PCAL Week 1



Gabilan

Thu 08/29 King's Academy (Sunnyvale, CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:30pm- New Aptos coach make his debut vs a tough Kings academy team. Kings Academy 24-14



Thu 08/29 Hollister (CA) at Branham (San Jose, CA), 7:15pm- This matchup could tell us a lot about both teams, Branham has been good at the B levels. Hollister 28-17



Fri 08/30 Palma (Salinas, CA) at Live Oak (Morgan Hill, CA), 7:15pm- Palma did schedule a little better this year than last. Live Oak will be a tough out. Palma 21-20



Fri 08/30 Alisal (Salinas, CA) vs Monterey (CA) at MPC (Monterey, CA), 7:00pm – Alisal is supposedly opening up it’s offense. Monterey already has. Monterey 35-17



Fri 08/30 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm- Good test for both programs. Alvarez 24-22



Fri 08/30 Los Gatos (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm-Soquel could be the best team in the PCAL, Los Gatos could be top 4 in CCS. Los Gatos 21-14



Fri 09/06 Salinas (CA) at Valley Christian (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm- Salinas will be in good shape come league, but it may take a game or 2 for this team to start to play well together. Salinas 24-20
THIS GAME IS NEXT WEEK AS SALINAS IS TAKING ITS BYE WEEK 1


Mission North

Fri 08/30 Watsonville (CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- Bruins are on a mission to prove they belong I the B league. Greenfield 28-7



Fri 08/30 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at Piedmont Hills (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm- I could not tell you anything about Piedmont Hills this year. I know MVC will score a lot of points. MVC 35-28



Fri 08/30 Scotts Valley (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – Santa Cruz will have a team and they were able to score at the Jamboree. These are improvements from last year. Scott’s valley 28-0



Fri 08/30 Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton, CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm- This is a very tough first game for a young Seaside squad, that is already facing some numbers issues. SHP 27-7



Sat 08/31 King City (CA) at St. Francis (Watsonville, CA), 12:30pm This Could be one of the better match ups locally. Taking the home team in a squeaker. St. Francis 21-20











Mission South



Thu 08/29 Carmel (CA) at Christopher (Gilroy, CA), 7:15pm – I know what Carmel has coming back, not sure what Christopher has, but this team was very good last year. Carmel 35-34



Thu 08/29 Gonzales (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm -Another really good local match up. Taking the home team Trailblazers. Rancho 24-20



Fri 08/30 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Sobrato (Morgan Hill, CA), 4:30pm – North Salinas will be looking to fill its Void at RB, vs a tough Sobrato team. Sobrato 23-16



Fri 08/30 Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco, CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:30pm -On the WCAL feeds SHC has received a lot of crap for scheduling this game. Soledad maybe a tough out this year. SHC 28-25



Sat 08/31 Pacific Grove (CA) at Marina (CA), 7:30pm – The past couple years PG has scheduled teams they know they can beat. I think they do it to piss me off, so I have to pick them. PG 28-14





Santa Lucia (RLS starts their season in week 2)



Fri 08/30 Del Mar (San Jose, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:00pm- Harbor has done a go of scheduling similar programs in preseason. This will help get the confidence up. Harbor 30-24



Sat 08/31 Lynbrook (San Jose, CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 1:00pm – Good to see Pajaro do the same thing as Harbor, lots hope for a similar result. PV 14-7



Sat 08/31 South San Francisco (CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 12:30pm -South San Francisco was one of the better CCS stories last year. After years of barely fielding a team, they made the playoffs and won the DV title. They now play in a B division. South San Fran 28-14

As threatened…. er, promised, I am here viewing Folsom’s blue turf for the first time.

Keyboard in hand…

All I know about these teams is the comments in this forum, I’m totally wingin’ it.

Still 50+ minutes ‘til kickoff.

Since this potential match up was a super hot topic over the past 15+ years here at NCP and is now about to become a reality --- I thought it deserved its own thread.

I'm not sure whether GHS can provide the Spartans with a competitive game, considering that they graduated so many studs from last season such as Lopa, Parker, and Green, but we'll find out soon enough.

Like everyone else, I just wish these two programs had found a way to make this work circa 2006-2010. C'est la vie. But I suppose the axiom "better late than never" applies here.

The Sacred Heart Cathedral Fightin' Irish, some 671 Days after their last football victory, are slated to travel to Soledad this afternoon to take on The Soledad Aztecs. Soledad, a small community of a little over 24,000 with 4,000 or so being inmates at Salinas Valley State Prison, will also be looking to notch a tally in the win column after a dismal 1-9 2023 season with their lone win coming to start up Rancho San Juan 20-14.

This matchup in scheduled for a 7:30pm kickoff and will be broadcasted exclusively on the NFHS Network!

PCAL Football_

A quick recap of the PCAL. The Southern CCS is comprised of the PCAL. It is 28 teams from Monterey Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. This year there are 7 teams that comprise the 4 divisions. The Gabilan (A) receives 4 playoff bids, the Mission North(B) 2, the Mission South (B) 2 and the Santa Lucia (C) 1. In most years the 5th place Gabilan team qualifies as an at large team, and my guess so will the best 3rd place team from either the Mission North or Mission South (maybe both?) . PAL-booster and the NASA computer know how CCS at large playoffs are figured out. The League is equity based along with some geography, but this past year there were only a few moves-


2024 Moves

Gabilan (A)- Stayed the same nobody was moved in and nobody moved out.

