WCAL Football 2017: Sports Stars Magazine write up of Serra's State Bowl Win
- Thread starter Rmbr26
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First to point out Trumpism fan base at SHC. I want to give Coach Barry a congrats on his First Bruce Win. Truly his play calling to make the 4th qtr push. 21-14 SHC. I would say this game "shocked the world", but it would be insult to the Fab Five in a diversity way
Wow - SHC over S.I. 21-14 just ended & what a game! One of the best HS games I've seen in quite awhile and right down to the last play with 2 seconds left & S.I. passing into the end zone to be broken up by Irish secondary.
That was one good game ! Congrats Irish on win & to S.I. on giving it all they had - That S.I. QB is one slippery guy...what a play-maker!
That was one good game ! Congrats Irish on win & to S.I. on giving it all they had - That S.I. QB is one slippery guy...what a play-maker!
Great games tonight! Congrats to the Warriors, Monarchs and Irish!
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Valley Christian's Charlie Bostic (23) scores a touchdown on a 79-yard run against Saint Francis in the second quarter at Valley Christian High School Friday, Sept. 22, 2017, in San Jose, Calif. (Jim Gensheimer/Bay Area News Group)
- Great Game last night and Valley Christian looked very good both on offense and defense. The big difference seemed to be speed which surprised me with VC having much more on offense. VC has several good RB's including Charlie Bostic above who scored a couple of TD's. VC's QB may not throw much, but did throw a TD and was more mobile than SF's Reed Vettel. After watching the game I'm not sure any other WCAL team is going to take down the Warrior's.
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/22/high-school-football-st-francis-valley-christian/
Serra 22-0 over Riordan late 1rst quarter.
Riordan has had 3 possessions & 3 - 3 & outs while Serra has had 3 possessions and scored 3 TD's & a 2 point conversion. It isn't helping Riordan that Serra's kicker is booting the kick-offs into the end zone each time - Serra may have the best kicker in WCAL besides Mitty.
Now Riordan is self-destructing and on a punt hiked the ball over kickers head out of the end zone, so now 24-0 Serra and they are getting the ball back. Serra fumbles on kick-off and another Serra player picks up & gets another 20 yards. Everything going right for Serra and not so much for the Crusaders.
Riordan has had 3 possessions & 3 - 3 & outs while Serra has had 3 possessions and scored 3 TD's & a 2 point conversion. It isn't helping Riordan that Serra's kicker is booting the kick-offs into the end zone each time - Serra may have the best kicker in WCAL besides Mitty.
Now Riordan is self-destructing and on a punt hiked the ball over kickers head out of the end zone, so now 24-0 Serra and they are getting the ball back. Serra fumbles on kick-off and another Serra player picks up & gets another 20 yards. Everything going right for Serra and not so much for the Crusaders.
This one was really a distinct mismatch right from the start. Riordan had 24 players available in uniform and 10 other guys wearing jerseys and civvies on the sidelines. Serra came in to CCSF with about 55 or so in uniform. Cal recruit Mafi was in street clothes and did not play. It didn't matter. Serra did whatever it wanted, scoring TD's in a variety of ways, including using Nunn in the wildcat, a pass to Nunn on a flea flicker and a quick fullback (Vakalahi) hitter that went for about 45 yards and a score. They used a successful halfback option pass on a two-point conversion. Serra's defense was very quick and well-prepared, stifling Riordan almost totally. It was not good, from either school's competitive perspective, although Serra was able to substitute liberally after about 18 minutes had elapsed. So everyone got minutes. Serra was very sharp, crisp and aggressive on both sides of the ball. Special teams were good too. For Serra, this was a scrimmage, pure and simple. For Riordan, it was a disturbing nightmare. The Crusaders were not competitive. They looked confused and perplexed, out of sorts and dejected early on. The players in street clothes seemed disengaged and uninterested. It was somewhat odd. There was no way to figure how good Serra is (or is not) from this affair. The Padres were not challenged in any way, shape or form. They have Bellarmine next week. As for Riordan, they appeared to be clearly unable to compete with any of the top echelon teams in the WCAL. Not sure how they will perform against the bottom group. But Saturday's exhibition was really a big disappointment. Lots of bad news all around.
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That BS flag didn't surprise me a bit. They did that to Jamar Sheppard in 1996, taking away a 47-yard kick return for a touchdown. The rout I expected turned into a 20-20 tie. Irish were 9-0-1 that season.
Sorry. It was not pretty. Lots of work ahead on Phelan Avenue. Maybe a multi-year project. Hope all involved can hang in there for the duration. Won't be an easy task.
Only positive note was the Crusader Frosh victory yesterday on W 20th. I heard there was a great turnout on both sides.
