Week 2
After week 1 we have learned that the Gabilan is probably not as strong statewide as in previous years. Salinas and Aptos both took home losses to good out of section schools. Both teams will be fine and will compete for the Gabilan title, but I don’t see a dominate team out of the Gabilan this year. Palma, maybe the best, but they don’t play anybody until the league starts.
Not sure what’s happening with Santa Cruz. They lost 40-0 to Harbor, in a game that was called at half. All due respect to Harbor but this is the equivalent of a DII team beating a power 5 school. Here is a link (paywall?) to the game that had some ugliness to it as well, as some Harbor coaches were ejected. It will be interesting to follow both these teams future this year. Santa Cruz is 2 years removed from an undefeated regular season.
This week has some WCAL schools on the schedule as Aptos plays Mitty, and Salinas hosts Valley Christian. And RLS starts the season as they look to stop a 5 game losing streak to St. Francis (CC)
Last week: 12-5 Season 12-5
Gabilan
Thu 08/31 Wilcox (Santa Clara, CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm -Hollister beat up an outmanned Oak Grove team last week, Wilcox will be much tougher. Wilcox 21-20
Thu 08/31 Palma (Salinas, CA) at King City (CA), 7:30pm- Palma your non-league schedule is shameful. Did you call Marina to see if they had an opening? King City has not beaten Palma since 1982. After losing badly to Greenfield, that does not change this year. Palma 35-7
Fri 09/01 Oak Grove (San Jose, CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm- Alvarez may of played itself out of the Gabilan for 2024 with its loss to Alisal last week. Oak Grove makes it second trip down to the PCAL. This one will be much closer. Oak Grove 21-14
Fri 09/01 Monterey (CA) at Aragon (San Mateo, CA), 7:00pm-Monterey looked great in its 35-0 blow out of St Francis, the game was not even that close. Aragon had a big win last week as well. I am “bullish” (you know because they are Toreadors) on this Monterey team. Monterey 28-14
Fri 09/01 Mitty (San Jose, CA) vs Aptos (CA) at Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, CA), 7:00pm-Mitty started the season wit a nice road win @ Logan. Aptos had a close loss to Oakdale. Taking Aptos in a close one. Aptos 28-27
Fri 09/01 Valley Christian (San Jose, CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:00pm- Salinas defense looks solid and kept them in the game last week vs CVC. But they need to figure things out on offense. Too many dropped passes and mental mistakes. Salinas 17-14
Fri 09/01 Burlingame (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm Gabilan- Palma should look at Soquel’s schedule to see who to play in preseason. Too bad this is not one of Soquel’s better teams. But they should have enough this week. Soquel 21-17
Mission North
Thu 08/31 Scotts Valley (CA) at Willow Glen (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm -With the way their schedule plays out Scott’s Valley may not give up a point to week 4. Scott’s Valley 24-0
Fri 09/01 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Alisal (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm -NMC played a good Christopher Team close for 3 qtrs., Alisal had a big win over their crosstown rival. Alisal grinds tis one out as well. Alisal 26-14
Fri 09/01 Santa Clara (CA) at Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA), 7:30pm -MVC had a great comeback forcing OT on the last play and then winning the game. Expect another close one this week. Santa Clara 35-34
Fri 09/01 Santa Cruz (CA) at Saratoga (CA), 7:00pm- Santa Cruz has some issue with a low turnout. Going down 40-0 at half to Harbor is not good. Saratoga 35-7
Fri 09/01 Marina (CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm -Marina disappointed me with their effort vs PG. Seaside is way better than PG. Seaside 45-14
Sat 09/02 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:30pm- Pajaro Valley traveled to Ripon last week to get blown out. Watsonville only had to go to Carmel to do the same thing. Watsonville 24-7
Mission South
Thu 08/31 Greenfield (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:00pm- Greenfield had a fairly easy win over King City. Let’s see how Soledad bounces back after the loss at Palma. Soledad 21-20
Fri 09/01 Pacific Grove (CA) at Gonzales (CA), 7:30pm- Gonzales will be looking to just score its first points this year. PG was way too much for Marina. PG (its killing me) 24-14
Fri 09/01 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Jefferson (Daly City, CA), 7:00pm I think North Salinas has a chance to start a win streak this year. North Salinas 23-14
Fri 09/01 Los Altos (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm Los Altos was 10 seconds away from knocking off MVC last week. Rancho Hung around with Seaside. Rancho 35-21
Sat 09/02 Gilroy (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Carmel my have found a QB. Neither Watsonville or Gilroy is that good this year, but if the QB can gain confidence that will only help Carmel in league games. Carmel 45-17
Santa Lucia
Sat 09/02 Yerba Buena (San Jose, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 6:00pm – So is Harbor that good, or is Santa Cruz that bad? Let’s give Harbor the benefit of the doubt here. Harbor 32-14
Sat 09/02 Gunderson (San Jose, CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 1:00pm – It looks like it might be another long year up in the Santa Cruz mountains for the once proud SLV program. Gunderson 33-7
Sat 09/02 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA), 12:30pm – Save the best game of the weekend for last. SF was blown out by a good Monterey team last week and will look to rebound against its old division rival. Defending Champions RLS, looks to make history this year and become the first back-to-back football champions in school history (last year was their 3rd title ever). Truth is ST. Francis is probably the better team, as RLS is young and inexperienced this year. But that has never stopped me before. RLS 24-23
After week 1 we have learned that the Gabilan is probably not as strong statewide as in previous years. Salinas and Aptos both took home losses to good out of section schools. Both teams will be fine and will compete for the Gabilan title, but I don’t see a dominate team out of the Gabilan this year. Palma, maybe the best, but they don’t play anybody until the league starts.
