Bell-Jeff (9-1) will host its opening-round game at 7:30 p.m. Friday against Whittier Christian (5-5) at Burroughs’ Memorial Field.
Burroughs (4-6) will travel to Ontario to play top-seeded Colony (8-2) — the Mount Baldy League champion — at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Bell-Jeff Coach Rolando Aguirre said his team will be ready for its opener.
“These kids are excited to be in the playoffs, and they are looking forward to playing,” Aguirre said. “They are hungry, and they are ready.”
With a program that’s been in existence for more than 50 years, Bell-Jeff has never won a playoff game.
“We are looking to change that this season,” Aguirre said.
The Guards will take on a Heralds team that earned an at-large berth in the postseason after placing third in the Alpha League.
Whittier Christian is led by senior running back Aleks Schwerdt and junior running back Mark Edwards.
“[Whittier Christian] runs an old-time-style double-wing offense,” Aguirre said. “It’s smashmouth football. They don’t pass all that much, but they can pass if they need to.
“I know a lot about that type of offense, and I know what we have to do to defend it.”
The teams have a common opponent in Pasadena Marshall Fundamental. The Guards defeated the Eagles, 55-0, on Sept. 22 and Whittier Christian beat them, 69-0, on Nov. 2.
The Guards have been able to play their own brand of smashmouth football this season behind senior running back Jorge Chaidez. Chaidez has carried the ball 177 times for a school-record 2,079 yards (11.75 yards a carry) and has 28 total touchdowns. He averages 208 yards on the ground a game.
In two seasons, Chaidez has gained 3,711 yards.
“We took Chaidez out in the third quarter of our game last Friday against Daniel Murphy,” Aguirre said. “So, he should be rested.”
