Lions open up at No. 3 Willits on Friday, Nov. 15
The El Molino Lions will begin the final phase of the 2019 high school football campaign this week, when they represent the No. 6 seed in the eight-team North Coast Section Division 7 playoffs.
The Lions will open the tournament at No. 3 Willits this Friday, Nov. 15 in a 7 p.m. kickoff. Should El Molino score a win, it will advance to face the victor of the No. 2 Ferndale versus No. 7 California School for the Deaf match-up on Nov. 22 or 23 (TBA).
The complete list of NCS Division 7 teams in seeding order is Salesian, Ferndale, Willits, St. Vincent, El Molino, California School for the Deaf and Stellar Prep.
El Molino (2-2, 5-4) earned the coveted NCS spot by virtue of a strong league finish, wrapping up NBL Redwood Division play with wins over Healdsburg (55-6) and Montgomery (41-35).
The Wolverines (5-2, 7-3) finished in a three-way tie for second place in the NCL1 standings, most recently scoring wins over Kelseyville (28-6) and Fort Bragg (33-26).
Although the high-octane El Molino offense figures to find the end zone with regularity, it’s perhaps the Lion’s defense that will be the key to victory against Willits.
“They look big and physical,” El Mo head coach Randy Parmeter said of his first-round playoff opponent. “If we can execute on defense, things could go our way.”
