There was a time back in the 1980s when Monte Vista Chrisitian was a small school, competing against other small schools like Valley-Christian-San Jose, then located on the campus of a defunct public school and hardly the athletic monster it is now
That was then. Now both Valley Christian and Monte Vista Christian of Watsonville are robust private-school football powers, with the latter arriving a bit later to the party than the juggernaut Warriors of the West Catholic Athletic League.
Consider that Monte Vista Christian under coach David Reese this season won its first five games, fell 35-25 to formidable Palma and has now won four consecutive games, including back-to-back wins against Salinas (31-27) and San Benito (22-20).
The formerly Lilliputian-like Mustangs are for real and seeded No. 2 in the CCS Open Division III.
But so is the Santa Cruz County team’s opponent tonight, No. 7 seeded Terra Nova (5-5). It was the Tigers, after all, that defeated Monte Vista Christian 43-23 in last season’s CCS Division IV title game.
“Our guys are motivated just to be in the playoffs but sure we have talked about it,” Reese said of last year’s title game.
In Terra Nova, he sees a team that is “very well-coached and on offense more balanced than last season.”
Same goes for the Mustangs who are led by running back D’shawn Hopkins who rushed for 144 yards last week in a win against San Benito and quarterback Ryan Spohn who completed 21 of 27 passes for 283 yards against the Haybalers.
Monte Vista Christian allowed San Benito’s Hunter Nye to rush for 118 yards last week and that could be telling after Terra Nova gouged Half Moon Bay on the ground at times last week in a 38-28 Tiger upset win.
Terra Nova is led by the usual cast. Quarterback Joey Pledger completes 62 percent of his passes and has thrown for more than 2,000 yards and 17 touchdowns with 11 interceptions. His favorite target is receiver Anthony Freddy (42 catches, 552 yards, seven TDs) and he has more than capable backs in Saini Saini (957 yards rushing, nine TDs) and Reggie Auelua (434 yards, eight TDs).
The Tigers are also playing for a fallen teammate, as star lineman Mace Iaulualo was seriously injured in an auto accident more than two weeks ago and is still in intensive car, along with his father. Terra Nova players last week had Mace’s No. 75 affixed to the backs of their helmets last week.
Second-year Tigers head coach Tim Adams is enthused about not only the Tiger passing game, but his ground attack.
Saini rushed for 180 yards last week and Auelua had three short scoring runs.
“It’s a nice combination,” Adams said after last weeks’ game. “That’s taken some time to develop. Reggie was ineligible for the first five games, then he has the (injured) ankle … but in the last two weeks it’s been a nice combination with those two.”
Open II
No. 6 Los Gatos (7-3) at No. 3 Valley Christian (7-3), 7 p.m.: This is a rematch of last year’s Open Division consolation game won by Los Gatos against a depleted Warriors’ team. Los Gatos played well for much of the game in a non-league loss to another WCAL team, Archbishop Mitty, before fading in the second half. Quarterback Hunter Bigge leads the Wildcats. Valley Christian has a strong offensive backfield led by Morian Walker Jr. and a big offensive line but had trouble slowing high-powered Serra last week in a 42-21 loss, the Warriors’ second consecutive setback (it fell to Bellarmine College Prep two weeks ago). Coach Mike Machado’s team will look to get back on track against the SCVAL-De Anza runners-up.
Archbishop Mitty (6-4) at Oak Grove (8-2): The host Eagles have had a familiar season, dropping non-league games against high-powered opponents and then dominating its league. Now comes Mitty, a team that has shown it is capable of great things with an upset of Bellarmine and a one-point loss to St. Francis, but also got shut out by Serra, 26-0. Quarterback Sam Serra leads the Monarchs' spread offense and lineman Nick LaBruna is a player to watch on defense. The Eagles are led by Rashaan Fontenette who has rushed for 2,000 yards and 23 TDs and linebacker Anu Tuiono who can also carry the ball when called upon.
Open III
No. 6 Sacred Heart Prep (7-3) at No. 3 Live Oak (9-1): The host Acorns have been impressive this season under coach Mike Gemo, with their only loss to Oak Grove. But in Sacred Heart Prep the Acorns get an experienced opponent who won last season’s CCS Open title with a 14-0 victory against Bellarmine. Quarterback Mason Randall is in his third season as the Gators’ starter and Andrew Daschbach is a player to keep an eye on at tight end.
No. 5 Archbishop Riordan (7-3) at No. 4 Burlingame (9-1): Burlingame’s defense looked good against Menlo-Atherton but will be sorely tested by Crusader playmakers like QB Jacky Lavusano, Raymone Sanders and Aidan Verba-Hamilton. Sanders and Verba-Hamilton are lightning quick and Riordan has some beef up front as well. Rocco Russell is a beast on defense for Riordan which went just 1-9 last season. Burlingame, the PAL-Bay Division tri-champs, is led by RB Laipeli Palu who is the centerpiece of fairly basic attack that will try to take time off the clock and keep the Crusader offense, which scored 66 points in a win against Serra, off the field.
Division V
No. 7 San Lorenzo Valley (6-4) at No. 2 Half Moon Bay (8-2): San Lorenzo Valley has defeated who it should and lost to the favorites throughout the 2015 season. But there are some eye-opening, close losses for the Felton team – most notably a 52-51 setback to SCCAL second-place Scotts Valley in five overtimes and a 28-26 loss to league champion Aptos, which has won two consecutive section titles and has four respectable losses this season to top teams. The Mariners had success running inside against SLV, which may not bode well for coach Jeff Poetzinger’s team against a Half Moon Bay squad with a strong running game. QB Nick Salibi has thrown for more than 1,000 yards for SLV . Backs Brighton Hart and Scott Poetzinger have both rushed for more than six yards per carry. Half Moon Bay yielded just seven points on defense in its first five games but against stronger competition has given up an average of 26 points in its past five contests, including 78 points in its last two games. The Half Moon Bay pass-catch combo of QB Gavin Tomberlin to Pablo Gutierrez has produced eight TDs in three games and Gutierrez also had a 91-yard kickoff return for a TD in a 38-28 Skull Game loss last week to Terra Nova.
