This is a nice writeup on Anthony Bender (Casa Grande), who has had a journey with lots of twists and turns to make the Major Leagues.

I find it amazing that this clown gets on here, shoots his mouth off about all kinds of nonsense..then finds a big freaking rock to hide under
We will find you no matter how many new handles you create!!!! ha ha ha ha ha......DLS is number 1.

Mine so far? Nicholson #20 Manteca. This kid runs he catches good hands! Hard to tackle on offence. And tackles hard on defence! My team Oakdale? No stars. Just a team!

Game Notes

Vacaville rarely gets challenged during league play, but is Vanden up to the task this season? The Vikings are off to a 6-1 start (only loss is in overtime to Rancho Cotate) and have offensive balance with quarterback Tre Dimes (great name for a quarterback) and the running duo of Cameron Fisherman and Elijah Fisherman. Sophomore Brayden Chavez is their leading receiver.

Player Notes

Sacred Heart Cathedral defensive lineman Silas Bahlibi (6-foot-4, 240 pounds) is having an impact this season for Sacred Heart Cathedral, which picked up its first win last week after a couple close calls against Top 35 teams.

JUCO Note

Monterey Peninsula held off De Anza on Saturday for a 27-26 win. They tallied three interceptions with one apiece from Michael Galindo, Raoul Lockhart and Jacob Lambeth. Coming into the game, Monterey Peninsula had four interceptions in five games.

Alumni Watch

San Jose State linebacker Kyle Harmon (Freedom) leads the Spartans with 57 tackles (28 solo) through six games. He now has 265 tackles in his career at San Jose State. He signed with Cal out of high school, but never played a game for the Bears.

Video to Watch

SportStars produced a video from De La Salle’s win over Folsom with comments from Justin Alumbaugh and a couple of players.

Story to Read

Today is a podcast to listen to. Serra head coach Patrick Walsh has a twice weekly podcast going this season. In this episode, he provides a brief breakdown of the win over Riordan.

Pittsburg High host a 1 game shootout at Pittsburg High on January 15th (Saturday). I need 1 team for this event, as a team had to drop out. Please text me at (510) 387-3868 or email me at givansbasketball@gmail.com

Any programs with a frosh team looking for games please let me know I need to find some games

Here are the games for this week. Had too many games to choose from, but tried to work in some new teams too.

De La Salle at Folsom
Enterprise at Pleasant Valley
Clayton Valley Charter at California
Acalanes at Las Lomas
Turlock at Downey
Woodcreek at Antelope
Davis (Modesto) at Lathrop
Valley Christian at St. Francis
Terra Nova at Sacred Heart Prep
Hillsdale at Menlo

Game Notes

The Delta League will likely be decided on Saturday when Elk Grove visits Jesuit. The Thundering Herd are healthy after an 0-2 start and have one of the section’s best running attacks with senior quarterback Ethan Archuleta and running back Zeke Burnett. Jesuit has won six in a row since a season opening blowout loss to Folsom. The Marauders had 11 different players score touchdowns heading into last week’s game.

Player Notes

Sacramento senior CB/WR Lamont Johnson-Burrell (6-foot-3, 170 pounds) recently picked up an offer from Sacramento State. Cal Poly has also offered. Offensively, he has the speed to run past defenders off the snap and is a good runner with the ball. On defense, he gives good size on the outside and likes to hit.

JUCO Note

Sierra College (3-2) overcame a 14 point fourth quarter deficit to force overtime in beating Diablo Valley College (3-2) 49-48. Sierra quarterback Qyntyn Pilcher-Colbert threw for 239 yards and four touchdowns. He ran for 79 yards and two scores.

Alumni Watch

On Saturday, Boise State upset No. 10 BYU 26-17 as running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio (St. Francis-Mountain View) rushed for 75 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. The Lancer grad originally signed with Oregon out of high school.

Video to Watch

San Ramon Valley senior quarterback Jack Quigley was nearly perfect in last week’s win over Amador Valley.

Story to Read

Taking a look at the college ranks, Sacramento State stayed perfect in the Big Sky Conference (2-0) with a 41-20 win over Southern Utah. The Hornets, who are without running back Elijah Dotson, will travel to Montana this week.

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Not here to bash you or Folsom, and I know you're hurt and a little humiliated.But Id like to discuss what happened last night,from an Xs and Os perspective.Folsom should be better than that.You seem to be pretty plugged in to the program.Was it the game plan?I just expected more from Folsom and at times they just looked defeated early on.After DLS returned the opening kickoff for a TD,seemed like that set the tone.

Some things don’t ever change

Big night of football. Most eyes will be on Folsom-De La Salle, but this figures to be one of the strongest weeks we've had this season

Now that DLS has again easily disposed of Folsom, can we take a look at projected state bowl games for a few of the divisions;

Open Game; if St. Francis of Mtn. View wins out, they should be NorCal's rep in the Open Game.

Div 1; assuming DLS wins out, they should be the D1 rep from the north. In this scenario, who would they potentially face in playoffs?

This would seem to leave Folsom out of appearing in any state games this year.

Some posters seem to think the demise of DLS is upon us. Note that losing to St. Francis of Baltimore is no disgrace, since that team is a bought and paid for team that 5+ years ago had a huge influx of money from a very rich donor precisely to build a great fb program, much like IMG, MD, and SJB are now doing by stretching the way a team should be built.

