Accurate high school QBs throw strikes all around the bay
Accurate high school QBs throw strikes all around the bay
The old Woody Hayes quote that “three things can happen when you pass and two are bad,” has been intercepted and buried in a nearby end zone.
Heading into the final week of the regular season, the touchdown-to-interception ratio of many of the region’s top teams has led coaches to believe there is greater risk of fumbling an exchange than passing in heavy traffic.
Jack Newman (Analy-Sebastopol), 35 touchdowns, 1 interception; Jake Simmons (Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park), 35-4; Jake Haener (Monte Vista-Danville), 27-4; Clark Baker (San Ramon Valley-Danville), 29-4 and Jonathan Pierce (Freedom-Oakley), 26-2.
The combined record of their five teams is 40-5.
Player of the Year nominations:
All five of those quarterbacks should be considered in the Metro Area POY mix, though Monte Vista and Freedom might have even stronger candidates than their QBs.
Freedom running back Ronnie Rivers has rushed for 1,606 yards and 25 touchdowns including 157 and two TDs in a thrilling 41-38 win over previous No. 3 Pittsburg on Friday.
Monte Vista linebacker and tight end Nate Landman, a Colorado commit, is the team’s leading tackler and has 25 catches for 415 yards and three scores.
Among others with strong credentials are Antioch running back Najee Harris (1,932 yards, 24 TDs), Redwood-Larkspur running back Nick Calzaretta (1,910, 31), Menlo-Atherton running back Jordan Mims (1,259, 16), Mission quarterback Niamey Harris, Moreau Catholic-Hayward running back Jullen Ison, Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa quarterback Jordan Brookshire, St. Francis cornerback-receiver Bennett Williams (six interceptions) and Kennedy-Richmond linebacker Ryan “Juice” Robinson (22 sacks).
Kennedy-Richmond’s landmark football season continued Friday with a 31-6 victory over De Anza-Richmond to clinch the TCAL-Stone Division title, its first crown of any kind since 1988.
Junior quarterback Micah Barnes threw three touchdown passes to different receivers and the Devin Holmes had three sacks and returned a fumble for a touchdown as the Eagles improved to 8-1.
NCS Open picture:
Pittsburg’s loss Friday could easily knock the Pirates out of the new North Coast Section Open Division race, which would then eliminate them from the regional playoffs.
Freedom clinched a co-BVAL title and the automatic playoff berth.
Pittsburg, which travels to No. 14 Antioch on Saturday, will be up against De La Salle-Concord, Monte Vista and Clayton Valley-Concord to determine the three other Open berths.
Monte Vista travels to De La Salle and Clayton Valley hosts Campolindo-Moraga on Friday.
Campolindo got three touchdown runs from Branden Bocobo and two long scoring passes from Jacob Westphal to Vincent Mossotti in a 42-7 win over Acalanes on Friday.
After dropping two of its first four, Campolindo has won five straight by a 206-44 count.
Clayton Valley has won eight straight by a combined score of 335-49.
Even though Monte Vista clinched the EBAL title with a 33-20 win over San Ramon Valley on Friday, De La Salle actually gets the automatic league bid into the NCS playoffs based on a 2013 agreement between the league and school.
DLS is a member of the EBAL but plays an independent schedule.
Only league champions host unless two non-league champions play.
WCAL breakdown:
With St. Francis’ 13-10 overtime win over Valley Christian Friday, a three-way tie for the West Catholic Athletic League title is highly possible.
Valley Christian plays Sacred Heart Cathedral (1-5) at Kezar Stadium and St. Francis hosts St. Ignatius (2-4) on Friday and Serra hosts Bellarmine (4-2) on Saturday.
If that occurs, the three will be deemed co-champions and enter the Central Coast Section Open 1 playoffs.
Mitch Stephens is a senior writer at MaxPreps.com.
Chronicle top 25 football
REC.
LR
De La Salle
Monte Vista
Freedom
Cardinal Newman
Antioch
Marin Catholic
Rancho Cotate
Inside the rankings
Two huge Friday results featuring four of the top seven teams affected this week’s Chronicle Top 25 rankings.
Freedom’s 41-38 win over Pittsburg vaulted the previous seventh-ranked Falcons all the way to the third spot, replacing the Pirates, who dropped two spots to No. 5.
St. Francis’ 13-10 overtime win at Valley Christian kept the Lancers at No. 6, but dropped Valley Christian from No. 5 to 7.
The six teams that hold down the second through seventh slots are remarkably close.
With a matchup of the top two teams this week — No. 2 Monte Vista at No. 1 De La Salle — there should be some more movement next week.
Teams on the bubble this week: