Here is a breakdown of how the league races are shaping up in the larger-school leagues within the North Coast Section, by alphabetical order:
BAY VALLEY ATHLETIC LEAGUE
The league went a combined 22-8 in non-league play, and their losses as a whole resemble a who's-who list of Northern California high school football: San Ramon Valley, Foothill, Archbishop Mitty, Will C Wood, Granite Bay, Campolindo, Marin Catholic, and Concord.
Liberty is the only team to enter league play with a perfect record, but both Pittsburg and Freedom boast big-time wins on their resume to go with the most difficult schedules in the league.
Pittsburg's win over California keeps the defending league champions as the team to beat, while all three of Freedom's victories have come over highly-regarded opponents and have no doubt prepared the Falcons for the rigors of a league title chase.
But don't count out either Liberty or surprising Antioch. Najee Harris has 1102 rushing yards through the first five games for the Panthers, while Joseph Tolentino has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the NCS and a steady leader for the Lions' offense. Liberty's defense has also been rock-solid this season, holding its last three opponents to just 17 combined points.
The first week of league play this week features three games which all went down to the wire last season. Antioch and Freedom went to overtime last season, and this game certainly seems to hinge on which team can establish its running game.
Harris is a force for Antioch, but sophomore Ronnie Rivers put the Falcons on his shoulders two weekends ago, when he ran for 239 yards and five touchdowns in their win over Will C Wood.
Liberty and Heritage meet for the eighth time in the history of the district rivalry. The Patriots won the first six games, but Liberty is seeking their second consecutive victory in the series after their 14-7 win last season propelled them into the playoffs.
Pittsburg and Deer Valley, meanwhile, always seem to battle each other tough. Expect two teams attempting to establish their ground attacks in this one, though Pirates' senior quarterback Keith Walker has begun to display the arm that has had coach Vic Galli so excited to see him develop.
DIABLO FOOTHILL ATHLETIC LEAGUE
The top four teams here are currently a combined 20-3 after a strong run through their non-league schedules. With Alhambra's 28-7 loss to Acalanes last week, however, it would appear that Acalanes, Las Lomas, and Campolindo will be fighting it out for league supremacy.
Alhambra has a chance to get back into the discussion this Friday when it hosts Campolindo, but the Cougars have dominated everyone on their schedule so far, and have the requisite offensive firepower to succeed in this league.
Campo's Jack Stephens has thrown for 1,295 yards through their first six games, while running back Nick Fadelli has provided balance with 749 yards on the ground. Stephens also has no shortage of targets in the passing game, as Duke-commit Tyler Petite is easily one of the top threats in the section at tight end, and both Max Flower (16-302, 4 TD) and Caleb Whalen (15-269, 2 TD) have proven themselves as effective receivers.
Las Lomas' only loss is to San Ramon Valley, and recent blowout wins over Northgate and Miramonte have people talking about the Knights' defense, which only allowed eight fourth-quarter points to the Broncos in those two victories.
Offensively, quarterback Ben Wood and running back Zack Fulks are both equal threats, while Wood's favorite target, Max Kulsuptrakul, has become a big-play receiver down the field.
Acalanes' Casey Harrington has been able to shoulder the passing game when needed for the Dons, but coach Mike Ivankovich is well-known for his ability to produce an effective ground game, and that has not changed.
Alhambra has its own three-headed offense to unleash on the league, with quarterback Mark Azevedo, running back James Gonsalves, and receiver Grant Hill. The three were all stymied against Acalanes, however, and the Bulldogs need them to get back on track in order to make a run at the league title and/or the section playoffs.
Of the remaining teams in the league, both Miramonte and Dougherty Valley have weapons that will keep teams preparing for the potential upset. Dougherty's senior running back Michael Pangelinan kept the Wildcats in their recent 42-26 loss to Campolindo, while Matadors' junior quarterback Ryan Anderson nearly orchestrated an upset over Alhambra two weeks ago, falling 43-40.
DIABLO VALLEY ATHLETIC LEAGUE
Northgate may have started fast, winning its first three games, but losses in the last two to Las Lomas and Antioch seem to have made it clear that this is a two-horse race.
Head coaches Brian Hamilton and Tim Murphy of Concord and Clayton Valley, respectively, are definitely familiar with each other and their programs as they head towards another showdown for a league title. Last year's match-up was one of the best games of the 2013 season, and both offenses seem destined for another epic tilt.
Senior quarterback Mitch Daniels (93-133-3-1313, 18 TD) and favorite target Mason Knight (34-411, 8 TD) have torched defenses in limited playing time due to Concord's blowout victories, while running back Malik Blackburn has a combined 983 yards from scrimmage for the Minutemen.
The Ugly Eagles counter with a run game that has five athletes currently over 200 yards rushing, led by Miles Harrison, who has 809 yards and 11 touchdowns through five games, averaging over 10 yards per carry.
Clayton Valley seems to be the more battle-tested of the two teams, with convincing wins over Carson (NV), Cardinal Newman, and Napa, along with a hard-fought victory over Tracy. Concord does boast a 52-39 win over Will C Wood, however, and has shown an ability to score from anywhere on the field, at any time, against any opponent.
EAST BAY ATHLETIC LEAGUE
With Amador Valley losing to Monte Vista last week, three teams seem to have separated themselves from the rest in the EBAL: Foothill, California, and San Ramon Valley. With a league-opening win over SRV, Foothill has surged to the front of the pack, led by its outstanding offensive trio of Kyle Kearns, Isaiah Langley, and Isaiah Floyd.
