We’ve reached the endgame now, with the regular season wrapping up this weekend and Central Coast Section playoff brackets revealed on Sunday.
And what a final weekend this is shaping up to be.
League titles and postseason berths are on the line throughout the section, while long-standing rivalries will be renewed for another thrilling chapter. Fans will lament not being able to be in multiple places at once with this jam-packed slate.
Half Moon Bay at Terra Nova, 7 p.m. Thursday
These Coastside rivals meet in Pacifica for the Skull Game, with the winner receiving a replica of a sabertooth tiger on a plaque. The Tigers have a decisive edge in the overall series, but the Cougars have won seven of the last nine meetings, including a CCS championship game in 2017.
Half Moon Bay (6-3, 3-2 PAL-Ocean) has clinched a playoff spot by virtue of a tiebreaker over Sequoia, and the Cougars are coming off a resounding home win over Hillsdale. They have overcome injury issues and a small roster to begin with, as sophomore quarterback Paxton Holden — son of head coach Keith Holden — orchestrates Half Moon Bay’s scrum offense. Luke Pimentel, Fernando Carrillo and Joedoln Flores can all gash defenses on the ground, with Will Wimsett giving the Cougars a threat out wide.
Terra Nova (7-2, 5-0 PAL-El Camino) dropped a division coming off two down years, but ran the table in the El Camino, although a September loss to Hillsdale suggests there may still be a gap between these two teams. Austin Snead (779 rushing yards, eight touchdowns) makes the Tigers’ offense go, while dual-threat quarterback Joey Donati has accounted for 19 total touchdowns and can hurt defenses with his arm and legs.
Stevenson at King City, 7:30 p.m. Thursday
This one is for all the marbles in the PCAL-Mission South as both teams come in with perfect league records. The Pirates (9-0, 4-0) have not played a single one-score game this year and are coming off a 42-3 thrashing of Everett Alvarez. Everything runs through senior quarterback Fin Mink, who has completed 74 percent of his passes for 2,407 yards with 28 touchdowns against just four interceptions. Caden Olson is over 1,000 receiving yards and has 12 touchdowns, with Grady Roth also a weapon in the receiving corps. Antonio Borgomini gives Stevenson a change of pace, with 14 rushing touchdowns and 705 yards on the ground.
The Mustangs (8-1, 4-0) have won eight straight after a Week 1 loss to North Salinas and are coming off back-to-back shutouts, giving them four on the season. They have allowed just 68 points all year, the fewest in the entire section. Workhorse running back Carson Tidwell leads the way for the CCS’ southernmost team — he rushed for 419 yards and five touchdowns against Alvarez, then had 228 yards and three more scores on just 12 carries the next week against Pacific Grove.
Sacred Heart Cathedral vs. St. Ignatius, 6 p.m. Friday
There isn’t a ton at stake other than pride in this year’s Bruce-Mahoney Game, as both teams will make the playoffs but neither will come close to winning the West Catholic Athletic League. But this game, regarded as the oldest high school rivalry on the West Coast, is always a big deal no matter the teams’ records.
The Wildcats (3-6, 2-4 WCAL) clinched a postseason spot with a win at Valley Christian last week as Caedon Afsharipour is back behind center for St. Ignatius, accounting for all three of his team’s touchdowns. Running back Luke Tribolet is a load, often requiring multiple players to take him down, and Zui Shelton is the Wildcats’ top deep threat with seven of the team’s 12 receiving touchdowns.
The Fightin’ Irish (4-5, 2-4) followed up a dramatic late win over Valley Christian with a one-point loss to Saint Francis, and have been competitive against every team in the WCAL outside of Riordan. Senior quarterback Michael Sargent has been a steady presence behind center for SHC, with the dynamic receiver duo of Chase Jenkins and Zion Secrease at his disposal. Legend Williams, owner of possibly the best name in the section, averages around 90 yards rushing per game and has five touchdowns.
Riordan at Serra, 7 p.m. Friday
It’s not every day that the WCAL comes down to a battle of two unbeaten teams to decide the title in the final week, but the Crusaders (9-0, 6-0) and Padres (6-3, 6-0) have set up such a showdown at Brady Family Stadium.
Riordan is loaded at the skill positions as it seeks its first league title in 25 years. Vanderbilt commit Michael Mitchell Jr. has been on point all year long, with 2,611 passing yards, 36 touchdowns and three interceptions. Harvard-bound Judge Nash, Oregon State commit Cynai Thomas and three-star prospect Kyle Welch give the Crusaders an embarrassment of riches out wide, and Adonyae Brown may be the section’s most physical running back, with 16 touchdowns.
Serra is likewise stacked, albeit without the same level of explosiveness. The Padres were tested with a gauntlet of a non-league schedule and survived early scares against SHC, Saint Francis and Mitty to make it this far unscathed since WCAL play began. Junior Caleb Bandel and freshman William Orr continue to split time at quarterback. Serra has the three-headed monster of Iziah Singleton, Andrew Takapautolo and Jeovanni Henley at running back, with Charlie Walsh - son of head coach Patrick Walsh - and Jace Cannon emerging as pass-catching threats. The Padres are also one of the section’s top turnover-generating teams, with Cornell James leading the way at cornerback.
Ann Sobrato at Willow Glen, 7:15 p.m. Friday
The BVAL-Santa Teresa Valley Division title comes down to this game, with both teams sporting perfect league records. The Bulldogs (6-3, 4-0) have won five straight after a slow start and have a 1,000-yard rusher in Brady Lennon and a highly accurate quarterback in Brayden Hughes, who has 11 touchdown passes against just two picks. Nearly half of his yards have come with Jacob Sorrentino on the receiving end.
The Rams (7-2, 4-0) have sailed through league play, losing to two Mount Hamilton Division teams in Lincoln and Branham to start the year and rattling off seven straight wins since. With a deep crop of skill position players, Willow Glen can always have fresh legs to support quarterback Aiden Akery, who has struggled to take care of the ball at times but is dangerous when on point. He is also a threat in the running game.
Burlingame at San Mateo, 11 a.m. Saturday
It hasn’t been long since it was fair to wonder whether the Little Big Game would ever regain its luster as a competitive rivalry, as the Panthers won 13 in a row over the Bearcats from 2010 through 2022. But San Mateo has won the last two, including a 35-10 romp in Burlingame last year, and this time the teams come in on even footing.
The Panthers (6-3, 3-1 PAL-De Anza) have resembled the walking wounded for much of the year but have shown they can win games in different ways, winning a defensive struggle against Capuchino and a shootout last week at Mountain View. Hayden Haba is still Burlingame’s leading rusher despite not having played since Week 4. Quarterback Nick Armstrong has improved as the season has progressed, with his younger brother Will Armstrong as by far his favorite target.
The Bearcats (6-3, 3-1) have perfected the triple option this year, with quarterback Lukas Fitzgerald, fullback Jovani Hernandez Cruz and halfbacks Cameron Barry and Tyce Copus all capable of breaking off chunk plays at any time. San Mateo is stout defensively as well, shutting out Capuchino last week with a defensive touchdown to boot. The Bearcats almost never throw the ball, but they can if they need to — Fitzgerald’s lone pass attempt last week went for a 70-yard touchdown.