Who are you guys? Do you even know what's going on at Riordan? Do you care? Do you know the players? I know them quite well and they work hard each and every day. Losing is not a disgrace, you can learn a lot about people when things are not going well. These guys won't quit and the coaching staff won't quit either. When things turn around on phelan and trust me they will, then I want to hear from you guys then, I'm sure you will have a lot to say.
Emotions run high when losses are bad & the Crusader loss today was a throw-back to prior weak season's in the very tough WCAL for Riordan in recent seasons'. Colhenry summed it up adequately and don't think he was overly critical in any way of his assessment. Any game at 45-0 at the 1/2 is simply not competitive and will not be forgotten by the team on the losing end any time soon. Simply put it is not a matter of a "learning experience", but having the roster numbers along with the talent to compete with VC, SF & Serra.
No doubt these kids work hard, but so do all the WCAL teams. Things are moving in the right direction as seen by the performances / potential of the Frosh and JVs this season. But I call them as I see 'em as I really thought this team would at least be within 2 scores of the top WCAL teams and remain competitive. I just see the same mistakes and not much improvement from game #1. Sure there's been injuries, but it's pretty hard for the Crusader offense to get going when 1 in 3 QB snaps the ball is either on the ground or over his head, motion calls, offsides. As things got worse as in the Napa loss, you could see the bad body language, the OLine slowly walking up to the line rather than moving quickly to the line with confidence and purpose. Defenses feed off that! These should have been remedied over the past two weeks! I'm pretty sure with the poor performance of the OLine it's limiting, because all I saw were the same plays, some of them consecutively - screen passes, slow developing hand offs out of the single back pistol. Why not mix it up, with some power running formations or throws downfield to keep the defenses honest ? It was great to see QB #13 back as I believe you mentioned he may not be back this season. Any knowledge why Jelani Clark was not on the field today? Disappointing today as the same mistakes are occurring and it is greatly magnified in league play. Nothing wrong in saying there's lots of room for improvement.
Serra looked awfully crisp in all aspects of the game today. Fully prepared. Motivated. Focused throughout the first half. The second half does not bear mention. So how good are the Padres? Does this game mean anything in the big picture at the top of the WCAL? For moi, the big question is: Can Serra actually put the clamps on a true power running game? Riordan was not a barometer. Sans Mafi, Serra used a very small (but very quick) group of defensive linemen. Combine those guys with quick (and rather small) linebackers and very good DB's and their defense looked excellent today. But Riordan is not St. Francis or Valley Christian. Serra still has work to do.
Nobody is going to whine here on phelan avenue. When I played there we won, the Brotherhood runs deep we don't jump ship
When the transfers suit up, improvement will come
Serra is tough, give them credit
A cultural change takes time and wins to make true believers. Those wins come this year.
#13 was a pleasant surprise and I will leave it there
MaxPreps has a highlight video that shows Anthony Heard with his KO return. They had no business taking that TD away.
[QUOTE="Irish_Cheers, post: 174525, member: 788"]MaxPreps has a highlight video that shows Anthony Heard with his KO return. They had no business taking that TD away.[/QUOTE]
I just viewed the video of Anthony Heards KO return for a TD against St. Ignatius. Tremendous run by Heard and worth watching. In viewing it I could not see any infraction/block in the back or even any sign of one that would have caused a flag to be thrown. Having said that the video does not show the full field of play away from the ball. If that were the case I'd still say the run-back was clean. Officials have to have some moxie and common sense in that if there is a questionable call and it is away from the ball and has no bearing on the play then the flag should stay in the pocket.
There is no greater disdain for officials by fans than when they take away a play over something insignificant. In doing so they cheat both the player and fans out of what just took place. Anyone who watched the 49er/Rams game would sympathize with the Heard TD "canceled by the officials. The 49ers in their late come-back converted a 3rd down situation with a pass. Out came the flag for "offensive pass interference" negating the play with a penalty and instead of a 1rst down changed to a 49ers 3rd down and 20. That penalty effectively killed the 49er drive and had a major impact on the games outcome. Watch the video and any "offensive pass interference" seemed minimal at best. Heard's penalty was worse as there is simply nothing anywhere near the play that would induce a flag being tossed IMO.
I just viewed the video of Anthony Heards KO return for a TD against St. Ignatius. Tremendous run by Heard and worth watching. In viewing it I could not see any infraction/block in the back or even any sign of one that would have caused a flag to be thrown. Having said that the video does not show the full field of play away from the ball. If that were the case I'd still say the run-back was clean. Officials have to have some moxie and common sense in that if there is a questionable call and it is away from the ball and has no bearing on the play then the flag should stay in the pocket.
