This week’s top high school football playoff games
A look at two of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:
Friday
Gardena Serra (5-5) at Palos Verdes (9-1), 7 p.m. Somehow Serra upset Sherman Oaks Notre Dame last week, then won a coin flip to finish in third place in the Mission League. The reward is a rematch against a Palos Verdes team it lost to 17-14 in the season opener on Aug. 14. All eyes will be on AJ McBean, the star Serra running who played sparingly in league play because of a hamstring injury. Will he play? Serra will be doing everything possible to make sure the duo of Ryan Rakowski and Jalen Flowers stays quiet. The pick: Palos Verdes.
Sun Valley Poly (9-1) at Marshall (10-0), 2 p.m. Two league champions meet in a City Section Division 1 opener. Marshall quarterback Nathaniel Cadet left its win over Eagle Rock with a shoulder injury and will try to get back into the lineup. Poly won the East Valley League title, and coach Boo Williams is hoping his team’s speed advantage helps. The pick: Marshall.