Prep football fans don't have to look far for attractive games this week no matter what their locale around the CCS.
In the Monterey Bay there's a match-up oozing with potential as MBL-Gabilan unbeatens Salinas and Palma meet at Rabobank Stadium. The Chieftains have defeated Salinas in 19 of the past 20 meetings but face a team that last week knocked off previously unbeaten Monterey.
The WCAL boasts games featuring the four southern-most teams (all with 2-1 league records) as Bellarmine visits Mitty and Valley Christian travels to St. Francis. Only the winners will likely remain one game behind Serra (3-0) when the weekend wraps up, barring a Riordan upset of the Padres. And with Riordan losing by only 25-22 in the league opener, anything is possible.
Then there are three public school battles of league unbeatens as Milpitas visits Wilcox in a huge SCVAL-De Anza showdown, Live Oak travels to Westmont in a pivotal BVAL-Santa Teresa contest and Mountain View is at Fremont in the SCVAL-El Camino.
Terra Nova at Burlingame is not a battle of league unbeatens after TN's 49-28 loss last week to Sacred Heart Prep, but the Panthers (6-0. 2-0) are still perfect after their 46-30 win against Menlo last week. Now Burlingame finally gets to play a home game in their recently completed new bleachers.
Back in the WCAL, St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral are both 0-3 in league, but it's Bruce-Mahoney time and that's all need be said as the ancient rivals -- first athletic contest between them in 1893 -- crack helmets at 2 p.m. Saturday at SI's J.B. Murphy Field. Wildcat athletic director John Mulkerrins said Wednesday no tickets will be available on game day.
TOP GAMES
Friday
Milpitas (6-0, 2-0) at Wilcox (5-1, 2-0), 7 p.m.: Milpitas has outscored opponents by a combined 250-30 and has poleaxed three foes since its 31-17 upset of Valley Christian by a combined 138-6. WR Christian Rita and TE Jason Scrempos average over 35 yards per catch and have combined for seven TD catches. Wilcox fell to Milpitas 27-20 last season but managed an SCVAL-De Anza tri-title with the Trojans and Los Gatos. The Chargers have won five consecutive since an opening 20-14 loss to Manteca and are led by RB Matt Alquetra who has rushed for 509 yards and 10 TDs. Junior Julian Jones is a versatile, talented athlete to keep an eye on for Wilcox, rushing, making plays on defense and handling the team's placekicking.
Mountain View (5-1, 2-0) at Fremont (6-0, 3-0), 6:30 p.m.: Mountain View heads into this SCVAL-El Camino showdown rolling, with its only loss to San Mateo (31-13). The Spartans are led by Irving Ramirez who has rushed for 467 yards and three scores. Fremont is paced by sophomore QB Phillip Tran who has thrown for 1,175 yards and 12 scores with two intercepted. Tran completes 56 percent of his passes.
Terra Nova (2-4, 1-1) at Burlingame (6-0, 2-0), 7 p.m.: Burlingame finally plays a home game now that its bleachers are finished and has an attractive match-up against Terra Nova led by QB Anthony Gordon who is averaging 380 yards passing per game. Gordon may not have star WR Jordan Genato (probable dislocated hip, had an MRI Thursday) to throw to. Burlingame is led by RB Griffin Intieri who has rushed for 740 yards this season.
Palma (6-0, 2-0) vs. Salinas (4-3, 3-0) at Rabobank, 7:30 p.m.: Salinas owns the only win against Palma by a Salinas city public school team in the last 25 years, reports the Salinas Californian. The Cowboys had a rough non-league season, losing to Aptos (21-14), Sacred Heart Prep (27-21) and Terra Nova (38-28) but knocked off previously unbeaten Monterey 28-21 last week and also has a league win against San Benito. QB Bruce Leighton (94 yards passing, 102 rushing) leads the Cowboys. Palma's best win came against St. Francis (21-12). The Chieftains have allowed just 5.3 points per game, led by defensive lineman Eduardo Barbosa. Running back Emelio Martinez paces the Chieftain offense.
Oak Grove (3-3, 3-0) at Willow Glen (3-3, 1-2), 7 p.m.: The Eagles have won three consecutive league games since non-league losses to Valley Christian, St. Francis and San Benito. Rashad Fontenette had three TDs last week in a 56-0 win against Independence, including two rushes of more than 40 yards and one punt return of 44 yards. Willow Glen is paced by RB Hakeem Mays who rushed for 197 yards and four TDs last week in a 55-32 win against Leigh and RB Isaiah Sires-Wils who added 98 yards and one score.
