PCAL Week 7
Not a lot of close games last week, just an odd week where a lot of front runners played bottom dwellers in their respective divisions. Salinas made a statement early in the week, with their victory over Hollister. Salinas is the team to beat in the Gabilan with victories over Aptos and Hollister, now only Palma stands in their way of a undefeated season.
In the Mission, it is Santa Cruz and everyone else. Outside of Gonzales and Soledad, the other 5 teams in the division are all dam near equal. What I am hearing is that the league will give out 3 automatic playoff spots from this division and 1 from the Cypress. That means Monterey, Soquel, Gilroy, North Salinas, and Carmel will battle it out for 2nd and 3rd place. I will have to read up on the tiebreaker scenarios.
The Cypress is shaping up to be a 2-team race with King City and Scott’s Valley. Good news is, according to the guru of CCS playoffs, PALBooster, the 2nd place team here will probably qualify for the postseason.
The Satan Lucia is all St. Francis. They should win this division without any issues, my Pirates will get a chance to avenge the 42-12 beatdown 2 weeks ago, but it will not count as a league game.
Last week 12-1 Overall 64-19
Gabilan
Thu 10/07 Salinas (CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm -It is obvious Seaside should be in the Mission or Cypress, they are completely overmatched. Salinas as much as they want - 7
Fri 10/08 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at Alisal (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – If Alisal wants a chance at the playoffs they need to win this game. Alisal 21-12
Fri 10/08 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – Palma and that fast paced offense will be on full display vs an overmatched Alvarez squad. Palma 48-7
Sat 10/09 Aptos (CA) at Christopher (Gilroy, CA), 3:00pm – Part of me thinks Christopher may have a chance of catching Aptos off guard with a Saturday afternoon game. Would not be surprised if it is close early, but Aptos is too good not to win. Aptos 34-14
Mission
Fri 10/08 Soledad (CA) at Gilroy (CA), 7:30pm – I think Gilroy is better, but they did not look it last week vs Soquel and took the L. Soledad defense has given up 40 + points its last 2 games against NS and Monterey. Mustangs bounce back. Gilroy 28-14
Fri 10/08 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Gonzales (CA), 7:30pm -North Salinas should have no problem with Gonzales. North Salinas 35-14
Fri 10/08 Carmel (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – Carmel’s defense has only given up 3 points in its last 6 qtrs. It shut out Gonzales, who despite being winless, still was averaging 17 points a game. I dop not think Carmel’s Defense is good enough to shutout Santa Cruz, but they may cause some issues. Santa Cruz will win, But Carmel will give them their closest game of the year. Santa Cruz 28-16
Fri 10/08 Monterey (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:00pm -Soquel got off to a slow start losing to Scotts Valley and Hillsdale. But now they have won 3 in a row including an “upset” over Gilroy last week. Monterey is 4-1 but a weak schedule outside of Santa Cruz, who beat them badly. This game will go a long ways towards the playoffs. Monterey 28-24
Cypress
Fri 10/08 Sequoia (Redwood City, CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 3:30pm – Little late for a non-league game, but the PAL Lake division had South SF pullout of the season late. Nice job by both administrations to put a game together. SV should roll. Scott’s Valley 31-7
Fri 10/08 King City (CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:00pm KC needs to be careful here and not get full of themselves or read to many headlines. They are a good team and have a chance to do something special. I hope they stay focused vs a Dangerous Watsonville team. King City 24-18
Sat 10/09 Pacific Grove (CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 2:00pm I like it, NMC playing a Saturday afternoon game like the old days. PG had a week off to recuperate after their stunning loss to Ranch San Juan. Last time I picked PG they lost, so…Pacific Grove 24-21
Sat 10/09 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 4:00pm The Headsets must be down as SLV has not looked Really impressive this year. But I think they will get by Rancho San Juan. SLV 28-17
Santa Lucia
Fri 10/08 Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- RLS has been a bit of a disappointment this year, I know it is only 3 games, but I was hoping for better. The squeaked by a below average Pajaro team last week. This may be the most competitive game in the PCAL this weekend and Greenfield has played some decent football. But I am still taking my Pirates RLS 35-34.
Fri 10/08 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:30pm – Harbor has the best record in the PCAL Santa Lucia division at 4-1. This is great news for a long time struggling program. Unfortunately for Harbor, they have played only one good team, and got blown out. St. Francis is a pretty good little program, that just keeps winning. St. Francis 35-14
Not a lot of close games last week, just an odd week where a lot of front runners played bottom dwellers in their respective divisions. Salinas made a statement early in the week, with their victory over Hollister. Salinas is the team to beat in the Gabilan with victories over Aptos and Hollister, now only Palma stands in their way of a undefeated season.
