Serrano’s Diamondback varsity football team first qualified for the CIF Southern Section Division 8 playoffs in October and finished the regular season with a 6-3 record in November, placing third overall in the Mojave River League behind Oak Hills and Apple Valley high schools. Serrano has previously won the Division 8 CIF title, most recently in 2021 and earlier in 2004.
The Diamondbacks began their 2024 CIF journey by facing Norte Vista High School from Riverside in the first round of the CIF playoffs on Friday, Nov. 8, at home. Serrano trailed behind Norte Vista going into halftime but emerged on top in the third and fourth quarters, valiantly pulling ahead and winning the game with a close score of 28-21.
With one CIF win under their belt, the team advanced to the second round and faced Hemet High School on Friday, Nov. 15, in Hemet. The Diamondbacks started off strong in the first half of the game, with Hemet extremely close, just neck-in-neck at the end of the first half. Continuing with their momentum, Serrano consistently scored in both the third and fourth quarters, leaving Hemet in the dust and winning the game with a final score of 28-13.
In the CIF Division 8 semifinals, the Diamondbacks hosted Lancaster High School in Phelan on Friday night, Nov. 22. The game proved to be a close match, with neither team scoring in the beginning until Serrano managed to score the only touchdown of the night during the second quarter. The Diamondbacks scored again with a field goal toward the end of the game, ultimately winning with a shutout score of 10-0.
Riding an impressive winning streak, the Diamondbacks advanced to the CIF Southern Section Division 8 championship game against St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy on Friday, Nov. 29, in Downey. Serrano trailed during the first half with a score of 24-12 going into halftime but came back and scored in the third quarter, attempting to catch up with St. Pius X and closing the gap with a score of 24-19. Unfortunately, the opposing team continued to score in the fourth quarter, pulling ahead to win the game with a final score of 38-19 and leaving the Diamondbacks behind, ending their attempt at another championship title.
The Diamondbacks concluded the 2024 season with a strong 9-4 record, finishing second in the CIF Southern Section Division 8 championship. Despite the loss, the team demonstrated impressive skill and determination throughout the season, making their community proud.
