Viewpoint Readies for Football Playoffs

football team is pumped. The Patriots have qualified for the playoffs for only the second time since moving up to 11-man football in 2004.

Viewpoint secured a berth by defeating Pasadena Poly 35-14 in the finale Friday at the homecoming game.

In fact, the Patriots (7-3) got the last spot, as they make a long trip to top-seeded, defending champion Bishop on Friday. Kickoff is 6:30 p.m.

Viewpoint is looking forward to making an impact.

“We worked so hard this year, and it paid off,” running back Adam Markun said. “We haven’t made the playoffs in a few years, and we are really excited.”

Bishop is the epitome of a small-town football

"The road to the championship goes through Bishop, so why not start there?" Viewpoint coach Chris Adamson said. "Football is big-time up there with TV and radio for every game, and probably a couple thousand people there. We're excited."

'WAIT 'TILL NEXT YEAR': CALABASAS FOOTBALL READY TO IMPROVE

football team took its lumps, finishing last in the Marmonte League with a 1-9 record under first-year coach Christian Pierce.

But with 32 juniors and 11 seniors – only three or four whom played significant minutes – the Coyotes should be a lot better next season.

Nearly all of Calabasas’ key players this season were juniors, including star linebacker Jordan Pierce, who is the coach’s son and had 140 tackles – the most in the Marmonte League. The others include quarterback Ike Fuchs, who took over late in the season and at times looked terrific, along with running back/defensive lineman Tyson Jones and receiver/defensive backs Caleb Madden and Matt Guttridge.

“We were a young team. We had very few seniors,” coach Pierce said. “So that’s a big plus for next year.”

Plus, Calabasas is hoping to win an appeal for a fifth year of eligibility for Vince Hutchinson, a promising running back who had paperwork issues and never was cleared.

“The whole thing was a complete mess, but Vince would have been one of the best players on the team,” Pierce said. “He still showed up to practice every day as a part of the scout team. He was incredibly selfless.”

Fuchs saw extensive action in just six games, but he passed for 787 yards and four touchdowns – one of few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable season that included nine consecutive defeats to end the year.

Despite a couple of injuries, Jordan Pierce blossomed into a force on defense, finishing with four sacks on top of 140 tackles, including 21 in a season-ending loss to Thousand Oaks.

CALABASAS BASKETBALL EMBRACES NEW SEASON

The high school basketball season starts later this month, and Calabasas High’s boys team is looking forward to the season opener Nov. 28 against La Salle in the first round of the Campbell Hall tournament. Tipoff is 7:30 p.m.

“We’re working hard and getting excited to begin the season,” coach Jon Palarz said.

Among the top returning players are guards Spencer Levy and Jeremy Lieberman. Levy is one of the Marmonte League’s best shooters, and Lieberman proved a top point guard as a freshman last year.

“Lieberman is looking good. Sometimes you forget how young he is because he is already a veteran,” Palarz said. “It’s going to be a balanced team, and Spencer figures to be our most dependable scorer. He can definitely put the ball in the basket.”