Monday Morning Lights: What to know as Bay Area’s high school football season kicks off
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What to like about prep football? Writers share thoughts
High school football is beloved for highlight-reel touchdowns and jaw-dropping feats of youthful athleticism.
But for players, families, school officials and passionate fans who make the games special, the sport is much more than what unfolds on the field.
It’s special for our writers, too.
Here are their thoughts as the season begins this weekend for Bay Area teams:
Joseph Dycus: As a Bay Area newcomer, high school football has been more than just a job since my move from Tennessee two summers ago. It has become my way of learning all about the region’s unique charms. One week, I’m on Broadway in Oakland. The next, I might be in the heart of Silicon Valley, or somewhere on the Peninsula. I’ve had an opportunity to meet wonderful folks from Pittsburg down to Gilroy, from Livermore over to San Francisco and everywhere in between. All because of Friday night lights. So cheers to two years of covering prep football, and here’s to many more.
Nathan Canilao: High school football will always have a special place in my heart. As an alumni of Livermore’s Granada High School, I still remember the feeling of excitement I had when Amador Valley, Foothill or Livermore came to campus for a big matchup. Most of all, I’ll never forget the sense of community high school football brought to my life. There was nothing like cheering on my friends on the field and celebrating all the big wins with people I’ve known since I was a kid. I couldn’t be more excited for my first season of covering high school football in the region where I spent many Friday nights as a fan in the stands.
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Christian Babcock: There’s nothing like the emotion of high school football. One memory that stands out came in 2012, when a 1-5 Westmont team led by my future AP Gov teacher Eric Buran beat then-league leaders Silver Creek 39-0 on homecoming. It was the first of five consecutive wins for Westmont. That’s a personal memory. But high school football is special everywhere. You never know what you’re going to get. When I was in Minnesota, Bemidji High School led Alexandria 35-21 with less than five minutes left. Alexandria scored three touchdowns in 2:48 to win the game. The very next year, it happened again. Bemidji led Alexandria 38-14 in the fourth quarter, but Alexandria came back and won 41-38 with a walk-off field goal. High school football is an inimitable cocktail of passion, grit and unpredictability that can’t be found anywhere else in sports.
El Cerrito: Transfer cleared for Week 1
In the El Cerrito locker room, there is no doubt who will be the Gauchos’ starting quarterback in the season opener on Friday against Amador Valley.
Fresno State commit and James Logan transfer Jonathan Craft will be under center, according to El Cerrito coach Jacob Rincon, as the East Bay school begins its quest to return to the state playoffs for a third consecutive year.
Rincon told the Bay Area News Group on Friday that Craft will not have to sit out any games after transferring, setting up a prolific quarterback matchup against Amador Valley quarterback Tristan Ti’a.
Craft was a first-team all-league selection last season after throwing for 1,711 yards and 21 touchdowns. The three-star recruit showed off his arm talent during a scrimmage at Pittsburg on Friday, throwing multiple touchdown passes while showing his ability to stay poised in the pocket.
“He’s a special kid,” Rincon said. “He brings great leadership, extremely athletic. He obviously has the arm talent. It’s just an honor to be able to have him with the team.”
— Nathan Canilao
Santa Teresa: Lights (back) on
A few weeks ago, Santa Teresa thought it might have to play its entire home football season during the day after thieves ransacked the Saints’ football stadium and disabled its stadium lights. But the news has taken a significant turn for the better since then.
Santa Teresa coach Steve Papin told Bay Area News Group on Friday that the lights have been repaired and are full go for the Saints’ opener on Thursday against Fremont-Sunnyvale. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:15 p.m.
“They got the lights back on,” Papin said. “I want to say it was Wednesday that week that (the contractors) went out. They came out, and it wasn’t as bad as we thought. We thought they took all the wire. They took one side, but then they just cut the other ones.”
Papin noted that Archbishop Mitty donated 10 helmets to help replace those that were stolen. Scotts Valley and Bellarmine also offered aid. A GoFundMe set up by Santa Teresa football parents had raised $7,365 as of Friday night.
— Christian Babcock
Piedmont Hills: Ace pitcher could be star QB
Piedmont Hills is poised to contend for a Santa Teresa-Foothill title this year, and the Pirates look to have the personnel to do it, starting with a two-sport star.
It begins with junior quarterback Toby Torres, who will be leading the Pirates’ varsity for the first time this season after starring on the JV.
Torres was also a standout pitcher on the Pirates’ league champion baseball team, sporting a 0.17 ERA and going 5-0 while striking out 71 batters in 41.1 innings.
Torres “has a strong arm along with rapidly developing football intelligence,” said PH coach Matt Kiesle. “His development has been fantastic. He should thrive in our passing-friendly offense, and he will allow us to go back to some things that help make our program successful.”
— Christian Babcock
Pittsburg: Ballyhooed seniors set for swansong
Pittsburg’s Class of 2025 has been hyped up since they were freshmen. Over the past three years, they have helped lead the Pirates to three consecutive North Coast Section Division I titles.
But for UCLA-bound stars Jadyn Hudson and Juju Walls, and quarterback Marley Alcantara, state championship hardware remains absent from their crowded trophy case. From the school halls to the local grocery store, Hudson said he and the team hear the same question about winning state.
While the two future Bruins and Alcantara have college football futures, the same cannot be said for all of their teammates. That added extra – but welcome – focus when the team prepared for the upcoming season.
“We’ve all been looking at it differently, because we know that for some of us, this could be our last year playing football,” Hudson said. “So let’s go out with a bang.“
— Joseph Dycus
Oakland High: Area’s first game — and win
Oakland became the first team from the Bay Area to win a football game this season. While others wait until this week to start, the Wildcats went to Kern Valley and triumphed 20-14.
Lenox Colvin threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns, and Ymer Belvine and Malachi Sanchez each caught a TD. Sanchez later scored the winning touchdown on a 67-yard kick return touchdown.
Yasser Jackson and the defense closed it out from there, with Jackson picking off two passes and forcing a fumble. Alhaji Othman and Mark Montgomery each had a sack.
“A tough, hard-fought game,” Oakland coach Tee Hendrix told BANG on Friday night.
— Joseph Dycus
Peek ahead to Week 1
Friday
Serra (0-0) at Folsom (1-0), 7:30 p.m.: Serra, coming off three consecutive CIF Open Division championship appearances, travels to Sacramento-area powerhouse Folsom to play arguably NorCal’s best team.
Archbishop Riordan (0-0) at McClymonds (0-0), 7 p.m.: San Francisco’s best team travels to the Mackhouse to play the Oakland Athletic League’s perennial champion.
Valley Christian (0-0) at Wilcox (0-0), 7 p.m.: Valley Christian started last season with a win over visiting Wilcox. Will the Warriors have the same result in Santa Clara?
St. Francis (0-0) at Helix-La Mesa (0-1), 7 p.m.: This is a rematch of last year’s season opener for St. Francis, which Helix won 45-21. Helix lost its 2024 season opener over the weekend to El Camino-Oceanside 49-20.
Grant-Sacramento (1-0) at De La Salle (0-0), 7:30 p.m.: De La Salle (I-AA) and Grant (2-AA) were state runners-up last season.
— Joseph Dycus