Monday Morning Lights: What Valley Christian coach says after close loss to Serra
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SERRA-VALLEY CHRISTIAN: NO MORAL VICTORY
Valley Christian coach Mike Machado still had his competitive juices flowing on Saturday, one day after his team kept pace with juggernaut Serra before ultimately losing 24-13.
In five previous West Catholic Athletic League games this season, Serra won each of them by an average score of 51-8.
Friday at Valley, Serra led 14-7 at halftime and 14-13 late in the third quarter.
“We went at halftime and our guys in that locker room thought they were going to win,” Machado said. “It was 14-7. They’re a good team. I know exactly why they are what they are and they do what they do. But we expect to compete with them every time we walk on the field.
“We’re not going to be happy about a loss. We go into every game with the intent of playing to the best of our ability and having a chance to come out with a victory. Period.”
Serra is 3-2 in its past five trips to Valley dating to 2016. The wins have been by 11, seven and seven points. The losses have been by 31 and seven.
“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. “Our games always come down to late in the second half.”
— Darren Sabedra
ACALANES: CAMPOLINDO STANDS IN THE WAY
Acalanes is one game from winning its first Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division title of the Floyd Burnsed era (2016 to present). Acalanes is 5-0 in the DAL Foothill, the only undefeated team left.
But a familiar foe stands in the Lafayette school’s way.
Campolindo has long been a thorn in Acalanes’ side and has handed the Dons a number of painful losses over the past decade. Perhaps none stung more than last year’s 27-24 defeat that featured four Acalanes turnovers.
“That was crushing,” Acalanes senior Jack Giordianni said. “This week, we’re going to practice hard and watch hours of film.”
Campolindo has won 14 of the past 16 matchups, including the past three. However, Acalanes should be the favorite going into the home game this week.
The Dons have won six in a row, all by at least 20 points. Meanwhile, Campolindo recently lost to Las Lomas 45-42, the same team Acalanes dispatched 34-14 on Friday.
Though the Dons should have the speed advantage over Campo, Acalanes quarterback Sully Bailey expects another tough game.
“Every year, it’s a battle against those guys, and it’s been a rivalry since forever,” Bailey said. “We’re going to have to keep our heads down and keep working to secure that league title.”
— Joseph Dycus
LOS GATOS: VALUING LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Under longtime coach Mark Krail, the first goal of every season for Los Gatos is the same: Win league.
Friday, the Wildcats captured no worse than a share of another league championship, running their two-minute offense to perfection as they scored a touchdown with 23.5 seconds left to beat host Wilcox 24-21.
Los Gatos will win the title outright with a victory at home on Friday against Menlo-Atherton.
The outright title would be the Wildcats’ fourth in a row, including the spring 2021 season in which they went 5-0.
The championships have come at a price in the Central Coast Section playoffs as teams that finished behind Los Gatos in the league standings were placed in lower divisions while the Wildcats landed in the top bracket with the best private schools.
Los Gatos lost heartbreakers to Archbishop Mitty and Bellarmine the past two seasons.
Still, Krail values finishing first in league play.
“What happens after that is gravy,” he said after the victory over Wilcox. “Our playoff system, we can talk all night about that. But for a public school, I am pretty darn proud.”
— Darren Sabedra
BVAL SANTA TERESA-VALLEY: CCS SPOTS ON THE LINE
The stage is set for a dramatic finish in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa-Valley Division after Sobrato beat Leigh 13-6 on Saturday at Live Oak.
Sobrato, Westmont and Leigh are tied for first place.
Overfelt is a game back.
Friday, Leigh closes out the regular season at Westmont and Overfelt plays host to Sobrato.
The division has two automatic spots into the CCS playoffs.
Sobrato, Westmont and Leigh don’t need help. Win and they’re in. Overfelt must beat Sobrato and hope that Leigh defeats Westmont.
Overfelt holds the tiebreaker over Westmont by virtue of its win over the Warriors on Oct. 13. Leigh beat Overfelt on Oct. 20.
“Our ‘B’ league is probably one of the most competitive ‘B’ leagues in the CCS,” Sobrato coach Joel Rueda said. “We’re all neck-and-neck. Anyone can beat anyone. It’s unfortunate that only two of us will get in because four of us could easily make some noise in the playoffs.”
– Darren Sabedra
PROSPECT VS. DEL MAR: WIN OR GO HOME
After nine games, Del Mar and Prospect’s playoff lives hinge on Friday night’s showdown in Saratoga. The stakes are simple: the winner will claim the BVAL West Valley’s only CCS playoff berth, and the loser will miss the playoffs.
“Our guys have done a great job all season of staying focused on playing one game at a time,” Prospect coach Rick Esparza told the Bay Area News Group via text. “We’re very excited for the opportunity to compete for a league championship next week.”
Both teams are 6-0 in league play. Del Mar defeated Gunderson 39-25 on Thursday, overcoming a 17-0 halftime deficit to keep pace with Prospect. Quarterback Andre Latimore rushed for five second-half touchdowns to secure the win.
“We’re going to need 4 quarters of the way we played in the 2nd half last night to beat Prospect,” Del Mar coach Robert Chapman said in a text to the Bay Area News Group. “Next week’s game is what HS football is all about buddy!”
Del Mar has not made the playoffs since 2011, and Prospect has not reached the postseason in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present).
— Joseph Dycus
PEEK AHEAD TO WEEK 11
Thursday
Branham (7-2, 4-0) at Pioneer (4-5, 2-2), 7:15 p.m.: Branham wins the outright BVAL Santa Teresa-Foothill title with a win.
Friday
Live Oak (8-0, 4-0) at Christopher (9-0, 4-0), 7:15 p.m.: On a collision course all season, the teams finally meet to decide the BVAL Mt. Hamilton championship.
Menlo Atherton (4-5, 2-2) at Los Gatos (7-2, 4-0), 7 p.m.: Los Gatos seeking its 25th consecutive win in league play and another outright title.
Campolindo (6-2-1, 4-1) at Acalanes (6-3, 5-0), 7 p.m.: Acalanes has the DAL Foothill title to itself with a win. A Campo victory could force a three-way tie for first.
Monte Vista (4-5, 1-2) at San Ramon Valley (8-1, 3-0), 7 p.m.: Monte Vista probably needs to win for any shot at NCS playoffs.
James Logan (5-4, 4-0) at Moreau Catholic (5-4, 3-1), 7 p.m.: Logan wins outright MVAL/WACC Foothill title with a victory. Moreau grabs a piece of the crown if it wins.
Clayton Valley (5-4) at De La Salle (7-2), 7 p.m.: Could suddenly hot Clayton Valley pose a threat to DLS’s 32-year unbeaten streak against NCS teams?
Saturday
Antioch (7-2, 3-1) at Pittsburg (9-0, 4-0), 1:30 p.m.: Big Little Game is big this season. Pittsburg wins Bay Valley title outright with a victory.
— Darren Sabedra