CIF-SS FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PREVIEW CAPSULES FOR TODAY’S GAMES

Vista Murrieta’s Damarii Booth gains yardage against Beaumont on Sept. 19. Booth, who has 495 yards in six games, and the Broncos host Damien tonight in the playoffs. Photo by Nick Koon

Cajon quarterback Marcus Washington leaps over Beaumont’s Adam Palalay during an Oct. 10 game. Washington and the Cowboys host Great Oak in Division 4. Terry Pierson / staff

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The CIF Southern Section football playoffs get underway with first-round games this week. There are nine games tonight across the divisions that pit Inland teams against one another.

Each team’s division seeding is listed before the school name.

Sites and times are subject to change.

DIVISION 2

No. 11 Damien (8-2) at No. 6 Vista Murrieta (7-3), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Damien finished third in the Baseline League. Isaiah Arriaza has passed for 2,584 yards and 24 touchdowns, and receivers Eric Osorio and Travon Garrison Jr. have combined to catch 106 passes for 1,743 yards and 15 scores. Linebacker Owen Gilroy leads the Spartans on defense with 57 tackles. Vista Murrieta finished fourth in the Big West-North Division. Oregon-bound quarterback Bryson Beaver suffered a season-ending injury (broken throwing hand), so freshman Levi Dean will make his second start for the Broncos. Damarii Booth (495 rushing yards in six games) could be asked to shoulder a heavier load. Linebacker Brennan Martinez leads the defense with 72 tackles, and safety Abel Brown intercepted two passes last week against Norco.

Prediction: Damien

DIVISION 4

No. 12 Great Oak (7-3) at No. 5 Cajon (8-2), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Great Oak placed second in the Big West-South Division. Trent Lux has thrown for 2,592 yards and 27 touchdowns, and Ryder Parks has caught eight touchdown passes. Ryder Smith has rushed for 895 yards and 10 touchdowns and also leads the Wolfpack’s defense with 86 tackles. Cajon reclaimed the Baseline League title this season. Marcus Washington has passed for 2,058 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 629 yards and eight TDs. Landon White has nine touchdown catches for the Cowboys. USC-bound middle linebacker Taylor Johnson ranks seconds in the state with 181 tackles.

Prediction: Cajon

DIVISION 8

No. 9 Patriot (9-1) at No. 8 Elsinore (7-3), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Patriot went unbeaten in the River Valley League, just the second league championship in program history. Isaac Galiza has rushed for 1,273 yards and 18 touchdowns, and quarterback Nathan Villanueva has added 1,171 yards and 12 scores on the ground for the Warriors. That duo also leads the defense with a combined 146 tackles. Elsinore finished third in the Mountain Pass League. Kai Tamagpong missed two games with injuries but returned in the final game of the regular season. He leads the Tigers’ ground attack with 965 yards and nine touchdowns. Linebackers Tyler Willeford and Brady O’Connell lead the defense and have combined for 134 tackles.

Prediction: Patriot

DIVISION 9

No. 15 Riverside Poly (7-3) at No. 2 Santiago (5-5), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Poly won the Sunbelt League championship this season. Marjok Gustafson has passed for 1,728 yards and 23 touchdowns, and Matt Henry has caught 11 touchdown passes. Michael Gaines Jr. is an all-purpose threat as a receiver, safety and kick returner. Defensive lineman Benjie Mathews lead the Bears’ defense with 13 1/2 sacks. Santiago placed fifth in the Big West-South Division. Clayton Plewe has thrown for 2,564 yards and 19 touchdowns, and Ryan Wilson has hauled in seven touchdown catches for the Sharks. Safety Khalil Chancy leads the defense with 109 tackles, and Max Eldridge has 12 sacks.

Prediction: Riverside Poly

No. 13 Vista del Lago (7-3) at No. 4 Norte Vista (7-3), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Vista del Lago finished third in the Ivy League standings. Josiah Dupree-Boyd has thrown for 2,378 yards and 18 touchdowns and added nine scores on the ground. Jae’lynn Brown has caught 69 passes for 1,251 yards and nine scores. Linebacker Jiraya Holt leads the Ravens on defense with 76 tackles and eight sacks. Norte Vista placed second in the River Valley League. Dreadie Allain leads the ground attack for the Braves with 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns. King Butler has caught 10 touchdown passes and also intercepted seven passes. Linebacker Fabian Ruvalcaba leads the defense with 97 tackles.

Prediction: Norte Vista

DIVISION 12

No. 12 Perris (4-6) at No. 5 Citrus Hill (7-3), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Perris finished in a three-way tie for second place in the Inland Valley League. Xavier Cruz has thrown for 2,073 yards and 22 touchdowns, and Dominic Martin has caught seven touchdown passes. The defense is led by end Dekoven Washington, who has registered 118 tackles and 14 sacks for the Panthers. Citrus Hill finished fifth in the Inland Valley but did beat Perris 39-23 in a regular season crosstown showdown on Oct. 10. John Guitron has thrown for 1,367 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Kalen Stephens had caught 10 touchdown passes. Cody Bowie leads the ground attack for the Hawks with 828 yards and nine scores.

Prediction: Perris

No. 11 Ganesha (8-2) at No. 6 Colton (5-5), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Ganesha went unbeaten in the Miramonte League this season. Eamon Graves leads the Giants on offense, having thrown for 665 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 365 yards in just four games since coming off the sit-out period. Shamon Farley leads the rushing attack with 712 yards and 10 touchdowns. Colton finished in a three-way tie for first place in the San Andreas League. Koa Regalado has passed for 2,473 yards and 32 touchdowns and rushed for 532 yards. Kalvin Leon has 51 receptions for 1,029 yards and 16 touchdowns for the Yellowjackets. Defensive end Jordan Chairez has 52 tackles.

Prediction: Colton

DIVISION 13

No. 9 Santa Rosa Academy (8-2) at No. 8 Heritage (3-7), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: Santa Rosa Academy shared the Cottonwood League title with Trinity Classical Academy this season. Jacob Goode has rushed for 1,059 yards and 15 touchdowns and also thrown seven touchdown passes. Linebacker Travis Maisenbacher leads the Rangers’ defense with 75 tackles. Heritage finished tied for second in the Inland Valley League. Elijah Sanchez has passed for 1,516 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Hayden Hill leads the Patriots’ rushing attack with 1,266 yards and 10 TDs. Linebacker Matt Mason has 64 tackles. This will be the first time the Menifee schools will meet on the gridiron.

Prediction: Santa Rosa Academy

DIVISION 14

No. 13 San Jacinto Valley Academy (7-3) at No. 4 Miller (5-5), 7 p.m.

IE Varsity info: San Jacinto Valley Academy finished third in the Manzanita League to secure the program’s first playoff appearance at the 11-person level. Nahamani Hamada leads the Wolves’ rushing attack with 1,346 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Victor Perez has caught nine touchdown passes. Linebacker Nickolaus Alvarenga leads the defense with five interceptions. Miller shared the Mountain Valley League title with Pacific and Indian Springs. Jacob Sauceda has rushed for 1,035 yards and seven touchdowns and also thrown 10 TD passes. Defensive lineman Xavier Reed leads the Rebels’ with 64 tackles.

Prediction: Miller

— Eric-Paul Johnson