Opening scrimmages take on added importance this year after a summer with very little contact for all high school teams in California. The biggest of these scrimmages in the Bay Area is the annual Pittsburg Powerhouse Jamboree, featuring the host school, plus De La Salle, James Logan, and Jesuit-Carmichael. The action starts this Friday at 7 p.m.
"We're definitely looking forward to seeing some guys in live varsity action," said Logan coach George Zuber. "Normally, we have many more opportunities for full contact before this point, but that wasn't the case this year, so there is a lot to still discover about our teams."
At many schools around the state, the lack of live contact means that many position battles are yet to be decided -- and just one week away from opening games for many programs. That includes a key position battle for Pittsburg, which has yet to name an opening-day starter at quarterback in the competition between returning senior Christian Young and junior transfer Stephan Drugan.
"Both our quarterbacks have different strengths and weaknesses," said Pittsburg coach Vic Galli. "We're excited to see them under live pressure, and hope they can both emerge as guys we can count on throughout the season."
Even for the top-ranked team in the state this non-league season, this opening scrimmage provides an opportunity this year to assess the tangible qualities that are impossible to determine until athletes enter the heat of battle.
"We really want to see physicality," said De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh. "We want to see our linemen driving on their blocks, our linebackers getting off blocks. We want to find some scrappers."
With three of the top programs in the North Coast Section already making this a marquee scrimmage, the addition of Jesuit only enhances to the anticipation of the opening event. The Marauders advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Division I quarterfinals last year, and are coached by De La Salle alum Marlon Blanton.
"It will be fun to see (Marlon) and Jesuit," said Alumbaugh. "Every team at our scrimmage is a solid initial test."
Speaking of tests, the Jamboree will also be the first time that Pittsburg gets to unveil its transition from a power-oriented, run-based attack, to a more open spread scheme -- a testament to the Pirates' confidence in both quarterbacks and a host of playmakers at the skill positions. They also return experience at nearly every offensive line spot.
"We're confident in what we are doing right now, but it will be interesting to see how we respond (Friday night), with the little contact we've had over the summer," said Galli. "It's a major overhaul offensively for us, and we are excited to see how it looks."
There is no doubt that the rest of the section, especially in Division I and the Bay Valley Athletic League, is eager to see how the Pirates' new-look offense performs as well.
Around the section . . . The Powerhouse Jamboree is not the only scrimmage worthy of note, as here is a small sampling of some of the action from the NCS:
Freedom, Bishop O'Dowd, and Concord will all travel to Las Lomas to tangle with the Knights and each other . . . Liberty hosts Granada in what has become an annual ritual . . . Northgate travels to Antioch for a two-team affair with the Panthers. Fans looking to see an early glimpse of top-rated running back Najee Harris may be disappointed, however, as Antioch coach John Lucido said the junior will receive very little time in the offensive backfield, if any.
Hayward and Moreau Catholic travel to Tennyson for a three-team scrimmage . . . Ygnacio Valley and Berean Christian travel to Acalanes for a three-team scrimmage . . . The San Ramon Valley district schools will be keeping things in-house with a four-way scrimmage at Monte Vista featuring the Mustangs, San Ramon Valley, California, and Dougherty Valley.
Berkeley hosts Deer Valley in a Saturday afternoon scrimmage . . . Livermore and Kennedy-Fremont will both be at Dublin . . . Miramonte hosts a jamboree on Saturday that includes College Park . . . Marin Catholic will be part of the Cardinal Newman scrimmage on Friday, and Prep2Prep correspondent Harold Abend will be covering the action between two of the top programs in the North Bay and the entire section.