Menlo-Atherton (2-4, 1-1) at Menlo (3-3, 0-1), 3 p.m.: Menlo-Atherton sophomore RB Jordan Mims was elevated from junior varsity last week and rushed for 175 yards to lead the Bears to a 21-14 win against Sequoia. The pass-catch combo of Robby Beardsley to Chase Del Rosso is also dangerous. The Knights fell 46-30 to unbeaten Burlingame last week and passed for 270 yards and two scores, but also was intercepted seven times. Two-way star Charlie Roth (10 tackles last week, two TDs scored) and WRs Jack Marren and Garrett Matsuda are players to watch.
Carlmont (3-3, 1-1) at Jefferson (4-2, 1-0), 5 p.m.: Resurgent Jefferson tries to stay in first place in the PAL-Lake and will rely on the arm and legs of QB Damari Cual-Davis who has thrown for 896 yards and seven TDs and run for 598 yards and five scores.
Half Moon Bay (4-2, 1-1) at Aragon (6-0, 1-0), 3 p.m.: This looked like a possible showdown of PAL-Ocean unbeatens until last week when South San Francisco stunned HMB 30-27. The Cougars outscored SSF 20-10 in the final quarter but it was not enough. Aragon's best win came last week against Woodside (19-13).
Live Oak (4-2, 3-0) at Westmont (6-0, 3-0), 7 p.m.: It's a battle of 3-0 BVAL-Santa Teresa teams. Live Oak is paced by RB Paul Lomanto who rushed for 123 yards and a score last week in a 28-14 win against San Jose. QB Erik Ornduff is a talented passer and runner for the Acorns. Westmont is paced by RB Jakob Good who rushed for 240 yards and scored four TDs last week in a 31-14 win against Lincoln.
Bellarmine (5-1, 2-1) at Mitty (4-2, 2-1), 7 p.m.: Both teams try to stay one game behind Serra in the WCAL race in a once-yearly game at Mitty's Jack Russi Field (Monarchs' normal home is Foothill College). This will also be the first varsity contest on the Monarchs' newly installed artificial turf. The Bells are led by QB Griffin Quinn who passed for 121 yards and two TDs last week in a 35-14 win against Sacred Heart Cathedral, fleet RB Kyle McCauley and TE Josh Bringuel. Mitty squeaked by St. Ignatius last week with a long TD pass from Brett Foley to Ben Granberry and an 80-yard TD run by Miles Brown. Other Monarchs to watch are speedy utility Dakari Monroe and big TE Tommy Hudson.
Valley Christian (4-2, 2-1) at St. Francis (4-2, 2-1), 7:30 p.m.: Classic clash of offense vs. defense as the explosive Warriors meet the defensive-minded Lancers. If RB Kirk Johnson is sidelined with an injured ankle for VC -- he came up limp against Riordan -- Tre McCloud (nine carries for 165 yards and two scores vs. Crusaders) will likely have to carry the load. Lancers likewise banged up with RB Devin Hurtado getting limited carries in 14-2 loss to Serra.
Overfelt (2-4, 1-2) at Prospect (3-3, 1-2, 7 p.m.: QB Damien Zepeda had two TD passes last week against unbeaten Mt. Pleasant and Jose Esparza had two TD runs. The Royals scored in every quarter against the Cardinals. Prospect is paced by QB Samuel Adams (1,164 passing yards, 13 TDs) and WR Tarnell Pollard (39 catches, 774 yards, 10 TDs).
Saturday
Sacred Heart Cathedral (3-3, 0-3) at St. Ignatius (3-3, 0-3), 2 p.m.: Teams clash at J.B. Murphy Field for the first time in 25 years (normal site of game is Kezar Stadium) in this Bruce-Mahoney rivalry game. Since the 1945-46 school year when Bruce-Mahoney trophy was first given out, SI leads rivalry football showdown 47-20-2. SI is led by QB Ryan Hagfeldt who has thrown for nearly 1,000 yards. Jamar Williams Sheppard is around 1,000 yards rushing for SHC and ran for more than 300 yards in a loss to Mitty, but has been keyed on heavily in recent games.
