With nearly all action for Week 9 in the books, it’s time for a quick look at the weekend that was around the North Coast Section.
Of course, as this is being written, the North Bay portion of the section is once again facing uncertainty and chaos due to devastating fires and power outages. Whether games rescheduled for Monday will be able to be played is uncertain at this point, as evacuated areas increase amid high winds and fire danger. And everyone is well aware at this point that air quality issues will easily result from these fires, and those issues do not leave quickly.
As we head to the final week of the regular season, when things are usually becoming more clear headed towards the post-season, they are uncertain as ever. With that in mind, let’s get to the rewind, which focuses largely on league title races and playoff implications from results on Friday and Saturday.
- First, we know of six games which have been rescheduled for Monday, pending fire and air quality issues, of course. That includes the Cardinal Newman at Maria Carrillo game in the NBL-Oak, Montgomery at El Molino and Santa Rosa at Healdsburg in the NBL-Redwood, plus Middletown vs Fort Bragg in the NCL. There are also two eight-man games scheduled for Monday, with Roseland Prep at Tomales and Branson at Laytonville on that slate.
Of course, we won’t be surprised if any or all of these games are unable to be played, with much more serious concerns taking place in these communities. With the increased evacuations, including places such as Santa Rosa and Forestville, it is hard to imagine that a high school football game is taking any type of priority. This could extend all the way to the next weekend, when Piner and Santa Rosa are scheduled to meet for the NBL-Redwood crown.
- The likelihood that the DAL-Foothill will end up with a three-way tie for first place jumped dramatically this past Friday when Campolindo raced past Las Lomas, a week after falling to Acalanes. Miramonte nearly upended Acalanes, but the Dons survived with a three-point victory. If Campolindo beats Miramonte this week and Acalanes beats Alhambra, that will cause a three-way tie, since Las Lomas beat Acalanes earlier in the league season.
- Benicia secured at least a share of the DAL-Valley title, and already owns a win over second-place College Park. The Panthers conclude the regular season at Ygnacio Valley.
- With Freedom’s win over Antioch, the possibility of a three-way tie for first place in the BVAL was eliminated, but Pittsburg still needs to beat the Panthers in the Big Little Game this upcoming Saturday if the Pirates want the outright title. They have clinched a share, but a loss could drop them into a tie with Liberty, provided the Lions beat rival Heritage on Friday. The BVAL, like many leagues, does not break ties for league titles, even when there is a head-to-head result.
- Tamalpais’ touchdown with 13 seconds remaining knocked off San Marin, and secured a top-two finish in the MCAL for the Red-Tailed Hawks, who have won five in a row since falling to league-leading Redwood. Redwood routed San Rafael on Saturday and can claim the outright league title with a win over Drake this coming Saturday.
- James Logan secured at least a share of the MVAL title, its first since 2011, with its win over Moreau Catholic on Friday night. The win avenged last year’s loss to the Mariners, when Logan had rejoined the league after a six-year hiatus, and the Colts can claim the outright title this week with a win over Kennedy-Fremont.
- Granada’s win over Livermore knocked the Cowboys out of a first-place tie in the EBAL-Valley, but since Livermore plays league unbeaten Amador Valley this coming Friday, it did not change the picture as far as the league title race is concerned.
- With its 42-6 win over Hoopa Valley this week, Ferndale has officially clinched the outright title in the HDN-Little 4, holding a two-game lead with one week remaining.
- Del Norte holds a one-game lead over St. Bernard’s and Fortuna in the HDN-Big 4, with wins over both of those programs. The Warriors conclude the regular season against Eureka, seeking the outright title.
- With San Ramon Valley’s come-from-behind against California on Friday night, the stage is set for an EBAL-Mountain title game this Friday when the Wolves face Monte Vista. The Mustangs lead the league by one game, since De La Salle is not eligible for the league title.
- Lower Lake stayed a game behind Middletown in the NCL title race with its 47-27 win over Clear Lake. The Trojans have won five straight since losing to Middletown.
- Salesian now sits alone atop the TCAL-Rock after its 21-14 win over El Cerrito on Saturday. The Pride finish the regular season against Kennedy-Richmond, which sits one game behind Salesian in the standings and can create a three-way tie for the league title with a win next weekend.
- De Anza defeated Bethel on Friday night to secure the TCAL-Stone title, with an earlier win over second-place Pinole Valley. The Dons finish the regular season at Vallejo, who picked up a forfeit win against Albany on Friday.
- Napa and American Canyon both stayed a game behind Vintage in the VVAL standings. That means this coming weekend’s Big Game between Napa and Vintage will determine whether it will be an outright title for the Crushers or possibly a three-way share, if American Canyon also wins at Justin-Siena.
- Encinal knocked San Leandro out of a tie for first place in the WACC-Foothill with the Jets’ 13-12 win over the Pirates on Friday night. San Leandro and O’Dowd are now tied for second place, with O’Dowd and Encinal hooking up this coming week to finish the regular season. An Encinal victory will give the Jets the outright crown, while an O’Dowd victory would likely create a three-way share of the title.
- Hayward and Mt. Eden ensured that this coming Friday will be the official WACC-Shoreline title game, as both teams enter with 5-0 records in league play. Hayward routed Tennyson, 50-12, on Friday while Mt. Eden cruised past Alameda, 49-13.
- Emerging names to keep an eye on: St. Vincent’s Kai Hall, Lower Lake’s Vann Wilkins, Benicia’s Kendall Lane, Tamalpais’ Aidan Newell, Del Norte’s Levi Cox-Cooley, Hayward’s Reggie Garrett, Mt. Eden’s Lenard LeBlanc III and Encinal’s Vince Nunley.
