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 Saddleback Valley Christian receiver Savai'i Cravens makes a deep catch during Friday's second-round playoff game against St. Margaret's.
Saddleback Valley Christian receiver Savai’i Cravens makes a deep catch during Friday’s second-round playoff game against St. Margaret’s.
Dan Albano. Sports HS Reporter.

// MORE INFORMATION: Staff Mug Shot taken August 26, 2010 : by KATE LUCAS, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER.

Saddleback Valley Christian football has visited this emotional ledge before.

So has its 26-year-old, first-year head coach.

This week’s CIF-SS semifinals pack plenty of challenges, but the Warriors and Coach Brendan Chambers are armed with more experience than one might guess.

SVC (12-0) will attempt to win its first semifinal in four tries the past 14 seasons when it plays host to first-time semifinalist Crean Lutheran (9-3) on Friday night at San Juan Hills in the East Valley Division. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

“It’s going to be an exciting game, probably emotional,” said Chambers, whose Warriors beat Crean Lutheran, 40-21, Sept. 3.

“Neither of us has reached that final game and it would be a big step for both of us.”

Chambers was an assistant coach last season when the Warriors took an undefeated record into the semifinals but fell to eventual champion St. Margaret’s, the team SVC beat, 28-25, on Friday.

Chambers was a standout quarterback of the 2007 SVC team coached by his father, Gary, that took a 12-0 record into the semifinals but fell to Brentwood, 35-7.

SVC also lost in the semifinals in 2002.

After graduating from SVC, Chambers coached two seasons for his father, attended Saddleback College for about 1 1/2 years and then played four seasons of quarterback at Division III Greenville College in Illinois.

“I learned a lot both on the field and off the field,” Chambers said of his time at Greenville. “It definitely shaped me into who I am today.”

Chambers took the reins at SVC after Coach Brian Pearsall left to become the defensive coordinator at Servite.

The Warriors run the spread offense, not the innovative A-11 that his father championed. They feature two-way standouts such as David Molina (running back/safety), Dalton Lohman (running back/linebacker) and Savai’i Cravens (receiver/safety), brother of USC outside linebacker Su’a Cravens.

“He’s just a gamer,” Chambers said of Cravens, a junior. “He has incredible hands.”

Junior Cade Henjum has been stellar at quarterback, but he suffered a leg injury against St. Margaret’s. He was expected to have his leg examined Monday, Chambers said.

“This senior class has really taken hold of this team,” Chambers said.

GROWING UP PAC-5

Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson said freshman quarterback JT Daniels continues to impress under the intense lights of the Pac-5 playoffs.

The Monarchs did insert the more mobile Matthew McDonald at times last week against Serra of Gardena, but Daniels tossed the game-winning 2-point conversion.

“He hasn’t been in a game like that (before), on the road with nothing but athletes coming at him,” Rollinson said of Daniels. “It takes him a little longer to get settled in. … Once he got on track last week, he had some tremendous throws and tremendous reads.”

Mater Dei plays host to defending champion Centennial of Corona at Santa Ana Stadium on Friday.

ANOTHER TEST FOR VILLA PARK

Villa Park defeated previously undefeated Valencia, 28-15, last week to advance to play at top-seeded La Habra (11-1) in the Southwest semifinals Friday.

“We have no room for error,” Spartans coach Dusan Ancich.

Villa Park cornerback Khalil Wilson earned the Register’s defensive player of the week honor. Also considered for the honor were Spartans nose guard Shane Darsow (11 total tackles, one sacks, two forced fumbles) and Buena Park defensive end/outside linebacker Cedric Dashiell II (16 total tackles, one sack).

NOTES

Two of Mater Dei’s top young players announced scholarship offers over the weekend. Sophomore wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown posted on Twitter that he has been offered by Alabama. Freshman Bru McCoy, a 6-foot-2 receiver/outside linebacker, said on Twitter that he has been offered by Oregon. McCoy is playing special teams for the Monarchs, Rollinson said. … Hard-hitting Buena Park linebacker Andrew Wright (6-4, 211) has been offered by Fresno State. … Corona del Mar quarterback Chase Garbers joined Buena Park quarterback Zach Taylor and a small group of Coyotes players and coaches for a postgame prayer after the teams’ Southwest Division game Friday. Garbers, a rising junior, showed his toughness in the game by playing through several big hits.

Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com