Kearns, an SMU-commit, has been nearly flawless under center, completing 60 of 84 passes for 1,009 yards and 16 touchdowns through the first five games. Floyd, meanwhile, is averaging nearly 10 yards per carry in the ground game, while Langley has six receiving touchdowns.
California has been putting the ball in the capable hands of Justin Locklear, who leads the league in scoring at the midway point. The junior running back is averaging 6.6 yards per carry for the Grizzlies, having taken over as the lead back in their power running attack.
San Ramon Valley has been leaning on the trio of Zack Baker, Josiah Alvira, and JJ Koski to put up points against all comers. The Wolves led Foothill after three quarters of play, and will be hoping that they can not only run the table, but get some help from Cal High along the way.
Other athletes to keep an eye on include Amador Valley's Ronnie Jones as a dual-threat quarterback, and Livermore running back Tim Harris, who has 667 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
MARIN COUNTY ATHLETIC LEAGUE
It has seemed so automatic at the beginning of each year to pencil in Marin Catholic as the predicted champions of the MCAL. Last week's 3-0 loss to Justin-Siena has changed that approach this year, as the Braves have taken control of the league race.
Their defense has not allowed a point in their last two games, but they have to go on the road for their biggest remaining three games. They are at Tamalpais and league-leading quarterback Jack Harris (74-12-3-1520, 21 TD) this week, and also must travel to Novato and Redwood, where they will likely rely on a strong ground game offensively, led by William Boyd, Jr.
Marin Catholic, meanwhile, must run the table and hope that either Tamalpais (5-1) or Redwood can knock off the Braves and open the door for the Wildcats to reclaim the top spot in the league.
MISSION VALLEY ATHLETIC LEAGUE
Kennedy-Fremont is the only team that has caused anyone to take notice of the MVAL, winning its first six games in decisive fashion. The only team the Titans have beaten with a winning record was Mt. Eden (3-1-1), but they did so convincingly, 47-20.
The backfield combination of Kaleem Abubukari and Ryan Lord has been dominating for the Titans, as Abubukari has run for 650 yards on just 61 carries, while Lord leads the league with nine touchdowns on the ground.
Washington appears to be the most likely challenger for the league crown, as it has beaten Irvington and Mission San Jose to start league play, but did start the year with three consecutive losses, and also have not beaten a team with a winning record.
NORTH BAY LEAGUE
Three teams have separated themselves from the pack in the NBL, with Windsor, Cardinal Newman, and Rancho Cotate fighting for league supremacy.
Windsor has gone unbeaten to this point, but faces both the Cardinals and the Cougars in two of its final three games, and must travel to Cardinal Newman in the season-finale. Rancho Cotate will also likely be the first opponent it will face with a winning record.
The Cardinals, meanwhile, started their season by handing defending Nevada state finalist Churchill County (5-1) their only loss of the season, and played tough in losses to St. Mary's-Stockton and Clayton Valley.
Their defense is a concern of late, however, allowing 47 points in the last two games to weaker offensive teams in Santa Rosa and Maria Carrillo. In fact, the 28 points scored by the Pumas against Cardinal Newman was their highest total this season.
Rancho Cotate has reeled off three wins in a row, including a blowout over American Canyon, and faces Cardinal Newman this week in a game that will large league title implications.
SONOMA COUNTY LEAGUE
There appears to be no real challenger to Analy in this league. The Tigers, led by quarterback Will Smith and all-purpose running back Ja'Narrick James, have established themselves as the class of this league despite their blowout loss to McClymonds.
Petaluma has the best overall record (4-2) of the remaining challengers, but also has a loss to Sonoma Valley, which just fell 55-20 to Analy.
TRI COUNTY-ROCK
Salesian and St. Mary's-Albany seem primed for a showdown a week from Saturday, one that will likely decide the league title. Both of the Pride's losses have come to powerhouse programs, McClymonds and Inderkum, while the Panthers have run the table so far, including convincing wins over El Cerrito and Bishop O'Dowd.
St. Mary's running back Tamarick Pierce has racked up 659 yards on the ground with eight touchdowns, while quarterback Ryan Jenkins has shown the ability to perform in the clutch, evidenced by his three touchdowns through the air after the Panthers had been trailing O'Dowd.
Chad Nightingale's Salesian squad, though, is plenty battle-tested, and will no doubt be looking to use that experience in next week's game.
WACC-FOOTHILL
Tennyson, Bishop O'Dowd, and San Leandro look to make this league race an interesting one, as each program has established itself as a contender through non-league play.
San Leandro has the weakest overall record entering league play, but played those games without Stephen Johnson III, who seems ready to return to the field sometime during league play. Without him, the Pirates still knocked off Logan and played very tough in losses to Liberty and Bellarmine.
O'Dowd also played Logan tough, losing 27-22, and led St. Mary's late into the third quarter. The Dragons also have a signature win over Terra Nova.
Tennyson, meanwhile, played even with Logan for a half, and also hung tough with Acalanes, losing 47-33. Christian Silva is a true dual-threat for the Lancers, having passed for 992 yards and ran for another 449 so far this season.
Tennyson opens league play with Bishop O'Dowd and finishes its season with San Leandro. O'Dowd and San Leandro meet on October 24 in another pivotal game.