Mission North (B) – Alisal moved from the Mission South, and Santa Cruz was moved down to Santa Lucia

Mission South (B)- Greenfield was promoted from the Santa Lucia to the Mission South while Alisal was moved up north.

Santa Lucia (C)- Santa Cruz moved in and Greenfield moved out.

Greenfield up and Santa Cuz down make sense. Greenfield won the Santa Lucia league last year and have a had some larger turnouts for their program the past few years. They can compete at the B level. Santa Cruz could barely muster a team last year and had some forfeits. Lots of defects to cross town powerhouse Soquel. Santa Cruz belongs in the C league.

But Carmel, they return most of their weapons from last year including QB, 2WR’s, 1 Athlete and a lineman going to Alabama plus 2 other OL starters. They beat a Gabilan team (Alvarez 35-14) and gave eventual state champion Soquel one of their closest playoff battles. This team should be in the Gabilan. In addition, the 2nd place finisher last year, Alisal, was shipped out and replaced with Greenfield due to geography? Last time I looked Rancho San Juan and North Salinas were way north of Alisal. Carmel admins must have some pictures of somebody…

Gabilan –

This division is up for grabs as I think any of the top 4 teams can take it. Salinas is the reining champion, but Soquel was probably the best team at the end of the season. Monterey has some of the best athletes returning, while Palma no longer plays for Gabilan supremacy but for CCS and state bowl titles. Hollister will be a tough out, I expect Aptos to regress a little bit after legendary coach retired. And Alvarez, well they have over 100 kids in the program

• Salinas- Most people will disagree with me on this and that’s ok. But until they don’t repeat, I am giving the Coach Zenk the benefit of the doubt. He has built one of the top public-school programs in the CCS and he seems to be able to re-load each year. Until beaten they are my choice for #1
• Soquel- With the influx of Santa Cruz talent, Soquel probably had the better team at the end of the year than Salinas. But Salinas won the early league matchup. Coach Lowery had built a powerhouse they have replaced Aptos as the best football in Santa Cruz County. They have the toughest schedule.
• Monterey-They return some of the best skill positions in the Gabilan. They have a chance to do something special here as Coach Besaw has finally brought stability and discipline to this program. Having open enrollment between Marina Seaside and Monterey does not hurt either. Depth up front is their biggest concern.
• Palma- They will be young this year, but could be very dangerous. @NorCalSportsFan can provide a full summary of all Palma football from this year’s 7th graders all the way back to current President Chris Dalman (Class of 88). In all seriousness, Palma seems to have shifted its focus the past few years from Gabilan titles to CCS and potential state bowl game seeds. It worked last year as they were able get a CCS DIII title, NorCal Bowl title and State Bowl title all while finishing in 4th place.
• Hollister-It feels it has been a while since Hollister has really challenged for a division title. They did have a good team in 2021, but the consistency has not been there the past 5-6 years. They had a weird loss to Alvarez last year. This is very large school, and the community is passionate about the team, so there is a chance they will be very good just due the amount of kids playing football. I just don’t see them being better than the 4 schools above them.
• Aptos-Blankenship is a NorCal coaching legend, and his tenure at Aptos will go down in Mainer’s football history. He is now retired. I see Aptos taking a step back this year. Plus the Gabilan is loaded up top that will make wins very difficult under a new regime.
• Alvarez-Hope Springs Eternal on the Alvarez football field. Every year they hope to be better and compete and every year they end up towards the bottom of the Gabilan. Last time they made the playoff they were in the Mission division. A new coach brings new excitement, but unfortunately, I think the results will be close to the same.

Grant (1-0) at De La Salle (0-0) 7:30 PM Game of the Week

The Spartans start the season with a matchup against the Pacers that have long been asked for from many prep football fans. De La Salle has one of its fastest squads in recent years led by quarterback Toa Faavae, running back Dominic Kelley, defensive back Robert Santiago and defensive back Jaden Jefferson. Grant is coming off a win over Edison-Stockton where new running back Brandon Lambert ran for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Tuiilelia also was disruptive after an All-NorCal junior season.

St. Mary’s-Stockton (0-1) at Central Catholic (1-0) 7:00 PM

This week will tell us a lot about each team that had differing results in week one and remaining questions. The Rams lost on the road at Bishop Manogue (21-14) despite a big offensive day from junior Kenneth Moore III (195 total yards, two touchdowns). Central Catholic overcame a halftime deficit to win at Pleasant Valley 28-21. The Raiders ran 16 more plays than the Vikings and ran for more than 200 yards, but also gave up seven yards per carry. The Rams have won the past two games in this series.

Vanden (1-0) at Campolindo (0-0) 7:00 PM

Vanden flashed a good passing combo last Friday in a 35-19 win over Cosumnes Oaks. Kalani Mcleod went 15-for-19 for 255 yards and three touchdowns with Caleb Jones accounting for 115 of those yards and three touchdowns. Campolindo doesn’t return many starters, but brings back running back Micah Parker, TE/DE Crosby Kelly and are promoting a good JV squad. Last year snapped an 11 year run of double digit victories for the Cougars.

