PCAL Week 1
(I made this up yesterday but forgot to post. Already 0-3 on the Thursday night Picks.... not a great start)
Gabilan
Thu 08/25 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Overfelt (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm- Alvarez has some good numbers this year and they will look to compete for that #5 spot in the Gabilan. I like them in their season opener. Alvarez 18-14
Fri 08/26 Salinas (CA) at Clayton Valley (Concord, CA), 7:00pm – Salinas is the best team in the area, love this early season matchup. I think they have the depth and the size to reload on the lines. They already return some of the best playmakers in the county. Salinas 35-28
Fri 08/26 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Mitty (San Jose, CA) at Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, CA), 7:00pm – Palma has to find a consistent stating QB to get the ball to some talented RB’s and WR’s. Size and defense may not be as dominate as in the pass, but good enough to beat a struggling Mitty program. Palma 21-14
Fri 08/26 Aptos (CA) at Oakdale (CA), 7:30pm- Aptos, maybe the 2nd best team, down here. But this is a brutal road trip. Will be a great game to watch if you don’t like passing. Oakdale 24-20
Fri 08/26 Scotts Valley (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – Santa Cruz belonged in the league last year, probably not so much this year. Scott’s Valley needs to replace a lot on defense. Santa Cruz 27-13
Sat 08/27 Hollister (CA) at Oak Grove (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm – Hollister will look to reload as it challenges the top of the Gabilan. Oak grove seems to have fallen off the past couple years. Hollister 35-14
Sat 08/27 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Sobrato (Morgan Hill, CA), 2:30pm – Alisal will run the ball, then run it again and then some more. To challenge in the Gabilan they will need to throw, at least a little. But they should “run” over Sobrato. Alisal 28-17
Mission
Thu 08/25 Monterey (CA) at Gunn (Palo Alto, CA), 7:00pm – New coach will hopefully keep Monterey more disciplined. They are probably the fastest team in the PCAL. But they must remain disciplined. Gunn will be a good test. Gunn 21-19
Fri 08/26 Seaside (CA) at Piedmont (CA), 7:30pm -Seaside comes down to the Mission after a couple years in the Gabilan. I like the easier early season matchup for them, hopefully inspires some much needed confidence into this program. Seaside 42-20
Sat 08/27 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Menlo (Atherton, CA), 2:00pm -When you make the playoffs, I guess you schedule up the next season. Tough opening weekend for North Salinas. Menlo 42-14
Fri 08/26 Soledad (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm- Soquel has been one of the more consistent programs in the area under Lowery. They will challenge in the Mission division. Soledad, like others, is looking for consistency with its program. Soquel 21-14
Sat 08/27 Pacific Grove (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Carmel was a bit of disappointment last year, as lack of experience cost them in close games. Although the #1RB, WR and LB are gone. They return both sides of the line and an experienced QB. Still a young team with only 7 Seniors, but most of the juniors played varsity last year. They will challenge in the Mission. PG will be scrappy, and they have some great athletes, but not enough to win back the Shoe. Carmel 35-20
Sat 08/27 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at St. Francis (Watsonville, CA), 2:00pm – The 2 private schools meet with their teams heading in opposite directions. MVC program has gone down the past few years, while the Sharks have been making the playoffs. Of course, MVC was in the Gabilan and the Sharks in the Santa Lucia. MVC 20-14
Cypress
Fri 08/26 Greenfield (CA) at King City (CA), 7:00pm – South County neighbors meet up. Greenfield has some good numbers this year, But KC has too much returning. KC 25-14
Fri 08/26 Christopher (Gilroy, CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm – Christopher moved out of the PCAL this year and should challenge in the MT Hamilton league. NMC is just looking for some stability. Christopher 35-7
Fri 08/26 Gonzales (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – This Game is intriguing. Gonzales looks to return to its winning ways, while Rancho San Juan hopes to continue to improve in its third year. Taking the Trailblazers in a close one. Rancho 21-20
Sat 08/27 Watsonville (CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 12:30pm- I don’t know a lot about either team this year. But if history is any indicator, Watsonville should win easily. Watsonville 24-7
Santa Lucia
Thu 08/25 Marina (CA) at San Jose (CA), 6:00pm – Marina returns to the varsity level after a 2 year absence. Intriguing match up vs San Jose. I will be curios how the team responds. San Jose 20-13
Fri 08/26 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at Carlmont (Belmont, CA), 7:00pm – Don’t know if the 2 are related, but ever since headset gate of 2018 SLV has not been very good. Carlmont 26-16
Fri 08/26 Harker (San Jose, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:00pm- Here is hoping Harbor challenges for a league title this year in the Santa Lucia Harbor 35-14
