After the majority of the Central Coast Section postponed last week’s games to the week of November 10 due to poor air quality from the North Bay fires, football is back in full swing. And don't forget to check out our NorCal Games of the Week feature, which highlights this week's Menlo-Atherton at Half Moon Bay game, a key game among co-leaders in the PAL-Bay.
No. 2 St. Francis (4-2, 2-1 WCAL) at No. 9 Mitty (5-1, 2-1), Friday, 7 pm
The extra rest that Mitty got last week gave more time to heal the wounds from a vicious beatdown at the hands of Serra, a 64-21 defeat the last time the Monarchs took the field back on October 6. However, Friday won’t be any easier, as the Monarchs host their one on-campus game of the season against St. Francis. Last year’s meeting, which the Lancers won 42-0, was a far cry from the prior three regular-season contests, all of which were decided by one point, with neither team breaking the 15-point mark in any of those games.
The teams also met in the 2014 Division II Championship, a game that St. Francis won 17-7. Mitty did receive a huge boost this week by receiving an additional win via a forfeit from Sacramento, which used an ineligible player in the teams’ season-opener. Sacramento won that game 47-21, but the win is now credited to Mitty, and Sacramento’s success down the road could be an additional boost to Mitty in the playoff points system.
No. 23 Oak Grove (2-4, 2-1 BVAL Mount Hamilton) at No. 21 Lincoln (2-4, 2-1), Friday, 7 pm
In reality, any game in the wacky Mount Hamilton could be included in our Games of the Week. This week’s featured game is a showdown between two teams that got off to 0-3 starts in nonleague play but have since straightened things out. While Oak Grove’s nonleague struggles came against elite teams, Lincoln’s turnaround has come after losing three games to lower-division opponents.
Lincoln beat both Pioneer and Santa Teresa, and the Lions’ one league loss was a nailbiter against Westmont. Oak Grove won a nailbiter against Piedmont Hills and won comfortably over Pioneer, but suffered its first league loss since 2013 against rival Santa Teresa.
No. 8 Aptos (4-2, 3-0 MBL Gabilan) at No. 15 San Benito (5-2, 3-1), Friday, 7:30 pm
San Benito was one of the few CCS teams to take the field last week, and the Haybalers lost at home to Salinas, 42-13. San Benito will get another chance to protect its home field against a fellow Gabilan title contender, a must-win if the Balers are going to stay in the hunt for the league title.
For Aptos, Friday’s trip will show the Mariners’ place in the league title hunt and could demonstrate whether or not they’ll be among the top dogs in the CCS Division III race. If the Mariners win, the November 3 meeting with Salinas will likely settle the league championship.
Scotts Valley (5-2, 3-0 MTAL) at Soledad (4-3, 2-1), Friday, 7:30 pm
A win Friday would redefine the term “road warriors” for Scotts Valley, as the Falcons will be a making the 69-mile trip to Soledad. Scotts Valley is 2-0 on the road this season, having won its away games by a combined score of 69-7. While the trip to Soledad will be the longest one for the Falcons this year, the previous two weren’t exactly short trips either.
All four away games on Scotts Valley’s schedule this year require traveling at least 40 minutes by bus. If the Falcons do prevail, they’ll have a clear path to the MTAL title as one of the league’s newcomers. However, doing so would require unseating a Soledad team that has won four of its last five, including two by shutout. That one defeat was to a King City team that Scotts Valley blanked at home.
No. 7 Aragon (6-0, 2-0 PAL Bay) at No. 11 Burlingame (4-2, 0-2), Friday, 7:30 pm
Friday will mark the 51st all-time meeting between two San Mateo County heavyweights, with Burlingame holding a slim 25-24-1 lead in the series. Aragon won 28-7 last year, snapping a five-game losing streak to the Panthers and beating Burlingame for the first time since 2007. However, Burlingame has been a house of horrors for the Dons, who have not beaten the Panthers on the road since 2004.
Burlingame has won five straight home meetings with the Dons and will have a chance on Friday to spoil Aragon’s perfect season and take a massive step towards an automatic playoff berth. The top four Bay Division teams earn automatic trips to the playoffs, and Burlingame has already lost to two of the league’s frontrunners in Menlo-Atherton and Half Moon Bay, two losses to excellent teams that no team could be ashamed of, but in a six-team league, two losses will almost assuredly bar a team from the league title.
Friday should give more insight as to whether Aragon is among those contenders. The Dons had their game against Menlo-Atherton postponed to November 9 and will host Half Moon Bay next week.
Best of the Rest
Any game at Kezar Stadium is a great experience, and a showdown between Riordan (1-5, 0-3 WCAL) and St. Ignatius (1-5, 0-3) is always a classic. Fans can head to Kezar Pub before the game and then file into the historic stadium to watch two teams fighting to get back in the hunt for a playoff berth. As the top six in the WCAL will find themselves in the postseason, the winner would need one more victory to have a way in.
Carlmont’s turnaround in Jake Messina’s second year has been remarkable. The Scots (6-0, 2-0 PAL Lake) have outscored opponents 229-59, and escaped San Mateo with a win on October 6 thanks to a goal-line fumble. With quarterback Timmy Palthe out for the year, the Scots are all but guaranteed to stay on the ground. They threw just twice at San Mateo, but Demarii Blanks ran for three scores. Capuchino (2-4, 0-1) will try to stop that rushing attack on Friday. With a loss to Jefferson already, the Mustangs have to win out in order to claim the Lake title and reach the postseason.
Live Oak (3-3, 2-1 BVAL Mount Hamilton) hung 49 points on Leigh last time out, but will play host to a Santa Teresa (2-4, 1-2) defense that hasn’t allowed more than 16 points in its last four games. The explosive Acorns offense, which has scored at least 28 points in four of its six games, will have its hands full on Friday with the Saints defense that handed Oak Grove its first league loss since 2013.
Sobrato (4-2, 3-0 BVAL West Valley) has established itself as the team to beat in the West Valley League by scoring 148 points in its first three league games and will travel to upset-minded Prospect (2-4, 2-1) on Friday. Jared Jones has been a workhorse for the Sobrato offense, racking up 784 yards and 11 touchdowns on 94 carries, and John Bell (29 carries-266 yards, 4 TDs) has been a very solid secondary option for the Bulldogs.
Sacred Heart Prep (1-5, 0-2 PAL Bay) nearly knocked off Menlo-Atherton back on October 6 and will have a chance at another upset Friday afternoon when the Gators host No. 14 Terra Nova (4-2, 0-1). Defending the SHP rushing attack is a difficult task, as the Gators have five different rushers with at least 20 carries on the season, with four of them averaging more than four yards per carry. After experiencing trial by fire last year, QB Brad Yaffe has had an impressive senior year for SHP, running for seven touchdowns and throwing for five more. Those passing touchdowns have come to four different receivers.
