PCAL Week 8
Well, you know when @Streakone includes 2 PCAL games in his Pick’ems it’s going to be a good week! Truth is he didn’t include potentially the best match up: ST Francis vs Rancho San Juan. This week is going to be great.
This past week was not bad. Palma was able to score the winning touchdown in the last 20 seconds to knock off long time rival Hollister. With the win Palma controls its own destiny for the Gabilan Crown. Unfortunately, 2 of their last 3 games are vs Salinas and Aptos. I don’t see them as favorites in either. Alisal won the “looks like we stay another year in the Gabilan” game with Santa Cruz, while Aptos handled business with Alverez, setting up a great showdown with Salinas. The schedule was kind to Salinas for this game, the extra week due to the bye, gave Salinas more time to prepare for the Aptos Wing T. With their explosive offense, good defense and great in game adjustments I am high on Salinas wining this game.
In the Mission, North Salinas scored almost as many points than they had all year, 24, but it was not enough as MVC was able to score 34. Soquel continued to flex its muscle with a good road win over a much-improved Seaside squad. Monterey had the best victory of the weekend by coming back to beat Scott’s Valley. Monterey was down 14-6, woke up at halftime and won 18-14. Last years Monterey team loses that game. This sets up a great match up for first place with Soquel this weekend. I am on the fence, Soquel is so well coached and disciplined, but Monterey has so much speed and a really underrated defense.
The Cypress saw one of it unbeatens fall, as Soledad was able to knock off Rancho San Juan. That leaves St. Francis as the last unbeaten team in the division. Rancho will look to return the favor this weekend vs St Francis. Meanwhile Soledad hopes to stay unbeaten in the division as they take on PG. According to PAL Boosters predictions, this division could send 2 teams to the playoffs, 1 AQ and 1 at large.
The Santa Lucia is shaping up to be a 2-team race between Greenfield and RLS. However, Marina can make some noise as it plays Greenfield this weekend. A win by the Mariners can turn it back into a 3-team race.
Last week 11-1 (I could of gone 12-0, just refused to pick PG) Overall 78-32
Gabilan
Fri 10/14 Salinas (CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:30pm- Salinas scores 45 pts per game and gives up 19.1, Aptos scores 44 and gives up 19.6. These teams are evenly matched. Salinas has done it vs a little tougher schedule plus all the stuff I said above. Salinas 34-28
Fri 10/14 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm- Hollister needs to be careful not to have let down after last weeks emotional loss to Palma. Alisal is the type of ground and pound team that could take advantage of that. Hollister 24-14
Fri 10/14 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – These 2 struggling teams are probably happy to see each other. Alvarez 24-23
Mission
Fri 10/14 Seaside (CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – North Salinas finally showed some life on offense last week, but not enough. Meanwhile Seaside fell to first place Soquel. Seaside will bounce back this week. Seaside 28-6
Fri 10/14 Carmel (CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 7:30pm- I want to pick Carmel in this game, I do. Their defense is good enough to stop Scott’s Valley, I just have zero faith in the Padres offense. They have been way to inconsistent offensively to pick them here. Scott’s Valley 17-7
Sat 10/15 Monterey (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm- Soquel is going to try to do what they do best, grind out the game. Go on long scoring drives and keep Monterey’s offense on the sideline. That has worked most of the year except vs Palma. A team with a very good defense. Monterey has a very good defense. Monterey’s program turns the corner here. Upset. Monterey 16-14
Cypress
Thu 10/13 Pacific Grove (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:30pm -Stupid PG blew my chance at a perfect week by blowing out NMC. Soledad is riding a 6 game win streak behind a great defense. Soledad 17-6
Fri 10/14 King City (CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm – King City recovered from a heartbreaking loss to Rancho, with an easy victory over Watsonville. NMC was embarrassed by PG. King City 35-14
Sat 10/15 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) at St. Francis (Watsonville, CA), 2:00pm – Rancho is playing the best 2 defenses back to back. They will need have a better passing (2-7 for 7 yds and 1 int) game this week if they want to keep the Sharks at bay. (Yes, St Francis mascot is the Shark 😊). St. Francis hopes to keep rolling to a match up with Soledad in 2 weeks. St Francis 21-7
Santa Lucia
Fri 10/14 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at Gonzales (CA), 7:30pm – It has been a very long year for SLV, now they will have a very long bus ride home. Gonzales 35-7
Fri 10/14 Marina (CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- This week every division has at least 1 must see game. If Marina once to wreak havoc in the division it must beat Greenfield this week. Marina is vastly improved over previous years, but Greenfield is playing well also. Taking the home team. Greenfield 24-23
Sat 10/15 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA), 2:00pm – RLS had the chance to play Monterey Trail this past weekend. Then I think RLS realized that it was Monterey Trail and decided to just take a 3rd bye week. I believe it was a wise decision. RLS 45-14
Well, you know when @Streakone includes 2 PCAL games in his Pick’ems it’s going to be a good week! Truth is he didn’t include potentially the best match up: ST Francis vs Rancho San Juan. This week is going to be great.
