The article below originally appeared in the San Mateo Daily Journal and is being reprinted with permission.
After another week of no movement among the top eight teams in the JC Athletic Bureau coaches’ poll, regular season play concludes Saturday.
Four league title showdowns will determine automatic state qualifiers.
No. 1 City College of San Francisco (9-0) takes its 10-game winning streak to No. 5 College of San Mateo (9-1), the reigning state champion, for the Bay 6 Conference title.
CCSF beat Chabot, 59-6 and San Mateo defeated San Joaquin Delta, 62-7, to set-up their title finale.
No. 2 Riverside (9-0), the 2022 state runner-up, hosts No. 4 Fullerton (9-0) for the Southern League crown. The losers will be primary candidates for the single at-large state playoff berth in their regions, which is determined by RPI rating.
No. 3 Mt. San Antonio (9-0) visits No. 7 Golden West (8-1) for the Central Conference title. Both are 6-0. No. 11 Fresno CC plays at No. 10 Modesto JC for the Valley crown. Both are 4-0 in league and 6-3 overall.
A pair of state playoff spots were settled last weekend weekend when No. 6 American River claimed the NorCal Conference berth with a 63-21 win over now No. 19 Sierra. Ventura wrapped up the Northern Conference spot, edging No.14 El Camino, 21-20, scoring the winning TD with just 1:14 remaining.
Meanwhile, Bakersfield eliminated College of the Canyons, 35-21, from being in contention for this week’s finale with Ventura. Fresno needed a field goal with less than 4 minutes left to hold off neighbor Reedley, 24-21.