Vacaville (1-0) at Granite Bay (1-0) 7:00 PM

Granite Bay was hit with some transfer losses, but started out well with a 34-10 win over Rio Americano. Quarterback Nick Harris is back from injury and hit a number of big plays in the opener (11-for-13, 203 yards) with Joseph Cattolico being his top receiver. Vacaville is coming off a strong opener in beating Escalon 23-21. Quarterback Jimmy MacNiven threw touchdowns to Jimmy Cline and Jaden Beamon-Santos. Noah Wilcox had 19 total tackles in the win.

Amador Valley (0-0) at El Cerrito (0-0) 7:00 PM

Amador Valley has moved from the Valley Division to the Mountain Division and returns quarterback Tristan Ti’a. El Cerrito has holes to fill after going 12-2 last season, but received a key incoming transfer with Fresno State quarterback commit Jonathan Craft. He is expected to be in action on Friday, according to the Bay Area News Group. Last year, El Cerrito beat the Dons 14-7.

St. Ignatius (0-0) at San Ramon Valley (0-0) 7:00 PM

St. Ignatius gives the WCAL four teams in the Top 20 rankings with quarterback Soren Hummel, a nice group of skill players and a pair of talented linemen with John Mills and Isaia Vandermade. They travel to Danville to take on a Wolves squad that prepares for life without Luke Baker. Rhett Thompson is expected to step in at quarterback and he has reinforcements behind him with No. 1 overall prospect Marco Jones and wide receiver Owen Scott.

Riordan (0-0) at McClymonds (0-0) 7:00 PM

Riordan took a big leap in 2023 to become one of the top teams in Northern California. This year, the expectations turn to titles being the WCAL, CCS, NorCal, State or maybe a bundle of a few of them. Chris Lawson is one of the region’s top two-way players and the Crusaders boast the top offensive line in the region. McClymonds is scheduled to play two Top 10 teams in the region and have added a quarterback to watch in Berell Staples. Rahsjon Davis is a Top 25 ranked junior at wide receiver and defensive back.

Los Gatos (0-0) at Soquel (0-0) 7:30 PM

Los Gatos was on the cusp of being a Top 20 team to start the season and could be the top public school in the CCS. Linebacker Henry Masters is one of the top defenders in the section and the Wildcats’ offensive line will be strong led by Cal Poly bound Leo Cocchiglia. Soquel is coming off a 13-2 season and the 4-AA State Title behind a defense that gave up 10 points per game. They also return quarterback Sam Whelan as they try to unseat Salesian in the Gabilan Division.

SATURDAY

Bellarmine (0-0) at Menlo-Atherton (0-0) 1:00 PM

Bellarmine is expected to be in the bottom third of the WCAL, but this matchup has always been a good barometer for the power of the WCAL and public schools in the CCS. In year one under head coach David Diaz-Infante, the Bells went 2-8 (beat Menlo-Atherton 17-14) and return defensive lineman Henry Clark. Menlo-Atherton went 5-7, but bring back quarterback Xander Eschelman and Washington bound defensive end Devin Hyde.

Inderkum (1-0) at Marin Catholic (0-0) 2:00 PM

Inderkum has a game in hand and it produced a quality win over Monterey Trail (27-21). Inderkum quarterback Ricky Cole threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns in the win, but now the Tigers head to Kentfield for an afternoon contest. Marin Catholic starts the season with a strong core of quarterback Caedon Afsharipour, wide receiver Braiden Bachich-Dixon and offensive lineman Sam Connelly. While it is an early season game, this will serve as a measuring stick game when comparing the NCS and SJS.

Looking for three more teams to join us next December 12-14th for our 8th Annual Holiday Classic. The teams entered so far:

Windsor, Branson, Casa Grande, Miramonte and Montgomery.

Its never too early to plan ahead for next season!!

Joe Passalacqua
Windsor High Girls' Varsity
707-477-6586
jrp@passalacqualaw.com

So Sabrina Ionescu could be signed by the Valkyries ...

How many more games would you attend at Chase Center because Sabrina played basketball in the East Bay? (This is different than wanting to go to a game because she's a really good player.)

(Had to break up the post.)

Mission North-

Like the Gabilan this division should be close. Scott’s valley was the easy favorite this year but have already lost their returning QB1 for the year. This will open the door for MVC, Alisal and Seaside to challenge the Falcons. North County was surprise (at least to me) last year as they did much better than expected, lets hope they can build off that. Watsonville and St. Francis seem to have opposite problems. St. Francis has small numbers but some good playmakers, while Watsonville has big numbers, but lack playmakers .

