As it is now playoff season for nearly all CIF sections, it may be time to take a very early look at the potential CIF bowl divisions (for those interested).

As in years past, I will not be making any predictions regarding who might win which division. Rather all of the teams listed are the remaining highest seeds in their respective brackets. For the Oakland and San Francisco sections, the teams listed are those assumed to be the top seeds when they are finally published.

Because the list will be long, my commentary will be in a response to the initial post.


Open Division (Section Division, Calpreps ratings)

North: De La Salle (NCS Open, 67.0) vs. South: Mater Dei (SS D-I, 102.6)

D-1AA

North: Folsom (SJS D-1, 59.3) vs. Clovis East (CS D-IAA, 58.3)

South: Lincoln (SDS Open, 60.5) vs. Murrieta Valley (SS D-2, 58.1)

D-1A

North: Pittsburg (NCS D-1, 52.2) vs. St. Ignatius (CCS Open, 42.4)

South: Simi Valley (SS D-3, 46.1) vs. San Marcos (SDS D-I, 39.3)

D-2AA

North: St. Francis (CCS D-I, 43.1) vs. Rocklin (SJS D-2, 42.2)

South: St. Bonaventure (SS D-4, 39) vs. Bakersfield Christian (CS D-II, 29.9)

D-2A

North: Twelve Bridges (SJS D-4, 36.7) vs. Wilcox (CCS D-II, 29.0)

South: Bakersfield (CS D-IA, 29.4) vs. Huntington Beach (SS D-5, 29.8)

D-3AA

North: Bradshaw Christian (SJS D-6, 29.2) vs. Oakdale (SJS D-3, 27.1)

South: Narbonne (LACS Open, 25.1) vs. Muir (SS D-6, 23.3)

D-3A

North: Liberty (NCS D-2, 23.1) vs. Hughson (SJS D-5, 22.5)

South: University City (SDS D-II, 19.1) vs. Porterville (CS D-II, 14.0)

D-4AA

North: Pleasant Valley (NS D-2, 21.7) vs. Carmel (CCS D-III, 16.3)

South: West Torrance (SS D-7, 13.3) vs. Shafter (CS D-IV, 13.3)

D-4A

North: Acalanes (NCS D-3, 16.1) vs. McClymonds (OS, 14.7)

South: Highland (SS D-9, 11.4) vs. Beckman (SS D-8, 9.0)

D-5AA

North: St. Vincent de Paul (NCS D-5, 15.4) vs. Lassen (NS D-3, 10.0)

South: St. Anthony (SS D-10, 4.9) vs. Central (SDS D-III, 4.1)

D-5A

North: Ukiah (NCS D-4, 9.0) vs. Winters (NS D-4, 7.0)

South: Bishop Union (CS D-V, -1.5) vs. Los Amigos (SS D-11, -2.8)

D-6AA

North: Arcata (NCS D-6, 5.6) vs. Summerville (SJS D-7, 5.3)

South: Ramona (SDS D-IV, -4.9) vs. Mary Star of the Sea (SS D-12, -6.3)

D-6A

North: Moreau Catholic (NCS D-7, 1.3) vs. Piedmont Hills (CCS D-IV, 0.0)

South: Eagle Rock (LACS D-I, -7.9) vs. Gahr (SS D-13, -16.3)

D-7AA

North: Lincoln (SFS, -8.7) vs. South San Francisco (CCS D-IV, -10.7)

South: Vista (SDS D-V, -20.5) vs. Arleta (LACS D-II, -23.0)

D-7A

North: Minarets (CS D-VI, -16.9) vs. Biggs (NS, -22.1)

South: Nordhoff (SS D-14, -35.4) vs. Taft (LACS D-III, -35.9)

Here are the games for this week. Picks are due at 7:00 PM on Friday. Game of the Week is De La Salle-Pittsburg

Turlock at Oak Ridge
Grant at St. Mary’s-Stockton
Manteca at Rocklin
St. Francis vs. St. Ignatius
Menlo vs. Palma
Los Gatos at Riordan
Hollister vs. Carmel
De La Salle vs. Pittsburg
Cardinal Newman at San Ramon Valley
Windsor at Amador Valley

For four bucks a month, Cal-Hi remains one of the best values out there. Truly appreciate the effort and thought they put into their preseason rankings and accompanying narratives, even when there is cause to quibble.



Cal-Hi's Top 10 in Nor-Cal

Mitty (#2 in state)
Folsom (#9 in state)
McClatchy (#11)
O'Dowd (#13)
Carondelet (#14)
Pinewood (#16)
Acalanes (#23)
Cardinal Newman (#24)
St. Mary's (#25)
Oak Ridge (#28)

Quibble away.

