Not hyperbole, this may be the most important regular season game in NCS history. Not because this is the first time DLS will have faced a legitimate challenge for section supremacy, but because of the changes the section made to the playoff structure.
This new Open was designed with the idea that the Spartans were the dominant program and that there might only be one reasonable challenger to that. This year, that may not be the case. While I don't personally view Pittsburg to quite be in that stratosphere, they are still undefeated and I'm not sure that can be ignored.
In the past, DLS has successfully argued that despite a few losses, history matters and that should mean they deserve the top seed in the NCS playoffs. Ok, but could they still make that argument with a loss to the Wolves this weekend? If they lose, do they get the #2 seed in the playoffs? It's not as if the Pirates built their undefeated record against weak competition... Granite Bay, California, and Los Gatos are all quality teams. Does the NCS say that DLS deserves a second shot at SRV in the playoffs? Would they afford the Wolves the same consideration if they fall to the Spartans in a competitive game?
Pitt has an argument that was created by the CIF, itself. Serra knocked off the Spartans a few weeks ago and, due to the state playoff structure, they don't get a second shot at the Padres. Yes, they did get a second shot at Folsom last year, but that was in a lower division. You can state that if DLS were to get a second shot at SRV, it should be in a lower division.
So, what do you do? Leave Pitt out in the cold either way? Or do you replace the loser of this week's game with the Pirates, stating that they had their chance already? I don't see any strong challenger for Pitt the rest of the year except for maybe Liberty.
Right now, I'm of the opinion that Pitt should get the #2 seed. The loser of this week's game still has a shot at the D-I title, but this would mean that the overall dominance of DLS over the NCS is at stake this weekend. If this come to fruition, the Spartan streak of top NCS titles could come to an end before the playoffs even start.
As for the game itself, DLS has done a very good job against two good passing teams in Folsom and St. Mary's. Can they put together that type of effort against SRV? The Wolves did a really good job against one-dimensional McClymonds, eventually wearing them down in the second half for an offensive explosion. While the DLS conditioning is legendary, one could argue that this is what Orange Lutheran did to the Spartans. Calpreps has this game as a 7-point win for SRV.
You'll all see my prediction in the Pick'Em on Friday.