• Scott’s Valley- They return their RB1 and have depth on the O line. As with any SV team coached by Louie Walter, their defense will be good. But I read they already lost their QB1 to injury (off-season?). They will be young behind center but should be ok with their ground control offense and solid defense.
• Monte Vista Christian (MVC)- They return 1 of the top WR QB duos in the CCS. This team will put the ball in the air and score points. The question is depth, they will challenge anybody with their starting 11, but my understanding is the numbers on varsity are small. If they still healthy, they will challenge for the title.
• Alisal- This program has probably had it most consistent stretch of football ever. That may change as their long-time coach stepped away this year. I hope that it does not, but sometimes these programs (non-football schools) need consistency and it is hard to replace a successful coach. They will still run the same ground and pound ball control veer option. I am looking forward to the Scott’s Valley game. I could see each team getting 2 total possessions for the whole game.
• Seaside- The open district policy that helps Monterey, hurts Seaside, as they do lose some key players to their crosstown rival. Coach Avila does a great job with this program that is usually light on numbers but big on playmakers. Look for that trend to continue. Do not be surprised if Seaside is challenging again for the division title.
• North Monterey County- Last year the Condors surprised me. I thought they should have been move down to the Santa Lucia. But the remained competitive in the Mission North. They need to be consistent and disciplined for all 4 Qtrs. There is enough talent coming back to make the playoffs.
• St. Francis - There are about 250 student at St. Francis. It is one of the smallest 11 man football programs in the CCS. Yet they have made the playoffs and almost won a DV title 3 years ago. This year’s team will be competitive, I just don’t know if they can beet the teams above them.
• Watsonville. – I have to pick somebody last here, so Watsonville gets it. They have good numbers, but for some reason they just seem so inconstant from year to year. They did manage to “upset” NMC last year. So hopefully they can build off of that.

Mission South-

Carmel is the favorite here, and quite frankly I don’t know if they will be challenged in any league game. 2nd place and a guaranteed playoff spot will be a battle as I believe there are 5 teams that could finish 2nd. A lot of these teams will have smaller numbers so health will be a factor and will probably go a long way in deciding who finishes 2nd.

• Carmel- They return almost all their playmakers. They have to fill RB1 and some OL spots. QB1 is in his third year running the system and they will score points. Carmel’s philosophy is to outscore you, so Defense is not a priority, but they return 2 all-leaguers in the secondary and don’t be surprised if the #1 OL goes both ways in big games. I will give Carmel some credit for scheduling a competitive non-league schedule. But they should roll through the Mission South.
• North Salinas- They lost a lot to graduation last year, but still have enough talent and depth coming back that they will make a strong case for 2nd place. The program seem to have turned a corner and is starting to play consistent football every year, as opposed to 1 year on 1 year off.
• Soledad- The Aztecs have also been inconsistent over the past few years, but in theory after a 1-9 (on the field) year last year, they are due this year. They have a good core coming back, and I believe they may be deeper than the teams picked behind them.
• Pacific Grove- No I am not picking them last. I still will not root them. Truth is they have a numbers problem. About 10 years ago Carmel and PG had close to the same number of students 750-800. PG now sits at 550 while Carmel is still around 800. The good news for PG is they have maybe the best RB1 returning. They can be competitive if they stay healthy.
• Greenfield- I believe this team can finish as high as 2nd in this division, the numbers for this program keep increasing. They are coming off a Santa Lucia Championship and have been bumped up. They lost some very good playmakers from last year, so the Bruins will need to fill that void if they want to stay competitive.
• King City- Like Greenfield, King City will be competitive, however, this is a young team. If all things stay equal, I think KC will compete for the title in 2025. They have some really good underclassmen coming up through the program.
• Rancho San Juan- After almost making the playoffs 2 years ago they came down to earth this past season. I like the energy coming from the school and it’s head coach, it will take a little more time but this relatively new (5 years of varsity) program is still trending up. They could finish as high as 4th.

Santa Lucia

The purpose of the Santa Lucia is to evenly match programs that are struggling or that just can’t seem to get off the ground. Last year every team won at least 1 game last year, that is a good thang as it gives these programs something to build on. In 2018 Soquel was in the Santa Lucia division, 6 years latter they are now one of the top PCAL programs. Not saying Marina and Harbor are moving to the Gabilan next year, but this division at least gives them some equal footing. This year it looks like a 2-team race between Gonzales and the 2022 champions RLS.

• RLS – Probably the last year for this team in the Santa Lucia. They have 2 3osses in the division over the past 3 years. The program is seeing some decent numbers (for RLS), if they run the table this year, they will be destined for the Mission. They return some strength up front, but they need to replace a lot of skill positions. Fortunately, it looks like they have some kid ready to fill in. Still wish they would schedule 10 games like a freaking normal school.
• Gonzales- October 4th, RLS will becoming to the Salinas Valley to play Gonzales. The good news is that it is Friday night game that will probably decide the division. Bad news is the game is at Soledad 8.5 miles down the 101, as Gonzales is re-doing its stadium this year. The Spartans will “host” 3 teams at Soledad this year, the rest of the games will be on the road. I still see them as the 2nd best team in the division. And RLS has not won at Soledad in while.
• SLV – The Cougars have some good size and depth returning this year along the lines, they also return their QB1. They will have to replace some other key playmakers. SLV finished on a high note, but they did have head scratching loss to Pajaro last year. If they stay consistent they might be able to challenge Gonzales and RLS for league supremacy.
• Harbor- I am always rooting for back in the 80’s and 90’s they produced some decent teams. The past 20+ years, not so much. I would like to see them become the next “Soquel” of the Santa Lucia. I think they may be a little better this year, but it will take a while before they reach the Gabilan.
• Marina- I have said it before, Marina hurt itself 15 years ago when it when to 11 man football to early. The good news is more kids are staying in marina to play than leaving to Seaside or Monterey. There also getting their own football field (way overdue). Maybe this will start to change the ways at this struggling program.
• Pajaro Valley- I don’t know if the Pajaro valley District is open and all good football players end up at Aptos. But both PV and Watsonville struggle to put out consistent programs. It would be great to see this program thrive, but it needs consistency, and it has never had it.
• Santa Cruz- Three years ago this team was in the Gabilan, last year it did no score a point going 0-6 (on the field) 0-10 (with cancelations and forfeits) in the Mission North. It is a rebuilding project, and with its top players ending up at Soquel, it may take a few years. But this year it should be better being in the Santa Lucia.

