PCAL Week 1

[RLS13]

PCAL Week 1- ( CCS starts a week after most other section)

Some good matchups exciting matchups stating on Thursday night. (PCAL will play at least one Thursday game every week due to lack of officials in the area.) Oakdale v Aptos and Clayton Valley vs Salinas are the biggest non section matchups (the only non CCS ones this week😉). Most intriguing local matchup is Monterey vs. St.Francis CC. Monterey is expected to challenge in the Gabilan, while St. Francis is building something special, despite hovering around 25-30 players annually.



Gabilan

Thu 08/24 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – This should be called the Gabilan 7th place Bowl game, both these large schools are considered every year for the Gabilan. Alvarez won last year and that kept them up. Alisal returns the favor this year. Alisal 24-20


Thu 08/24 Soquel (CA) at Los Gatos (CA), 7:00pm- Nobody can accuse Soquel of ducking hard non-league opponents. Los Gatos 35-14


Thu 08/24 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Soledad (CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm- But you can question Palma’s non League schedule 3 Mission South teams and an out of state team from Yuma. Palma 28-0


Fri 08/25 Oakdale (CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:00pm – You think anybody will run the ball much in this game? Who runs the best Wing. Going with the home team and betting the over on rushing yards. Aptos 35-34


Fri 08/25 Oak Grove (San Jose, CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm- Oak grove has fallen on some hard time recently. I like the Haybalers here. Hollister 28-14


Fri 08/25 Monterey (CA) vs St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Monterey Peninsula College (Monterey, CA), 7:30pm- This game intrigues me as St.Francis could be a rising power and I expect Monterey to compete in the Gabilan. Monterey gets a scare but holds on. Monterey 34-33


Fri 08/25 Clayton Valley (Concord, CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:00pm – Salinas is a bit of an unknown, as they lost a lot of offense from last year. But Zenk has built a hell of a program and they will reload. Salinas 24-21


Mission North

Thu 08/24 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Christopher (Gilroy, CA), 7:00pm- Tough matchup for the Condors vs an old PCAL rival expect to contend in the Mt. Hamilton League. Christopher 35-7


Fri 08/25 Santa Cruz (CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:30pm- These crosstown rivals have trended in different directions the past 20 years. Santa Cruz will be happy ot be out of the Gabilan. Santa Cruz 28-0


Fri 08/25 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at Los Altos (CA), 7:00pm- MVC looking to regain some stability and its old winning ways after a carousel of coaches. MVC 17-14


Fri 08/25 Seaside (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm- Potentially a great match up here if Rancho was able to reload after last years record breaking season. Seaside 28-24


Sat 08/26 Watsonville (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Lets see if Carmel has found a consistent QB to go along with its playmakers and experienced O line. Carmel 35-14


Sat 08/26 Gonzales (CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 2:00pm – Tough Opening day match up for Gonzales vs a historically stingy defense Scott’s Valley 21-0


Mission South

Fri 08/25 King City (CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- KC looks to avenge last years loss that sanpped a 10 game streak vs their south conty neighbor. KC 24-17


Fri 08/25 Marina (CA) at Pacific Grove (CA), 7:30pm- I want to pick Marina, I hate picking PG to win. They are playing this game just to make me pick them to win. Not doing it. Upset special. Marina 21-20


Fri 08/25 Sobrato (Morgan Hill, CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – North Salinas stops the bleeding and get their first win since the playoffs 2 years ago. North Salinas 16-14


Santa Lucia -Of Note Pajaro and RLS are not playing this week. RLS is a boarding school and they historically have been playing 9 games because their academic calendar does not start until 8/23. I don’t know why Pajaro only scheduled 9 games. (Edit- Pajaro did have a game for Week 1. Was not showing on Cal Preps until Thursday night)

Fri 08/25 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Ripon Christian (Ripon, CA), 7:30pm- Because I added this late not choosing a winner. On paper this looks like a bit of a mismatch.

Fri 08/25 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at South San Francisco (CA), 7:00pm- Lets see if SLV can start to turn this once proud program around vs a program that started to turn things around last year. South San Francisco 21-17

 

[Cal 14]

At the Soquel-Los Gatos game and the Knights are hanging tough. It’s 17-14 LG with a minute to play. Wildcats ball.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

Palma frosh defeated Aptos 40-0. Chieftain froosh had 65 come out this year - like 60% of the class and are huge and athletic. They also have one of the top RBs from the youth leagues. Looking like this class could be special. Their line is bigger than the varsity.

