This was a textbook case of why Serra was considered to be a title-calibre WCAL team this year. With minimal mistakes (few turnovers/major penalties), they were a lethal combination of big-time prep playmakers and superior team speed. They put that on display vs. a very good VC outfit. They finish 6-4 overall and 4-3 in league play.
Serra 42, Valley Christian 21
- Thread starter colhenrylives
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I expected Serra to win this game - but how they won leads me to a couple of thoughts.
1. This was Serra's championship game. They were disqualified from playoffs so this was the last game possible for them. It would probably be treated as a championship game for a farewell to seniors and triumph for faithful fans.
2. Valley Christian had little motivation to win this game. In fact, a loss here probably has more benefits than detriments. The loss moved VC from CCS #2 seeding to #3 seeding thereby avoiding SF in the second round (assuming they get there) and getting a chance for both SF and VC to be called into CIF regionals as champ and runner up. And if a runner up, VC gets pushed even deeper down the CIF regional division depth chart.
3. This game sort of is VC's popular flavor: All run and little passing. Good for hiding talent from prospective playoff teams but also a bit of standard underachieving by the VC coaches that habitually rears its head in difficult games.
1. This was Serra's championship game. They were disqualified from playoffs so this was the last game possible for them. It would probably be treated as a championship game for a farewell to seniors and triumph for faithful fans.
2. Valley Christian had little motivation to win this game. In fact, a loss here probably has more benefits than detriments. The loss moved VC from CCS #2 seeding to #3 seeding thereby avoiding SF in the second round (assuming they get there) and getting a chance for both SF and VC to be called into CIF regionals as champ and runner up. And if a runner up, VC gets pushed even deeper down the CIF regional division depth chart.
3. This game sort of is VC's popular flavor: All run and little passing. Good for hiding talent from prospective playoff teams but also a bit of standard underachieving by the VC coaches that habitually rears its head in difficult games.
VC was the most physically imposing team I've seen this year with a huge O-line and a good set of big/fast RB's. The turning point seem to be a fumble late in game which gave the ball back to Serra. VC's run game will be hard for any team to contain, but the play calling at times seemed quite "vanilla". I do have to remind myself that Colin Johnson is a key missing ingredient which undoubtably does not help. If VC puts it all together they could go a long ways in the playoffs.
That VC offensive line looks like a JC group. Big, tall, pretty athletic and solid. Serra's run D did not match up well at all. But, somehow, Serra's collection of athletes made huge plays and, maybe even more significantly, the usual Serra boners didn't really materialize. Hence a W.
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