Monday Morning Lights: What Valley Christian coach says after close loss to Serra
Acalanes must overcome a familiar obstacle (rival Campolindo) to win the league title. Plus, more on Los Gatos’ win over Wilcox and what’s at stake throughout the region in the final week of the regular season.
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NO MORAL VICTORY FOR SERRA-VALLEY CHRISTIAN
Valley Christian coach Mike Machado was still pumped up about his team’s ability to keep up with the juggernaut on Saturday.
Serra before eventually falling 24-13.
Serra had won the previous five West Catholic Athletic League games this season by an average score of 51-8.
Serra led Valley 14-7 at halftime and 14-13 late in the third quarter on Friday.
“We went at halftime and our guys in that locker room thought they were going to win,” he said. “It was 14-7. They make an excellent team. I understand why they are who they are and what they do. We do, however, expect to compete with them every time we step onto the field.
“We’re not going to be happy if we lose.” We go into every game with the intention of playing to the best of our abilities and having a chance to win. Period.”
Serra has a 3-2 record in its last five visits to Valley, dating back to 2016. The margins of victory were 11, 7, and 7 points, respectively. The losses have been 31 and 7.
“You go back in time – with the exception of last year when we played with a 5-foot-7, 165-pound center – our games with them are always close,” Machado said. “It’s always close. “Our games always come down to late in the second half.”
Darren Sabedra *
ACALANES: CAMPOLINDO OBSTRUCTS
Acalanes is one game away from capturing its first Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division outright championship under Floyd Burnsed (2016-present). Acalanes is the only undefeated team in the DAL Foothill.
But a familiar foe stands in the way of the Lafayette school.
Campolindo has long been a thorn in Acalanes’ side, causing the Dons numerous painful defeats over the last decade. Maybe none.
stings more than last year’s 27-24 defeat in which four Acalanes played.
turnovers.
“That was crushing,” said Jack Giordianni, a senior at Acalanes. “This week, we’re going to practice hard and watch hours of film.”
Campolindo has won 14 of the last 16 meetings, including the most recent.
three. Acalanes, on the other hand, should be the favorite heading into the home game.
During this week.
The Dons have won six straight games by at least 20 points. Meanwhile,
Campolindo recently lost 45-42 to Las Lomas, the same team Acalanes plays.
On Friday, they were defeated 34-14.
Despite the fact that the Dons should have a speed advantage over Campo, Acalanes quarterback Sully Bailey anticipates another tough game.
“Every year, it’s a battle with those guys, and it’s been a long time.”
“We’ve had a rivalry since forever,” Bailey said. “We’ll have to keep our cool.”
keep your heads down and work hard to win the league.”
Acalanes finished second to Campo and Las Lomas in the Foothill championship.
- If Campo wins on Friday, the division could be decided by a three-way tie.
The same teams tie again.
Joseph Dycus*
LOS GATOS: LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP VALUING
Los Gatos’ first goal in every season, according to longtime coach Mark Krail, is to win the league.
On Friday, the Wildcats won no less than a share of another league.
championship, perfecting their two-minute offense as they
defeated host Wilcox 24-21 with a touchdown with 23.5 seconds remaining.
Los Gatos will win the championship outright if they defeat Menlo-Atherton at home on Friday.
The outright title would be the Wildcats’ fourth in a row, including the 5-0 spring season of 2021.
In the Central Coast Section, the championships have come at a cost.
playoffs as teams that finished second in the league standings to Los Gatos
were assigned to lower divisions, while the Wildcats were assigned to the top division.
bracket with the best private schools.
Los Gatos has suffered heartbreaks at the hands of Archbishop Mitty and Bellarmine the last two seasons.
Krail, however, places a premium on finishing first in league play.
“What happens after that is gravy,” he said following his victory.
Wilcox. “We could talk all night about our playoff system.” However, for a
“I am very proud of my public school.”
