California playoff live update scores, roundup: Nov. 28-29, 2025

Scores, highlights, information throughout California in all 10 sections heading into Sunday's Bowl Game pairings

Balboa's Joseph Smith rushed for 133 yards and scored touchdowns of 40 and 44 yards as the Buccaneers piled up more than 500 yards en route to its second straight San Francisco Section title. / Photo by Ernie Abrea

Throughout the Golden State, previews turned to scores, highlights, notes of section finals everywhere from games Nov. 28-29.

Make sure to to go to all your local newspaper/online sites for more details. (We'll link to as many as possible here).

OAKLAND SECTION

Final: McClymonds 34, Oakland Tech 0

Berell Staples threw three touchdown passes, two to Prince Staten (24 and 55 yards), and Dominic Davis (70 yards) and Keian Davis-Jiminez (1 yard) added rushing touchdowns as McClymonds won its 16th straight Silver Bowl. Washington commit Rahsjon Duncan added a 10-yard receiving TD and a 70-yarder setting up another score.

SAN FRANCISCO SECTION

Final: Balboa 54, Washington 42 GAME STORY

Mekai Smith off to the races for one of his six touchdowns, leading Balboa to a 54-42 San Francisco Section championship win over Washington at legendary Kezar Stadium on Thanksgiving / Photo by Ernie Abrea

NORTH COAST SECTION

Open Division

Final: De La Salle 24, Pittsburg 17

De La Salle-Concord was sternly tested but captured its 33rd consecutive section title, beating Pittsburg at Diablo Valley College on Friday. The Spartans got touchdown runs of 26 yards from Brady Smith, 50 from Jaden Jefferson and 57 yards by quarterback Brayden Knight. They then relied on a bend-but-don’t-break defense to knock off a Pittsburg squad that held advantages in total yards (396-338), first downs (24-10) and plays (76-39). Pittsburg (10-2) converted just two of seven tries in the red zone, missing two short field goals and getting TDs from Kenneth Ward (16-yard pass from JaVale Jones) and Siotame Finau (3-yard run). While De La Salle (12-0) will almost certainly be chosen as the Northern California representative in the CIF Open Division Bowl Game scheduled for Dec. 13, Pittsburg drops down to the Division I finals to face Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa, a 52-17 winner over Acalanes-Lafayette. 

Division 1

Final: Pittsburg 42, Cardinal Newman 17

The Pirates (11-2) made a loud and clear statement by winning their fifth straight D1 title thanks to the two-headed passing tandem of Javale Jones (17 of 27, 233 yards) and Carlos Torres (10 of 14, 183) who each threw for three touchdowns to five difference receivers, including two to Kenneth Ward (eight catches, 134 yards). Newman, which got 128 yards passing and two touchdowns from freshman Cash Boyd in the fourth quarter, dropped to 11-2.

Preview
No. 3 Cardinal Newman (11-1) vs. No. 2 Pittsburg (10-2) at Diablo Valley College, 7 p.m. Friday, — The first meeting between these longtime powers and both teams coming in with loads of confidence. Newman, without starting QB JT Retamoza (collarbone injury), rushed for 463 yards in a 52-17 win over previously unbeaten Acalanes-Lafayette. Pittsburg largely outplayed De La Salle-Concord in a 24-17 Open Division title defeat, dropping the Pirates to Division I. The Pirates, led by sophomore QB Javale Jones (31 of 45, 304 yards), goes after its fifth straight D1 crown and eighth overall. Newman has won 13.  

Division 2

Final: Monte Vista 24, Clayton Valley Charter 10

Preview
No. 2 Monte Vista-Danville (7-5) vs. No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter-Concord (7-5) at Dublin High School, 7 p.m. Friday — Monte Vista, under first-year coach Joe Wingert, have caught fire at the right time but will have to slow Fresno State-bound RB Jhadis Luckey, who has carried the ball 289 yards for 2,173 yards and 28 touchdowns, all section highs. CVC owns a 5-1 series lead since 2015, including a wild 39-35 barnburner the last time they faced in 2023. Monte Vista has won seven NCS titles, Clayton Valley four. 

Division 3

Final: El Cerrito 32, Ukiah 21

Preview
No. 3 El Cerrito (10-2) vs. No. 5 Ukiah (8-4) at American Canyon HS, 7 p.m. Friday — El Cerrito has won nine straight including last week’s 26-9 semifinal win at Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park. Ukiah, coached by former Newman head coach Paul Cronin, is led by senior QB Beau David (2,654 passing yards, 22 TDs) who last week threw a game-winning two-point conversion off the referee’s chest into the arms of Dareon Dorsey in a wild 21-20 win over Vintage-Napa. EC has four shutouts and allowed 96 points. Ukiah is after its second NCS title and first since 1999, while El Cerrito is after its fourth.