There is no greater disdain for officials by fans than when they take away a play over something insignificant. In doing so they cheat both the player and fans out of what just took place. Anyone who watched the 49er/Rams game would sympathize with the Heard TD "canceled by the officials. The 49ers in their late come-back converted a 3rd down situation with a pass. Out came the flag for "offensive pass interference" negating the play with a penalty and instead of a 1rst down changed to a 49ers 3rd down and 20. That penalty effectively killed the 49er drive and had a major impact on the games outcome. Watch the video and any "offensive pass interference" seemed minimal at best. Heard's penalty was worse as there is simply nothing anywhere near the play that would induce a flag being tossed IMO.
Latest CCS Rankings/Power Ratings after Week 4 & 1rst league games:
#1 VC 3-1
#2 Milpitas 4-0
#3 SF 2-2
#4 Serra 2-2
#5 Mitty 3-1
#6 Aragon 4-0
#7 Bells 2-2
#8 HMB 4-0
#9 SHC 4-0
#10 Terra Nova 4-1
#11 Menlo-Atherton 3-2
#12 Salinas 2-2
#13 Wilcox 2-2
#14 Aptos 2-2
#15 Hillsdale 4-0
#20 S.I. 1-3
#21 Palma 1-3
#22 Riordan 1-3
#1 VC 3-1
#2 Milpitas 4-0
#3 SF 2-2
#4 Serra 2-2
#5 Mitty 3-1
#6 Aragon 4-0
#7 Bells 2-2
#8 HMB 4-0
#9 SHC 4-0
#10 Terra Nova 4-1
#11 Menlo-Atherton 3-2
#12 Salinas 2-2
#13 Wilcox 2-2
#14 Aptos 2-2
#15 Hillsdale 4-0
#20 S.I. 1-3
#21 Palma 1-3
#22 Riordan 1-3
I believe the call was holding. Look at no 17 being blocked as Heard ran by passed him and follow after. I can see how a ref could call that holding.
Rabbit,
I Truely appreciate your insights to the insights into the Riordan FB. Unlike others who seem to be the bearer of abstract news of conjecture.
Two starters who coming in as transfer restrictions are actual starters on the O line, that explain the disheveled protective line...I would think with all jargon some posters posting. They would get the the old adage "It all starts on the line".
We have SHC coming up with Fake News, I tip my cap on the win of SI.
Let's stay above that as a poster line of reality.
I Truely appreciate your insights to the insights into the Riordan FB. Unlike others who seem to be the bearer of abstract news of conjecture.
Two starters who coming in as transfer restrictions are actual starters on the O line, that explain the disheveled protective line...I would think with all jargon some posters posting. They would get the the old adage "It all starts on the line".
We have SHC coming up with Fake News, I tip my cap on the win of SI.
Let's stay above that as a poster line of reality.
I'm pretty sure it was on the SHC player who had ahold of SI #17's collar at the 25 yard line from about the time Heard was at the 10 until he was at the 35 or so. The ref probably threw the flag at the 16 second mark. SHC #4 comes in and chips #17 as well a few seconds later, and that may have been enough to spring Heard, but we'll never know.
It always amazes me that the assumption is any holding/block in the back call on a long return is bogus. I don't mean just in this case, I mean in EVERY case. The returner was always robbed, and it was never the penalty that set up the return. The minute you see yellow on the field back near the start of a long run, everybody in the stands starts booing and complaining. Sometimes the refs do, in fact, get it right.
No worries. A very minor glitch. Your stuff remains laudably above the usual blogging hue and cry.
Speaking of SHC vs SI penalties... I don't think anybody's posted it as a "highlight", but the video of the game shows that on the TD pass by SI that was called back because Katz was over the line of scrimmage, he wasn't. At least not by NCAA/NFL rules. Your entire body has to be across the line. Is NFHS different? The ball started right on the yard line, and when he released it his foot was still behind the line. It's not iffy on the video... you can see the ball come out of his hand, and you can see where his body is at the time. The resolution and frame rate of the video are such that even more than his foot might have been behind the line, but at least his foot clearly is.
But these are High School refs, there's no instant replay, their judgment is part of the game, and this is the game everybody signed up to play. We can sit around all day and slice and dice the video and imagine what might have been, but the final score was 21-14. Congratulations, SHC.
But these are High School refs, there's no instant replay, their judgment is part of the game, and this is the game everybody signed up to play. We can sit around all day and slice and dice the video and imagine what might have been, but the final score was 21-14. Congratulations, SHC.
...or it might have been SHC #4 shoving SI #14 at the 35 yard line. Hard to tell from the Hudl video whether it was on his back or his shoulder, and I can see why they might have called that in real time at field level.
But I'm done thinking about it. It's on to Valley Christian....
It's the old "10-yard Penalty". If Sacred Heart gains 10 yards, it's a penalty. They stole a 47-yard TD from Jamar Sheppard in 1996. That turned a rout into a 20-20 tie. He said during the time he played, he must have had 20 touchdowns called back.
