Unlike the first two weeks of football in the Central Coast Section, Week 3 doesn’t quite have as many matchups that will dominate the spotlight. Without the obvious must-see game taking the headlines, it’ll be an excellent opportunity for the teams that may not necessarily have headline-grabbing players but still play good fundamental football to impress audiences.
Sacred Heart Cathedral (0-2) @ Aptos (0-2), Friday, 7 p.m.
It would be hard to find a better matchup between winless teams anywhere. Aptos’ two losses are by a combined five points to powerhouse out-of-section opponents, and while Sacred Heart Cathedral’s scores aren’t quite so close, the Fightin’ Irish have been in tight games into the fourth quarter against both Acalanes and Palma before running out of steam down the stretch. With Palma and Aptos both likely to battle for the PCAL Gabilan crown with Salinas, Friday will provide a barometer for how the race could look moving forward as the Chieftains and Mariners will have a common opponent. Facing Palma means the Irish have experience facing a top rushing attack, though the Aptos wing-T is a different dynamic than the heavy dose of Anthony Villegas they faced last week.
San Benito (1-1) @ Los Gatos (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
With lopsided wins over a pair of BVAL Mt. Hamilton opponents, Los Gatos looks as strong as ever, already getting six rushing touchdowns from Adam Garwood. San Benito turned heads with last week’s game against Wilcox, opening up a two-score lead early in the third quarter before the defending state champion Chargers finally rattled off 27 unanswered points to win. Though the Haybalers ultimately came up short, they impressed with their deep rushing attack and ability to force turnovers against one of the Bay Area’s most explosive offenses, meaning they certainly won’t be overlooked moving forward, especially by a team that’s hunting Wilcox in the SCVAL De Anza Division.
Prep2Prep student-reporter Nick Borgia will be providing coverage of this game.
Sacred Heart Prep (2-0) @ Half Moon Bay (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Injuries may have done the Cougars in last season, but Half Moon Bay is officially back on the rise with a young but already experienced roster. The Cougars proved their legitimacy with last week’s 45-26 win over Burlingame and have a chance to defend their home turf for a second week in a row against a PAL Bay Division team. SHP is also riding high, though, beating St. Ignatius on a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown drives. The Gators had possession for more than nine minutes in the fourth quarter against SI, controlling the ball and wearing down the Wildcat defense. Similarly, Half Moon Bay finished strong against Burlingame, allowing a quick touchdown at the start of the third quarter to let the Panthers within three but then closing the game on a 22-6 run.
Willow Glen (2-0) @ Lincoln (1-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Lincoln barely survived Silver Creek to open the season, but considering that the Lions lost to the Raiders to open 2019 and still went on to win the BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division, it’s not a major cause for alarm. They’ve had a week off since that game, while Willow Glen has cruised to two comfortable wins against BVAL West Valley opponents. It’ll be the Rams’ first opportunity to face a top opponent this year, and it should give Gabe Negrete a chance to show that he should be considered among the area’s top dual-threat quarterbacks.
San Mateo (2-0) @ Capuchino (1-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
The only team in the entire CCS yet to allow a point, San Mateo’s defense will have a firm test on Friday. Capuchino may be a Lake Division team, but the Mustangs have an explosive offense fueled by head coach Jay Oca’s aggressive schemes and led by twins Marcelino and Sione Kafoa. While the Bearcats have yet to allow a point, they’ve also been much more efficient on offense, scoring 55 points in two games after putting up 130 across the entire 2018 season. Quarterback Luke Bergstrom is much more comfortable in his second year of running the triple option alongside running backs Dane Anderson and Aidan Harper. San Mateo ran for 368 yards last week against an Aragon team that prides itself on stopping the run.
