This week we lead with two games from the Division 1 portion of the Open/D1 playoff bracket, then go to Division 2 and 3, and finally we give the small schools some props with a Division 7 matchup in the final game featured.
Clayton Valley 42, Antioch 21
On the Division 1 side of the Open/D1 bracket third-seed and Prep2Prep NCS No. 3 Clayton Valley burst out to a 28-0 lead and led 28-6 at halftime before carrying sixth-seed and No. 11 Antioch in the second half of a decisive victory.
Clayton Valley got a huge game from Brenden Bush. The senior quarterback only threw nine passes but completed eight for 145 yards and two touchdowns, plus he rushed for 41 yards and two more scores. Senior running back Rahsaan Woodland had another day at the office, rushing for 112 yards and one touchdown.
Clayton Valley (8-3) now hosts California this week. The Uglies lost 19-18 to the Grizzlies on the road in EBAL-Mountain play.
California 48, Monte Vista 21
Three weeks after losing 27-22 at Monte Vista, the Grizzlies met the Mustangs on the road again as the No. 5 seed in the Division 1 part of the Open/D1 playoffs. This time, sixth-ranked California (8-3) won convincingly over fourth seed and NCS No. 5 Monte Vista.
Senior running back Trevor Rund ran roughshod over Monte Vista, rushing for 247 yards on only 14 carries with three touchdowns. Senior linebacker Macray Madruga came up with two interceptions, once of which he returned for a 55-yard touchdown. The second one set up a 36-yard touchdown pass from Teddy Booras to Josh Shavies. Booras finished with 183 yards passing and three touchdowns with the other two scores going to senior wide receiver Jake Calcagno.
California (8-3) now travels to Clayton Valley. During league play, the Grizzlies beat the Ugly Eagles, 19-18 at home.
Campolindo 38, Dublin 28
With some Bay Area prep football fans writing an epitaph for Campolindo (8-3) when they started out the season 1-2 and 3-3 after a 49-0 shellacking at home by CCS power Aptos, a 13-7 road loss to Liberty and a 35-0 DFAL home loss to Benicia, the Cougars have turned thing around big time and have won five straight games.
Now, after their No. 4 seed held true to form in a victory over fifth-seeded Dublin, Campo is into the NCS Division 2 semifinals. The Cougars will now travel to top-seeded San Ramon Valley on Friday night. The Wolves overwhelmed No. 8 seed Livermore, 35-7.
Windsor 35, Northgate 17
Social media was exploding with a potential big upset in the works when the host Broncos took a 14-0 lead with just over a quarter gone. However, from there top-seeded Windsor (9-1) tied the game at halftime and eventually outscored the Broncos 35-3 from that point on. Northgate got the home game by virtue of being the DAL-Valley champions while Windsor lost the first-round hosting rights when they lost the NBL-Oak title two weeks ago at Rancho Cotate.
Next up for No. 10 ranked Windsor is a semifinal game at home with fourth seed and No. 8 ranked El Cerrito. The Gauchos were a 40-32 winner over Acalanes.
St. Vincent de Paul 57, St. Patrick-St. Vincent 0
Host and top seed St. Vincent de Paul (9-1) scored on its first two plays of the game, three of the first four plays with less then three minutes gone in the first quarter, four of its first seven plays in the first six minutes, and led 40-0 after one quarter of a game that went to a running clock in the second half.
The Mustangs' Dante Antonini was like a one-man wrecking crew. The senior wide receiver and linebacker had two touchdowns on offense receiving, and one touchdown rushing on a 52-yard reverse. On defense, he had eight tackles with five for losses, all in the first quarter.
Junior running back Kai Hall had two first quarter rushing touchdowns, and junior quarterback Jaret Bosarge, who also plays defensive back and handles the kicking, had a first quarter 66-yard pick six.
St. Vincent de Paul now hosts No. 4 seed Clear Lake, a 40-0 winner over Hoopa Valley.