Curious. With rain expected Friday, 11/22, and Saturday, 11/23/2024, could it be possible to move playoff games originally scheduled for these dates to be played on Thursday, 11/21/2024?

Sincerely,

Chain Gang “want to stay dry” Union

LOL! 😂

Lot of games starting up this week (with some scrimamges and foundation games mixed in). My son wanted to put together a schedule so here are the games for this week that have been posted on MaxPreps

Once again, these are not predictions as to who I think will win each division, but rather a preview of what the bowl landscape could end up being. The teams listed are the highest remaining seeds in their respective division. Commentary once again will be a reply to this list.


Open Division (Section Division, Calpreps ratings)

North: De La Salle (NCS Open, 67.0) vs. South: Mater Dei (SS D-I, 102.0)

D-1AA

North: Clovis East (CS D-IAA, 62.6) vs. Folsom (SJS D-1, 59.9)

South: Murrieta Valley (SS D-2, 62.8) vs. Lincoln (SDS Open, 61.0)

D-1A

North: Pittsburg (NCS D-1, 54.9) vs. St. Ignatius (CCS Open, 47.2)

South: Simi Valley (SS D-3, 50.5) vs. San Marcos (SDS D-I, 43.9)

D-2AA

North: Rocklin (SJS D-2, 44.1) vs. St. Francis (CCS D-I, 43.8)

South: St. Bonaventure (SS D-4, 43.0) vs. Bakersfield Christian (CS D-II, 31.3)

D-2A

North: Twelve Bridges (SJS D-4, 37.0) vs. Wilcox (CCS D-II, 33.6)

South: Bakersfield (CS D-IA, 32.9) vs. Palos Verdes Estates (SS D-5, 32.5)

D-3AA

North: Bradshaw Christian (SJS D-6, 30.5) vs. Liberty (NCS D-2, 29.8)

South: Narbonne (LACS Open, 26.0) vs. Dana Hills (SS D-6, 24.1)

D-3A

North: Oakdale (SJS D-3, 27.9) vs. McClymonds (OS, 15.6)

South: University City (SDS D-II, 20.9) vs. West Torrance (SS D-7, 18.0)

D-4AA

North: Pleasant Valley (NS D-2, 23.1) vs. Acalanes (NCS D-3, 18.1)

South: Shafter (CS D-IV, 18.7) vs. Highland (SS D-9, 16.6)

D-4A

North: Hughson (SJS D-5, 20.8) vs. St. Vincent de Paul (NCS D-5, 16.3)

South: Porterville (CS D-II, 18.5) vs. Serrano (SS D-8, 15.2)

D-5AA

North: Carmel (CCS D-III, 15.5) vs. Ukiah (NCS D-4, 12.2)

South: Central (SDS D-III, 7.5) vs. St. Anthony (SS D-10, 6.6)

D-5A

North: Winters (NS D-4, 8.4) vs. Arcata (NCS D-6, 5.5)

South: El Capitan (SDS D-IV, 2.0) vs. Baldwin Park (SS D-11, -0.4)

D-6AA

North: Lassen (NS D-3, 7.6) vs. Moreau Catholic (NCS D-7, 4.9)

South: Bishop Union (CS D-V, -0.2) vs. Mary Star of the Sea (SS D-12, -3.1)

D-6A

North: Summerville (SJS D-7, 4.8) vs. Piedmont Hills (CCS D-IV, 0.9)

South: Eagle Rock (LACS D-I, -5.9) vs. Gahr (SS D-13, -11.4)

D-7AA

North: Lincoln (SFS, -9.9) vs. South San Francisco (CCS D-IV, -10.0)

South: Vista (SDS D-V, -17.1) vs. Arleta (LACS D-II, -22.6)

D-7A

North: Minarets (CS D-VI, -12.9) vs. Maxwell (NS, -21.6)

South: Pioneer (SS D-14, -28.8) vs. Los Angeles (LACS D-III, -40.1)

5-STARS
1. Alec Blair 6-foot-6 SG De La Salle (Oklahoma)
2. Jasir Renchar 6-foot-6 W Riordan (Texas A&M)
3. Semetri Carr 6-foot-0 PG Redwood (Cal)

4-STARS
4. Jalen Stokes 6-foot-5 W Dougherty Valley (UC Davis)
5. Alvin Loving 6-foot-4 SG Salesian (Yale)
6. Steven Emeneke 6-foot-10 Post Riordan (UC Irvine)
7. Mark Lavrenov 6-foot-8 PF Rocklin (Sacramento State)

