If fans of the Deer Valley Wolverines are interested in finding out how their newly rebuilt 2014 version of the varsity football team will stack up in the rugged Bay Valley Athletic League, this Friday’s scrimmage could be very telling for the young squad.
Deer Valley has joined the Pittsburg Powerhouse Jamboree, along with the host Pirates, De La Salle, and James Logan. The jamboree starts at 7 pm at Pittsburg High School, and promises plenty of excitement and hard-hitting action for a pre-season scrimmage. The Wolverines will be looking to find answers to replace last year’s explosive playmakers on offense, while the Pirates are eager to see if a veteran defense will be able to carry a young offensive line early in the season. They will get their early test against the always-formidable Spartan line when they line up against De La Salle.
Looking to bounce back from last year’s 1-9 campaign, Heritage finds itself in another imposing four-way scrimmage on Friday, at Foothill High School. Along with the host Falcons, the Patriots will also square off against El Cerrito and Washington of Fremont. Heritage will be looking to show strides in head coach Don Sanders’ second season at the helm, a task presumably made easier with some continuity at the quarterback position with the return of Sohail Mohsini, not to mention the potential for a stout defense led by Sam Hinn and David Letuligasenoa. The Patriots will get to test themselves against two of the nation’s top recruits in Foothill’s Isaiah Langley and Kyle Kearns.
Freedom is part of another four-team scrimmage, as it travels to Las Lomas Friday to challenge the host Knights, Concord, and Bishop O’Dowd. Stocked with returners on both sides of the ball, Freedom will be looking to replace Joe Mixon with a balance of offensive weapons, beginning with returning junior quarterback Joey Sweeney. They get to face a veteran Concord squad and an athletic O’Dowd team, led by new head coach Napoleon Kaufman.
Liberty and Antioch are each taking part in two-team competitions. The Lions travel Friday to Granada High School to evaluate themselves against the host Matadors. With nine full or part-time starters returning on each side of the ball for the Lions, they will be looking to see positive results in their scrimmage, as they prepare for a grueling season opener in Fresno the following week against Central High School.
The Panthers, meanwhile, start their long road trip to open the season with a scrimmage in Napa against Vintage High School. Antioch has multiple returners on each side of the ball, and will be looking to display explosiveness from a group of talented running backs, receivers, and secondary athletes.