As according to our local sports reporter John Devine. The Link may have a pay wall.
His Rankings were:

1. Carmel
2. Monterey
3. Salinas
4. Palma
5. Soquel
6. Hollister
7. Aptos
8. Alisal
9. Scott's Valley
10. North Salinas

With this quote "Don't lose sleep over this or over react. It's June. November is when it matters the most"
(He obviously does not follow anyone on this forum.)

For me the most obvious problem is.
1. I can't rank a "B" league Carmel team over the entire Gabilan. As far as I am concerned Salinas is #1 until proven other wise.
2. No sign of the 2022 Santa Lucia champion RLS Pirates. A complete oversight.

Enjoy the summer...

We are back at it with the high school football season! Here is the schedule for the first week. Picks are due by 7:00 PM on Friday.

Central Catholic at Pleasant Valley
Colusa at Colfax
Casa Roble at Placer
Escalon at Vacaville
Manteca at Elk Grove
Monterey Trail at Inderkum
West Park at Whitney
Oakdale at Sonora
Long Beach Poly at Folsom
Frontier-Bakersfield at Oak Ridge

The Game of the Week Poll is here - https://norcalpreps.forums.rivals.com/threads/week-1-game-of-the-week-vote.30613/

Currently National ranks have
#1 Mater Dei
#4 Bosco
#8 Cen10

But California has
#1 Mater Dei
#2 Cen 10
#3 Bosco

Justin-Siena is once again hosting the JS Christmas Classic Tournament, Dec. 19-21. So far we have 6 teams committed and are looking for 2 more. Email Head Coach Andy Bettencourt (abettencourt@justin-siena.org) for more information or to reserve a spot. First come/first serve. Committed teams listed below.

1. Folsom (1-0)

Folsom looked better than advertised in a 63-20 win over Long Beach Poly that saw Ryder Lyons throw for 182 yards and two touchdowns and a highlight reel touchdown run. Daymion Rivera and Carter Jackson combined for more than 200 rushing yards behind a physical Bulldogs’ offensive line. Folsom stays at home against Serra on Friday.

2. De La Salle (0-0)

The Spartans scrimmaged Jesuit this past week and will start the regular season with a home contest against Grant on Friday in one of the top games for Week 2.

3. Serra (0-0)

The Padres start the year as the top team in the CCS, but have the toughest non-league in NorCal with road games against Folsom and De La Salle before hosting St. John Bosco.

4. Pittsburg (0-0)

Pittsburg hosted a scrimmage with preseason Top 20 Monte Vista and a team to watch in El Cerrito prior to this week’s game at Monterey Trail. It will also play Bishop Manogue, which beat St. Mary’s-Stockton, on September 6.

5. Riordan (0-0)

The Crusaders will play five of their first six games on the road starting with a trip to McClymonds on Friday night. This is the highest preseason ranking for Riordan in the NCP Rankings history.

6. Rocklin (1-0)

Rocklin trailed Turlock 21-14 at the half, but scored on each drive of the second half for a 41-28 win. Reeve Slone threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a score while Derek Keeley ran for 85 yards and two touchdowns. Mikey Cunningham also played a good two-way game at wide receiver and defensive back. The Thunder host Bishop Manogue of Nevada this week.

7. St. Francis-Mountain View (0-0)

St. Francis will start the season in La Mesa as it takes on Helix, which lost its opener to El Camino-Oceanside (49-20). Helix won last year’s matchup in Mountain View 45-21.

8. Grant (1-0)

Grant beat Edison-Stockton 28-7 as running back Brandon Lambert, who transferred in from Cosumnes Oaks, rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns. Jeremiah Tuiilelia led the defense with 12 tackles and two sacks. Next week, the Pacers travel to De La Salle.

9. San Ramon Valley (0-0)

The Wolves are the third NCP Team in the Top 9 and have the top rated senior in the region with Texas A&M bound Marco Jones. They start the season at home against St. Ignatius in a matchup featuring two of the best leagues in NorCal.

10. Marin Catholic (0-0)

Marin Catholic is set to play one of its most challenging non-league schedules in years starting this week against Top 20 ranked Inderkum, which started its season last week in beating Monterey Trail.

11. St. Mary’s-Stockton (0-1)

The Rams led Bishop Manogue 14-7 at the half, but were shutout in the second half en route to a 21-14 road loss. Junior Kenneth Moore III had nine carries for 114 yards and a touchdown and had five catches for 51 yards and a score from junior Jaden Galvan. Defensively, they tallied four sacks and two interceptions. St. Mary’s needs to quickly turn the page heading into its annual matchup with Central Catholic.