3-STARS
8. Kellen Hampton 6-foot-7 SF Moreau Catholic (Pacific)
9. Gavin Sykes 6-foot-4 SG Modesto Christian (Long Beach State)
10. Anthony Moore 6-foot-5 W Lincoln-Stockton (Weber State)
11. Luke Isaak 6-foot-2 PG San Ramon Valley (UC Irvine)
12. Sir Marius Jones 6-foot-3 SG Sacramento
13. Elijah Perryman 6-foot-2 G Clayton Valley Charter (Utah State)
14. Antonio Kellogg Jr. 6-foot-3 SG Ygnacio Valley
15. Ardarius Gates 6-foot-0 PG Oakland Tech
16. Kaleb Edwards 6-foot-8 PF Oak Ridge (Alabama Football)
17. Brayden Harris 6-foot-3 SG Valley Christian-San Jose

2-STARS
18. Isaiah Ackerman 6-foot-4 W Aptos
19. Taylen Goodman 6-foot-7 PF Inderkum
20. Jaylen Valdez 6-foot-3 SG Destiny Christian
21. John Tofi 6-foot-4 SF Riordan (Cal Football)
22. Malachi Johnson 6-foot-9 Post Inderkum
23. Darrion Lilly 6-foot-4 W Weston Ranch
24. Xan Meyer-Plettner 6-foot-7 PF Oakland Tech
25. Chase Rawlins 6-foot-5 W Folsom
26. Elliot Conley 6-foot-4 W San Ramon Valley
27. Ayden Thompson 6-foot-7 Post Benicia
28. Dominic Walker 6-foot-5 W Moreau Catholic
29. Shemar Jones 6-foot-5 SG Mountain House
30. Kirby Seals 6-foot-5 SF Riordan
31. Zeke Davis 6-foot-6 SF Lincoln-Stockton
32. Kasen Krueger 6-foot-0 PG Amador Valley
33. Kaiser Bowen 6-foot-3 SG Folsom
34. Braddock Kjellesvig 6-foot-7 PF De La Salle
35. Jephte Tambala 6-foot-5 F Destiny Christian
36. Ry Atkins 6-foot-7 PF Modesto Christian (Air Force)
37. Ryder Bush 6-foot-1 PG Riordan
38. Mason Brown 6-foot-3 SG Modesto Christian
39. Danny Panda 6-foot-6 F Destiny Christian
40. Ely Willis 6-foot-4 SF Rocklin

Varsity girls are looking for a game on Nov 26 2024 @ San Mateo as an opponent has backed out.
Please contact:
Paul Carion
6502709974
pcref@aol.com

Salinas and Soquel- two of the top public school programs in the CCS- meet this Friday at "The Pit" in Salinas. If you have never attended a game there- I would highly recommend it. The atmosphere is second to none- with a sunken field and seating right on top of the playing surface- a truly memorable enviroment. I had the opportunity to play there in 1970 as a QB for Monterey Peninsula College versus Hartnell- very
raucous!
As for the matchup this week- it appears both teams come in playing their best football- as it should be. Both teams played solid non league schedules- Soquel having lost narrowly to Los Gatos and San Ramon Valley and disposing of Valley Christian. Salinas got thumped by Clovis- The #4 team in the Central Section- but disposed of Valley Christian and Arroyo Grande- the #14 ranked team in the Central Section. The two teams are playing for the Gabilan division championship. If the Salinas QB was still hobbled- I think Soquel would have been favored- however the Salinas QB appears to be healthy again and I have the game as a pickem.

If an NCS team is interested in playing the Salesian girls basketball team in a Foundation game for the 25-26 and 26-27 season, please email me at spezzola@spezzola.com.
Thanks.
Stephen Pezzola

The first annual Jeff Paul basketball tournament (Maria Carrillo), need a girls basketball JV team. Please let me know!
707-396-1117

So time is growing short -- Dec. 27, 28 and 30. Application at:

Before we get to the topic at hand, let's go to the way-back machine and review the infancy of the Calpreps.com system.

- All teams started each year at 0.0
- It was California-only
- Results from each region were generally weighted evenly
- Early predictions were erratic, but got better as the season progressed
- Sutter would sometimes end the year rated higher than Long Beach Poly

Take a moment with that last one.

It didn't take long before the programmers began to understand the importance of sample diversity for a system like this. If a region was too enclosed, the top team(s) could appear to be artificially strong. Eventually, a scale was put on the regions so that the end results would make more sense. This was later applied to various states after the system went national. Within California, this adjustment generally works well, although I think we do see some NorCal teams underrated a little for some of the bowl games in relation to our SoCal brethren. But, generally, the in-state ratings do work. Out-of-state is still difficult, but it's getting better.

