The prep football season is winding down, but some of the best is yet to come. Here is what semifinal week of the Central Coast Section playoffs revealed to us:
MITTY HAS TWO QUARTERBACKS
Archbishop Mitty quarterback Trent Scharrenberg played Friday night's game against Valley Christian with a soft, black cast on his left hand and forearm.
The Monarch senior has a broken, non-throwing hand. But he did just fine in the section semifinal game, playing mostly on passing downs. Brett Foley played QB on the earlier downs and ran the option well for Mitty.
"It feels pretty good right now," Scharrenberg said of his broken hand after the game. "I do what I can with it."
It all worked out as the Monarchs routed Valley Christian 37-7. Mitty will no doubt try the same formula on Friday night when it meets Serra at San Jose City College for the Open Division title.
SERRA IS RESILIENT
Serra was within a holding penalty of taking a 21-3 lead in the first half against Bellarmine. A long run by junior back Kava Cassidy took the Padres, already with a 14-3 lead, to the Bell 5. But the penalty moved them back and they never scored. Then two Bell touchdowns in less than 30 seconds near the end of the half -- thanks to a muffed kickoff by the Padres -- put Bellarmine ahead 17-14 at the half.
The Padres, near the tail end of the 18-minute halftime break, knelt in front of their sideline and chatted before the second half began.
What was said, Serra coach Patrick Walsh was asked.
"To look around, take it all in and embrace the moment," he said. "To stay calm in the face of adversity, stick to the game plans and one another and win the third quarter."
Serra out-scored Bellarmine 14-0 in the second half for its second victory this season against the Bells.
MILPITAS NO ROAD DOG
Milpitas will have to travel to Rabobank Stadium in Salinas to meet San Benito this weekend for the Division I title. But the Trojans won't go in as a road underdog, as CalPreps.com picks them to win 35-24.
Milpitas is seasoned after playing tough opponents such as Valley Christian, Wilcox, Palo Alto and Los Gatos and have that galaxy of stars, led by QB Ronnie Reed, running back Squally Canada and perhaps the section's most exciting player, Tre Hartley.
ST. IGNATIUS RULES DIII
The Wildcats may have been paupers in the meat-grinder WCAL (2-5 record), but they're princes in CCS DIII (at least for now) after two victories against out-matched playoff opponents.
St. Ignatius is star-studded with Ryan Hagfeldt at quarterback, Elijah Dale at running back, utility man Joe Lang and big lines on both sides of the ball. It is favored against Aptos to win their third consecutive section title -- two in DIII if it gets by the Mariners -- and one in the Open after upsetting Bellarmine last season. CalPreps picks the Wildcats 35-21.
GATORS NEED TO KEEP IT ON GROUND
In case it escaped the attention of Sacred Heart Prep coach Pete Lavorato -- which we seriously doubt -- Pacific Grove defeated Carmel 77-53 in last week's DIV semifinals.
The aptly named Jake Speed did his best Anthony Davis impression, scoring six touchdowns for the Breakers.
"Our coach said he wanted to put up 56 points," Speed told the Monterey Peninsula Herald. "We put up 77."
Sacred Heart Prep will need to move the ball on the ground with Ricky Grau and Andrew Segre and keep P.G.'s mercurial offense off the field as much as possible.
