Live game update summary: CIF D1-A championship, Central East outlasts Pacifica-Oxnard

Brandon Smith rushes for 144 yards and three touchdowns, Jelani Dippel passes for 293 and accounts for three TDs as Central East wins second state title after losing in finals last season.

Fresno's Central East wins the CIF State Division 1-A final after beating Oxnard Pacifica 42-28 at Saddleback College. / Jeremy Westerbeck

MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — It took a while for this anticipated shootout to warm up, but boy did it make up for lost time.

Brandon Smith rushed 27 times for 144 yards and three touchdowns and junior quarterback Jelani Dippel threw for 293 yards and accounted for three more scores as Central East outlasted Oxnard Pacifica 42-28 in a terrific CIF Division 1-A championship game Saturda at Saddleback College.

Bayon Harris added 11 catches for 175 yards and a touchdown, but the catch of the night to clinch the win with a spectacular 25-yard catch on fourth down was from Cal-bound EJ Morgan setting up Smith's final touchdown, a 15-yarder with 3:21 remaining.

It was Central East's second state title in three outings after losing in last year's championship game to Edison-Huntington Beach.

Central East, which came into the game averaging 49 points and 541 yards a game, but needed to get into gear because Pacifica (15-1) lived up to its undefeated billing.

Isaiah Phelps rushed 23 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns and junior quarterback Taylor Lee completed 21 of 31 for 317 yards and two touchdowns. Alijah Royster (six catches, 114 yards) and Tyler Stewart (7 catches, 93 yards) were his top targets.

PREGAME

Welcome to the 2025 CIF State Championships from Saddleback College

This is the second game from Saturday, pitting a pair of teams that lost in last season's state finals. Come back at 3:30 p.m. and enjoy the live game updates with live tweets, video and afterward a summary with quotes and stats.

3:30 p.m. —  Division 1-A, Central East (13-1) vs. Pacifica-Oxnard (15-0)

Section: Central East (Central), Pacifica-Oxnard (Southern)
State record: Central East 1-1, Pacifica-Oxnard 1-1
Win streaks: Central East 12, Pacifica-Oxnard 15
Famous alums: CE — Xavier Worthy (NFL receiver), Jaylon Johnson (CB), Tom Goodwin (MLB player, coach); Pacifica — Victor Ortiz (boxer), Nohl Williams (football), Miguel Angel Garcia Cortez (boxer).

Pacifica's Anthony Jacobs celebrates after reception against Central East in the CIF State Division 1-A final at Saddleback College. / Jeremy Westerbeck

Top players: CE — RB-DB Brandon Smith (Arizona commit is state POY finalist, 2,047 yards rushing, 29 TDs), QB Jelani Dippel (233-369, 4,297 yards, 56 TDs), WR Bayon Harris (75, 1,595, 25). Pacifica — QB Taylor Lee (223-336, 3,742 yards, 51 TDs, 353 yards rushing, 5 more TDs), WR Allijah Royster (61, 887, 14), LB-RB Isaiah Phelps (14.6 tackles per game, 851 yards rushing, 9 TDs). 

(CHECK ALL THE LIVE UPDATES AND STATISTICS AT THE BOTTOM)

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LIVE UPDATES

Central East's Brandon Smith runs the ball against Pacifica in the CIF State Division 1-A final at Saddleback College. / Jeremy Westerbeck

1ST QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN PACIFICIA!: What a drive. 12-play, 91-yards, Junior QB Taylor Lee rolled, scrambled, sat in the pocket of times, completed seven passes, including a 15-yard dime to Tyler Stewart for a touchdown. 3:21 1Q. Pacifica 7, Central East 0.

Pacifica's Darius Smith shows emotion during the CIF State Division 1-A final against Central East at Saddleback College. / Jeremy Westerbeck

FLAG CITY! Central absolutely shooting self in foot with six 1Q penalties. Leads to three punts. This for a squad that averages 49 points and 541 yards per game.

END OF 1: Pacifica 7, Central East 0

2ND QUARTER

DRIVING NO WHERE: No one saw a low-scoring defensive struggle. But both teams have each punted 4 times. Neither team taking advantage of great defensive effort.

