Between rivalries, battles for league titles and other thrilling affairs, the final week of the regular season in the CCS should be a wild one, where fans will need to divide their attention all over in order to keep up with all of the excitement and drama.
No. 1 St. Francis (8-1, 6-0 WCAL) @ No. 4 Serra (6-3, 5-1), Saturday, 2 p.m.
The game that’s been the most-awaited of the entire year is finally upon us. Serra will host St. Francis with the WCAL championship and seeding in the Division II playoffs on the line. The Padres and Lancers may end up meeting twice this month, as they’re on track for a third consecutive year with a postseason collision. For now, though, only Saturday matters.
As usual, the Lancers have been a stellar defensive team, allowing just 16 points in six WCAL games. Over the course of the entire season, none of the seven in-section opponents that St. Francis has faced have managed to find the end zone more than once, with Oak Grove and Mitty setting the high-water mark at just seven points. Stanford-bound Joshua Pakola stars as defensive end, and with Matthew Azzopardi, Nikko Pohahau, Afa Sanft and Mose Vavao, it’s almost impossible to beat the Lancers in the trenches. When teams go to the air, they’re met with Evan Williams and Colorado-bound Maurice Wilmer, plus solid depth in Justin Sinclair and Christopher Senteno. Linebacker James Dinneen is able to hide under the radar, making for a truly phenomenal defense.
That defense has given the offense some breathing room as injuries have done a number on the Lancers. With quarterback Jack Perry tearing his ACL after four games, junior Ryan Daly has been directing traffic under center. He’s completed just 23 passes, but with Wilmer and Williams at his disposal, five have gone for touchdowns. The run game was headlined by Andre Bishop (81 carries-492 yards) and Opeti “Hammerhead” Fangupo (76-423, nine touchdowns), but when Bishop missed two games with an injury, there was a need for alternatives. That’s where Nick Robinson, Anthony Smith and Thomas Whitenight have been key.
Though Serra has gotten to this point with completely different means, like their rivals from St. Francis, the Padres have arrived at the final game of the regular season with injuries having played a toll. Running back David Coker suffered a torn ACL in Serra’s second game, so the run game has gone in a few different directions in his absence. Luke Bottari is a mobile quarterback and is tied for the team lead in rushing touchdowns with seven. His 55 carries rank second on the team to the 62 of Nate Sanchez, a junior whose contributions as a defensive back were much more prominent until injuries forced him into a greater offensive role. Sanchez has 277 yards and five touchdowns, while another star defender, linebacker E.J. Lahlouh, has 17 carries for 169 yards and five touchdowns, mainly getting called on in short-yardage situations. Malakai Rango has also been a major contributor. As a key kick returner last year, he has blossomed as both a receiver (14 catches-191 yards, 3 TDs) and a runner (13 carries-293 yards, 7 TDs). Three of those touchdowns and 152 of those yards came in last week’s win over Sacred Heart Cathedral, which Rango managed on just five carries. Rango, Terence Loville (24 catches-469 yards, 6 TDs) and Patrick Simon (28-260) get the bulk of the receptions.
The biggest impact, though, may be in the form of junior defensive end Nusi Malani. The Padres are 5-0 with him on the field and 1-3 without. Injuries kept him out of all three nonleague games, and a shoulder injury early in a blowout win over Riordan cost him two more, including Serra’s lone WCAL loss, a 37-6 defeat to Valley Christian.
As for Valley Christian, the Warriors will also have a vested interest in Saturday’s game, having beaten Serra but lost to St. Francis. Unless Riordan plays the role of the greatest spoiler in history, a Padre victory would create a three-way tie for the WCAL crown, while St. Francis can claim it outright.
No. 13 Aptos (8-1, 5-1 PCAL Gabilan) @ No. 11 Salinas (6-3, 5-1), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
One of the matchups that has been circled since the start of the year, the Mariners and Cowboys will square off at The Pit with a share of the Gabilan crown on the line. For Salinas, home field is also at stake in a crowded Division I playoff race.
Aptos runs a lightning-quick Wing-T offense, headlined by Marcos Reyes, who ran for four touchdowns in a season-opening win over Templeton, quarterback play is critical for the Mariners, even with Hunter Matys usually doing his damage on the ground. His ability to read defenses is critical, and with the athletes on the other side of the trenches in Salinas, he’ll have to continue making the quick decisions that have allowed the Mariners to average 46.8 points per game. Casey Bailey and Shane Modena have been excellent as receivers, and if Reyes or Matys aren’t carrying the ball, it goes to Josh Powell, a 5-foot-8 junior with the sort of toughness that exemplifies Randy Blankenship’s team.
