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PCAL Matchups and Picks week 1

RLS13

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Nov 8, 2016
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Week 1 Games-

First week of real action for the PCAL and it starts tonight! 18 games were scheduled but as of this writing Covid has claimed 1 game, so 17 will be played. The Salinas/Half Moon Bay game was moved due to an unfortunate (might be an understatement) racial issue at Salinas. Santa Cruz/Seaside will be played even though a handful of SC players just got out of quarantine. Here are my picks for this weeks games.

Gabilan

Thu 08/26 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA), 7:30pm – NMC took the spring off, look for the experienced MVC team to prevail. MVC 24-7

Thu 08/26 Alisal (Salinas, CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm – A great cross city match up. Alisal ground and pound will be too much for NS. Alisal 28-14

Fri 08/27 San Luis Obispo (CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm Casualty of COVID @ Alvarez

Fri 08/27 Mills (Millbrae, CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:30pm I think this game is still on. Aptos 54-0

Fri 08/27 Half Moon Bay (CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:00pm – (Game now in HMB) Maybe the best game of the weekend involving a PCAL Team. This game will go far in CCS playoff seeding. HMB 27-24

Fri 08/27 Mitty (San Jose, CA) vs Palma (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm – Palma offense will outscore Mitty, question is how will the defense look? Palma 35-24

Fri 08/27 Seaside (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – This game should answer lots of questions for both teams. Seaside may not like those answers. Santa Cruz 34-14

Fri 08/27 San Benito (Hollister, CA) at Santa Teresa (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm – I will probably regret saying this later, but Hollister could be the surprise team down here. Hollister 28-20

Sat 08/28 Christopher (Gilroy, CA) at Sobrato (Morgan Hill, CA), 3:00pm – Christopher starts its first season with a new head coach with a victory. Christopher 21-10

Mission


Thu 08/26 Monterey (CA) vs Gunn (Palo Alto, CA) at Monterey Peninsula College (Monterey, CA), 7:30pm – Don’t Know much about Gunn except they are favored to win a bad league, so I am taking Monterey. Monterey 27-20

Fri 08/27 Gilroy (CA) at Live Oak (Morgan Hill, CA), 7:00pm – New Coach, new attitude, new results for the Mustangs. Gilroy 24-23

Fri 08/27 Greenfield (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:00pm – The “veggie” bowl? I am taking Soledad, as they may have a bit more speed and muscle than the Bruins. Soledad 27-7

Fri 08/27 Scotts Valley (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm – I think this will be a fun game between 2 old SCAL football rivals. The Falcons return a bit more than the Knights. Scotts Valley 21-20

Sat 08/28 Carmel (CA) at Pacific Grove (CA), 7:00pm – Pacific Grove is a nice town, with nice people. Their kids play hard, numbers are up. They may make some noise in the Cypress. (I am trying to talk nice about PG and its hard). Carmel 45-17

Cypress


Fri 08/27 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at King City (CA), 7:30pm- Not sure if the little team that could has enough to stay with King City. King City 34-20

Fri 08/27 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:00pm- These schools are in the same district, why is this game not being showcased in Pajaro’s new stadium? Watsonville 21-7

Sat 08/28 Washington (San Francisco, CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 2:00pm – Unless Washington is a major sleeper this year the Cougars should roll. SLV 35-14



Santa Lucia (other games are above)


Fri 08/27 Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA) at Lynbrook (San Jose, CA), 7:30pm- 2 Programs that have really struggled over the past 10 plus years. Last played in 2019, Harbor’s only win that year, Bucs make it 2 in row. Harbor 30-7
 
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"Palma offense will outscore Mitty, question is how will the defense look? Palma 35-24"

Palma defense should be better than last year. LBs and DBs will very good and Line returns Finley at DE/DT, Murphy (who plays NG when they run 5 up front or 3 when using OLBs (is a run stiffer who broke Palma 20 year bench record benching 415lbs) and Javi Avilla (6-2, 225) other DE/OLB /DT is very quick and strong. LBs will be very good this year on inside and outside (one or two are top wrestlers in the section and very tough). The DBs that return have experience and DB/WR Saldate a soph may be best player on the defense. I think they will be much better against the pass and quicker on the edges and LBs and BBs close better on supporting the run. Only question mark is the o-line in my opinion with the underclass, but they will have lots of skill players and may use pass to open up run game even though they will have really good RBs this year as well. If line is relatively sound, they may score lots of points. Palma didn't have scrimmage so may start slow. Palma 28 Mitty 21

Salinas
will have much of line coming back and more experience at QB and more speed than last season at WR. They should be very sound on defense especially up the middle. I think Salinas will pull out the win. 21-14

Aptos game will be a laugher.

San Benito - Defense will reload and offense more open than traditonally. Hollister will probably win 28-14
 
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