With two weeks remaining in the regular season, every game takes on added importance. We profile the top games throughout the North Coast Section.
For a look at our NCS Game of the Week, check out Jesus Cano’s BVAL Games of the Week feature, and to read about one of the other top games in all of Northern California from this section, check out Harold Abend’s NorCal Games of the Week feature.
De Anza (6-2, 2-0 TCAL-Stone) at Kennedy-Richmond (7-1, 2-0), Friday, 7 pm
With Hercules lurking a game back in the standings, the battle for the Stone Division title will be a lot clearer after this week, with a pair of talented defenses leading the way into this game for the league lead.
Kennedy has rebounded nicely from its only loss of the season, to Rock Division co-leader El Cerrito, by blanking both Hercules and Albany in the last two games. The Eagles’ defense is led by section sack leader Ryan ‘Juice’ Robinson, who has 20.5 sacks this season, including six in the big win over Hercules. As a unit, the defense has forced 20 turnovers in eight games, including nine interceptions.
Meanwhile, junior quarterback Micah Barnes has completed 69 percent of his passes with 15 touchdowns, and eight different Kennedy players have scored rushing touchdowns.
De Anza has also played stingy defense since a loss to Acalanes, winning three straight. During that stretch, the Dons have held Swett to eight points, Albany to 14, and shut out Richmond last week.
Sophomore quarterback Daemon Evans has gripped the reins to the offense, enabling Richie Kirbyson to become a big-time play-maker at receiver. Devon King and Loren Calhoun have been a steady one-two punch in the backfield, along with Teddy Bing as a dual threat both rushing and receiving.
Gabriel Sable and Rico Tolefree both anchor the end of the line and are receiving threats from the tight end position. Tolefree, meanwhile, captains the defense, along with impact players such as Calhoun, Sable, and King.
Concord (5-3, 1-2 DAL-Valley) at Miramonte (6-2, 1-2), Friday, 7 pm
Both teams are looking to grab the third spot in the Valley Conference standings, both with losses to Clayton Valley and Campolindo.
The Minutemen are looking to snap of eight straight quarters without getting on the scoreboard, after having previously gone 133 straight games without being shutout. Miramonte, meanwhile, bounced back from a heart-breaking loss to Campolindo by downing Las Lomas last week.
The host Matadors feature one of the top passing games in the section. Quarterback Tim Tague has thrown for 1,987 yards and 26 touchdowns, while receivers Ethan Fischler, Nick Foster, and Will Cassriel form one of the top receiving trios. Peter Stehr is a threat in and out of the backfield.
Seniors Ryan Walker and Casey McConigle lead the defensive effort for Miramonte, along with Stehr, while Cassriel and Foster each have three interceptions.
Concord running back Mike Davis was the top threat offensively last week, while junior quarterback Nick Nunez has combined for 19 total touchdowns this year. Deandre Morgan and Alex Cruz lead a Minutemen defensive front seven which will need to put pressure on Tague and the Miramonte offense.
Berean Christian (5-3, 2-1 DAL-Foothill) at College Park (6-2, 3-0), Friday, 7 pm
The visiting Eagles are in must-win mode for a shot at the division title, after last week’s heart-breaking loss to Northgate as time expired. College Park, meanwhile, has already exceeded expectations after last year’s one-win season, and the Falcons can clinch at least a share of the division title with a win this week.
Berean Christian senior Isaiah Hodgins is the section’s leader in receiving yards and touchdowns, with 62 catches for 1,029 yards and 16 scores. Quarterback Chandler Davis has thrown for 30 touchdowns, and running backs Nick Gaitan and David Summers have shared the load on the ground, combining for 986 yards and 11 touchdowns.
College Park opened the season with losses in two of its first three games, but has since won five straight, including a pair of one-point victories against Las Lomas and Northgate. The Falcons will look to control the ball and the clock in their option-scheme offense.
Inderkum (6-2) at Moreau Catholic (6-2), Friday, 7 pm
The Mariners may not be playing a Mission Valley game this week, but a game against Sac-Joaquin power Inderkum offers them the chance to make a big statement for playoff seeding.
Moreau Catholic will no doubt put the ball in the hands of running back Jullen ‘Booda’ Ison, but quarterback Onijai Sellers also had a strong game last week, and has a couple top targets in Josh Pullum and Alex Johnson.
Inderkum, meanwhile, is led on both sides of the ball by standout safety and quarterback Trajon Cotton, who has four interceptions in the secondary. As a unit, the Tigers’ defense has snagged 11 picks, led by junior Davion Ross’ six interceptions. Senior Josh Falo is another force in the secondary, while senior Sateki Tupou and sophomore Logan Benoit anchor the linebacker corps.
San Leandro (5-3, 3-0 WACC-Foothill) at Piedmont (5-3, 2-1), Friday, 7 pm
The visiting Pirates have won 18 straight games in league play, a streak that will be tested against Piedmont and Bishop O’Dowd in the final two weeks of the regular season.
Senior running back Omari Land is having a standout season for San Leandro, with 978 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Jahari Kay, meanwhile, is second in the section with 16 sacks.
After losses to Encinal and O’Dowd, Piedmont has gotten back on track with wins over Berkeley and Castro Valley, and will be heavy favorites next week against Tennyson. The Highlanders’ offense relies heavily on the trio of quarterback Gordon Faust, running back Nick Pacult, and receiver Andrew Meredith.
Best of the Rest
Redwood travels to San Marin on Saturday afternoon, in a battle for second place in the Marin County Athletic League. If the Giants can pick up a win on the road, it will put them in position for a nine-win season and a high seed in the Division II playoffs. Redwood is the only team to score on Marin Catholic in league play this year.
Hayward and Arroyo meet at Sunset Field on Friday night in a battle of WACC-Shoreline division leaders, even though both teams lost last week. The Farmers have a win over Encinal, and finish with both Arroyo and fellow co-leader Alameda, so they are the only team which truly controls its own destiny in terms of the league title race.
After three straight losses, Casa Grande has surged back in the North Bay League, leaving the door open for possible playoff eligibility if the Gauchos can finish the season strong. Following an overtime win over Carrillo and a one-point win over Montgomery, Casa Grande travels to Windsor this week, facing a Jaguars team which has split its last six games.
St. Bernard’s looks to extend its 18-game win streak in HDN-Little 4 play, but will have to do so at Ferndale on Saturday. Ferndale is the last team to hand the Crusaders in league play, back in 2013. A win for St. Bernard’s would clinch its third straight outright league title, and fourth overall title in four years under coach Matt Tomlin.
