PCAL Week 4
Salinas continues to carry the flag for the PCAL. I believe they are probably the 2nd best team in the CCS. They will be a very tough out for anyone in the playoffs (even Serra) if they can keep their playmakers healthy. A great win over a very good Clovis team this past weekend.
On the flipside Carmel is in trouble. Last year they had basically 1 playmaker (RB1/WR) on offense, a rookie QB and a very inexperienced offensive line. This year everyone but the RB/WR is back plus a lot of young playmakers up from a good JV team. Yet, they only scored 2 points, vs an “average” Soledad team. QB 1 was out, but he barely holding on to the job as it was. This team is currently trending in the wrong direction.
Marina is 3-0. No, they have not faced any stiff competition (average -62 ratings), but this is great for a program that has not played Varsity football for 2 years, and was one of the worst programs in the CCS prior to that. In addition, the Monterey Peninsula[SQ1] Unified School District (MPUSD) is starting the process of building on campus field for them. MPUSD also governs Monterey and Seaside high, and both those schools have received (Or about too) huge facility upgrades to their athletic departments. MPUSD has been neglecting Marina for far too long, I am glad they are finally brining their facilities up to par.
This week the divisions play each other: Gabilan vs Mission and Cypress vs Santa Lucia. There will be some pretty big blowouts, but also there should be some great games and maybe even a surprise or 2. I should note that the RLS game was canceled last week. Webb (Claremont, CA) cited COVID concerns in their team, I firmly believe they were just intimidated by the awesomeness of the RLS program. 😉
Last Week 13-6 Overall 36-24
Mission V Gabilan
Thu 09/15 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:30pm- This will be one of the blowouts. NS has not found anything on offense, and Aptos is really good. Aptos: whatever they want - 0
Fri 09/16 Monterey (CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm -This may be one of the better games. Monterey is fast and their defense has been really good. Hollister’s offense has been a little inconsistent but they have played a tougher schedule. Taking Monterey in an upset. Monterey 18-14
Fri 09/16 Santa Cruz (CA) at Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA), 7:30pm -MVC finally woke up and beat a good Alisal team last week. Soquel easily dispatched Santa Cruz. Think Santa Cruz might be a tad better. Santa Cruz 24-23
Fri 09/16 Seaside (CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:30pm- Seaside had a great win over Terra Nova last week. After their first 2 weeks, I did not see that in them. But Salinas is way too good not to win this game. Salinas 48-7
Fri 09/16 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Soquel (CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm -This will be a great match up as well. Palma is having offensive struggles, but they do have a nasty Defense. Soquel may become Palma’s counterpart in the Gabilan next year. Palma 14-13
Sat 09/17 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Carmel has offensive issues, and they gave up on defense in the 4th qtr last week. That is no typical Padre football. Alvarez lost in OT to Atascadero, but they at least scored 36 Points. Alvarez 35-24
Sat 09/17 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 2:00pm- I was high on Alisal until they lost to MVC last week. Scott’s Valley has given up 7 points (they were up 56-0) all season. They should be able to stop the Alisal run game. Scott’s Valley 17-7
Cypress V Santa Lucia
Fri 09/16 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:30pm – Harbor still has a winning record after a close loss to Saratoga last week. NMC has been inconsistent: 1 Win 40-0, 2 Losses 31-0 and 47-0. I think NMC maybe just a little more physical. NMC 20-14
Fri 09/16 Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA) at King City (CA), 7:30pm – RLS has played a total of 1 game. That’s just not right. They need to bring the kids back a week earlier and play in week 1 and stop taking it off. Every year they are putting that team in a huge disadvantage. King City just reclaimed the Megaphone from their rival Gonzales. I expect a small letdown from KC, and the Pirates will sneak off with a victory. RLS 21-20
Fri 09/16 Greenfield (CA) at Pacific Grove (CA), 7:30pm – This game should be good. Both teams have played close in every game. Greenfield has played a bit tougher of a schedule (and I hate picking PG). Greenfield 28-24
Fri 09/16 Gonzales (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:30pm – 2 south county neighbors meet. Soledad is starting to heat up, great victory last week over Carmel. Gonzales is still looking for some consistency. Soledad 21-7
Sat 09/17 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 12:30pm -St. Francis is just better. A lot better. St. Francis 35-7
Sat 09/17 Watsonville (CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 1:00pm – SLV did get a win last week vs Richmond, Watsoville has struggled vs good teams. SLV is not a good team. Watsonville 24-10
Sat 09/17 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) vs Marina (CA) at Seaside (CA), 6:00pm -Battle of undefeated teams! Marina has been a great story this year, but so has Rancho San Juan in only their 3rd year of varsity football. But Rancho has a much larger student body to draw from (1200 vs 575), and will probably be in the Mission/Gabilan within the next 2 years. Nonetheless I expect a great game, Rancho has one of the better RB’s in the PCAL. Rancho 28-22
[SQ1]
Salinas continues to carry the flag for the PCAL. I believe they are probably the 2nd best team in the CCS. They will be a very tough out for anyone in the playoffs (even Serra) if they can keep their playmakers healthy. A great win over a very good Clovis team this past weekend.
