PCAL Week 6
Lots to talk about this week. It all starts this Thursday night with Hollister visiting the PIT to take on Salinas. This game was close to being canceled as the Cowboys just came out of COVID protocol Tuesday morning. Be curious to see who is playing for Salinas and see how rusty they are with out practice for 10 days.
Carmel answered some questions, and it was not good. They fell behind early to Gilroy and the offense never got on track. This is not your typical Carmel team with a bunch of skilled athletes running all over the field. The team has some speed, but most of their skilled players are playing in their 2nd varsity game. Very green. I expect them to improve as the season goes, but they should have scheduled a game on their bye week after missing their previous 2 games to COVID. Their playoff hopes took a big hit.
Speaking of Playoffs, there will be none for RLS. St Francis CC took them to the woodshed. The Sharks are clearly the top team in the Sant Lucia division. I thought after the close loss to PG that RLS would be better. But maybe PG is not that good as they fell to Rancho San Juan. Big props for the Trailblazers in securing the first win in the program’s history!!! And best of all it was vs PG. 😊
Not a good week 8-6 last week 52-18 Overall
Gabilan
Thu 09/30 San Benito (Hollister, CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:30pm- Game of the week in the PCAL. I have picked against Salinas in 2 of there 3 games. Not anymore, I am jumping on that bandwagon even if it has some COVID cases. Cowboys make another statement. Salinas 28-14
Fri 10/01 Aptos (CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – Aptos should have very little issue with a rebuilding Alvarez program. Aptos 45-7
Fri 10/01 Christopher (Gilroy, CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm – I thinks Seaside comes out of the bye a little stronger, not strong enough but they keep it close. Christopher 20-16
Sat 10/02 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 4:00pm – Alisal will look to control the clock and the trenches v Palma's high octane offense. It did not work vs Hollister wont work here either. Palma 35-14
Mission
Fri 10/01 Monterey (CA) vs Soledad (CA) at Monterey Peninsula College (Monterey, CA), 7:00pm – Both these teams got blown out last week. Monterey by Santa Cruz (no surprise) Soledad by North Salinas (big Surprise!). Monterey wins but not a blowout. Monterey 21-17
Fri 10/01 Santa Cruz (CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm- NS surprised me by beating up on Soledad last week. Probably not happening this week. Santa Cruz 28-7
Fri 10/01 Gilroy (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm- Gilroy looked great in the first half vs Carmel, and were able to keep the Carmel offense in check. I think this game maybe closer but the get past Soquel. Gilroy 28-20
Sat 10/02 Gonzales (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Lets see how Carmel responds. Defense stepped it up in the 2nd half and held Gilroy to 3 Points. Offense needs to be better, way better. They have a quick RB1 and some small fleet receivers, but line play was not good. They should rebound here. Carmel 45-21
Cypress
Thu 09/30 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) at King City (CA), 7:00pm – Rancho is on their first ever winning streak, while King City is undefeated. KC has not played anybody good this year, 2 Lucia division teams and an underperforming Gonzales team, but none of the games have been close. That does not change this week. King City 35-8
Fri 10/01 Scotts Valley (CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm – NMC had a great win last week, but Scott’s Valley is really tough. Scott’s Valley 21-0
Fri 10/01 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:00pm – Cal Preps has Watsonville winning easily. I like SLV here, maybe not to win but it will be a good game. Watsonville 24-20
Santa Lucia
Fri 10/01 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) vs Greenfield (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – St. Francis destroyed RLS after falling behind 12-0 last week and established themselves as the team to beat in the Sant Lucia. I don’t see Greenfield slowing them down. St Francis 35-7
Sat 10/02 Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 2:00pm – My beloved Pirates will try and lick their wounds and bounce back from last weeks beat down. All you can do now is play for Pirate pride. RLS 28-21
Lots to talk about this week. It all starts this Thursday night with Hollister visiting the PIT to take on Salinas. This game was close to being canceled as the Cowboys just came out of COVID protocol Tuesday morning. Be curious to see who is playing for Salinas and see how rusty they are with out practice for 10 days.
