Breaking down the Division 4 football quarterfinals

Quarterfinal winners: Placer (11-0), Los Banos (10-1), Central Catholic (9-2), Center (9-2).

Any time you have a prized USC recruit – are there any other kind these days? – on the defensive line and and playing fullback in the small-schol bracket, you’ve got to be the favorite. That’s the role for Placer (11-0), which was going to be the No. 1 seed with the larger schools in D3 until it was dropped to D$ -- where it’s the largest school. … Los Banos has a fun group that can score from anywhere, and their speed would be a contrast to Placer’s power in a semifinal. Would be quite a path for Placer to run the table, with Escalon, Los Banos and Central Catholic or a 13-0 team (Ripon or Argonaut) in final? Placer vs. 13-0. Both are sweet games.

Ripon’s (11-0) already banged up and Central Catholic is playing a physical game with its run attack. Oregon-bound John Mundt blocks pretty well, too. This would be a landmark win for the Indians if they pull this out. Ripon has the best receiver in this division in junior Bradley Clark (15 TDs) – if the Indians are going to play Central Catholic, it might as well be on grass. … Argonaut (11-0) has been powering through teams and last week Ryan King led three 100-yard rushers in a rout of Hughson. Center, though, much more explosive then anything the Mother Lode League has ever produced. Cougars came within a point of beating Placer.