12. Monte Vista (0-0)

Monte Vista has three Division I commitments on offensive and a fast rising junior prospect on the defensive line. The Mustangs are looking for its first winning season since 2021. They start the season on Friday against Granada.

13. Clayton Valley Charter (0-0)

Clayton Valley Charter has moved back to the Diablo Athletic League - Foothill Division and enters the season as the league favorite. The Ugly Eagles open the season on Friday at Spanish Springs, which has two games under their belts in losing to Simi Valley and Shadow Ridge.

14. Oak Ridge (0-1)

Joaquin Graves-Mercado threw for 349 yards and a touchdown with Kaleb Edwards (148 yards) being his top target in a 28-14 loss to Frontier-Bakersfield. The Trojans gave up 21 first quarter points, but settled into the game defensively. This week, they travel to Southern California to take on San Clemente.

15. St. Ignatius (0-0)

The Wildcats enter the season with one of the region’s best offensive linemen (John Mills) and experience at quarterback with Soren Hummel. They travel to San Ramon Valley this week after losing to the Wolves 42-14 in San Francisco last season.

16. McClymonds (0-0)

McClymonds always looks to challenge itself in the non-league and it has done so again in 2024. It starts on Friday against Riordan. The Warriors will also play St. Francis-Mountain View and San Ramon Valley.

17. Cardinal Newman (0-0)

Cardinal Newman starts off the 2024 season with back-to-back road games against Casa Grande and Vacaville. The Cardinals are looking to win their first section title since 2019.

18. Inderkum (1-0)

Ricky Cole threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns and wide receiver Lono Chouteau had seven catches for 161 yards and a score as the Tigers beat Monterey Trail 27-21. Inderkum’s defense held Monterey Trail to just under four yards per carry. Inderkum hits the road this week for a Saturday afternoon game against Marin Catholic.

19. Central Catholic (1-0)

Central Catholic got rushing touchdowns from Joey Alcutt, Wyatt Dragoo and Jonathan Fuentes in a 28-21 win over Pleasant Valley. The Raiders trailed 14-7 at the half. Next up is a trip to St. Mary’s-Stockton followed by games against Central Catholic-Oregon and Bishop Manogue.

20. Granite Bay (1-0)

Isaiah Ene had 14 carries for 108 yards and three touchdowns and Nick Harris threw for more than 200 yards (116 of those yards to Joseph Cattolico) in a 34-10 win over Rio Americano. Darnell Turner Jr. had an 85 yard interception return for a score. This week, Granite Bay hosts Vacaville, which is coming off a win over Escalon.

Game of the Week

Weather today even feels a little like fall. Time for some football!

I gathered these from different sources, so they may not be completely accurate.

I updated and wrote down the schedules individually, so they're more accurate now.

Here is the Week 1 Schedule. Nice to have football back!

Northern Section
Friday August 23
Central Catholic (Modesto,CA) at Pleasant Valley (Chico,CA) 7:00 pm
Chico (CA) at Nevada Union (Grass Valley,CA) 7:00 pm
Quincy (CA) vs North Tahoe (Tahoe City) at Feather River College (Quincy,CA) 7:00 pm
Colusa (CA) at Colfax (CA) 7:15 pm
Pershing County (Lovelock,NV) at Portola (CA) 7:30 pm