So now, Calpreps has decided to make another adjustment for its predictions. They believe they see trends for some teams that may improve more at the end of the year than others, translating into greater playoff success. Here are some examples their predictions reflecting this adjustment:

regular season (neutral field)
[2024] St. Francis (Mountain View, CA) 28 (72%), [2024] Soquel (CA) 20 (28%)

playoffs (neutral field)
[2024] Soquel (CA) 24 (58%), [2024] St. Francis (Mountain View, CA) 21 (42%)


regular season (neutral field)
[2024] Westlake (Westlake Village, CA) 28 (57%), [2024] Birmingham (Van Nuys, CA) 26 (43%)

playoffs (neutral field)
[2024] Birmingham (Van Nuys, CA) 34 (81%), [2024] Westlake (Westlake Village, CA) 20 (19%)


regular season (neutral field)
[2024] Rocklin (CA) 34 (62%), [2024] Grant (Sacramento, CA) 28 (38%)

playoffs (neutral field)
[2024] Grant (Sacramento, CA) 35 (73%), [2024] Rocklin (CA) 26 (27%)


Now, I don't mean to pick on any of these teams, but Soquel, Birmingham, and Grant are examples of teams that are getting this "playoff bump". The idea is that these teams 'turn it up' during the playoffs so Calpreps wants their playoff predictions to reflect that to be "more accurate". I can understand their desire to make an adjustment and even applaud the fact they're willing to deviate from their normal path so that they don't get stuck in a mindset.

However, does anything stick out about these three teams? Anything similar about them?

I would point out that, while they have had success in recent years in the playoffs, all three were in either lower-division brackets (Soquel in CCS D-II, Grant in SJS D-III) or just a weak one (Birmingham in LACS-Open). At this moment, the 72-team LA City Section has exactly 6 members with positive Calpreps ratings. Heck, the 39-team Northern Section has 7! I'm not questioning whether last year's Soquel or Grant teams were good, just that this recognition of playoff success may be strongly tied to their respective playoff field. Could Grant beat Rocklin in this year's SJS D-II playoffs? Sure, but why the above 15-point swing?

The ratings boosts these teams get in the playoffs are also amplified, since playoff games are weighted more than regular season games. Soquel's run through the sectional, NorCal, and state 4AA bowl game saw them get up to 37.2. Palma had a similar run en route to a state 4A bowl win. Their rating got up to 27.9. I find that interesting because the rating with which Salinas ended was 27.4. It's interesting because these teams played in the regular season with the Cowboys beating the Knights 27-0 and the Chieftains 35-14. In the playoffs Soquel would play Carmel, Monterey, and Christopher. Palma would play Hollister, Menlo-Atherton, and Alisal. Salinas played NorCal Open rep Serra. Slight difference? Yes, there may be some who would suggest that Soquel really did improve towards the end of the year, but by this many rating points?

Yes, I am a Salinas backer as an alum, but no, I do not harbor any ill will towards the Soquel program. I was in the stands cheering them on to their state bowl win in Pasadena (always good to see a local team have success). But I'm certain there are several examples like this that can be found around state now that most of the CIF sections have moved to some sort of competitive equity model... and that's where the problem lies for Calpreps. Those who have followed my posts throughout the years should know that I am generally a pretty strong supporter of the website and the algorithm. However, this playoff adjustment is the wrong one, in my opinion.

I believe it's not so much that the teams advancing in the playoffs should be getting a predictive boost, but rather each respective division needs to be scaled just as the overall sections and states have been. Should the winner of SS D-III be rated higher than most of the teams making the SS D-II field? Should the CCS D-II winner be rated higher than 5 CCS D-I/Open teams? Generally speaking, I don't think so. It should be noted in the system and predictions just how much more difficult it gets as teams move up to higher division. Yes, there will end up being a good deal of overlap amongst some of the middle divisions as those are the teams in the middle of the bell curve, but overall, this is the adjustment that would improve the final results of the algorithm.

For decades, Calpreps has fought for recognition, acceptance, and credibility for their ratings. Although I applaud their willingness to try something new, I believe they're going down the incorrect path on this.

So, as the playoffs quickly approach and you start to see some interesting (if not, strange) predictions, this is why.

1. Salesian (31-2)

The Pride will start the year in the same spot they ended 2023-2024 with key returners like Alvin Loving (Yale) and junior Elias Obenyah. More players to watch include Leon Powe Jr., Isaiah Davis and Carlton Perrilliat. Salesian has games against Ygnacio Valley and Modesto Christian before playing in the Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament.

2. Riordan (25-5)

The Crusaders remain flush with talent led by Texas A&M bound Jasir Renchar, UC Irvine bound post Steven Emeneke, top junior guard Andrew Hillman, versatile senior John Tofi and other seniors to watch in Kirby Seals and Ryder Bush. Riordan will be tested in the first month with a game against San Ramon Valley and trips to Gridley and Torrey Pines.

