Division I quarterfinals

Foothill (21-7 ) at Ventura (21-9), 3:15 p.m.

Prediction: The biggest question going into this match is the health of Knights goalie Jay Lovero. The senior is a game-changer - as El Toro can attest - but he didn't play in the first round because of a groin injury.

Sure, the Knights played an overmatched Irvine but that was still a CIF match. That tells me that Lovero, for all his competitive spirit, is really hurt. Foothill coach Jim Brumm used words like "precautionary" and "rest" with his star goalie but says Lovero plans to play Friday.

"I'm sure he will fire up and be ready to go," Brumm said Wednesday night. The Knights will need Lovero at close to 90 percent of himself to beat a Ventura, a tough third-place team from the tough Channel League. Lovero will approach 90 percent and Foothill advances to the semifinals for the first time since 2005.

MORE PREDICTIONS:

• Division I: Newport Harbor vs. Santa Barbara
• Division I: Corona del Mar vs. Los Alamitos
• Division I: Dos Pueblos vs. El Toro
• Division III: Laguna Beach vs. Redlands
• Division III: Murrietta Valley vs. Costa Mesa
• Division V: Troy vs. Arlington
• Division V: Buena Park vs. Santa Monica

Site, time: Ventura High, Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Outlook: Santa Margarita has a lot of challenges in this one. First, it's the Eagles' first game with only six returning starters so there are many new faces in the mix. Second, they have to travel a long, long way on a Friday and there won't be many Santa Margarita supporters making the trip, as Santa Margarita can't seem to get many of its people, no matter the sport or the event, north of the El Toro "Y." Third, the Eagles have to play Tailback Tech. St. Bonaventure, which has had star backs like Lorenzo Booker, Darrell Scott and Patrick Hall. St. Bonaventure, last year's CIF-SS Northern Division champion, is the pick here to take this one, but that doesn't mean Santa Margarita should be excluded from our first county media poll next week – unless my fellow voters think a 30-point victory over a lower-division non-contender is a better indicator of quality than a close loss to a team that is in the top 25 in the state.

Winner: St. Bonaventure