Carmel answered some questions, and it was not good. They fell behind early to Gilroy and the offense never got on track. This is not your typical Carmel team with a bunch of skilled athletes running all over the field. The team has some speed, but most of their skilled players are playing in their 2nd varsity game. Very green. I expect them to improve as the season goes, but they should have scheduled a game on their bye week after missing their previous 2 games to COVID. Their playoff hopes took a big hit.
Speaking of Playoffs, there will be none for RLS. St Francis CC took them to the woodshed. The Sharks are clearly the top team in the Sant Lucia division. I thought after the close loss to PG that RLS would be better. But maybe PG is not that good as they fell to Rancho San Juan. Big props for the Trailblazers in securing the first win in the program’s history!!! And best of all it was vs PG. 😊
Not a good week 8-6 last week 52-18 Overall
Gabilan
Thu 09/30 San Benito (Hollister, CA) at Salinas (CA), 7:30pm- Game of the week in the PCAL. I have picked against Salinas in 2 of there 3 games. Not anymore, I am jumping on that bandwagon even if it has some COVID cases. Cowboys make another statement. Salinas 28-14
Fri 10/01 Aptos (CA) at Alvarez (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – Aptos should have very little issue with a rebuilding Alvarez program. Aptos 45-7
Fri 10/01 Christopher (Gilroy, CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm – I thinks Seaside comes out of the bye a little stronger, not strong enough but they keep it close. Christopher 20-16
Sat 10/02 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Alisal (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 4:00pm – Alisal will look to control the clock and the trenches v Palma's high octane offense. It did not work vs Hollister wont work here either. Palma 35-14
Mission
Fri 10/01 Monterey (CA) vs Soledad (CA) at Monterey Peninsula College (Monterey, CA), 7:00pm – Both these teams got blown out last week. Monterey by Santa Cruz (no surprise) Soledad by North Salinas (big Surprise!). Monterey wins but not a blowout. Monterey 21-17
Fri 10/01 Santa Cruz (CA) vs North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:00pm- NS surprised me by beating up on Soledad last week. Probably not happening this week. Santa Cruz 28-7
Fri 10/01 Gilroy (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:30pm- Gilroy looked great in the first half vs Carmel, and were able to keep the Carmel offense in check. I think this game maybe closer but the get past Soquel. Gilroy 28-20
Sat 10/02 Gonzales (CA) at Carmel (CA), 2:00pm – Lets see how Carmel responds. Defense stepped it up in the 2nd half and held Gilroy to 3 Points. Offense needs to be better, way better. They have a quick RB1 and some small fleet receivers, but line play was not good. They should rebound here. Carmel 45-21
Cypress
Thu 09/30 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) at King City (CA), 7:00pm – Rancho is on their first ever winning streak, while King City is undefeated. KC has not played anybody good this year, 2 Lucia division teams and an underperforming Gonzales team, but none of the games have been close. That does not change this week. King City 35-8
Fri 10/01 Scotts Valley (CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 7:30pm – NMC had a great win last week, but Scott’s Valley is really tough. Scott’s Valley 21-0
Fri 10/01 San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:00pm – Cal Preps has Watsonville winning easily. I like SLV here, maybe not to win but it will be a good game. Watsonville 24-20
Santa Lucia
Fri 10/01 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) vs Greenfield (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – St. Francis destroyed RLS after falling behind 12-0 last week and established themselves as the team to beat in the Sant Lucia. I don’t see Greenfield slowing them down. St Francis 35-7
Sat 10/02 Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA) at Pajaro Valley (Watsonville, CA), 2:00pm – My beloved Pirates will try and lick their wounds and bounce back from last weeks beat down. All you can do now is play for Pirate pride. RLS 28-21