(I made this up yesterday but forgot to post. Already 0-3 on the Thursday night Picks.... not a great start)
Gabilan
Thu 08/25 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Overfelt (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm- Alvarez has some good numbers this year and they will look to compete for that #5 spot in the Gabilan. I like them in their season opener. Alvarez 18-14
Fri 08/26 Salinas (CA) at Clayton Valley (Concord, CA), 7:00pm – Salinas is the best team in the area, love this early season matchup. I think they have the depth and the size to reload on the lines. They already return some of the best playmakers in the county. Salinas 35-28
Fri 08/26 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Mitty (San Jose, CA) at Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, CA), 7:00pm – Palma has to find a consistent stating QB to get the ball to some talented RB’s and WR’s. Size and defense may not be as dominate as in the pass, but good enough to beat a struggling Mitty program. Palma 21-14
Fri 08/26 Aptos (CA) at Oakdale (CA), 7:30pm- Aptos, maybe the 2nd best team, down here. But this is a brutal road trip. Will be a great game to watch if you don’t like passing. Oakdale 24-20
Fri 08/26 Scotts Valley (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – Santa Cruz belonged in the league last year, probably not so much this year. Scott’s Valley needs to replace a lot on defense. Santa Cruz 27-13
Sat 08/27 Hollister (CA) at Oak Grove (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm – Hollister will look to reload as it challenges the top of the Gabilan. Oak grove seems to have fallen off the past couple years. Hollister 35-14
Sat 08/27 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Sobrato (Morgan Hill, CA), 2:30pm – Alisal will run the ball, then run it again and then some more. To challenge in the Gabilan they will need to throw, at least a little. But they should “run” over Sobrato. Alisal 28-17
Mission
Thu 08/25 Monterey (CA) at Gunn (Palo Alto, CA), 7:00pm – New coach will hopefully keep Monterey more disciplined. They are probably the fastest team in the PCAL. But they must remain disciplined. Gunn will be a good test. Gunn 21-19
Fri 08/26 Seaside (CA) at Piedmont (CA), 7:30pm -Seaside comes down to the Mission after a couple years in the Gabilan. I like the easier early season matchup for them, hopefully inspires some much needed confidence into this program. Seaside 42-20
Sat 08/27 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Menlo (Atherton, CA), 2:00pm -When you make the playoffs, I guess you schedule up the next season. Tough opening weekend for North Salinas. Menlo 42-14
Fri 08/26 Soledad (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm- Soquel has been one of the more consistent programs in the area under Lowery. They will challenge in the Mission division. Soledad, like others, is looking for consistency with its program. Soquel 21-14
Sat 08/27 Pacific Grove (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Carmel was a bit of disappointment last year, as lack of experience cost them in close games. Although the #1RB, WR and LB are gone. They return both sides of the line and an experienced QB. Still a young team with only 7 Seniors, but most of the juniors played varsity last year. They will challenge in the Mission. PG will be scrappy, and they have some great athletes, but not enough to win back the Shoe. Carmel 35-20
Sat 08/27 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at St. Francis (Watsonville, CA), 2:00pm – The 2 private schools meet with their teams heading in opposite directions. MVC program has gone down the past few years, while the Sharks have been making the playoffs. Of course, MVC was in the Gabilan and the Sharks in the Santa Lucia. MVC 20-14
Cypress
Fri 08/26 Greenfield (CA) at King City (CA), 7:00pm – South County neighbors meet up. Greenfield has some good numbers this year, But KC has too much returning. KC 25-14
Fri 08/26 Christopher (Gilroy, CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm – Christopher moved out of the PCAL this year and should challenge in the MT Hamilton league. NMC is just looking for some stability. Christopher 35-7
Fri 08/26 Gonzales (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – This Game is intriguing. Gonzales looks to return to its winning ways, while Rancho San Juan hopes to continue to improve in its third year. Taking the Trailblazers in a close one. Rancho 21-20
Sat 08/27 Watsonville (CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 12:30pm- I don’t know a lot about either team this year. But if history is any indicator, Watsonville should win easily. Watsonville 24-7
Santa Lucia
Thu 08/25 Marina (CA) at San Jose (CA), 6:00pm – Marina returns to the varsity level after a 2 year absence. Intriguing match up vs San Jose. I will be curios how the team responds. San Jose 20-13
Fri 08/26 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at Carlmont (Belmont, CA), 7:00pm – Don’t know if the 2 are related, but ever since headset gate of 2018 SLV has not been very good. Carlmont 26-16
Fri 08/26 Harker (San Jose, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:00pm- Here is hoping Harbor challenges for a league title this year in the Santa Lucia Harbor 35-14
