With all the semifinals in the North Coast Section complete over the weekend, five of the six divisions played out according to seed before the playoffs started, meaning that we get treated to games between the top two seeds in all but one division. That one division features a seven seed which needed an overtime win in the quarterfinals before dominating its semifinal match-up, facing a four seed which has punished opponents in the first three rounds and won a thriller on Saturday afternoon.
Let's take a look at the weekend that was, along with some thoughts on what has transpired.
- The one division that did not go according to seed was Division IV, but at the same time, the results are not shocking. Four seed Fortuna has just two losses on the season, and those are to Cardinal Newman, who will play for the Division III title, and Eureka, who went unbeaten in the regular season and nearly knocked off Rancho Cotate in the Division III quarterfinals. The Huskies got physical in their one-point win over St. Bernard's, in a thriller between Humboldt County rivals, after blowing past Salesian and Moreau Catholic in the first two rounds.
Fortuna will now face seven seed Hercules, who used superior speed and size on defense to end Harker's unbeaten season in the semifinals. The Titans also displayed one of the top all-around athletes in the section, Nevada-bound receiver and defensive back Emany Johnson, who gave the Eagles fits in the passing game. Hercules struggled at the end of the regular season, falling to Kennedy-Richmond and De Anza, but avenged the loss to Kennedy with an overtime win against the Eagles in the quarterfinals.
With St. Bernard's and Harker both losing in the semifinals, the round of four wiped out both remaining unbeaten teams in this division. It also ensured that no teams from this division would get promoted up a division next year.
- When the Division I bracket was released, people from all around the three-school Liberty Union High School District immediately jumped to the possibility of a Liberty versus Freedom championship game, after the district rivals were awarded the top two seeds, following Liberty's 37-35 win over Freedom to conclude the regular season.
Liberty did its part in the semifinals with a dominating defensive performance against San Leandro, scoring the last 27 points for the 34-12 victory. Freedom, however, made all those feeling that anticipation wait a little longer, going to overtime against Antioch before escaping with the 45-39 victory. Now, the 20-year rivalry will extend into the post-season for the first time ever, and the game will take place at the other school in the district, Heritage, who lost to Liberty in the quarterfinals.
This much is certain heading into the championship game - the school district will see one of its schools hang a section championship banner for the first time ever in the sport of football.
- Two years ago, Marin Catholic took down Cardinal Newman for the Division IV championship, and earned a competitive equity promotion to the Division III bracket, where it fell to Bishop O'Dowd in the 2016 championship game. This year, on a Spencer Petras to Gaven Cooke touchdown pass with 52 seconds left, the Wildcats avenged last year's loss to the Dragons. Their reward is a meeting in the title game with their old nemesis, Cardinal Newman.
Cardinal Newman earned its promotion to the Division III bracket when it beat St. Bernard's for last year's Division IV championship, and the Cardinals got to this year's title game when Kyle Carinalli took a pass underneath from Beau Barrington and raced 42 yards for the game-winning touchdown against Rancho Cotate, in a 29-28 thriller.
How familiar are these two finalists? Consider the fact they scrimmage each other at the start of each season. Fittingly, the game will be played at Rancho Cotate, now hard-luck losers in the last two semifinal rounds. Last year, the Cougars led O'Dowd by seven points late in the semifinals before the Dragons tied the game in the last couple minutes and then won the game on a field goal as time expired. This year, they led by six points late in the game and never trailed once until Cardinal Newman's final touchdown with a minute and a half left to play.
- There was no such drama in the Division II bracket, where Campolindo and Granada performed as expected entering the playoffs, overwhelming all opponents to set up a championship game match-up between the two programs who have stood head and shoulders above all other Division II teams this season.
Campolindo is playing in its fourth straight title game, having won its last three appearances, while Granada got over the hump after losing in the semifinals in each of the last two years. Campolindo has already secured a promotion to Division I for next season, while Granada can do the same with a win on Friday night, in the only section title game not being played on Saturday.
- All year, St. Patrick-St. Vincent has had a target on its back in the Division V bracket, after winning section and state titles last season. The Bruins lived up to the expectation, taking down Clear Lake in the semifinals, 60-44, and will now face Middletown, who outlasted NCL rival Kelseyville in the other semifinal.
The game promises to be a clash of styles, as Middletown has thrived on stingy defense and ball-control offense, allowing just 67 points in 11 games. The Mustangs' lone loss this year was a 13-7 defeat to Division IV finalist Hercules, as they enter the game on a 10-game winning streak. Meanwhile, St. Pat's has scored 42 points or more in nine of its 11 games this year, with the lone exceptions being a 20-0 season-opening win over Division IV Moreau Catholic and a five-point loss in league play to Division III El Cerrito.
- De La Salle and Pittsburg did not play last weekend after each winning their semifinal games in the Open Division. Much is always made of the fact that Pittsburg is the last team from NorCal to have beat the Spartans, in the 1991 Division 3A title game, but of course De La Salle has had Pittsburg's number since then. Recent playoff meetings include the 2014 Division I title game, a 35-0 DLS victory.