This past week was not bad. Palma was able to score the winning touchdown in the last 20 seconds to knock off long time rival Hollister. With the win Palma controls its own destiny for the Gabilan Crown. Unfortunately, 2 of their last 3 games are vs Salinas and Aptos. I don’t see them as favorites in either. Alisal won the “looks like we stay another year in the Gabilan” game with Santa Cruz, while Aptos handled business with Alverez, setting up a great showdown with Salinas. The schedule was kind to Salinas for this game, the extra week due to the bye, gave Salinas more time to prepare for the Aptos Wing T. With their explosive offense, good defense and great in game adjustments I am high on Salinas wining this game.
In the Mission, North Salinas scored almost as many points than they had all year, 24, but it was not enough as MVC was able to score 34. Soquel continued to flex its muscle with a good road win over a much-improved Seaside squad. Monterey had the best victory of the weekend by coming back to beat Scott’s Valley. Monterey was down 14-6, woke up at halftime and won 18-14. Last years Monterey team loses that game. This sets up a great match up for first place with Soquel this weekend. I am on the fence, Soquel is so well coached and disciplined, but Monterey has so much speed and a really underrated defense.
The Cypress saw one of it unbeatens fall, as Soledad was able to knock off Rancho San Juan. That leaves St. Francis as the last unbeaten team in the division. Rancho will look to return the favor this weekend vs St Francis. Meanwhile Soledad hopes to stay unbeaten in the division as they take on PG. According to PAL Boosters predictions, this division could send 2 teams to the playoffs, 1 AQ and 1 at large.
The Santa Lucia is shaping up to be a 2-team race between Greenfield and RLS. However, Marina can make some noise as it plays Greenfield this weekend. A win by the Mariners can turn it back into a 3-team race.
Last week 11-1 (I could of gone 12-0, just refused to pick PG) Overall 78-32
Gabilan
Fri 10/14 Salinas (CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:30pm- Salinas scores 45 pts per game and gives up 19.1, Aptos scores 44 and gives up 19.6. These teams are evenly matched. Salinas has done it vs a little tougher schedule plus all the stuff I said above. Salinas 34-28
Fri 10/14 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm- Hollister needs to be careful not to have let down after last weeks emotional loss to Palma. Alisal is the type of ground and pound team that could take advantage of that. Hollister 24-14
Fri 10/14 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – These 2 struggling teams are probably happy to see each other. Alvarez 24-23
Mission
Fri 10/14 Seaside (CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – North Salinas finally showed some life on offense last week, but not enough. Meanwhile Seaside fell to first place Soquel. Seaside will bounce back this week. Seaside 28-6
Fri 10/14 Carmel (CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 7:30pm- I want to pick Carmel in this game, I do. Their defense is good enough to stop Scott’s Valley, I just have zero faith in the Padres offense. They have been way to inconsistent offensively to pick them here. Scott’s Valley 17-7
Sat 10/15 Monterey (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm- Soquel is going to try to do what they do best, grind out the game. Go on long scoring drives and keep Monterey’s offense on the sideline. That has worked most of the year except vs Palma. A team with a very good defense. Monterey has a very good defense. Monterey’s program turns the corner here. Upset. Monterey 16-14
Cypress
Thu 10/13 Pacific Grove (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:30pm -Stupid PG blew my chance at a perfect week by blowing out NMC. Soledad is riding a 6 game win streak behind a great defense. Soledad 17-6
Fri 10/14 King City (CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm – King City recovered from a heartbreaking loss to Rancho, with an easy victory over Watsonville. NMC was embarrassed by PG. King City 35-14
Sat 10/15 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) at St. Francis (Watsonville, CA), 2:00pm – Rancho is playing the best 2 defenses back to back. They will need have a better passing (2-7 for 7 yds and 1 int) game this week if they want to keep the Sharks at bay. (Yes, St Francis mascot is the Shark 😊). St. Francis hopes to keep rolling to a match up with Soledad in 2 weeks. St Francis 21-7
Santa Lucia
Fri 10/14 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at Gonzales (CA), 7:30pm – It has been a very long year for SLV, now they will have a very long bus ride home. Gonzales 35-7
Fri 10/14 Marina (CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- This week every division has at least 1 must see game. If Marina once to wreak havoc in the division it must beat Greenfield this week. Marina is vastly improved over previous years, but Greenfield is playing well also. Taking the home team. Greenfield 24-23
Sat 10/15 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA), 2:00pm – RLS had the chance to play Monterey Trail this past weekend. Then I think RLS realized that it was Monterey Trail and decided to just take a 3rd bye week. I believe it was a wise decision. RLS 45-14