Darren Sabedra *
BVAL SANTA TERESA-VALLEY: CCS SPOTS ARE UP FOR GRAB
After Sobrato defeated Leigh 13-6 in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa-Valley Division, the stage is set for a dramatic finish.
Live Oak on Saturday.
First place is shared by Sobrato, Westmont, and Leigh.
Overfelt has returned to the game.
Leigh finishes the regular season at Westmont on Friday, while Overfelt hosts Sobrato.
The division is guaranteed two CCS playoff spots.
The winner of Leigh-Westmont will finish no lower than second. If Sobrato wins, it will share the championship with either Leigh or Westmont.
If Overfelt wins, the winner of Leigh-Westmont takes the championship outright, and Overfelt earns the division’s second playoff spot by winning three-way tiebreakers for second place.
Because of victories over both Westmont and Sobrato, Overfelt would win a tiebreaker.
Overfelt would also have a tiebreaker advantage over Leigh and Sobrato because it is the only one of the three to have defeated Westmont.
“Our ‘B’ league is probably one of the most competitive ‘B’ leagues in the CCS,” said Sobrato coach Joel Rueda. “Everyone is neck and neck.
Anyone can defeat anyone else. It’s a shame only two of us will make it because four of us could easily make a splash in the playoffs.”
Darren Sabedra *
WIN OR GO HOME: PROSPECT VS. DEL MAR
After nine games, Del Mar and Prospect’s playoff lives are on the line in Saratoga on Friday night. The stakes are simple: the winner will earn the BVAL West Valley’s lone CCS playoff berth, while the loser will be eliminated.
“Our guys have done a great job all season of staying focused on playing one game at a time,” Prospect coach Rick Esparza said via text message to the Bay Area News Group. “We’re overjoyed.”
for the chance to compete for the league title next week.”
Both teams are undefeated in league play. Del Mar defeated Gunderson 39-25 on Thursday, coming back from a 17-0 halftime deficit to stay on track with Prospect. To secure the victory, quarterback Andre Latimore rushed for five touchdowns in the second half.
“We’ll need four-quarters of the
Del Mar coach Robert Chapman said in a text to the Bay Area News Group, “we played well in the second half last night to beat Prospect.” “Next
This week’s game is what high school football is all about, buddy!”
Del Mar hasn’t made the playoffs since 2011, and Prospect hasn’t made the playoffs since the MaxPreps era began in 2004.
Joseph Dycus*
A LOOK AT WEEK 11
Thursday
7:15 p.m., Branham (7-2, 4-0) at Pioneer (4-5, 2-2): Branham wins the BVAL Santa Teresa-Foothill championship for the first time.
Friday
7:15 p.m., Live Oak (8-0, 4-0) at Christopher (9-0, 4-0): The teams have been on a collision course all season and will finally meet to decide the BVAL Mt. Hamilton championship.
7 p.m., Menlo Atherton (4-5, 2-2) at Los Gatos (7-2, 4-0): Los Gatos is aiming for its 25th straight league victory and a second straight league championship.
Acalanes (6-3, 5-0) at Campolindo (6-2-1, 4-1), 7 p.m.: With a win, Acalanes clinches the DAL Foothill title. A Campo victory could result in a three-way tie for first place.
San Ramon Valley (8-1, 3-0) at Monte Vista (4-5, 1-2), 7 p.m.: Monte Vista will almost certainly need to win in order to qualify for the NCS playoffs.
James Logan (5-4) vs. Moreau Catholic (5-4) at 7 p.m.: Logan wins the MVAL/WACC Foothill title for the first time. If Moreau wins, it will receive a share of the crown.
De La Salle (7-2) vs. Clayton Valley (5-4) at 7 p.m.: Could Clayton Valley’s recent hot streak end DLS’s 32-year unbeaten streak against NCS teams?
Saturday
1:30 p.m., Antioch (7-2, 3-1) vs. Pittsburg (9-0, 4-0): This season, Big Little Game is huge.Pittsburg wins the Bay Valley championship outright.