AT LAST CENTRAL CONNECTS! I'm gonna guess this is the longest its taken for Central East to score its first touchdown. 5:43 2Q. Jelani Dippel with pretty 25-yard touchown pass to — who else? — Bayon Harris. He's 25th of the season. Pretty pass. Central East 7, Pacifica 7. 5:43 2Q.

Fresno's Central East celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Pacifica in the CIF State Division 1-A final at Saddleback College / Jeremy Westerbeck

CENTRAL EAST ROLLING NOW! Brandon Smith powers in from the 2, capping 10 play, 82-yard drive. Dippel to Harris connect three times for 40 yards. Central East 14, Pacifica 7. 1:05 2Q.

HALFTIME: Central East 14, Pacifica Oxnard 7.

1. HALFTIME STATS: Total yards — Central East 199, Pacifica 168. Penalties Central 8-79, Pacifica 6-60. Individual: CE - Passing: Dippel 9-17-132. Rushing: Smith 15-69; Receiving: Harris 9-96; Pacifica: Rushing - Phelps 9-28; Passing: Taylor Lee 10-16-1-128; Receiving: Stewart 6-79.

3RD QUARTER

TOUCHDOWN PACIFICA: Impressive opening drive to start the second half, seven play, 71-yards capped by 1-yard touchdown by Isaiah Phelps, a four-star junior recrut with 23 college offers. His 34-yard run keyed the drive. Pacifica 14, Central East 14. 9:43 3Q

PEE WEE INT!: Central East look like it would go in for the go-ahead score by the ever-present Isiah Phelps deflects a Dippel slant pass that looked like it might go for 6, and PeeWee Wilson with the interception at the Pacifica 25.

TOUCHDOWN SMITH! After Pacifica went 3-and-out after Wilson interception, the Benals went 54 yards in just 5 plays, capped by a 4-yard TD touchdown run by Brandon Smith on a direct snap. Dippel to Harris 40-yard gain sets up the score. Central 21, Pacifica 14. 4:55 3Q.

TOUCHDOWN NULLIFIED. Central East killing themselves. Harris with a brilliant 91-yard catch and run for touchdown wiped out by holding.

END OF 3: Central East 21, Pacifica 14

4TH QUARTER

CENTRAL EAST TOUCHDOWN! The Bengals take their first two-score lead as Dippel fires a 38-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Cooks. Central East 28, Oxnard Pacifica 14. 10:52.

PACIFIC ANSWERS IMMEDIATELY: Isaiah Phelps (Mr. Phelps if you well) with 4-yard touchdown run, one play after terrific 74-yard pass from Taylor Lee to Alijah Royster. We may have that shootout after all. Central East 28, Oxnard Pacifica 21. 10:20 4Q.

SACK, FUMBLE BY CENTRAL EAST: Huge defensive play. After a punt, Pacifica has chance to tie the score but Central's Andrew Garcia with sack and Kahlil Williams with fumble recovery at the Pacifica 18.

CENTRAL CASHES IN! After two plays, great play call, Dippel rolls left into the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown, Central takes a 35-21 lead. 7:55 4Q.

Central East's Jelani Dippel has accounted touchdowns on the ground and in the air. / Photo by Todd Shurtleff

BACK COMES PACIFICA! That didn't take long. Six-play, 71 yards capped by 12-yard touchdown pass from Taylor Lee to Alijah Royster. Back to a one-score game. Central East 35, Pacifica 28. 6:25 4Q.

CMON! WHAT A CATCH: On 4th-and-8, after two timeouts, the Bengals go for it from midfield. EJ Morgan, somewhat quiet in this back-and-forth affair, makes Willie Mays type catch over his shoulder for 25 yards. Catch of the game/weekend!

TOUCHDOWN CENTRAL EAST! Brandon Smith with his third touchdown run, 15 yards gives Central East two-score lead again. 42-28. 3:21 4Q. What a game. This is what we were expecting from the get-go. Central 42, Pacifica 28.

INTERCEPTION CENTRAL EAST! That should do it. Jontae Della with an interception in the end zone. 1:11 4Q. We're closing in on 3 hours. Great contest. Should be a couple

FINAL: Central East 42, Oxnard Pacifica 28

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