3. Modesto Christian (28-6)

Coming off the SJS Division I title and a NorCal Open Division win at De La Salle, Modesto Christian projects to remain in the mix with the return of Long Beach State signee Gavin Sykes and Stanford 2026 commit Myles Jones. Senior Ry Atkins and Mason Brown also figure to play key roles. The Crusaders start off the season with tough NorCal competition with Moreau Catholic, Oakland and Salesian and will host their tournament at the end of December.

4. De La Salle (25-6)

For the Spartans, it starts with do-it-all senior Alec Blair, who is pledged to play basketball and baseball at Oklahoma. Braddock Kjellesvig and Ibrahim Monawar are also ranked prospects to suit up for De La Salle, which starts the season at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic with Crespi and will host its Chris Vontoure Classic with Santa Margarita on the other side of the bracket. De La Salle will play in the HoopHall Classic in Arizona at the beginning of January.

5. San Ramon Valley (29-8)

UC Irvine bound Luke Isaak, Mason Thomas, Thoms Conley and Elliot Conley are part of a returning core for the 2024 NorCal Division I champions. We will get a good idea of the Wolves in the first few weeks of the season with a game against Lincoln-Stockton at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic, Riordan at the Crusader Classic and the Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament.

6. Destiny Christian (23-9)

With a new name and mascot, the Destiny Christian Academy Lions start the year as the top team in the Sacramento Area. Jaylen Valdez averaged 19 points, five rebounds and four assists per game last year and will be joined by Myles Wiggins, Jephte Tambala and Danny Panda. The schedule starts tough with games against Vanden, Dublin and Weston Ranch before a trip to Gridley.

7. St. Ignatius (21-8)

Can St. Ignatius break into the top tier of the WCAL that has been controlled by Riordan and Mitty in recent years? With returners like Raymond Whitley, Ty Landers, Steele LaBagh and Vince Crisp, the Wildcats will start in the Top 10. They will take on Vanden at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic and also take on San Ramon Valley at the Crusader Classic at Riordan.

8. Rocklin (28-4)

The Thunder start the 2024-2025 season with a strong inside-outside combo with Sacramento State bound post Mark Lavrenov (18 points, 11 rebounds) and guard Josiah Andrews (15 points, three rebounds, three assists). Overall, they return four of their top six scorers. Rocklin takes on Inderkum at the Fortune Showcase on November 23 and will travel to Torrey Pines to end December.

9. Dougherty Valley (21-11)

Dougherty Valley made a surprising run to win the NCS Division I title last year led in part by then freshman guard Rylan Sevilla. He is joined by a pair of projected impact transfers with Jalen Stokes, who has signed with UC Davis, and junior guard Rashad Cotton. The Wildcats will play Clovis North on November 30 at the Bishop O’Dowd Showcase, Moreau Catholic on December 7 at the NorCal Ultimate Challenge and the Santa Barbara Holiday Classic post Christmas.

10. Mitty (23-8)

Mitty lost a pair of Division I recruits, but few programs have consistently been around the Open Division as Mitty since its inception in 2013. Leading the charge this season is talented junior guard Caedon Hutcherson. Mitty has a single game against Monterey Trail and will be at the Father Barry Classic at Jesuit. The Monarchs will also stay local post Christmas with a tournament at San Leandro.

11. Folsom (17-12)

The Bulldogs played with just one senior on the roster last season to end a six year run of winning at least a share of the SFL title. Chase Rawlins (UC Davis) and Joven Dulay each averaged 17 points per game last year and Kaiser Bowen is a guard to watch. Folsom will take part in the Edison Winners Classic and will host its Stan Harms Classic from December 19-21.

12. Oakland Tech (30-5)

Oakland Tech won the Division II state title and is bringing back one of the top unsigned seniors in Adarius Grayson. In total, the Bulldogs return three of their top four scorers including rising prospect Xan Meyer-Plettner. Oakland Tech will play Moreau Catholic and Sheldon at the O’Dowd Thanksgiving Classic on November 29 and 30 and will take on St. Joseph-Santa Maria at the Mission Prep Showcase.

13. Moreau Catholic (21-8)

The Mariners were expected to be among the top teams in the NCS this season with a returning core of Cole Loud, Dominic Walker and Kareem Jackson Jr.. In total, six of the top seven scorers are back and they have added Pacific signee Kellen Hampton, who played at Moreau Catholic earlier in his career. Moreau Catholic starts the year against Top 20 teams Oakland Tech, Modesto Christian and Dougherty Valley before a trip to Hawaii.

14. Inderkum (23-8)

Inderkum put four players in double figures last season and three of them are back with sophomore Siincere Hudson, senior Taylen Goodman and senior Malachi Johnson. The Tigers open the season against Rocklin and will take part in the Clovis West Nike Invitational with games against San Joaquin Memorial and Clovis West.

