PCAL Week 1- ( CCS starts a week after most other section)
Some good matchups exciting matchups stating on Thursday night. (PCAL will play at least one Thursday game every week due to lack of officials in the area.) Oakdale v Aptos and Clayton Valley vs Salinas are the biggest non section matchups (the only non CCS ones this week😉). Most intriguing local matchup is Monterey vs. St.Francis CC. Monterey is expected to challenge in the Gabilan, while St. Francis is building something special, despite hovering around 25-30 players annually.
Gabilan
Thu 08/24 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – This should be called the Gabilan 7th place Bowl game, both these large schools are considered every year for the Gabilan. Alvarez won last year and that kept them up. Alisal returns the favor this year. Alisal 24-20
Thu 08/24 Soquel (CA) at Los Gatos (CA), 7:00pm- Nobody can accuse Soquel of ducking hard non-league opponents. Los Gatos 35-14
Thu 08/24 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Soledad (CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm- But you can question Palma’s non League schedule 3 Mission South teams and an out of state team from Yuma. Palma 28-0
Fri 08/25 Oakdale (CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:00pm – You think anybody will run the ball much in this game? Who runs the best Wing. Going with the home team and betting the over on rushing yards. Aptos 35-34
Fri 08/25 Oak Grove (San Jose, CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm- Oak grove has fallen on some hard time recently. I like the Haybalers here. Hollister 28-14
Fri 08/25 Monterey (CA) vs St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Monterey Peninsula College (Monterey, CA), 7:30pm- This game intrigues me as St.Francis could be a rising power and I expect Monterey to compete in the Gabilan. Monterey gets a scare but holds on. Monterey 34-33
Fri 08/25 Clayton Valley (Concord, CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:00pm – Salinas is a bit of an unknown, as they lost a lot of offense from last year. But Zenk has built a hell of a program and they will reload. Salinas 24-21
Mission North
Thu 08/24 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Christopher (Gilroy, CA), 7:00pm- Tough matchup for the Condors vs an old PCAL rival expect to contend in the Mt. Hamilton League. Christopher 35-7
Fri 08/25 Santa Cruz (CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:30pm- These crosstown rivals have trended in different directions the past 20 years. Santa Cruz will be happy ot be out of the Gabilan. Santa Cruz 28-0
Fri 08/25 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at Los Altos (CA), 7:00pm- MVC looking to regain some stability and its old winning ways after a carousel of coaches. MVC 17-14
Fri 08/25 Seaside (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm- Potentially a great match up here if Rancho was able to reload after last years record breaking season. Seaside 28-24
Sat 08/26 Watsonville (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Lets see if Carmel has found a consistent QB to go along with its playmakers and experienced O line. Carmel 35-14
Sat 08/26 Gonzales (CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 2:00pm – Tough Opening day match up for Gonzales vs a historically stingy defense Scott’s Valley 21-0
Mission South
Fri 08/25 King City (CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- KC looks to avenge last years loss that sanpped a 10 game streak vs their south conty neighbor. KC 24-17
Fri 08/25 Marina (CA) at Pacific Grove (CA), 7:30pm- I want to pick Marina, I hate picking PG to win. They are playing this game just to make me pick them to win. Not doing it. Upset special. Marina 21-20
Fri 08/25 Sobrato (Morgan Hill, CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – North Salinas stops the bleeding and get their first win since the playoffs 2 years ago. North Salinas 16-14
Santa Lucia -Of Note Pajaro and RLS are not playing this week. RLS is a boarding school and they historically have been playing 9 games because their academic calendar does not start until 8/23. I don’t know why Pajaro only scheduled 9 games. (Edit- Pajaro did have a game for Week 1. Was not showing on Cal Preps until Thursday night)
Fri 08/25 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Ripon Christian (Ripon, CA), 7:30pm- Because I added this late not choosing a winner. On paper this looks like a bit of a mismatch.
Fri 08/25 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at South San Francisco (CA), 7:00pm- Lets see if SLV can start to turn this once proud program around vs a program that started to turn things around last year. South San Francisco 21-17