Sac-Joaquin
Friday August 23
Alpaugh (CA) at Turlock Christian (Turlock,CA) 5:00 pm
Chavez (Stockin,CA) at Galena (Reno,NV) 6:30 pm
Beyer (Modesto,CA) vs Enochos (Modesto,CA) at Downey (Modesto,CA) 7:00 pm
Bret Harte (Angels Camp,CA) at Golden Sierra (Golden Valley,CA) 7:00 pm
Casa Roble (Orangevale,CA) at Placer (Auburn,CA) 7:00 pm
Ceres (CA) at Hughson (CA) 7:00 pm
Delta (Clarksburg,CA) at San Juan (Citrus Heights,CA) 7:00 pm
Dixon (CA) at Pioneer (Woodland,CA) 7:00 pm
Downey (Modesto,CA) at Lincoln (Stockin,CA) 7:00 pm
Elite (Vallejo,CA) at East Union (Manteca,CA) 7:00 pm
Esparto (CA) at Delhi (CA) 7:00 pm
Franklin (Elk Grove,CA) at Johnson (Sacramento,CA) 7:00 pm
Orestimba (Newman,CA) at Gustine (CA) 7:00 pm
Hilmar (CA) at Davis (Modesto,CA) at Modesto Junior College (Modesto,CA) 7:00 pm
Le Grand (CA) at Livingston (CA) 7:00 pm
Liberty Ranch (Galt,CA) at Stagg (Stockton,CA) 7:00 pm
McNair (Stockton,CA) at Mountain House (CA) 7:00 pm
Merced (CA) at Patterson (CA) 7:00 pm
Modesto (CA) at Johnsen (Modesto,CA) 7:00 pm
Natomes (Sacramento,CA) at Foothill (Sacramento,CA)
Oakdale (CA) at Sonora (CA) 7:00 pm
Pacheco (Los Banos,CA) at Atwater (CA) 7:00 pm
Pitman (Turlock,CA) at Central Valley (Ceres,CA) at Ceres (CA) 7:00 pm
El Dorado (Placerville,CA) at Ponderosa (Shingle Springs,CA) 7:00 pm
Rio Americano (Sacramento,CA) at Granite Bay (CA) at El Camino (Sacramento,CA) 7:00 pm
Ripon Christian (Ripon,CA) at Summerville (Tuolumne,CA) 7:00 pm
River Island (Lathrop,CA) at Franklin (Stockton,CA) 7:00 pm
Riverbank (CA) at Western Sierra (Rocklin,CA) at Mahaney Park (Roseville,CA) 7:00 pm
Stone Ridge Christian (Merced,CA) at Calaveras (San Andreas,CA) at Atwater AFB (Atwater,CA) 7:00 pm
Tracy (CA) at West (Tracy,CA) 7:00 pm
Rocklin (CA) at Turlock (CA) 7:00 pm
Vacaville Christian (Vacaville,CA) at Foresthill (CA) 7:00 pm
West Park (Roseville,CA) at Whitney (Rocklin,CA) 7:00 pm
Woodland (CA) at Mesa Verde (Citrus Heights,CA) 7:00 pm
Woodland Christian (Woodland,CA) at Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento,CA) 7:00 pm
Yuba City (CA) at Marysville (CA) 7:00 pm
Bullard (Fresno,CA) at Golden Valley (Merced,CA) 7:00 pm
Central Catholic (Modesto,CA) at Pleasant Valley (Chico,CA) 7:00 pm
Chico (CA) at Nevada Union (Grass Valley,CA) 7:00 pm
Del Oro (Loomis,CA) at Reed (Sparks,NV) 7:00 pm
El Capitan (Merced,CA) at Hug (Reno,NV) 7:00 pm
Mariposa County (Mariposa,CA) at Yosemite (Oakhurst,CA) 7:00 pm
Argonaut (Jackson,CA) at Sutter (CA) 7:15 pm
Bear Creek (Stockton,CA) at Burbank (Sacramento,CA) 7:15 pm
Edison (Stockton,CA) at Grant (Sacramento,CA) 7:15 pm
Monterey Trail (Elk Grove,CA) at Inderkum (Sacramento,CA) 7:15 pm
Laguna Creek (Elk Grove,CA) at Vista de Lago (Folsom,CA) 7:15 pm
Liberty Ranch (Galt,CA) at Stagg (Stockin,CA) 7:15 pm
Lindhurst (Olivehurst,CA) at Bear River (Grass Valley,CA) 7:15 pm
Manteca (CA) at Elk Grove (CA) 7:15 pm
Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove,CA) at River City (West Sacramento,CA) at Sheldon (Sacramento,CA) 7:15 pm
Rio Linda (CA) at Lincoln (CA) 7:15 pm
Roseville (CA) at Antelope (CA) 7:15 pm
Sacramento (CA) at Woodcreek (Roseville,CA) 7:15 pm
Sheldon (Sacramento,CA) at Destiny Christian (Sacramento,CA) 7:15 pm
Tokey (Lodi,CA) at Lodi (CA) at Grape Bowl (Lodi,CA) 7:15 pm
Waterford (CA) at Western Ranch (Stockton,CA) 7:15 pm
Wood (Vacaville,CA) at Fairfield (CA) 7:15 pm
Colusa (CA) at Colfax (CA) 7:15 pm
Freemont (Oakland,CA) at Rodrigez (Fairfeild,CA) 7:15 pm
Rio Vista (CA) at Amador (Sutter Creek,CA) 7:30 pm
Armijo (Fairfeild,CA) at Center (Antelope,CA) 7:30 pm
Bella Vista (Fair Oaks,CA) at Oakmont (Roseville,CA) 7:30 pm
Christian Brothers (Sacramento,CA) at Twelve Bridges (Lincoln,CA) 7:30 pm
Del Campo (Fair Oaks,CA) at Rosemont (Sacramento,CA) 7:30 pm
Escalon (CA) at Vacaville (CA) 7:30 pm
Galt (CA) at Kennedy (CA) 7:30 pm
McClachey (Sacramento,CA) at River Valley (Yuba City,CA) 7:30 pm
Mira Loma (Sacramento,CA) at Valley Christian (Roseville,CA) at Del Campo (Fair Oaks,CA) 7:30 pm
Lindon (CA) at Ripon (CA) 7:30 pm
McClachey (Sacramento,CA) at River Valley (Yuba City,CA) 7:30 pm
Christian Brothers (Sacramento,CA) at Twelve Bridges (Lincoln,CA) 7:30 pm
Escalon (CA) at Vacaville (CA) 7:30 pm
Los Banos (CA) at Dos Palos (CA) 7:30 pm
McQueen (Reno,NV) at Union Mine (El Dorado,CA) 7:30 pm
South Tahoe (South Lake Tahoe,CA) at Wheatland (CA) 7:30 pm

Saturday August 24
St.Mary’s (Stockton,CA) at Bishop Manogue (Reno,NV) 2:00 pm
Denair (CA) at Big Valley Christian (Modesto,CA) 7:15 pm
Frontier (Bakersfield,CA) at Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills,CA) 7:30 pm
Oakland Section
Oakland (CA) at Kern Valley (Lake Isabella,CA) 7:00 pm

Poly at #1 Folsom 7:00 PM Game of the Week

The season kicks off with a marquee matchup featuring two state ranked teams and the top overall team in NorCal. Folsom has one of its most talented teams led by quarterback Ryder Lyons, a deep group of running backs, wide receiver Jameson Powell and standout defensive lineman Josiah Sharma. Poly has more questions entering the 2024 season, but are blessed with very good team speed especially at wide receiver with Kamarie Smith. Poly starts the season at No. 25 in the state according to CalHiSports.