Not sure what’s happening with Santa Cruz. They lost 40-0 to Harbor, in a game that was called at half. All due respect to Harbor but this is the equivalent of a DII team beating a power 5 school. Here is a link (paywall?) to the game that had some ugliness to it as well, as some Harbor coaches were ejected. It will be interesting to follow both these teams future this year. Santa Cruz is 2 years removed from an undefeated regular season.
This week has some WCAL schools on the schedule as Aptos plays Mitty, and Salinas hosts Valley Christian. And RLS starts the season as they look to stop a 5 game losing streak to St. Francis (CC)
Last week: 12-5 Season 12-5
Gabilan
Thu 08/31 Wilcox (Santa Clara, CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm -Hollister beat up an outmanned Oak Grove team last week, Wilcox will be much tougher. Wilcox 21-20
Thu 08/31 Palma (Salinas, CA) at King City (CA), 7:30pm- Palma your non-league schedule is shameful. Did you call Marina to see if they had an opening? King City has not beaten Palma since 1982. After losing badly to Greenfield, that does not change this year. Palma 35-7
Fri 09/01 Oak Grove (San Jose, CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm- Alvarez may of played itself out of the Gabilan for 2024 with its loss to Alisal last week. Oak Grove makes it second trip down to the PCAL. This one will be much closer. Oak Grove 21-14
Fri 09/01 Monterey (CA) at Aragon (San Mateo, CA), 7:00pm-Monterey looked great in its 35-0 blow out of St Francis, the game was not even that close. Aragon had a big win last week as well. I am “bullish” (you know because they are Toreadors) on this Monterey team. Monterey 28-14
Fri 09/01 Mitty (San Jose, CA) vs Aptos (CA) at Foothill College (Los Altos Hills, CA), 7:00pm-Mitty started the season wit a nice road win @ Logan. Aptos had a close loss to Oakdale. Taking Aptos in a close one. Aptos 28-27
Fri 09/01 Valley Christian (San Jose, CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:00pm- Salinas defense looks solid and kept them in the game last week vs CVC. But they need to figure things out on offense. Too many dropped passes and mental mistakes. Salinas 17-14
Fri 09/01 Burlingame (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm Gabilan- Palma should look at Soquel’s schedule to see who to play in preseason. Too bad this is not one of Soquel’s better teams. But they should have enough this week. Soquel 21-17
Mission North
Thu 08/31 Scotts Valley (CA) at Willow Glen (San Jose, CA), 7:00pm -With the way their schedule plays out Scott’s Valley may not give up a point to week 4. Scott’s Valley 24-0
Fri 09/01 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Alisal (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm -NMC played a good Christopher Team close for 3 qtrs., Alisal had a big win over their crosstown rival. Alisal grinds tis one out as well. Alisal 26-14
Fri 09/01 Santa Clara (CA) at Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA), 7:30pm -MVC had a great comeback forcing OT on the last play and then winning the game. Expect another close one this week. Santa Clara 35-34
Fri 09/01 Santa Cruz (CA) at Saratoga (CA), 7:00pm- Santa Cruz has some issue with a low turnout. Going down 40-0 at half to Harbor is not good. Saratoga 35-7
Fri 09/01 Marina (CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm -Marina disappointed me with their effort vs PG. Seaside is way better than PG. Seaside 45-14
Sat 09/02 Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:30pm- Pajaro Valley traveled to Ripon last week to get blown out. Watsonville only had to go to Carmel to do the same thing. Watsonville 24-7
Mission South
Thu 08/31 Greenfield (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:00pm- Greenfield had a fairly easy win over King City. Let’s see how Soledad bounces back after the loss at Palma. Soledad 21-20
Fri 09/01 Pacific Grove (CA) at Gonzales (CA), 7:30pm- Gonzales will be looking to just score its first points this year. PG was way too much for Marina. PG (its killing me) 24-14
Fri 09/01 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Jefferson (Daly City, CA), 7:00pm I think North Salinas has a chance to start a win streak this year. North Salinas 23-14
Fri 09/01 Los Altos (CA) at Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm Los Altos was 10 seconds away from knocking off MVC last week. Rancho Hung around with Seaside. Rancho 35-21
Sat 09/02 Gilroy (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Carmel my have found a QB. Neither Watsonville or Gilroy is that good this year, but if the QB can gain confidence that will only help Carmel in league games. Carmel 45-17
Santa Lucia
Sat 09/02 Yerba Buena (San Jose, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 6:00pm – So is Harbor that good, or is Santa Cruz that bad? Let’s give Harbor the benefit of the doubt here. Harbor 32-14
Sat 09/02 Gunderson (San Jose, CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 1:00pm – It looks like it might be another long year up in the Santa Cruz mountains for the once proud SLV program. Gunderson 33-7
Sat 09/02 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA), 12:30pm – Save the best game of the weekend for last. SF was blown out by a good Monterey team last week and will look to rebound against its old division rival. Defending Champions RLS, looks to make history this year and become the first back-to-back football champions in school history (last year was their 3rd title ever). Truth is ST. Francis is probably the better team, as RLS is young and inexperienced this year. But that has never stopped me before. RLS 24-23
