High School Football: Whittier Seeks Second Playoff Win Against Whittier Christian
The Cardinals, who ended a decades-long playoff win drought with a 38-0 shutout, face a Heralds squad led by dual-threat quarterback Tuff Kovacs.
By Amina Howard ·
Whittier High School football fans will see the Cardinals play in the CIF Southern Section Division 13 quarterfinals on Friday at 7 p.m. at California High School. The Cardinals, who finished the regular season with a 7-4 record, will face the Whittier Christian Heralds, who are 8-3.
This matchup follows a dominant first-round performance by Whittier, which secured its first playoff victory in decades with a 38-0 shutout of Bolsa Grande. It marks the team’s first playoff appearance since 2017. The Cardinals relied on a powerful Wing-T offense to control the game against the Bears.
Anthony Hernandez led the rushing attack with 169 yards and a touchdown. Charlie Ancich, the son of Whittier coach Visko Ancich, added 119 rushing yards and a score. Quarterback Johnathan Silva attempted only seven passes but also found the end zone on the ground. Coach Ancich noted that Hernandez displayed toughness in the gaps and maintained consistent footwork during his explosive runs.
Whittier Christian defeated La Sierra 40-36 in the first round. The Heralds are led by quarterback Tuff Kovacs, who averages 229 passing yards and 23 touchdowns per game this season. Kovacs is also one of the team’s primary rushers. Ancich described Kovacs as a difficult player to contain, stating that the Heralds have few errors in their gameplay and present a good matchup.
The Cardinals have prepared for this physical style of play through non-league games earlier in the season against St. Paul, Bellflower, and Los Amigos. Although Whittier lost all three contests, coach Ancich said the experience helped the team adjust to the intensity required for postseason football. St. Paul won 28-0, while Whittier held the score to 14-0 at halftime.
Ancich said the team has found its identity in the Wing-T formation, which he believes confuses opponents who frequently run spread offenses. He indicated that the Cardinals will continue to lean heavily on their running game. The Heralds, however, pose a different challenge with their balanced attack led by Kovacs.
In a separate Division 10 contest, Nogales defeated Royal 49-27. Running back Gatsbee Gumban rushed for 206 yards and four touchdowns. Gumban currently 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 at Norte Vista, which has a 6-5 record, also on Friday at 7 p.m.