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Then there's all the missed calls, etc... Now beat VC and keep SHC in first place.
kshepp you make some very good points with your posts and all are worth consideration. I think many fans & players will agree to a point that on many punt & KO returns that are successful a "minor blocking indiscretion" or block nowhere near the play does in fact rob the kick returner of the play. I always think back to a play in high school where a Riordan player was returning a KO for a TD against Serra in which I played. The kick returner had blown through the coverage and was well on his way with no one able to catch him. When he was inside the red zone heading for the end zone a player on his team 1/2 way down the field threw a half-hearted side block on a Serra player & out came the flag. I was there on the field and saw it first-hand. All I could think of what "thank God for us that guy got flagged away from the ball and they're calling the Riordan TD back - Whew!" Now that was a LONG time ago & to this day I get upset when this takes place. I always felt bad for the Riordan KO returner as the long TD was "canceled, never in the books and as if it never happened. IMO a minor penalty away from the ball with no bearing on the play should be enforced on the following play [just me].
Your 2nd post regarding S.I.'s Katz over the line was also spot on from your view point. Like everything else including field goals its about view point on specific types of plays and not saying you are not right.
In this case I was watching the live stream of the game and as soon as Katz threw the ball on that TD the announcers stated they thought he might have be over the LOS. The flag was thrown and that was indeed the call. I believe the announcers played it back and I can't say for sure, but it did appear if Katz wasn't over LOS he was right on it, so completely dependent on when the ball left his arm - tough call.
I did think Katz was one of the best players on the field and had a terrific game. Keep up on the good posts regarding S.I. kshepp.
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SH already has a tough time beating SI even when it appears their team has better players. When you add the refs calling back TDs, SH might as well just lay down because theres no way they can compete against that.
A lot of things went right on Friday night and SI still could won.
1) no Jaedon Roberts. If he's still there, forget it SI wins by at least 3 TDs.
2) Will Irons is 6'5" and we've never had a QB that tall and can throw it like he does. Harrington maybe but he was nowhere near the passer as Irons. Any normal year SH QB has their wobbly passes batted down at the line or can't get to those WRs.
3) The refs minus the penalty on the kick return TD actually called more crucial penalties against SI. Two pass interferences and the illegal forward pass.
4) SI RELIGIOUSLY loves to call a fake punt near midfield against SH and ALWAYS convert. They did not and the ball went through the endzone for a touchback.
5) When we have a Zack on the team, we beat SI. Zack Rance, Zack Tapel, Zack Leolao.
6) Miraculously we won despite the huge time of possession disparity. And this despite having an offense that can move the ball through the air and with Speedy in the backfield and a "down year" by SI.
Give huge credit SH defense for somehow stopping SI on all those possessions. As the saying goes, it doesn't even matter what happens the rest of the year. This was their Super Bowl. I hope the letdown next week is not too severe.
A lot of things went right on Friday night and SI still could won.
1) no Jaedon Roberts. If he's still there, forget it SI wins by at least 3 TDs.
2) Will Irons is 6'5" and we've never had a QB that tall and can throw it like he does. Harrington maybe but he was nowhere near the passer as Irons. Any normal year SH QB has their wobbly passes batted down at the line or can't get to those WRs.
3) The refs minus the penalty on the kick return TD actually called more crucial penalties against SI. Two pass interferences and the illegal forward pass.
4) SI RELIGIOUSLY loves to call a fake punt near midfield against SH and ALWAYS convert. They did not and the ball went through the endzone for a touchback.
5) When we have a Zack on the team, we beat SI. Zack Rance, Zack Tapel, Zack Leolao.
6) Miraculously we won despite the huge time of possession disparity. And this despite having an offense that can move the ball through the air and with Speedy in the backfield and a "down year" by SI.
Give huge credit SH defense for somehow stopping SI on all those possessions. As the saying goes, it doesn't even matter what happens the rest of the year. This was their Super Bowl. I hope the letdown next week is not too severe.
I was on the chain gang so it happened right in front of me. It clearly looked to me he crossed the line when he threw. The down marker holder was actually was a referee and he thought he went over too. He was moving pretty fast as he threw so I can see how it could appear to cross over. It's amazing what refs do miss. I watched their tackle pick up little mighty mite Evan Dere on a SI sweep by the jersey up off the ground and toss him to the ground and no flag.
It looked like you guys had a rough night. More than once it seemed like it wasn't clear whether the head linesman meant "move the marker" and "move the chains", which seemed to lead to some interesting interactions when the ball was downed close to the line to gain.
The older I get the more I appreciate how imprecise the officiating is even in the NFL, let alone high school. I'll bet there are few HS games where the score differential is less than 10 or so that couldn't have gone either way based on the refs. Only way to avoid that is to take it out of the refs hands and win by more, I guess.
