On a rainy Friday afternoon, the Northern Section CIF football semifinals will unfold, with teams vying for positions in the NSCIF championships. Matches will occur for divisions II through V, with championship games scheduled for November 26 and November 29.
In the D-II semifinals, the top-seeded Pleasant Valley (7-3) will host fourth-seeded Foothill (6-5) at 7 PM in Chico. Meanwhile, second-seeded Red Bluff (8-2) faces third-seeded Chico (9-2) at the same time in Red Bluff. In their previous encounter on October 24, Pleasant Valley topped Foothill 38-28, but the Vikings will now be without their star running back/linebacker Titus Andrus, who suffered a season-ending injury. Jay Mojica is expected to take on a larger role in the backfield, having rushed for 199 yards and four touchdowns this season, including a notable performance of 78 yards and three touchdowns in his last game.
The other D-II semifinal is a rematch of a recent matchup between Chico and Red Bluff, where the Spartans emerged victorious with a score of 31-19. Chico will welcome back several key players from injury, including linebacker Uriah Luli and wide receiver/defensive back Jorden Neugebauer. Additionally, outside linebacker Chance Murphy returns after serving a suspension.
Turning to Division III, the top seed, Gridley (11-0), looks to maintain its perfect record against fourth-seeded Pierce (10-1) at 7 PM in Gridley. These teams did not meet during the regular season, as Gridley played in the Westside League and Pierce in the Sacramento Valley League. Pierce”s only loss came against Winters, the top seed in the D-IV bracket.
In the other D-III semifinal, second-seeded Lassen (9-2) takes on third-seeded Orland (9-2) at 6 PM in Susanville. The two teams did not face each other in the regular season. Orland has been on a five-game winning streak, while Lassen has won six straight, with both teams having suffered losses to Red Bluff during non-league play.
In Division IV, top-seeded Winters (10-1) will host fifth-seeded Durham (6-5) at 7 PM in Winters. Durham advanced after shocking fourth-seeded Colusa with an 18-0 victory in the opening round. The teams previously met on September 26, when Winters won 32-8. Winters has been on an eight-game winning streak since a narrow loss to Gridley.
The other D-IV semifinal features second-seeded Hamilton (11-0) against third-seeded East Nicolaus (6-5) at 7 PM in Hamilton City. Both teams secured shutout victories in their quarterfinal matchups, with Hamilton defeating sixth-seeded Trinity 35-0 and East Nicolaus overcoming seventh-seeded Mt. Shasta 42-0.
Finally, in Division V, the top seed, Redding Christian (11-0), will host fifth-seeded Los Molinos (6-5) at 6 PM in Redding, while second-seeded Maxwell (8-3) will face third-seeded Biggs (7-4) at 7 PM in Maxwell. Redding Christian did not meet Los Molinos during the regular season, but Los Molinos has been performing well, winning its last two games, including a 42-12 victory against Fall River in the opening round. The Maxwell and Biggs matchup is a rematch from September 26, where Maxwell won 49-34.