15. Lincoln-Stockton (26-7)

Anthony Moore (Weber State) is back as a potential All-NorCal player to lead the Trojans, which reached the SJS Division I finals in 2024. Isaiah Davis and Donez Lindsey also averaged double figures as juniors. Lincoln takes on San Ramon Valley at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic and will participate in Edison Winners Classic.

16. Branson (23-8)

Branson had the best backcourt in NorCal last year with Jase Butler (now at Washington) and Semetri Carr (now at Redwood HS), but will need to rebuild on the fly. A good starting point is sophomore guard NJ Gray, who had a breakout summer. Sophomore Heath French and junior Chase Robertson are other players to watch. The Bulls start off at the NorCal Tip-Off Classic against Ygnacio Valley, which also has a good case for the Top 20 inclusion. They will also play in the Gridley Invitational Basketball Tournament, the Tarkanian Classic and The Classic at Damian.

17. Vanden (24-9)

The duo of Tyler Thompson and Ahsan Huff have graduated, but there is talent remaining for the Vikings. Juniors James Carraway and Michael Wright have emerged as 2026 recruits to watch while senior Isaih Dixon and sophomore Templeton Fountaine V will be key contributors too.

18. Sacramento (25-8)

The Dragons are slated to return six of their top eight scorers led by senior Sir Marius Jones, who averaged 21 points per game. Sacramento will play Clovis North at the Heart of California Classic and also play Ygnacio Valley in the preseason. Moving to the MEL, it will compete with fellow Top 20 program Vanden.

19. Clayton Valley Charter (23-10)

When putting together a high school basketball team, starting with a Division I level guard is a good spot. The Eagles have that in Elijah Perryman (Utah State). Junior Vince Ellis also emerged with nine points per game as a sophomore. Clayton Valley Charter plays Weston Ranch and Clovis West before heading to Gridley for the GIBT. They will also host their Riley Christiansen Memorial Classic.

20. Franklin-Elk Grove (23-7)

Aiden Rollins has emerged as one of the top guards in Northern California and was the Wildcats’ leading scorer last season. He is part of five of the top seven scorers back for Franklin, which will host its Wildcat Winter Classic starting on December 12.

The power for regional football rests in four playoff divisions with SJS Division I, SJS Division II, NCS Open/Division I and CCS Open/Division I.

In total, 19 of the Top 20 teams competed in those three divisions with only No. 20 Wilcox being out as the top seed in CCS Division II.

The first takeaway from last week were impressive wins by St. Ignatius (over Salinas) and Riordan (over Soquel) in WCAL-PCAL Gabilan matchups. St. Ignatius, which was thought by some to be a vulnerable No. 1 seed, was anything but that as the defense forced three first half turnovers in a 45-7 win. The defense took two of those three turnovers for touchdowns. Jarious Hogan added two touchdown runs. The Wildcats get a second matchup with St. Francis, which beat Valley Christian 24-14, for the CCS Open Division title.

On Saturday, Riordan also got off to a fast start in a 41-7 win over Soquel. Michael Mitchell Jr. and Chris Lawson connected for four touchdowns as the Crusaders have gelled, gotten healthy and won five in a row heading into this week’s matchup against Los Gatos. The Wildcats won a CCS Open/D1 game for the second straight year in beating Serra 14-7.

Moving to the NCS, Cardinal Newman finally got past Marin Catholic in the playoffs with a 20-7 win in Kentfield. The Cardinals had just one win over the Wildcats in the past decade despite numerous playoff matchups. They ran for 220 yards in the win. Next up is San Ramon Valley, which got a second win over California with a 35-7 win on Friday.

Looking ahead, many eyes around the state will be watching the De La Salle-Pittsburg matchup for the NCS Open Division title. The Spartans are No. 1 and undefeated with one of their best teams of the past decade. Pittsburg, with just a loss to St. John Bosco, is ranked No. 3 with an explosive offense and a defense with multiple Division I prospects.

The intrigue in the SJS picks up this week with the following questions being answered. Can Inderkum challenge Folsom again in the playoffs? Is this the year Turlock finally beats Oak Ridge? Who is the most physical team between Rocklin and Manteca? Does Grant or St. Mary’s-Stockton have a better group of skill players? And a final question, will we get three Sierra Foothill League teams in the section finals?

1. De La Salle (11-0)
2. Folsom (10-1)
3. Pittsburg (10-1)
4. San Ramon Valley (10-1)
5. St. Mary’s-Stockton (9-2)
6. St. Francis-Mountain View (9-2)
7. St. Ignatius (9-2)
8. Grant (8-3)
9. Oak Ridge (7-4)
10. Rocklin (9-2)
11. Riordan (7-4)
12. Los Gatos (8-2)
13. Cardinal Newman (10-1)
14. Marin Catholic (8-3)
15. Manteca (10-1)
16. Soquel (8-3)
17. Serra (5-6)
18. Turlock (9-3)
19. Salinas (8-3)
20. Wilcox (9-2)

It is playoff football all over NorCal tonight!

