FRIDAY’S CIF-SS SOUTHWEST DIVISION SEMIFINALS
San Clemente (11-1) vs. Capistrano Valley (9-3)
Where, when: San Clemente High, 7:30 p.m.
Live coverage: foxsports.com/west/prepzone
Outlook: The Tritons and Cougars played Oct. 10 in the teams’ Sea View League opener. San Clemente jumped out to a 27-point halftime lead and ultimately eased past Capistrano Valley, 54-27. Round two figures to be a much closer contest, particularly because of Capo Valley’s recent strides. Cougars quarterback Gavin Pruett has played his best football in the last two weeks, averaging 275 yards through the air and completing nearly 70 percent of his passes. Trevor Wise, Mitchell Nickovich and Adam Gordon each had at least seven receptions in last Friday’s win over Valencia, so look for Pruett to continue distributing the ball to the open receiver, extending drives and ultimately keeping Sam Darnold and the San Clemente offense off the field in the process. In their first encounter, it was the Tritons who controlled the clock with a two-headed rushing attack. Tailbacks Vlad Dzhabiyev and Brandon Reaves collectively ran for 237 yards and five touchdowns on 31 carries. Since that victory, San Clemente has averaged 50 points an outing and has reeled off six consecutive wins. Against a familiar foe seeking vengeance and a spot in the CIF championship game on the line, look for this game to be closer than San Clemente’s 27-point victory earlier in the season would indicate.
Contact the writer: kconnolly@ocregister.com