On the flipside Carmel is in trouble. Last year they had basically 1 playmaker (RB1/WR) on offense, a rookie QB and a very inexperienced offensive line. This year everyone but the RB/WR is back plus a lot of young playmakers up from a good JV team. Yet, they only scored 2 points, vs an “average” Soledad team. QB 1 was out, but he barely holding on to the job as it was. This team is currently trending in the wrong direction.
Marina is 3-0. No, they have not faced any stiff competition (average -62 ratings), but this is great for a program that has not played Varsity football for 2 years, and was one of the worst programs in the CCS prior to that. In addition, the Monterey Peninsula[SQ1] Unified School District (MPUSD) is starting the process of building on campus field for them. MPUSD also governs Monterey and Seaside high, and both those schools have received (Or about too) huge facility upgrades to their athletic departments. MPUSD has been neglecting Marina for far too long, I am glad they are finally brining their facilities up to par.
This week the divisions play each other: Gabilan vs Mission and Cypress vs Santa Lucia. There will be some pretty big blowouts, but also there should be some great games and maybe even a surprise or 2. I should note that the RLS game was canceled last week. Webb (Claremont, CA) cited COVID concerns in their team, I firmly believe they were just intimidated by the awesomeness of the RLS program. 😉
Last Week 13-6 Overall 36-24
Mission V Gabilan
Thu 09/15 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Aptos (CA), 7:30pm- This will be one of the blowouts. NS has not found anything on offense, and Aptos is really good. Aptos: whatever they want - 0
Fri 09/16 Monterey (CA) at Hollister (CA), 7:30pm -This may be one of the better games. Monterey is fast and their defense has been really good. Hollister’s offense has been a little inconsistent but they have played a tougher schedule. Taking Monterey in an upset. Monterey 18-14
Fri 09/16 Santa Cruz (CA) at Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA), 7:30pm -MVC finally woke up and beat a good Alisal team last week. Soquel easily dispatched Santa Cruz. Think Santa Cruz might be a tad better. Santa Cruz 24-23
Fri 09/16 Seaside (CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:30pm- Seaside had a great win over Terra Nova last week. After their first 2 weeks, I did not see that in them. But Salinas is way too good not to win this game. Salinas 48-7
Fri 09/16 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Soquel (CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm -This will be a great match up as well. Palma is having offensive struggles, but they do have a nasty Defense. Soquel may become Palma’s counterpart in the Gabilan next year. Palma 14-13
Sat 09/17 Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Carmel has offensive issues, and they gave up on defense in the 4th qtr last week. That is no typical Padre football. Alvarez lost in OT to Atascadero, but they at least scored 36 Points. Alvarez 35-24
Sat 09/17 Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 2:00pm- I was high on Alisal until they lost to MVC last week. Scott’s Valley has given up 7 points (they were up 56-0) all season. They should be able to stop the Alisal run game. Scott’s Valley 17-7
Cypress V Santa Lucia
Fri 09/16 North Monterey County (Castroville, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:30pm – Harbor still has a winning record after a close loss to Saratoga last week. NMC has been inconsistent: 1 Win 40-0, 2 Losses 31-0 and 47-0. I think NMC maybe just a little more physical. NMC 20-14
Fri 09/16 Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA) at King City (CA), 7:30pm – RLS has played a total of 1 game. That’s just not right. They need to bring the kids back a week earlier and play in week 1 and stop taking it off. Every year they are putting that team in a huge disadvantage. King City just reclaimed the Megaphone from their rival Gonzales. I expect a small letdown from KC, and the Pirates will sneak off with a victory. RLS 21-20
Fri 09/16 Greenfield (CA) at Pacific Grove (CA), 7:30pm – This game should be good. Both teams have played close in every game. Greenfield has played a bit tougher of a schedule (and I hate picking PG). Greenfield 28-24
Fri 09/16 Gonzales (CA) at Soledad (CA), 7:30pm – 2 south county neighbors meet. Soledad is starting to heat up, great victory last week over Carmel. Gonzales is still looking for some consistency. Soledad 21-7
Sat 09/17 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 12:30pm -St. Francis is just better. A lot better. St. Francis 35-7
Sat 09/17 Watsonville (CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 1:00pm – SLV did get a win last week vs Richmond, Watsoville has struggled vs good teams. SLV is not a good team. Watsonville 24-10
Sat 09/17 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) vs Marina (CA) at Seaside (CA), 6:00pm -Battle of undefeated teams! Marina has been a great story this year, but so has Rancho San Juan in only their 3rd year of varsity football. But Rancho has a much larger student body to draw from (1200 vs 575), and will probably be in the Mission/Gabilan within the next 2 years. Nonetheless I expect a great game, Rancho has one of the better RB’s in the PCAL. Rancho 28-22
[SQ1]