Division 4

Final: No. 3 Miramonte 28, No. 1 Hayward 21

Preview
No. 3 Miramonte-Orinda (7-5) vs. No. 1 Hayward (9-3) at Moreau Catholic-Hayward HS, 7 p.m. Saturday — Miramonte looks to win its 10th NCS title and Hayward just its second and first since Jack Del Rio led the Farmers in 1979. Hayward relies on speedy RB Maurice Hall (1,096 yards rushing, 17 TDs in 11 games). Miramonte has 17 interceptions, five each by David Roman and Henry Hunt. 

Division 5

Final: No. 2 Ferndale 26, No. 1 St. Vincent de Paul 14

Preview
No. 2 Ferndale (12-0) vs. No. 1 St. Vincent de Paul-Petaluma (11-1) at Rancho Cotate, 7 p.m. Saturday — After its 15th NCS title, Ferndale has outscored opponents 736-39, relying heavily on the rush, especially QB Tanner Pidgeon and RB Prescott Langer who have combined for 57 touchdowns. Pigeon is also a ballhawk on defense with seven of his team’s 24 interceptions. St. Vincent, winner of two straight state titles, is an entirely different beast with fourth-year QB Gabe Casanovas (nearly 10,000 total career yards, 130 touchdowns) and third-year starting RB Mason Caturegli (4,307 total yards, 60 TDs). Ferndale won the only meeting between the teams since 2004, a 53-14 NCS title win in 2012. St. Vincent is after its 11th NCS title and fourth in five years.

Division 6

Final: No. 3 Bishop O'Dowd 59, No. 4 Fortuna 21

Preview
No. 4 Fortuna (8-4) vs. No. 3 Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland (8-4) at Moreau Catholic, 2 p.m. Saturday — O’Dowd has won five previous titles and Fortuna four. Both last won crowns in 2018. The teams have never met. Lamar Ellis leads O’Dowd with 1,080 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns in seven games. 

Division 7

Final: Middletown 37, Piedmont 23

Preview
No. 2 Piedmont (8-4) vs. Middletown (10-2) at Justin-Siena HS, 7 p.m. Friday —  Since a 63-7 loss to Hayward, Piedmont has won six straight behind a balanced offensive attack that averages 170 yards through the air behind sophomore QB Jimmy Lagios and 157 on the ground behind Xavier Henderson (18 TDs, nine games). Piedmont is after its second NCS title and first since 1976. Middletown has won four crowns, the last in 2018. 

CENTRAL COAST SECTION

Open Division

Final: No. 1 Riordan 33, No. 2 Serra 13

Division 1

Final: Serra 28, Los Gatos 21

Malakai Taufoou, a highly-recruited junior defensive back, had two interceptions and two touchdown runs as the Padres won their 10th title with a gritty win over a game Los Gatos squad that finished 9-4. Both teams controlled the ball in a game that featured just eight possessions. Taufoou moved to the team's double-wing Raider quarterback and scored midway through the fourth quarter to go up 28-21. He then sealed the win with his second interception.

Preview
No. 3 Los Gatos (9-3) vs. No. 2 Serra (7-5) at San Jose City College, 7 p.m. Friday — Serra lost its first CCS title game under Patrick Walsh — after eight titles — in a 33-13 setback to Riordan in the Open Division. The Padres go for their 10th overall  hoping for big games from freshman QB William Orr, leading rusher Iziah Singletown and receiver Charlie Walsh. Los Gatos, led by 17 rushing TDs from Grayson Doslak and 24 scoring passes by Callum Schweitzer, has won a CCS record 16 titles, two under current coach Mark Krail who led the Wildcats to win over Serra the last two meetings, 14-7 last season and 28-0 in 2014. 

Division 2

Final: St. Ignatius 24, Sacred Heart 21

St. Ignatius senior kicker Thomas McKeon minutes after his game-winning 40-yard field goal lifted the Wildcats to a 24-21 win over Sacred Heart Cathedral Saturday at San Jose City College for the 2025 Central Coast Section Division 2 crown. / Photo by Mitch Stephens

Thomas McKeon's 40-yard field goal on the final play of the game gave the Wildcats the wild comeback win. A 62-yard pick-6 by Charlie Ball tied the score midway through the fourth quarter and then after a fake punt fell short, giving the Wildcats (7-6) a short field, five straight runs led to the game-winning boot, the longest of McKeon's career. GAME STORY

Preview
No. 2 Sacred Heart Cathedral (6-6) vs. No. 1 St. Ignatius (6-6) at SJCC, 1 p.m. Saturday — For the second time in the 130-year history of this rivalry the teams will meet for a section crown, the last time in 2011 at (currently named) Oracle Park St. Ignatius prevailed 21-14 before 12,000 fans. Though both teams aren’t thrilled with traveling 50 miles south, “we could meet in a parking lot, it doesn’t matter,” said SHC senior QB Michael Sargent. Especially the Irish, who were beaten 23-14 three weeks ago at Kezar Stadium to help decide the Bruce-Mahoney trophy. Both teams are playing their best football of the season, St. Ignatius, under first-year head coach JaJuan Lawson, is after its fifth title and second straight (last year it won the Open title). SHC seeks a third crown. 

