The San Diego Section high school football playoffs head into the second weekend with all the No. 1 seeds set to play.

Mission Hills, No. 1 in the Open Division, hosts Cathedral Catholic. Lincoln, No. 1 in Division 1, hosts Poway, while Santa Fe Christian, the top seed in Division 2, hosts St. Augustine at Torrey Pines High School. Central Union, No. 1 in Division 3, hosts Bishop’s, while Westview, the top seed in Division 4, hosts Hilltop and Sweetwater, No. 1 in Division 5, hosts Hoover.

In Division 5-AA, No. 1 Maranatha Christian hosts Clairemont in a semifinal while top-seeded  St. Joseph Academy plays Francis Parker in the 8-man semis at Escondido High School.

By the numbers

With the help of Robert Harutunian, retired Mission Bay High School teacher and coach, here are some other playoff numbers:

Of the 64 teams in the playoffs, 25% — 16 of 64 — moved up at least one division from 2024. Another 16 moved down at least one division, and 50% — 32 of 64 — stayed in the same division.

Four playoff teams — Holtville, Grossmont, Mission Bay and Coastal Academy — moved up two divisions. Only Mission Bay won in the first round.

Another four teams — Brawley, Mt. Carmel, Valley Center and Escondido — moved down two divisions. Mt. Carmel and Valley Center are still alive.

Save a Life

The last Eric Paredes Save a Life Foundation event of 2025 is set for Dec. 6 at Escondido Charter High School,1868 E. Valley Parkway.

The American Heart Association has found that 1 in 300 young athletes is at risk for sudden cardiac arrest. The Dec. 6 event includes free EKG screens for heart abnormalities, a blood-pressure check, and information on other warning signs. Screenings are painless and typically completed within an hour.

There will also be hands-on demonstrations on how to use CPR and defibrillators in cardiac emergencies.

The event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is open to kids and young adults aged 12 to 25. To register, go to epsavealife.org/get-screened. Walk-ins are welcome after 10 a.m.

This year’s event is held in honor of 11-year-old Titus Wininger, an Escondido boy who died last year while at a water park with his friends.

Honoring Honor, others

Honor Fa’alave-Johnson of Cathedral Catholic has been named to play in the 26th annual Navy All-American Bowl. Fa’alave-Johnson, a junior, is a two-way star for Cathedral Catholic.

The game will be played Jan. 10 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. NBC will carry the game live, starting at 10 a.m.; it will also be streamed on Peacock.

Over the years, the game has produced 18 Heisman Trophy finalists, 631 NFL Draft picks, 103 Super Bowl champions and 274 Pro Bowl selections.

• The Hispanic Football Hall of Fame All-Americas Watch List includes Bishop’s quarterback Cash Hererrea, Lincoln edge rusher Prince Tavizon and Hornets offensive lineman Jesus Garcia.

Hererra is a three-star player who is committed to play at Indiana. Tavizon is a four-star recruit who is committed to Oregon. The 6-foot-5, 285-pound Garcia is a three-star player who is committed to UNLV.

Fundraiser

The 4th annual Home Run Derby, a fundraising event that supports scholarships for South Bay senior high school athletes, is set for Nov. 22 at Eastlake High School. The Home Run Derby is open to children and adults and will run from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The event is in honor of the late Micha Pietila-Wiggs, a baseball and football star at Eastlake who died in a car crash in 2022. He was also a member of the 2013 Little League World Series team that won the U.S. Division.

For more information or to register, go to mpwllmfoundation.org and scroll down to events.