THE COAST IS CLEAR…AT LEAST FOR NOW

Posted Dec 18 2009 9:39AM - By Jeff Patterson, BayAreaSportsChannel.com
Category: Football

STATEWIDE, California - Clear skies and mild temperatures are in the forecast for the 2009 CIF State Football Championship Bowl Games Presented by Farmers this weekend at the Home Depot Center. Five Division championships will be decided over the two-day event. There is also a cheerleading championship competition and a coach’s clinic featuring USC Head Football Coach Pete Carroll Saturday morning.
Winter storms this past weekend severely impacted the section playoffs in both regions of the state. Heavy rains and high winds played a factor in many of the section finals.

The rain in Southern California kept the crowds away from the Division I game between Crenshaw and Narbonne at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The paid attendance was under 2, 500, which is one of the smallest crowds in years. The Division II game between El Camino Real and Hamilton at East Los Angeles College had less 1, 000 in attendance.
Even in games where attendance was not an issue, the weather still factored in the outcome. Take the Southern Section Pac 5 final with Servite, Anaheim and Edison. Close to 12,000 fans braved the elements to watch both teams play their hearts out for a chance to win a title. The field was a mess, the ball was slippery, and it was a dreary night. Servite won a slugfest 16-6 and advanced to the final.

In Northern California, the rain poured just as heavy over the weekend to wreak havoc on several games. First, a cold, rainy night was the backdrop for the North Coast Section final with top-seeded Encinal, Alameda losing to Marin Catholic 27-0. The high-powered Jets offense fumbled nine times, losing three, committed five turnovers, and never really threatened to score. Most of that was due to the Marin Catholic defense, but some of was due to the weather.


“It was tough conditions out there, but Marin Catholic played in the same conditions. They just kicked our butts.” Encinal Head Coach Joe Tenorio said after the game.

In the Division I final game at Dublin High, the rain fell for most of the day, making for soggy playing field as De La Salle blasted Pittsburgh High 49-14. Although it did not rain during the game, the wet conditions made it tough for Pitt to get their offense going. Of course, the Spartan defense had something do with it as well.
Official attendance figures for the past three championship years could not be confirmed, but the addition of the television contract with Fox Sports and Comcast has helped to offset the potential drop in attendance, especially during times when the weather does not cooperate. For instance, in 2007, the weather was just as bad as last weekend which definitely had an impact on attendance. That drop in attendance was offset by the addition of Farmers Insurance, the title game sponsor, and the other networks.

That does not appear to be the case this weekend. Who said it never rains in Southern California?