular-season finale with a 5-0 record in Coastal League play. But the Knights blanked the Eagles on Santa Fe Christian’s home field in Solana Beach to defend their title.

The Knights (7-3 overall and 6-0 in league play) are the seventh seed in the section Division II playoffs and will open the postseason at 7 p.m. Nov. 3 as host to 10th-seeded Brawley (8-2).

After opening the season with three consecutive losses, the Knights have won their past seven games and each of their past six by at least 27 points.

“We always talk about align, assign and … execute,” said Bishop’s head coach Shane Walton. “You know your alignment. You know your assignment. Then you just go full speed, and that’s what our guys do.”

Santa Fe Christian watched drives die on downs on the Bishop’s 26, 28, 24, 14, 15 and 49.

The Bishop’s defense was led by linemen Tyler Boynton and Timothy Labrucherie, who combined for four sacks. The 6-foot, 260-pound Boynton made big play after big play on short-yardage running plays.

“Tyler Boynton is a beast,” Walton said. “He’s the reigning [Coastal League] defensive player of the year, and I think he should win it again.”

Offensively, Bishop’s sucked the life out of the hosts with big plays. Sophomore quarterback Cash Herrera threw TD passes of 31 and 66 yards to Tom Lowe and 52 yards to Ian Browne. Herrera completed 10 of 16 passes overall for 258 yards and ran for a 23-yard score.

“That kid is special,” Walton said of the 6-2, 180-pound Herrera. “He’s just really efficient.”

Santa Fe Christian (5-5 overall) also advances to the playoffs as a Division III team.

La Jolla High 49, Christian 19

The Vikings, champions of the Eastern League with a 4-0 record, won their sixth straight overall to finish the regular season 8-2 with a victory at Christian of El Cajon (4-6) on Oct. 28.

La Jolla has won each of its past three games by at least 30 points.

Next for the Vikings, the third seed in Division II, is a first-round playoff bye. They will host the winner of the Nov. 3 game between sixth-seeded Central of El Centro (8-2) and 11th seed Eastlake of Chula Vista (4-6) at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 10.

La Jolla Country Day 48, Francis Parker 6

The Torreys (7-3 overall, 4-2 in the Coastal League) got two touchdown passes and an 8-yard TD run from quarterback Jaden Mangini to rout the Lancers (2-8) on Oct. 27 at Country Day.

Davin Doak had TD runs of 21 and 10 yards, and Jack Levin threw TD passes of 13 yards to Gianno Kassab and 22 yards to Madden Craig.

Country Day opens the Division III playoffs as the sixth seed and will play at home against No. 11 Morse of San Diego (4-6) at 7 p.m. Nov. 3. ◆