OCVarsity’s preview and prediction for Friday’s CIF-SS Southern Division championship game.
SOUTHERN DIVISION
Canyon (8-5) vs. Brea Olinda (8-5)
Where, when: Brea Olinda High, Friday, 7 p.m.
Online: Foxsports.com Prep Zone (live streaming)
Fan info: Tickets, $12 for adults, $5 for students (with valid ID) and children ages 3-13.
Brea Olinda analysis: The teams met in the final game of the regular season, with Canyon winning, 26-0, on Nov. 6. The Wildcats haven’t lost since then, eliminating Anaheim, Godinez and Garden Grove in the playoffs. “We didn’t play well and I don’t know why,” Brea Olinda coach Robb Perrance said of the first Canyon game. “We had to move forward.” Noah Rivera has played a large role on offense in the playoffs, helping the Wildcats compensate for the absence of leading rusher Michael Martinson. Rivera has gained 482 yards and scored seven touchdowns in the playoffs. Andrew Chammas has scored four touchdowns for Brea Olinda. Perrance said Martinson could be back for the final, so that might give the offense a boost.
Canyon analysis: Charlie Treanor rushed for 218 yards and Jason Harman passed for 190 yards when the Comanches beat the Wildcats on Nov. 6. If Brea Olinda tries to focus on stopping Treanor in the final, that could open things up for Harman to have a big night through the air with receivers Trace Hobbs and Noah White. Defensively, Canyon limited Brea Olinda to just one successfully converted third down and the Wildcats were forced to punt 10 times. The Canyon defense recorded five sacks in the first game against Brea Olinda.
Player to watch: Charlie Treanor, Canyon. The senior running back rushed for nearly 200 yards in the teams’ first meeting. If he gets that type of production again, it is going to be a long night for Brea Olinda. He is also one of the leading tacklers for Canyon’s defense, so expect him to have an impact on at least one side of the ball.
Prediction: Canyon 34, Brea Olinda 20. If the Wildcats are able to get Martinson back into the flow of the game, that bodes well for them. The Brea Olinda defense will need to do something to get Harman and the Canyon offense out of its comfort zone. But most likely, the Canyon offense will be the deciding factor, leading the Comanches to the CIF title.
Contact the writer: dcalhoun@ocregister.com
