Whittier advances in first playoff round since 2017
Cardinals defeat Bolsa Grande 38-0 and face Whittier Christian in Friday's quarterfinal match.
By Ricardo Alvarez ·
Whittier High School football eliminated its first opponent of the postseason on Sunday, securing a 38-0 victory over Bolsa Grande in the CIF Southern Section Division 13 first round. The win marks the Cardinals' first playoff appearance since 2017 and their first postseason win in decades. The team now prepares to host Whittier Christian at California High School on Friday at 7 p.m.
Whittier, which finished the regular season with a 7-4 record, relied heavily on its Wing-T offense against Bolsa Grande. The strategy centered on a powerful ground game. Anthony Hernandez carried the ball for 169 yards and scored a touchdown. Charlie Ancich, son of head coach Visko Ancich, added 119 rushing yards and a score. Quarterback Johnathan Silva completed seven passes and ran for a touchdown of his own.
Coach Visko Ancich noted that Hernandez showed toughness in the gaps and read blocks effectively. He said the coaching staff wanted to feed the ball to Hernandez and Charlie Ancich while protecting them. Ancich described the matchup against Whittier Christian as a tough one, referencing a long-standing rivalry. He said the two schools used to play at Whittier College in a contest they called the Battle for the Poets Pen.
Whittier Christian enters the quarterfinal with an 8-3 record. The Heralds defeated La Sierra 40-36 in the first round. They are led by quarterback Tuff Kovacs, who averages 229 passing yards per game and has thrown for 23 touchdowns. Kovacs is also a primary rusher. Ancich said the Cardinals must account for Kovacs's dual threat and allow little room for error in the upcoming game.
The Cardinals prepared for the physicality of the playoffs through non-league games earlier in the season. Whittier lost to St. Paul, Bellflower, and Los Amigos, but Ancich said those contests helped the team adjust to the level of contact. St. Paul defeated Whittier 28-0, but the Cardinals trailed by only 14 points at halftime. Ancich said the experience was valuable for understanding the demands of playoff football.
In a separate Division 10 result, undefeated Nogales defeated Royal 47-27 in the first round. Gatsbee Gumban rushed for 206 yards and four touchdowns for the Nobles. Gumban leads the San Gabriel Valley in rushing and ranks second in the CIF-SS with 2,172 yards and 26 touchdowns. He will play on the road against Norte Vista, a team with a 6-5 record, on Friday at 7 p.m.
