Prep football: Week 4 preview capsules for all Marin teams

After a month of non-league contests, the MCAL schedule finally gets underway this week with a pair of games on the slate.

The league officially kicks off on Friday night when Archie Williams travels north to face San Marin. San Rafael travels south on Saturday to face Tam in one of the more intriguing games of the season.

San Marin and San Rafael will both be looking to stay unbeaten this season. Marin Catholic and Redwood are looking to do the same, hosting Bishop O’Dowd and Enterprise, respectively, on Saturday afternoon.

Friday

Branson (1-2) at Elsie Allen (0-2): 6 p.m., Santa Rosa

Fresh off their first win of the season, the Bulls should be heavily favored to make it two in a row against an Elsie Allen team that has been outscored 119-8 this season. Branson has not played Elsie Allen in recent years. The Lobos opened the campaign with a 60-8 loss against Roseland University Prep, a program Branson defeated 90-12 last year. Branson’s win over Harker last week was spearheaded by RB Jaden Sher, who ran for 175 yards and three touchdowns.

Archie Williams (1-3, 0-0 MCAL) at San Marin (3-0, 0-0): 7 p.m., San Marin

These two programs have opened MCAL against each other both of the previous two seasons with the Mustangs winning both in blowout fashion. Last season, San Marin RBs Charlie Singleton and Jonah Lozano combined for 174 yards on 27 carries. Singleton scored three rushing touchdowns. At this time last year, San Marin boasted a balanced passing attack with four different receivers having more than 100 yards. That stat remains true this season but a true No. 1 WR has emerged in junior Wesley Timmel, who has 15 catches for 449 yards and five scores. Archie Williams is coming off its first win of the season, a 24-0 victory against Concord last week.

Novato (1-3) at Richmond (1-3): 7 p.m., Richmond

Novato travels to face a Richmond program that has just one non-forfeit victory to its credit since the start of the 2021 fall season – a 32-8 win against Burton of San Francisco three weeks ago. That recent stretch of Richmond results includes a 41-0 loss to Archie Williams in the 2021 campaign. Novato defeated Irvington in its opener and was frisky in a loss to Washington of Fremont before falling 45-6 at home against Napa last week. QB Dom Scafani has been the spark on offense for the Hornets, passing for 488 yards and running for another 376. WR Sal Carrow has emerged as Scafani’s top target, with 125 of his 272 receiving yards coming last week.

Saturday

San Rafael (3-0, 0-0) at Tam (3-1, 0-0): 2 p.m., Mill Valley

Matchups between the Bulldogs and the Red-tailed Hawks didn’t used to warrant a circling of the calendar but since last year, that has changed. Former Tam offensive coordinator Casey Sully took the head coaching job at San Rafael and a rivalry was born. Last season’s game – a 14-12 Tam victory – was played at warp speed because both Sully and Tam coach Matthew LemMon knew all of each other’s formations and play calls. Both offenses needed to run to the line and snap the ball quickly before the defense knew exactly what was coming. At season’s end, Tam finished fourth in the MCAL standings with San Rafael just behind in fifth. Tam QB Braden Young threw for 334 yards and two scores in last season’s meeting, although the San Rafael defense did come away with three interceptions. WR Andrew Gordon had a big game with seven catches for 130 yards and one touchdown.

Bishop O’Dowd (2-2) at Marin Catholic (4-0): 2 p.m., Kentfield

MC hasn’t faced off against Bishop O’Dowd since a trio of North Coast Section playoff games from 2016 to 2018. The Dragons were victorious 27-7 in the 2016 Division IV title game when MC’s offense was helmed by then-junior QB Spencer Petras. MC got a measure of revenge the following year, dumping the Dragons out in the semifinals 25-20 a week before Petras put up astronomical numbers in MC’s 59-56 title win against Cardinal Newman. Both teams were promoted to Division III in 2018 and the Dragons edged MC 16-15 in that title game. Bishop O’Dowd’s program has slipped some since those glory days, posting a 21-22 record since that D-III title win. MC has gone 48-4 in that same timeframe. The Dragons are making their second trip to Marin this season after opening with a 27-21 loss to Tam in Mill Valley.

Enterprise (4-0) at Redwood (3-0): 2:30 p.m., Larkspur

The Hornets from Redding play in the Northern Section and have made those playoffs each of the past two years, falling to league rival Chico both times. This season’s team comes into this game unbeaten behind a balanced offense that has thrown for 949 yards and rushed for 747. QB JJ Johnson has thrown for 880 yards with 15 touchdowns against four picks. He also provides a dual threat, leading the team with 403 rushing yards and another five scores. Redwood’s secondary will need to pay attention to Enterprise’s receiving duo of Porter Fischer (27 catches, 465 yards, 11 TDs) and Dominick Hernandez (17-338, 4 TDs). Redwood counters with QB Kody Vasquez who was last seen three weeks ago carving up Rancho Cotate for 239 and four passing touchdowns. The Giants sat some starters two weeks ago in a 51-0 rout against Encinal and had their bye last week.

Tomales (2-1) at Stuart Hall (2-1): 6 p.m., San Francisco

The Braves are coming off a 46-14 win against Laytonville last week but face a steep upgrade in opposition this week. Stuart Hall is one of the top eight-man teams in the NCS, having made the championship game in each of the past two seasons – losing to Branson both times. The Knights were able to take down Branson 22-20 in the regular season last year. Stuart Hall’s only loss this season came two weeks ago — 42-28 against Fresno Christian, one of the top teams in the state. Tomales QB Jonathan Semorile is coming off one of his better games, rushing for 105 yards and two scores with the bulk of that coming after RB Carlos Lara left the game with a concussion. Semorile also threw two touchdowns and had four successful two-point conversions – three through the air and one on the ground.

Healdsburg (0-3) vs. Terra Linda (2-2): 7 p.m., San Rafael HS

The Trojans are in a good spot to pick up their third win of the season when they host the Greyhounds. Healdsburg has been outscored 119-56 this season but only lost to Kennedy of Richmond 22-20 last week. The more telling result could be from two weeks ago when Healdsburg lost to Sonoma Valley 35-9. Terra Linda played Sonoma Valley last week and held a 10-point lead in the third quarter before the Dragons rallied to score the final 21 points of the game, ultimately winning 31-20. WR Jackson Scollan (four catches, 95 yards) and RB Jonah Truett (88 rushing yards, TD) were among the offensive standouts for TL last week.