By Dave Abbott of NELA Sports One
Undefeated in the regular football season with an overall record of 10-0, the Franklin Panthers of Highland Park will compete for the city championship in the Open Division, the highest level of competition in the Los Angeles city section of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF).
The first Franklin playoff game is on Thursday, Nov. 10, when the Panthers, seeded #5, will face the #6 seed Garfield Bulldogs of East L.A. Garfield is hosting. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
The Eagles of Eagle Rock High also earned a playoff berth in the Open Division, with a regular season record of 9-1 — their only loss was to Franklin. The Eagles, seeded #8, will compete on Thurs., Nov. 10 against the #1 seed San Pedro Pirates in San Pedro. Game time is 7 p.m.
Looking back, going forward
The regular season performances of Franklin and Eagle Rock put them in first and second place, respectively, in the Northern League.
Third place in the Northern League went to the Lincoln High Tigers of Lincoln Heights, who had an overall record of 4-6. The Tigers, who placed in Division 1 for the city championship, lost in the first playoff round, 42-41, to the Cavaliers of Cleveland Charter High in Reseda.
The Wilson High Mules of El Sereno came in fourth in Northern League play and placed in Division 3 for the playoffs. They won their first playoff game last week against the Tigers of San Fernando High, 18-11, and will compete in the quarterfinals against the Jordan High Bulldogs of Watts on Thurs., Nov. 10. Jordan is hosting. Game time is 5 p.m.
The Marshall Barristers of Los Feliz came in last in Northern League play and are not competing in the playoffs.
In other local football action, the Cathedral Phantoms finished their regular season with an overall record of 8-2, including a 4-1 record in the Angelus League of the CIF Southern Section. The Phantoms hosted and defeated the Orange Vista Coyotes of Perris (Riverside County) in round 1 of the Southern Section Division 4 playoffs last week and will compete in the quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 11 against the Pacifica Tritons of Oxnard. Pacifica is hosting. Game time is 7 p.m.
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