With all the depth that Salinas’ run game offers, headlined by Abraham Hernandez and sophomore Jeff Shaffer, it’s hard to believe any team coached by Steve Zenk would be doing much in the air outside of desperate situations, but junior quarterback Carl Richardson is just that good. Even before last week’s 442-yard performance, which nearly brought the Cowboys back against San Benito, he was averaging 270 yards per game, and with 42 carries for 295 yards, he’s also the team’s most effective rusher. Ivan Curiel (49 catches-523 yards, 3 TDs), John Mendalla (37-500, 4 TDs) and Zachary Robison (44-582, 6 TDs) have been the top receivers, but Chad Fellom and Poe Gaskins are also over 20 receptions on the season.
Until last week, no Gabilan team had broken 14 points against the Cowboys, and that 35-28 defeat to San Benito was also the first time since a win over Palma in the first week of league play where a team had kept the Cowboys under 40.
Overall, these two sides have been atop the southern end of the CCS in recent years, and Friday’s matchup should be a fitting culmination to a season that’s been full of successes for both teams.
No. 12 Palma (8-1, 5-1 PCAL Gabilan) vs. No. 10 San Benito (6-3, 5-1), Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Salinas Sports Complex
The first part of the two-night Gabilan spectacle has come about rather unexpectedly, as both the Chieftains and Haybalers pulled out surprising road wins last week to create the current four-way tie atop the standings. It’s an unexpectedly captivating end to a Haybaler season that started off with back-to-back lopsided defeats, and of the six wins, most haven’t come easily. The first was a surprising triumph at Los Gatos, and in a win at Christopher as well as in last week’s victory at Salinas, San Benito has had to hold on after jumping out to a three-score lead.
Palma, meanwhile, rebounded brilliantly after a hiccup against Salinas in the opening week of league play, rattling off five straight wins, including last week’s 40-35 thriller at Aptos. The offense has been on fire as of late, with quarterback Grant Sergent throwing 21 touchdowns without an interception. Considering how impressive running back Anthony Villegas was as a sophomore, Sergent’s development has rounded out the offense. Between Jon Jon Berring, Micah Olivas, Marco Pezzini and Andrew Rivera, the Chieftains have four receivers to turn to. Of course, it wouldn’t be Palma football without stellar defense. Even against a bear of a schedule, the defense has only allowed three teams to break 20 points.
No. 20 Oak Grove (6-3, 5-1 BVAL Mt. Hamilton) @ No. 22 Live Oak (7-2, 4-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
Oak Grove has a chance at a fifth straight BVAL title, and like last year, it won’t be easy. The Eagles have been in tight games the past two weeks, losing to Leland 28-26 and beating Lincoln 35-34. The last two weeks are the only times a league opponent has reached 20 points against the Eagles, and considering that Live Oak has put up at least 24 points in every game and averages 36.8, it’ll likely be up to junior quarterback Justin Munday to step up to continue Oak Grove’s legacy. Expect him to connect repeatedly with his favorite target, fellow junior Izaiah Nakanishi.
On the other side, Jonathan Singleton will try to make his Senior Night a special one, as he has a chance to cap off a memorable run in Morgan Hill. With 21 touchdowns through the air, eight more on the ground and 2,548 total yards, he’s been absolutely outstanding. As good as he is, the Acorns will also be relying on a couple of juniors, running back Nick Lomanto (99 carries-551 yards, 8 TDs) and wide receiver Elijah Fernandez (27 receptions-442 yards, 7 TDs). Combined with Caleb Ojeda (28-457, 5 TDs), the Oak Grove secondary will have its hands full in what should be a tremendous atmosphere for a thrilling affair.
Bellarmine (2-7, 1-5 WCAL) @ St. Ignatius (2-7, 2-4), Saturday, 2 p.m.
The WCAL’s two Jesuit schools will meet in a win-or-go-home affair on Saturday, with the last of the playoff spots in the Open Divisions of the section on the line. With new life injected by quarterback Zach Taylor-Smith and linebacker Siaki Hunkin, SI has managed to overcome an 0-6 start with postseason hopes.