Palma JV defeated Soledad 37-0

Palma Varsity up 14-0 early on Soledad (Drew Molinari and Gavin Martinez move from WRs to RBs and both have early scores). Probably not going to be competitive game at all. Palma has a pick and blocked punt so far.

 

[Cal 14]

24-14 at the half. LG to get the ball first in the 2nd.

LG needs to tighten things up a bit. They’re not very big and only moderately quick. They’ve had relatively little commitment to the run and the QB has had some good and bad throws, one resulting in a pick six. Another pass should have been picked.

Soquel has some size, but their offensive plays have largely taken too long to develop. In the 2nd qtr, they’ve made some adjustments to be quicker. #44 is a good player for them, has good size. Only once have they actually moved the ball on O, but they’ve been able to get decent pressure on D.

The reality is that Palma, Aptos, and Salinas will likely beat Soquel by 3-5 TDs later in the year. If LG can’t establish more of a ground game in the 2nd, I see them struggling against someone like Sacred Heart Prep.

 

[Cal 14]

Palma frosh defeated Aptos 40-0. Chieftain froosh had 65 come out this year - like 60% of the class and are huge and athletic. They also have one of the top RBs from the youth leagues. Looking like this class could be special. Their line is bigger than the varsity.

Palma JV defeated Soledad 37-0

Palma Varsity up 14-0 early on Soledad (Drew Molinari and Gavin Martinez move from WRs to RBs and both have early scores). Probably not going to be competitive game at all. Palma has a pick and blocked punt so far.

Palma doesn’t play anyone worthy of their talent until Hollister at the end of September. Almost like they’re hoping to stay in D-2 this year. Really strange for that program.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

At the Soquel-Los Gatos game and the Knights are hanging tough. It’s 17-14 LG with a minute to play. Wildcats ball.

PCAL Gab has lots of talent. Overall they may be better than last season. Monterey will surprise people. Salinas will not have dropped off much. They will run more this year.They have a very good RB and another D1 prospect a junior at WR, and QB won't be much of a drop off. Palma will be better and Aptos will be better and Hollister will be better as well. Soquel also returned alot from last season. Surprised the Knights are sticking so close to Los Gatos.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

Palma doesn’t play anyone worthy of their talent until Hollister at the end of September. Almost like they’re hoping to stay in D-2 this year. Really strange for that program.

Yuma Catholic is good, but I wasn't happy with the schedule at all. They should have renewed last years with SHC and Mitty at least. This Palma team has lots of speed and line will be better than last season. After this year they will drop again but looking like the program should rebound after that.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

24-14 at the half. LG to get the ball first in the 2nd.

LG needs to tighten things up a bit. They’re not very big and only moderately quick. They’ve had relatively little commitment to the run and the QB has had some good and bad throws, one resulting in a pick six. Another pass should have been picked.

Soquel has some size, but their offensive plays have largely taken too long to develop. In the 2nd qtr, they’ve made some adjustments to be quicker. #44 is a good player for them, has good size. Only once have they actually moved the ball on O, but they’ve been able to get decent pressure on D.

The reality is that Palma, Aptos, and Salinas will likely beat Soquel by 3-5 TDs later in the year. If LG can’t establish more of a ground game in the 2nd, I see them struggling against someone like Sacred Heart Prep.

I think Palma schedule was setup to put them in lower division playoff so they don't have to go through Serra. Cats may have a very tough night against Pittsburg

 

[Cal 14]

After forcing a 3 and out, the Knights are on the move again, just executing on 4th and 5 from midfield.

Soquel seems like a team that shouldn’t really scare you, but if you let them hang around and gain confidence, they can start needling away at you.

 

[Cal 14]

LG finally asserting themselves. They got their ground game going and now a pick six. 38-14 with about a minute left in the 3rd.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

View: https://twitter.com/DarrenSabedra/status/1694919534933905530?s=20

 

[Cal 14]

Somewhat of a bush league call… LG executes a fake punt up 38-14 in the 4th.

You do have to give Soquel credit. They’re still playing hard, but the relatively low numbers are an issue.

Going to head out early if the Cats punch this in.

 

[Cal 14]

Calling it a night. Cats up 45-14 with about 7 min to go.

Salinas vs CVC tomorrow night. Should be closer than this one.

 

[NorCalSportsFan]

Calling it a night. Cats up 45-14 with about 7 min to go.

Salinas vs CVC tomorrow night. Should be closer than this one.

I think it will be really close. Went to the game last year and Salinas held its own on defense and they may only drop off a little on defense. Salinas will need to run the ball against CVC and the Cowboys will have a better RB this year (Marquez wasn't up from JV for the CVC varsity game and he is a tough matchup). I think this game will be a battle.