This week we feature four games, one each from the EBAL-Mountain and Valley divisions, one from Southern Alameda County and the MVAL/WACC-Shoreline and one from the Redwood Empire’s NBL-Oak Division.
Monte Vista 27, California 22
The biggest game in the East Bay Athletic League-Mountain Division last week went to the host and Prep2Prep NCS No. 6 Mustangs in a game they led from start to finish.
On the second play from scrimmage, senior running back Adam Wright took a backward pass from senior quarterback Dylan Devitt and raced 59 yards for a 7-0 lead that Monte Vista would never relinquish. After the defense held, the Mustangs struck back on their second drive when tight end D1 recruit Jack Endries took a shuttle pass from Devitt and rammed it home from four yards out to give Monte Vista a 13-0 lead.
Then on defense, Wright, in his first season at defensive back, came up with an interception of Grizzlies quarterback Teddy Booras in the California end zone to end a potential scoring drive.
California eventually scored two touchdowns in the first half and Monte Vista added a third score. And when Grizzlies kicker Macray Maduga split the upright on the last play of the first half, the teams went into intermission with Monte Vista holding a 19-16 lead.
After a scoreless third quarter, Monte Vista (7-0, 2-0 EBAL-Mountain) scored on the first play of the final period on a one-yard run by Devitt, and after a two-point conversion, the Mustangs had a 27-16 lead.
California (6-2, 1-2) came right back and scored the game’s final tally on a one-yard plunge by quarterback Teddy Booras with 10:27 left to play.
From there, Monte Vista ground 10:01 off the clock with a 70-yard drive, and by the time California got the ball back on its own 13 with 21 seconds left, its fate was sealed.
California now needs to regroup after two straight EBAL-Mountain losses and get ready for visiting a San Ramon Valley team coming off a 48-14 loss to De La Salle. With both teams 1-2 in league, the game will have big implications on the NCS Division I seedings.
Monte Vista, unbeaten and turning around an 0-6 abbreviated spring season under first-year head coach C.J. Anderson, will now move to No. 3 in the NCS rankings and take California’s spot pending a big league matchup on the road at Clayton Valley that will also have huge playoff implications.
Foothill 24, Dublin 10
In a matchup for sole possession of first place in the East Bay Athletic League-Valley Division, No. 13 Foothill (7-2, 3-0) got it done on the road behind the 213 combined yards of senior quarterback Nick Walsh who had a touchdown passing and one rushing, and the 118 yards rushing and one touchdown of senior running back Tony Schillaci.
The Falcons look like the league champions at this point pending a road game at neighboring Granada followed by a bye.
Dublin (5-3, 1-1) travels to Livermore and needs a win and then a win in its season finale at home against Dougherty Valley and needs Granada to upset Foothill to get a share of the league title.
Rancho Cotate 48, Maria Carrillo 21
Rancho Cotate tuned up for its meeting with NBL-Oak rival Cardinal Newman this Friday with what on the surface looks like an easy victory. But in reality, the visiting Cougars only led 24-21 at halftime before the offense scored three touchdowns in the third quarter and the defense pitched a second-half shutout.
Junior quarterback Liam Keaney continues to find his stride and had another solid outing, passing for 253 yards and one touchdown and rushing for two additional scores.
No. 13 Rancho Cotate (7-1, 3-0) very well could have junior standout Sai Vadrawale back for the Newman game. One of the top players in the Redwood Empire has missed the last three games after suffering a boxer’s break of his right hand.
“He wants to play this week but it’s up to the doctors to clear him,” Rancho Cotate head coach Gehrig Hotaling said. “It will be a game time decision.”
Tennyson 50, San Lorenzo 0
We realize it’s a lopsided outcome and a running clock in the second half but it gives us a chance to give the MVAL/WACC-Shoreline Division a little recognition by featuring its top team, No. 20 Tennyson. Taeshaun Lyons had the big plays for Tennyson (8-0, 5-0), scoring on a 50-yard TD pass and returning a punt 97 yards to the house for a second score. Next up for the Lancers is visiting American and the hosts will be huge favorites once again. Looking down the road Tennyson may be the sleeper in the Division IV playoffs.