I think a lot of folks will be surprised when DLS wins Friday's game. The St. Francis of Baltimore team had what, 15-20 three to five 5 star players? Folsom may have what, 2-3? That will be the big difference in last weeks game vs. this weeks game.

Game Note

On Thursday, Lincoln-San Jose improved to 4-2 with a 47-0 win over Piedmont Hills (3-3). Since an opening 41-14 loss to Leigh, Lincoln has held its last five opponents to an average of eight points per game. Lincoln quarterback Tayden Phillips accounted for more than 280 total yards and five touchdowns.

Player Note

Edison-Stockton 2022 linebacker Nakian Jackson (6-foot-1, 230 pounds) anchors the Vikings’ defense at the second level. He is physical, works around blocks to not get caught up in the scrum and is a good tackler.

JUCO Note

Diablo Valley College (3-1) has four interception returns on the season with Dieontae Malan (Hercules), Antione Tanner (Antioch), Malachi Ward (Bishop O’Dowd) and Jabril White (McClymonds) each accounting for a score. Coming off a loss to Sequoias, Diablo Valley travels to Sierra on Saturday.

Alumni Watch

Colorado linebacker Nate Landman (Monte Vista) is finishing a very good career in Boulder with 46 tackles (39 solo) in five games this year. Coming into the fall, he had 218 tackles and eight sacks over three seasons.

Story to Read

St. Mary’s junior Brooks Wheatley made the move to safety after the Rams started 0-2. That move has been part of the reason for the Rams’ turnaround, which includes a win over Cardinal Newman.

I've been a little surprised he didn't receive more interest coming out of the spring. Good for the Hornets to jump in the mix

I know this is a hot take- and I know it will upset some. But DLS is not immune to criticism on this forum, as is no one else.

DLS got absolutely steamrolled on national TV last night AT HOME, and hardly a peep about it.

After they play Folsom, they will have three losses and not make an SBG game. The time has come.

Contrary to popular belief, I was hoping for a DLS win. West coast bias I guess. I was actually shocked they got embarrassed like that on national TV. Not having a QB or top tier athletes has really exposed them this year. They just can't run the veer and win. Other teams have much better athletes and lines then they do this year.

Sorry- but it's over for them this year.

Game Notes

In a well played, back and forth contest, No. 29 California (6-0) beat No. 25 Clayton Valley Charter (4-2) 19-18. Quarterback Teddy Booras found his favorite target, Jake Calcagno, for a 21 yard touchdown with 15 seconds left. The Ugly Eagles controlled the game early with its ground attack and timely passes, but California had two key momentum shifting plays. Down 12-0, California called a flea flicker to Calcagno for 68 yards to the Eagles’ one yard line. Near the end of the first half, Clayton Valley Charter was on the Grizzlies’ two yard line, but California got a sack on the final play to stay within six points.

No. 3 De La Salle (4-2) saw senior Zeke Berry return the opening kickoff and the Spartans added a blocked punt in the first half to get out to a 24-0 lead en route to a 31-10 win over No. 1 Folsom (6-1). The Spartans ended any hope of a comeback with a 75 yard touchdown pass from Luke Dermon to Cooper Flanagan.

Las Lomas (4-2) held off Acalanes (4-2) 35-34 despite the Dons scoring the final minute and recovering an onside kick. The Knights’ losses have come to Rancho Cotate and San Ramon Valley by a combined eight points.

Player Notes

California senior wide receiver Jake Calcagno (6-foot-0, 160 pounds) is putting together an All-NorCal type season. He is a good route runner, finds the ball quickly in the air and is sure handed. Against Clayton Valley Charter, he made plays at all three levels.

De La Salle senior Zeke Berry (Arizona) has been one of the best players in the region this season. In addition to returning the opening kickoff against Folsom, he was an anchor in the secondary that held the Bulldogs to one touchdown. He is a big hitter who covers a lot of ground and has good ball skills.

Serra senior athlete Hassan Mahasin was lost for the season with an ACL injury, but made news on Friday when he announced his commitment to San Diego State. The multi-position Mahasin is dynamic with the ball as a ball carrier and receiver.

JUCO Note

On Saturday, Feather River (3-0) will travel to Hartnell (2-2) in what will be Feather River’s third road game of the season. Tanner Hall has rushed for 257 yards and six touchdowns.

Alumni Watch

Elijhah Badger (Folsom) had a 22 yard rushing touchdown for Arizona State in a win over Stanford on Friday night. Badger also caught a pass for 19 yards.

Video to Watch

Teddy Booras to Jack Calcagno for the game winning touchdown in Cal’s 19-18 win over Clayton Valley Charter.

Story to Read

Early ready on De La Salle’s win at Folsom. The Spartans are now 5-0 against Folsom in the past 10 years.

Murphy has been offered by Chico State. During the spring season, he averaged 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

I saw in the notes from the Sac Joaquin section meeting yesterday Grant was formally requesting to move the football team to the Metro league next year. Probably best at this point.

On a podcast with Jeremey Booth (Program 15), Palo Alto OF Henry Bolte (Texas) was talked about as a potential first round pick in the next draft.

Also, good overall discussion on player development.

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