#19 Central Catholic at Pleasant Valley 7:00 PM

Central Catholic doesn’t return as talented of a team as past years, but that doesn’t mean they are without talent. The Raiders have a good group of running backs with Joey Alcutt, Carter Meeks and Wyatt Dragoo. The quarterback is expected to be junior Kayden McHenry, but how will the lines stack up? The Vikings rode a young squad to a 10 win season in 2023 and will return their quarterback, three of top four running backs and top two receivers led by TE/DE Gavin Garreston and and running back Lucas Benson. Last year, Central Catholic hosted this matchup and won 49-7.

Casa Roble at Placer 7:00 PM

Placer has made a habit of scheduling tough with some losses in the non-league and parlay that into league success. This season, they boast a strong group of returning skill players led by running backs Baylor Kelley and Shaun Jones, who combined to rush for more than 2,000 yards. Casa Roble is back after winning the 2023 SJS Division V title. They return wide receiver Elijah Huddle (Sacramento State), quarterback Connor Campbell, running back Braylen Blevins, offensive lineman Sunia Vuki and defensive lineman Darren Dalton. Last year, Casa Roble beat Placer 21-7 in the opener.

West Park at Whitney 7:00 PM

West Park will have one of the best passing combinations in the Sacramento area with quarterback Jaden Jackson and wide receiver Mason Johnson. They also bring back a Division I lineman in Jax Moore. Whitney is looking to break out of the bottom of the SFL and brings some experience back at quarterback. After opening at home, they will play four straight road games before getting into the teeth of its league schedule.

Oakdale at Sonora 7:00 PM

Oakdale running back Wes Buford is coming off an excellent season where he ran for more than 1,800 yards and 27 touchdowns despite battling injuries. When the Mustangs have an explosive runner, look out! Last year, Oakdale beat Sonora 27-20 and the Wildcats won nine straight games afterwards before falling in the playoffs. Junior RB/DB Cash Byington is a player to watch after winning the Mother Lode League Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.

Colusa at Colfax 7:15 PM

Colusa is back after going 14-0 season that included the 6-A State title. The RedHawks will be led by Adan Travis, who rushed for 671 yards and 18 touchdowns, and good talent on the lines. This marks a rare scheduled game out of the section for Colusa. Colfax projects to return a good receiving core led by Austin Linden, who also had a team high three interceptions. The Falcons are the team to beat in the Pioneer Valley League as Twelve Bridges and Sutter have moved in the latest realignment.

Manteca at Elk Grove 7:15 PM

Manteca will have to replace top running back Bryson Davis, but have a good option to go with sophomore Nikko Juarez in addition to an experienced defense led by defensive lineman Isaiah White. Elk Grove will counter with quarterback David Hale, who has nearly 1,000 total yards as a junior. Dylan Archuleta is a runner and receiver to watch and Washington State bound OL/DL Lucan Amituanai is one of the section’s top prospects. In the revamped Delta League, Elk Grove looks to be the top challenger to Monterey Trail.

Monterey Trail at #18 Inderkum 7:15 PM

Inderkum won 11 straight games at one point last season and bring back the bulk of their offense led by quarterback Ricky Cole. Other offensive players to note are Kyle Gurganious and Lono Chouteau. Monterey Trail has made a habit of being greater than the sum of its parts even though there has been real talent coming through the Mustangs’ program. D’Adrien Sanders looks to be the top back this season and they are slotted to bring back two of their top three tacklers including Gabe Coronado.

Escalon at Vacaville 7:30 PM

Escalon will need to replace some key players, including quarterback Donovan Rozevink, but bring back wide receiver Sam Jimenez after he finished with more than 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. The Cougars have won double digit games in four straight seasons (excluding the 2021 spring season). Vacaville is promoting an undefeated JV team to go with the return of running back Tanner Boyd and a strong secondary led by Elijah Cline. The Bulldogs struggled to score in their five losses averaging nine points per game.

Frontier-Bakersfield at #14 Oak Ridge 7:30 PM

In the lone Saturday game on the pick’em slate this week, Oak Ridge starts off at home before traveling to Southern California and Tennessee. The Trojans have an elite player in Kaleb Edwards in addition to returning quarterback Joaquin Graves-Mercado and RB/WR Jasen Womack. Frontier, which is ranked No. 42 in the CalHiSports preseason rankings, The Titans return three of their top four receivers, led by Kobie Watson and Malcolm Watkins. They went 10-1 last season.

The copper wires for the lights at the football field and other football equipment were stolen last Friday night. Looks like it's back to Saturday games for the foreseeable future for ST.