Division 3

Final: No. 3 Menlo-Atherton 31, No. 8 San Mateo 21

Preview
No. 8 San Mateo (9-3) vs. No. 3 Menlo-Atherton (6-6) at MacDonald-San Jose HS, 7 p.m. Saturday — The upstart Bearscats, led by nearly 1,500 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns by Lukas Fitzgerald, are after their fourth CCS title but first since 2003. Menlo-Atherton, which started the season 0-4, seeks its fifth crown. M-A beat San Mateo 42-28 on Sept. 26. 

Division 4

Final: No. 3 Lincoln-San Jose 49, No. 1 Branham 21

Preview
No. 3 Lincoln-San Jose (9-3) vs. Branham-San Jose (7-5) at SJCC, 7 p.m. Saturday — Both teams are after a first CCS title. This is Lincoln’s first title game. 

Division 5

Final: No. 1 Piedmont Hills 31, No. 2 Sobrato 30 (OT)

Preview
No. 2 Sobrato-Morgan Hill (8-4) vs. Piedmont Hills-San Jose (9-3) at MacDonald HS, 1 p.m. Saturday — Sobrato makes its first CCS championship, while Piedmont Hills is after its second crown and first since 2010.  

SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION

Division 1

Final: No. 1 Folsom 21, No. 2 Oak Ridge 14

Division 2

Final: No. 4 St. Mary's 38, No. 2 Granite Bay 24

Division 3

Final: No. 1 Woodcreek 58, No. 2 Oakdale 52

Division 4

No. 2 Roseville 31, No. 4 East Union 29

Division 5

Final: No. 3 Sutter 42, No. 1 Casa Roble 27

Division 6

No. 1 Sonora 56, No. 3 Ripon Christian 18

Division 7

Final: No. 1 Calaveras 27, No. 7 Linden 12

Division 8

No. 1 Mira Loma 48, No. 2 Foresthill 14

CENTRAL SECTION

Division 1-AA

No. 1 Central East 70, No. 2 Clovis 35

Division 1-A

No. 1 Bakersfield Christian 38, No. 3 Liberty 16

Division 2

No. 4 Arroyo Grande 23, No. 2 Bakersfield 20

Division 3

No. 5 Kennedy 49, No. 6 Independence 13

Division 4

No. 2 Immanuel 48, No. 1 Templeton 7

Division 5

No. 4 Bishop Union 59, No. 2 Woodlake 21

Division 6

No. 1 Minarets 21, No. 2 Orosi 14

NORTHERN SECTION

Division 2

No. 4 Foothill 26, No. 3 Chico 21

Division 3

No. 1 Gridley 18, No. 3 Orland 15

Division 4

No. 1 Winters 32, No. 2 Hamilton 29

Division 5

No. 1 Redding Christian 26, No. 2 Maxwell 0

SOUTHERN SECTION

• SCORES, NOTABLE STARS, STATS

Division 1

Final: Santa Margarita 42, Corona Centennial 7

Division 2

Los Alamitos 33, San Clemente 20

Division 3

Final: Oxnard Pacifica 20, Palos Verdes 10

Division 4

La Habra 27, San Jacinto 13

Division 5

Rio Hondo Prep 29, Redondo Union 7

Division 6

Ventura 63, St. Pius 28

Division 7

Barstow 10, Apple Valley 7

Division 8

Beckman 30, Brea Olinda 24 (OT)

Division 9

Valley Christian/Cerritos 14, Ramon 12

Division 10

Hillcrest 63, Tahquitz 34

Division 11

Valley View 20, Baldwin Park 0

DIVISION 12

Grace 48, Santa Paula 16

Division13

Woodbridge 24, Montebello 23

Division14

South El Monte 14, Pioneer 6

LOS ANGELES CITY SECTION

Open Division

No. 1 Carson 36, No. 6 Chrenshaw 0

Division 1

No. 2 South Gate 63, No. 5 Marquez 58

Division 2

San Fernando 21, Cleveland 14

Division 3

Santee 35, Hawkins 6

SAN DIEGO SECTION

Open Division

Final: Cathedral Catholic 20, Carlsbad 16

Division 1

No. 2 Granite Hills 41, No. 1 Lincoln 29

Division 2

No. 1 Santa Fe Christian 44, No. 2 Steele Canyon 41

Division 3

No. 6 Christian 28, No. 1 Central 14

Division 4

No. 3 Valley Center 21, No. 5 Eastvale 14

Division 5

No. 2 Morse 45, No. 9 Hoover 30

Division 5-AA

No. 1 Marantha Christian 24, No. 2 Palo Verde Valley 12