Gabilan- Soquel clearly separated itself from the rest of the PCAL this year finishing undefeated and really not having to many close games. Soquel is so methodical; it is very impressive. They are patient on offense with a QB that can hurt you if you let him and just a solid running game. Their defense is similar, nothing flashy, but they will shut you down and put you in 3rd and long situations. Salinas finished 2nd but had some really close games with Monterey and Palma. Monterey had a great season with a smaller roster, in addition they knocked off Palma and Hollister with modified offense due to their QB1 going out. Aptos returns to the playoffs this year, not the same program from a few years ago, but still managed to finish 4th. by beating Palma and Alvarez. A young Palma squad was able to overcome some disappointing losses an d keep the playoff streak alive, and a “Helter-Skelter” Hollister team round out the 6 playoff qualifiers from the Gabilan.

Fri 11/15 Hollister (CA) vs Capuchino (San Bruno, CA), 7:00pm D III Playoffs -Hollister just cant be trusted. On any given weekend they can beat some of the CCS elite, but I also think they could lose to Harbor. Capuchino has played an easier schedule, but also much more consistent football. Capuchino 24-14

Fri 11/15 Menlo-Atherton (Atherton, CA) vs Monterey (CA), 7:00pm D II Playoffs -Hat’s off to Monterey and their coaching staff. This team has improved this year despite losing their very talented QB1. They know Menlo-Atherton having lost to them in week 2. I think they fix what went wrong and get revenge. Monterey 24-23

Fri 11/15 St. Ignatius College Prep (San Francisco, CA) vs Salinas (CA), 7:00pm DI/Open- The good new is that this is the most competitive DI/open bracket in the CCS that I have seen in a long time. I believe all 8 teams have a chance. Bad news is Salinas is the 8th seed, but more good news SI is a very “beatable” #1 seed. Salinas 35-31

Fri 11/15 Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep (San Francisco, CA) vs Palma (Salinas, CA) D II Playoffs. Palma received a Good draw for their playoff run. I just think this team is a little young. Stack the box to stop the run and force the Soph QB to beat you. SHC 24-17

Fri 11/15 Willow Glen (San Jose, CA) vs Aptos (CA), 7:00pm D III Playoffs- I like this match up. Willow Glenn is undefeated but has not played the toughest schedule. Aptos is 5-5 and has played well some games and really bad others. But all vs much tougher competition. Aptos 28-21

Sat 11/16 Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco, CA) vs Soquel (CA), 1:00pm DI Open Playoffs -I think this might be the worst possible match up for Soquel. Riordan is very athletic and they will try to run you off the field. The good news is that on the defensive side of the ball they are not as dynamic. Soquel must slow the pace down and control tempo, and they may do that better than any one in the CCS. Soquel 21-17.

Mission North- NMC and Alisal emerged as the 2 playoff teams form this division. Congratulations to NMC, great year for them. After the upset loss to MVC I thought this team may fold down the stretch. They didn’t. Alisal made it much more difficult than it had to be, but they managed to hold onto 2nd place. MVC QB and WR put up some ridiculous stats this year, and St Francis was oh so close to beating Alisal for 2nd Place.

Fri 11/15 Alisal (Salinas, CA) vs Overfelt (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm D V Playoffs- Alisal received a very favorable playoff draw by being placed in DV. They will be playing against some smaller less physical schools. I see them making a nice run here. Well, until they lose next weekend to RLS. Alisal 28-10

Fri 11/15 Branham (San Jose, CA) vs North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) D IV Playoffs -The playoff bump at Cal preps is pretty bad. Branham is a good team, and they may win but if they do it wont be 17 points. More bulletin board for NMC. NMC 20-16

Mission South – First off if you read these on a regular basis you know my feelings about PG. I tip my hat to you Breakers, that was one hell of game vs Carmel last week. Way to finish strong. I won’t be surprised if the Shoe is back in PG come 2025. Lots of discussion on the PCAL week 11 thread about Carmel and their competition and all of that. Carmel sailed (except for PG game) through the division and was rightfully placed as the DIII #1 seed. North Salians was the 2nd best team and has a 2nd straight playoff appearance. Next year Carmel should fall back to the rest of the division

Fri 11/15 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) vs Burlingame (CA), 7:00pm D IV Playoffs – most years I would take Burlingame, but this team is inconsistent. Impressive win over Wilcox but a blow out loss to San Mateo? Full homer mode. North Salinas 20-17