In the Mission, it is Santa Cruz and everyone else. Outside of Gonzales and Soledad, the other 5 teams in the division are all dam near equal. What I am hearing is that the league will give out 3 automatic playoff spots from this division and 1 from the Cypress. That means Monterey, Soquel, Gilroy, North Salinas, and Carmel will battle it out for 2nd and 3rd place. I will have to read up on the tiebreaker scenarios.
The Cypress is shaping up to be a 2-team race with King City and Scott’s Valley. Good news is, according to the guru of CCS playoffs, PALBooster, the 2nd place team here will probably qualify for the postseason.
The Satan Lucia is all St. Francis. They should win this division without any issues, my Pirates will get a chance to avenge the 42-12 beatdown 2 weeks ago, but it will not count as a league game.
Last week 12-1 Overall 64-19
Gabilan
Thu 10/07 Salinas (CA) at Seaside (CA), 7:30pm -It is obvious Seaside should be in the Mission or Cypress, they are completely overmatched. Salinas as much as they want - 7
Fri 10/08 Monte Vista Christian (Watsonville, CA) at Alisal (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – If Alisal wants a chance at the playoffs they need to win this game. Alisal 21-12
Fri 10/08 Palma (Salinas, CA) vs Alvarez (Salinas, CA) at Salinas Sports Complex (Salinas, CA), 7:30pm – Palma and that fast paced offense will be on full display vs an overmatched Alvarez squad. Palma 48-7
Sat 10/09 Aptos (CA) at Christopher (Gilroy, CA), 3:00pm – Part of me thinks Christopher may have a chance of catching Aptos off guard with a Saturday afternoon game. Would not be surprised if it is close early, but Aptos is too good not to win. Aptos 34-14
Mission
Fri 10/08 Soledad (CA) at Gilroy (CA), 7:30pm – I think Gilroy is better, but they did not look it last week vs Soquel and took the L. Soledad defense has given up 40 + points its last 2 games against NS and Monterey. Mustangs bounce back. Gilroy 28-14
Fri 10/08 North Salinas (Salinas, CA) at Gonzales (CA), 7:30pm -North Salinas should have no problem with Gonzales. North Salinas 35-14
Fri 10/08 Carmel (CA) at Santa Cruz (CA), 7:30pm – Carmel’s defense has only given up 3 points in its last 6 qtrs. It shut out Gonzales, who despite being winless, still was averaging 17 points a game. I dop not think Carmel’s Defense is good enough to shutout Santa Cruz, but they may cause some issues. Santa Cruz will win, But Carmel will give them their closest game of the year. Santa Cruz 28-16
Fri 10/08 Monterey (CA) at Soquel (CA), 7:00pm -Soquel got off to a slow start losing to Scotts Valley and Hillsdale. But now they have won 3 in a row including an “upset” over Gilroy last week. Monterey is 4-1 but a weak schedule outside of Santa Cruz, who beat them badly. This game will go a long ways towards the playoffs. Monterey 28-24
Cypress
Fri 10/08 Sequoia (Redwood City, CA) at Scotts Valley (CA), 3:30pm – Little late for a non-league game, but the PAL Lake division had South SF pullout of the season late. Nice job by both administrations to put a game together. SV should roll. Scott’s Valley 31-7
Fri 10/08 King City (CA) at Watsonville (CA), 7:00pm KC needs to be careful here and not get full of themselves or read to many headlines. They are a good team and have a chance to do something special. I hope they stay focused vs a Dangerous Watsonville team. King City 24-18
Sat 10/09 Pacific Grove (CA) at North Monterey County (Castroville, CA), 2:00pm I like it, NMC playing a Saturday afternoon game like the old days. PG had a week off to recuperate after their stunning loss to Ranch San Juan. Last time I picked PG they lost, so…Pacific Grove 24-21
Sat 10/09 Rancho San Juan (Salinas, CA) at San Lorenzo Valley (Felton, CA), 4:00pm The Headsets must be down as SLV has not looked Really impressive this year. But I think they will get by Rancho San Juan. SLV 28-17
Santa Lucia
Fri 10/08 Stevenson (Pebble Beach, CA) at Greenfield (CA), 7:30pm- RLS has been a bit of a disappointment this year, I know it is only 3 games, but I was hoping for better. The squeaked by a below average Pajaro team last week. This may be the most competitive game in the PCAL this weekend and Greenfield has played some decent football. But I am still taking my Pirates RLS 35-34.
Fri 10/08 St. Francis (Watsonville, CA) at Harbor (Santa Cruz, CA), 7:30pm – Harbor has the best record in the PCAL Santa Lucia division at 4-1. This is great news for a long time struggling program. Unfortunately for Harbor, they have played only one good team, and got blown out. St. Francis is a pretty good little program, that just keeps winning. St. Francis 35-14
