Millikan Hosts St. John Bosco in CIF Playoffs

Millikan High School hosts undefeated St. John Bosco High in the second round of the Southern Section football playoffs Friday night.

The Big Five Conference game begins at 7:30.

Millikan (9-1) finished second in the Moore League, losing only to Poly for the league title. St. John Bosco (11-0) won the Del Rey League title.

Both coaches have high praise for their opponents.

“Millikan is a hard-hitting team,” said Bill Friedrich of St. John Bosco. “They don’t make mistakes.”

Ram Coach Dave Radford said his team “self-destructed” in its 16-0 showdown with Poly two weeks ago but rebounded nicely in beating St. Paul in the first round, 15-0.

“Bosco is a complete football team,” he said of his opponent. “Every football cliche known to man describes how well that team plays.”

The Braves held off Redlands, 49-36, last week.

In other second round games Friday involving area teams: defending champion Tehachapi (10-1) meets Whittier Christian (7-4) at Gahr High School, and third-rated Valley Christian (9-1) travels to Santa Ynez (7-4) in Inland Conference games; in a Northwestern Conference game, Temple City (11-0) is at Schurr; in Southern Conference action, Paramount (9-1) hosts El Toro (11-0), and Lynwood (7-3-1) hosts Loara (10-0-1).

Saturday in Central Conference action, Artesia (8-3) meets No. 1 Valencia (9-1-1) at Bradford Stadium in Placentia.

Artesia surprised Troy (8-3) last week with a 34-13 win. Running back Victor Matos gained 175 yards in 19 carries, including a 70-yard touchdown run that staked the Pioneers to 14-0 lead.