Fri 11/15 Carmel (CA) vs San Mateo (CA), 7:00pm D III Playoffs -Lets see if that PG game was a wake up a call or precursor of things to come. Not a great matchup for Carmel as San Mateo likes to run and Carmel does not like to tackle. Carmel needs to score quickly and maybe try to steal a possession to get up by a couple scores as early as possible. If they fall behind, San Mateo may be able to grind out the clock. Carmel 38-28

Santa Lucia- Was there ever any doubt? 2024 Santa Lucia Champions RLS Pirates!. Now lets go get a CCS DV Banner! Next year RLS should be moved up with Rancho San Juan being moved down. If Seaside continues to see an attrition of players they may also join the Santa Lucia with either SLV or Gonzalez moving up. Rest of the division will probably stay the same. Seeing bright futures at Pajaro and Santa Cruz. Would love to see Marina get better next year as they will have their own facility, finally.

Fri 11/15 Leland (San Jose, CA) vs Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA), 7:00pm DV Playoffs- If healthy at the beginning of the year this RLS team is probably undefeated. Still, they will be a very tough out. Leland has played a tougher schedule and has a good win over Sobrato. On paper Leland is the favorite, but you already know where my pick is going. RLS 28-27


CCS Bonus Picks:

DI/Open
Valley Christian at St. Francis
Los Gatos at Serra

D2
Santa Teresa at Wilcox
Menlo School at Christopher

D3
Half Moon Bay at Palo Alto

D4
Live Oak at Piedmont Hills
Kings Academy at. Sacred Heart Prep

D5
Gunderson at South San Francisco
Gunn at Sequoia

Here are the underdogs (Based on seeds) who won this past week:

SJS
D1
#6 Turlock over #3 Central Catholic

D3
#5 Destiney Christian Academy over #4 Christian Brothers

D4
#6 Sacramento over #3 Roseville

D7
#5 Big Valley Christian beat #4 Waterford
#6 Rio Vista over #3 Elite

NCS
D1
#5 Cardinal Newman beat #4 Marin Catholic

D3
#6 San Leandro beat #3 Northgate

D4
#5 Redwood beat #4 Antioch

D6
#5 Petaluma beat #4 Montgomery
#6 Benicia beat #3 Piner

CCS
D1
#5 Los Gatos beat #4 Serra

D2
#6 Menlo beat #3 Christopher
#7 Palma beat #2 Sacred Heart Cathedral

D3
#7 Aptos beat #2 Willow Glen

Playoff Rematches

SJS

D4
Placer at Twelve Bridges last meeting Twelve Bridges 51-34

D7
Big Valley Christian at Summerville last meeting Summerville 47-21

NCS

D5
Maria Carrillo at St. Vincent de Paul last meeting St. Vincent de Paul won 48-21

D6
Benicia at Miremonte last meeting Miremonte won 52-7

Central Coast
D1/Open
Saint Francis vs. St. Ignatius last meeting Saint Francis won 27-13

D2
Menlo-Atherton at Wilcox last meeting Wilcox won 30-21

Does anyone have the schedule for this event on November 23?

Here is the postseason playoff pick'em. Prizes will be for the weekly winner each week (no rollover scoring) will be a free month subscription to NorCalPreps.

Here are the games for this week. Picks are due by 7:00 PM on Friday. The Game of the Week is Turlock-Central Catholic. First tiebreaker is who goes the longest without missing a game (Player A's first loss came on the 6 point game and Player B's first loss is the 8 point game, Player A wins the tiebreaker). Tiebreaker #2 is the winning team's score in the game of the week. Tiebreaker #3 is the losing team's score in the Game of the Week.

Turlock at Central Catholic
Destiny Christian at Christian Brothers
East Union at Patterson
Windsor at Casa Grande
Cardinal Newman at Marin Catholic
Vintage at Liberty
Soquel at Riordan
Los Gatos at Serra
Menlo at Christopher
Shasta at Enterprise

We're at 103, and need 104 to make it work.

17th annual Nor Cal Tip Off Classic Schedule
Saturday November 30 at Dublin High School

Game 1: 8:00 AM Ygnacio Valley (Concord) vs Branson (Ross)

Game 2: 9:30 AM St. Ignatius (San Francisco) vs Vanden (Fairfield)

Game 3: 11:00 AM Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) vs Santa Cruz

Game 4: 12:30 PM Clayton Valley (Concord) vs Weston Ranch (Stockton)

Game 5: 2:00 PM San Ramon Valley (Danville) vs Lincoln (Stockton)

Game 6: 3:30 PM Dublin vs Destiny Christian (Sacramento)

Game 7: 5:15 PM Folsom vs Redondo Union (Redondo Beach)

Game 8: 7:00 PM De La Salle (Concord) vs Crespi (Encino)

Game 9: 8:30 PM Moreau Catholic (Hayward) vs Modesto Christian