With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, we take a look back at the weekend that was across the North Coast Section. Also, be on the lookout for our fourth set of playoff projections this coming week, ones which will have a decidedly different look after the section waived the rule requiring teams to have an even record in one of three areas, for this fall only.
- Liberty’s big 23-6 win over Antioch leaves the Lions and Pittsburg remaining as the lone unbeaten teams in the Bay Valley Athletic League. Pittsburg knocked off Heritage, 42-6, and technically sit a half-game behind the Lions, having played one fewer game.
Liberty closes its regular season schedule with a couple of heavyweights, however, facing Pittsburg and Freedom in the next two weeks. The Lions have also won seven straight, their longest winning streak in 52 years, since the 1965 team led by future UCLA standout and Houston Oilers/Tennessee Titans general manager Floyd Reese went 9-0.
- Clayton Valley kept pace with Campolindo atop the DAL-Foothill, but Acalanes gave the Ugly Eagles a challenge before falling 35-21. Campolindo cruised past 1-6 Concord, setting up the Cougars and Acalanes for a big game this week, before Campo and Clayton Valley meet in the regular season finale.
Clayton Valley has won 29 straight games in league play, including 27 straight since Tim Murphy took over as head coach in 2012.
- Berean Christian nearly spoiled the upcoming week’s battle between Alhambra and Northgate, leading Northgate 6-0 until the Broncos rallied for a big fourth-quarter score to prevail 7-6, leaving Northgate and Alhambra unbeaten atop the DAL-Valley heading into this Friday’s game, which will be played on the Broncos’ campus at the entrance to Mt. Diablo.
It’s unsure which will loom larger – the mountain rising next to the campus, or the outcome of this week’s battle for first place and an automatic berth with possible home game in the playoffs.
- It’s old news by now that San Ramon Valley rolled to another victory in the East Bay Athletic League, this time against Dublin, but the next two weeks figure to have a different level of emotion for SRV as they prepare to face Monte Vista and De La Salle.
California established some separation in the middle of the standings with its win over Granada, while Amador Valley continued to play well with a shutout win over Livermore, as the Dons are positioning themselves for a top seven seed in the Division I playoffs.
- Technically speaking, Arcata sat in first place of the Humboldt Del Norte-Big 5 entering this week, but Eureka was easily considered the favorite to win the league since the Loggers had already soundly defeated Fortuna. That was confirmed on Friday night as Fortuna cruised past Arcata, knocking the Tigers from the ranks of the unbeaten within league play.
Meanwhile, St. Bernard’s rolled past Hoopa Valley and can secure another outright Little 3 title this coming Saturday against Ferndale, who the Crusaders defeated 62-23 back on October 7. St. Bernard’s has won 23 straight games in league play.
- A couple weeks off did not slow down unbeaten Marin Catholic, as the MCAL resumed action on Saturday, and the Wildcats put the hurt on Redwood, 55-6. In an interesting twist, however, San Marin appears poised to claim a share of the league title after the Mustangs stayed unbeaten with an easy win over Drake.
San Marin has a huge game against Terra Linda next Saturday, and will not play Marin Catholic after their game was wiped out last week.
- The big battle for first place in the Mission Valley never lived up to the hype, as Moreau Catholic made it clear that the Mariners are clearly the class of this league, routing Kennedy-Fremont, 50-12. The Titans had been tied atop the league standings with Moreau, whose biggest remaining test in the regular season will be a non-league game against James Logan in the final week.
- Middletown continued to strengthen its grip on the North Central League I title, staying a game in front of both Lower Lake and Kelseyville, with head to head wins over both programs.
- Analy’s claim to another Sonoma County League title became all but assured on Friday night, when Petaluma routed El Molino, who had also been unbeaten in league play. Analy beat Petaluma earlier this season. The Tigers have won 35 straight games in SCL play.
- Kennedy-Richmond took control of the TCAL-Stone by knocking off previously unbeaten Hercules, 21-14. Kennedy and De Anza are now tied atop the league standings, and will play this Friday in what should essentially decide the championship, with De Anza and Hercules facing off in the final regular season week.
- St. Patrick-St. Vincent and El Cerrito stayed on a collision course for the TCAL-Rock title, each winning games easily heading towards this coming Friday’s head-to-head match-up.
- San Leandro and Bishop O’Dowd continued to assert dominance in the WACC-Foothill, easily cruising past Berkeley and Tennyson, respectively. The teams meet in the final week of the regular season.
- Encinal and Alameda have set the stage for a monster Island Bowl showdown this coming Friday, as both teams are now 3-0 in WACC-Shoreline play, a full two games in front of the closest pursuers. Encinal is playing for its first unbeaten regular season since 2008, when it won the NCS Division III title. The Jets cruised past Arroyo on Friday, while Alameda nipped San Lorenzo, 41-40.
- While most of the North Bay League was shut down for the weekend, Cardinal Newman and Rancho Cotate will play a non-league game this coming Monday, in a game that should be a treat for the entire North Bay.
- Harker continued its bid for an unbeaten regular season, cruising past Lindhurst. Not a single one of the Eagles’ wins has been by less than 20 points this year. They finish the regular season against Division I Irvington this coming Saturday.