No. 21 Lincoln (6-2, 5-1 BVAL Mt. Hamilton) @ Piedmont Hills (4-5, 4-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
When Lincoln goes on the road with a share of the league title at stake, it’ll be a compelling clash of styles on the easternmost end of San Jose. Led by Adam Arenas, who is over the 1,000-yard mark on the season, and accompanied by Gabe Florez and Isaac Juarez, the Lions are a run-heavy team with a three-headed monster that perhaps reminds opponents more of a chimera than a lion.
While Lincoln has played in shootouts and defensive battles, Piedmont Hills is almost always playing high-tempo races decided by the offenses. The Pirates have been held under 30 points just twice, and their opponents have stayed under 35 only three times. Reigning league MVP Gabriel Reclusado does wonders for the offense, with some of the most eye-popping numbers of any player in the section. He’s 150-for-217 passing with 2,331 yards and 25 touchdowns to just four interceptions, and on the ground, he’s got another 18 touchdowns, with 1,209 yards on 136 carries. The team has only scored four offensive touchdowns all season on plays that Reclusado has not been involved in.
No. 23 Overfelt (8-1, 5-1 BVAL Santa Teresa) @ No. 15 Independence (9-0, 6-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
The final act of what’s been a talent-filled and exciting year in the middle division of the BVAL features a showdown that will settle the league championship, with Independence looking to cap off a perfect regular season. Outscoring opponents by an average of 27.7 points, the 76ers have been dominant all year, but the Royals have made a splash of their own in their first year up from the West Valley Division. With an offense that’s broken 40 points five times, Overfelt has shown that last year’s growth wasn’t just a flash in the pan.
The league MVP might be decided through Friday night’s game. Dylan Oliver (105 carries-1,046 yards, 12 rushing TDs) have been sensational for the hosts, but Overfelt has gotten massive contributions from Ulysses Alvarado. They’re far from the only studs on their respective rosters, but the biggest stars tend to shine brightest in games like these.
No. 16 Sacred Heart Cathedral (5-4, 3-3 WCAL) @ Mitty (4-5, 2-4), Friday, 7 p.m. at Foothill College
Just how high can the Irish go? In what’s so far been one of their best seasons since rejoining the WCAL a decade ago, Sacred Heart Cathedral has a shot at a winning league record for the first time since 2008. On the other side, it’ll be Senior Night for Joseph Vaughn, a standout as a linebacker, wide receiver (24 catches-426 yards) and on the basketball court come December.
54th Skull Game: No. 9 Terra Nova (7-2, 2-2 PAL Bay) @ Half Moon Bay (3-6, 0-4), Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Terra Nova leads series, 33-16-2
While most of the rivalries in San Mateo County aren’t as grand as usual this year, the Coastside showdown should be a good one, especially considering the rivalry’s recent history of upsets. Terra Nova quarterback Jared Julian always plays with a chip on his shoulder, and with a pair of blowout losses to Half Moon Bay last year, including the CCS Division III Championship, the Tigers will certainly have no shortage of reasons to get fired up for Friday’s game.
If Half Moon Bay can pull off the upset, it would be a coming-out party for sophomore QB Tristan Hofmann, and it could give the Cougars a shot at a playoff berth.
Monta Vista (5-4, 2-3 SCVAL El Camino) @ Mountain View (5-4, 4-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The last spot in Divisions IV and V of the CCS playoffs likely comes down to this one. Santa Clara is expected to beat Gunn and Saratoga will be heavily favored over winless Lynbrook, meaning it’s up to the Spartans to hold up their end of the deal to preserve the three-way tie for the championship. Jacob Cortinas (104 carries-870 yards, 8 TDs) will try to make his Senior Night a memorable one, but Cheto Vasquez has accounted for 2,030 yards and 23 touchdowns for Monta Vista between his passing and running abilities. A win could extend his career and vault the Matadors into the playoffs in head coach Ceazar Agront’s first year at the helm of the program.
Mt. Pleasant (5-4, 5-1 BVAL West Valley) @ Hill (5-4, 5-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
There are no complicated scenarios to break down here: the winner is the league champion and will go to the playoffs. Zeke Jasso, Rick Quinonez and the host Falcons are looking to get back on track after last week’s setback against Evergreen Valley, as Hill has a chance to reach the postseason for the first time since 2013 and can complete a tremendous ascension after going winless in both 2015 and 2016. Mt. Pleasant, meanwhile, last reached the playoffs in 2015, but the Cardinals won only one game last year. Noah Cruz has 1,130 rushing yards and 14 on 126 carries, and junior quarterback Ethan Hernandez has thrown for 1,175 yards.
