FRIDAY’S WEST VALLEY DIVISION SEMIFINAL
Mission Viejo (10-2) vs. Great Oak of Temecula (10-2)
Where, when: Mission Viejo High, 7:30 p.m.
Outlook: The Diablos needed an 18-yard touchdown pass from Brock Johnson to Steven Munoz with just more than a minute left to beat Rancho Cucamonga last week and earn a semifinal bid. They’ll return to their comfortable confines on Chrisanta Drive to face Great Oak, a step away from their first CIF-SS finals appearance since 2010. The Wolfpack is probably the most surprising semifinal team in the West Valley Division bracket, after an upset of Chino Hills in the first round and a three-point victory over El Toro in the second. Great Oak will likely lean heavily on junior running back Demetric Felton. The tailback didn’t have a 100-yard rushing game until the eighth game of the regular season, but has run for more than 200 yards in each of his last three games, including a 244-yard, two-touchdown performance against El Toro last week. But the Wolfpack is likely facing its toughest defense of the postseason against Mission Viejo. The Diablos gave up a season-high 35 points to Rancho Cucamonga last week, but are still allowing just over 16 points per game on the season. The Diablos have also be aided by the consistent play of senior running back Rome Innocenzi, who has a streak of three games with 100 yards rushing or more, including a season-high 151 yards and three touchdowns last week.
