Reigning league, section and state champion Menlo-Atherton is undoubtedly the top dog in the PAL entering 2019. Even after graduating defensive stalwarts Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu, both of whom are now at Washington, the Bears still have a bevy of future Division I players on their roster, headlined by outstanding wide receiver Troy Franklin.
Still, a PAL Bay Division crown is far from a guarantee. The roster will have to mesh under new head coach Steve Papin, formerly at Independence, and the rest of the league is full of outstanding athletes and coaches. From the legendary Pete Lavorato and junior linebacker Noah Short at King’s Academy to a tremendous group of returners under John Philipopoulos at Burlingame and an Arena Football legend coaching Sacred Heart Prep in Mark Grieb, the Bay has been one of the top leagues in the Central Coast Section in recent years. Even if M-A runs away with the title, the other five spots should be as tight a race as any, and with the new CCS playoff format, the Bay Division could certainly have teams draw favorable seedings in Divisions II and III.
Aragon (2-9, 2-3)
2018 was not kind to the Dons, who tested themselves with an absolutely loaded schedule, battled injuries and found themselves on the receiving end of a pair of one-point losses. Those injuries forced much of this year’s roster into action, and Aragon will be able to take the field this year with a group that’s had the chance to cut its teeth against top competition.
This year’s nonleague schedule is much more palatable than last year’s murderers’ row, with an early trip to rival San Mateo to renew a longtime series that took a one-year hiatus. Notable returners from last year’s team include TE/LB Valentino Faaumu, lineman Sau Esikia and Carlos Lopez, a 6-foot, 290-pound lineman who doubles as kicker.
Burlingame (11-2, 5-0 PAL Ocean)
John Philipopoulos opted to move his Panthers down to the Ocean Division last year with 27 players on the roster, and they absolutely blasted the competition, winning the league outright and bringing home a CCS Division IV crown. This year’s squad has just 31 players, but there’s plenty of returning experience to go around. Brothers Devon and Jordan Malashus expect to be involved with almost every play in their senior seasons, with Devon at quarterback and Jordan in the rushing attack alongside Lucas Meredith, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound bruiser of a junior who’s played varsity ball since his freshman year.
To say Meredith doesn’t shy away from contact is an understatement, as he often prefers to run over defenders instead of around them. Taylor Kaufman is a three-way talent, impressing at kicker while also impacting the game as a wide receiver and defensive back, and Gino Lopiccolo is a fearless ballhawk in the secondary. If some of the newcomers from the JV roster can give defensive end Connor Kall assistance and depth doesn’t become an issue with injuries, Burlingame could be a major player in the Bay Division.
King’s Academy (11-2, 4-1 PAL Ocean)
While many of the teams that get promoted from the Ocean Division often get promptly turned back around after one year, the Knights have a much more promising outlook. While they do have to replace running backs Bralyn Lux and Jayden Frazier off of last year’s CCS Division V roster, quarterback Antonio Gonzalez saw experience last year, impressing after being forced into action by injuries against Burlingame. That means he’s already got familiarity with his most common targets, 6-foot-5 tight end Kevin Sielski and wide receiver Zach Paszkeicz.
Middle linebacker Noah Short is arguably the gem of the roster, a two-sport star who stands out on the field even without particularly impressive size. He’s grown to six feet and 175 pounds in advance of his junior year and has a chance to build on his 114-tackle sophomore campaign, a year in which he had 26 tackles for loss, six sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. As if that wasn’t enough, he scored 34 points in a CCS playoff victory for TKA’s basketball team.
Menlo-Atherton (13-2, 5-0)
The toughest thing for fans watching Menlo-Atherton will be deciding where to focus their attention. Troy Franklin is already an incredibly accomplished player with scholarship offers from nearly every major program, and he’s only a junior, but it’s far from a one-man show. When Franklin lines up defensively, he’ll be accompanied by fellow Division I prospect Justin Anderson, the senior leader in the secondary, along with junior safety Skyler Thomas.
Uate Uhila and Sasongi Eke are excellent pass rushers, and Raymond Price III is expected to start at quarterback after transferring from SHP, though sophomore Matt MacLeod already showed off his skills as a freshman during last year’s playoff run and can certainly hold his own under center as well. St. Francis transfer Andre Bishop will slot in at running back, plugging one of the only holes from last year.
Sacred Heart Prep (11-2, 4-1)
Mark Grieb’s Gators enter 2019 in an odd position, having graduated most of their linemen and losing quarterback Raymond Price III to transfer, but returners at the skill positions should make SHP a force to be reckoned with. Already established as a 1,000-yard rusher as a junior, Tevita Moimoi will be the leader of the Gator rushing attack and will start at linebacker alongside J.P. Frimel, who recovered four fumbles last year.
“J.P. is one of those kids who does everything right,” Grieb said. “He works hard, his tackling is fundamentally sound and he drives his feet.”
With Price’s departure, Teddy Purcell will start at quarterback, just as he did on the JV team last year. When he’s not handing off to Moimoi, he’ll have a pair of reliable targets in Dante Cacchione and Wilson Weisel. Perhaps the most interesting player on SHP’s entire roster is kicker Ronan Donnelly, who has shown the ability to connect on field goals from beyond 50 yards and is all but a guaranteed touchback on kickoffs when he’s not trying to test an opponent’s returner, sending 51 of his 74 kickoffs into the end zone last year.
Terra Nova (8-3, 3-2)
It’s a new ballgame for Terra Nova, but a familiar face will be taking the helm as Pacifica native Jason Piccolotti is the new head coach. The run-and-shoot offense is a thing of the past, replaced instead by a mix of systems that should allow the Tigers to perform better in time of possession and limit turnovers.
Quarterback Raphael Bendo will be under center in a variety of formations, with one or two running backs and occasional spread sets. Running back was going to be a position of concern for the Tigers, but Riordan transfer Jalen Camp brings both toughness and explosiveness to the roster. Chase McKnight returns as one of Terra Nova’s top receivers, and Terra Nova also has a pair of key returning linemen in Vlad Romashko and Tory Young. Linebacker Giovanni Borzoni and safety Deshawn Dawson will be among the most prominent returners on defense, while Camp’s younger brother, sophomore Dylan, will factor in at wide receiver and safety.
