For the second consecutive season, the season ended for the Pacifica football team in the CIF-SS Division 10 semifinals. Pacifica traveled to Riverside on Friday to face Hillcrest and lost, 39-20, at Hillcrest High. The Mariners fell to St. Anthony in the semifinals in 2024. Pacifica finished this season 9-4 overall and won the Omicron League championship for the second consecutive time. “I’m thankful I had the opportunity to work with such an amazing group of young men, particularly the seniors,” Pacifica coach Kyle Murphy said. “They poured their hearts into this program for the last three years and this season was a culmination of that work.” Mike Lee had two rushing touchdowns for the Mariners, including a long touchdown run that cut Hillcrest’s lead to 16-14 in the first quarter. James Anema threw a 40-yard touchdown pass to David Carlsson on a screen in the third quarter to cut the Hillcrest lead to 25-20. Hillcrest (8-5) ran for 311 yards with four touchdowns against Pacifica. Reyez Ortiz ran for 192 yards with three touchdowns and quarterback Matthew Ramos ran for 119 with a score. Ramos also threw for 149 yards with a touchdown. “Unfortunately we didn’t play well enough to win and Hillcrest was a huge reason why,” Murphy said. “They were physical and executed at a high level. Our guys gave all they had and that’s all I ever ask them to do.” Hillcrest, which beat St. Margaret’s in the quarterfinals, will host Tahquitz in the Division 10 championship game on Friday or Saturday, Nov. 28-29. Pacifica was seeking its first championship appearance since 2007. The Mariners had a seven-game winning streak entering Friday and beat El Rancho and Liberty in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
https://www.ocregister.com/2025/11/22/pacifica-football-unable-to-slow-hillcrest-in-division-10-semifinals/
