The week of rescheduled games that were originally slated for the week of October 13 is expected to be phenomenal, with multiple league titles and playoff berths on the line. Best of all, with many schools taking Friday off in observance of Veterans Day, games are spread out between Thursday and Friday, giving fans an opportunity to take in tons of action.
No. 1 Serra (7-2, 6-0 WCAL) at No. 3 St. Francis (7-2, 5-1), Friday, 7 pm
Whether it’s something in the bay laurel tree that looms over the northwest corner of the field or if it’s just chance, Serra has won just twice in Mountain View in the last 40 years, in 2011 and in last year’s CCS Division II Semifinal. Winning at St. Francis again this Friday would give the Padres their first outright league title in 49 years and would make Serra the first team to win the WCAL outright since Bellarmine in 2012.
A St. Francis win would likely cause a three-way tie for the title along with Valley Christian. The Lancers went 10-2 last year, with both losses coming to Serra. The regular season meeting was a 41-40 overtime thriller, with both teams overcoming ten-point deficits and a game-tying field goal as time expired that was initially blocked but was re-kicked after Serra’s sideline spilled onto the field in celebration while the ball was still live. Serra ultimately won that game on a two-point conversion from Leki Nunn to Shane Villaroman.
No. 5 Half Moon Bay (9-0, 4-0 PAL Bay) at Sacred Heart Prep (3-6, 1-3), Friday, 2:45 pm
A win would mean a perfect season and an outright league title for the Cougars, while SHP could make a serious push for a playoff spot with a win. The Gators have been playing some of their best football as of late, including a thrilling 25-24 victory over Menlo last Friday to win the annual Valparaiso Bowl. Half Moon Bay has won every game comfortably aside from a 21-14 win at Aragon on October 27 to take control of first place.
Branham (7-2, 5-1 BVAL Santa Teresa) @ No. 24 Leland (8-1, 5-1), Thursday, 7 pm
The winner of this game will share the league title with Independence, so long as the 76ers beat Del Mar. Both teams are assured of playoff berths, as the winner will earn an automatic bid and the loser will have enough points as an at-large. However, only one of these teams will be able to hang a championship banner. Leland beat Independence, but Branham lost to the 76ers, so by virtue of head-to-head, Independence will likely be pulling for Branham.
Santa Clara (6-3, 4-1 SCVAL El Camino) at Cupertino (7-2, 5-0), Thursday, 7 pm
Last week’s win secured Cupertino’s first playoff appearance since 2002. Now the Pioneers have a chance to win an outright league title. Not only is Santa Clara playing for a league title, the Bruins need a win or a couple of upsets in other games to reach the postseason. If it’s a close game, the Pioneers will be in their comfort zone.
Cupertino owns a pair of triple-overtime wins on the season. Santa Clara will be comfortable in a shootout. The Bruins are averaging 54 points in four league wins, including a 63-57 win over Fremont. Considering Santa Clara’s penchant for offense and Cupertino’s tendency to play tight games, the scoreboard and clock operators will need to be on their best behavior.
No. 7 Aragon (8-1, 3-1 PAL Bay) at No. 9 Menlo-Atherton (6-3, 3-1), Thursday, 7 pm
M-A’s explosive offense and Aragon’s suffocating defense should make for a Thursday night thriller. The Dons have had to rely on that defense as of late, as the offense hasn’t broken 15 points in three consecutive games. In last week’s rivalry win over Hillsdale, all 15 Aragon points came off turnovers, including a fumble that put the Dons in the red zone.
Both teams have performed under pressure. Three of Aragon’s last four games have been decided by seven points or less, as have all three of M-A’s league wins. Winning tight games has been a huge boost for a Menlo-Atherton team that lost its first two games by a total of 12 points. Should Sacred Heart Prep upset Half Moon Bay, the winner of this game will claim a share of the league title.
Best of the Rest
Burlingame (6-3, 1-3 PAL Bay) will travel to Terra Nova (4-5, 0-4) with playoff hopes for both teams on the line. While both are in decent shape to earn an at-large bid, a win would certainly put Burlingame through and would likely be enough for the Tigers.
St. Francis SCP (7-2, 4-1 MTAL Coastal) will host Soquel (4-5, 2-3) on Friday in the final football game in MTAL history. The league will merge into the MBL next year, which will have 28 teams split into four divisions.
Few would have thought Oak Grove would be in contention for a league title after a 1-4 start, but the Eagles (5-4, 5-1) can claim an outright Mount Hamilton title with a win on Thursday at Leigh (4-5, 1-5). To reach the playoffs, the Longhorns need a win or an extremely large series of events in other games to go their way .
