Article 433: Mitty moves onto semi-finals

3/13/2016

Mitty was able to rally several times to force the game into an overtime session against Whitney that the Monarchs dominated to win 63-56 in the second round of the Division II NorCal playoffs.

The Monarchs jumped out to a 19-12 advantage in the first quarter as sophomore Riley Grigsby made three 3-point shots. The Wildcats roared back in the second quarter with accurate shooting and pressing defense to lead 34-29 at the half. Each team made six 3-point shots in the half but Whitney had ten free throw attempts, eight more than the Monarchs.

The game was tied at 34 early in the third quarter but the Wildcats pulled ahead 44-38 towards the end by taking advantage of their height and Mitty’s foul trouble in the interior. Whitney had leads of 51-46 (3:23 left) and 53-50 (0:33 left) but missed on a double bonus that led to a Riley Grigsby 3-point tying shot. In overtime, Whitney played tight by missing several looks in the paint while Mitty was more fluid in winning 63-56.

Mitty never looked flustered and played to their strengths that included their wing players, Grigsby and Kyle Peterson, and post players, Mike Diaz and Nick Labruna. The Monarchs return their top three scorers in the game next season (Grigsby 28 points, Peterson 10 points, and Diaz 8 points). Mitty goes to 15-13 and advances to the regional semifinals.

Whitney led most of the game after midway through the second quarter. The Wildcats played more aggressively by getting the Monarchs into foul trouble. However, Whitney shot 13-of-23 from the line while the Monarchs were 8-of-14 in free throws. The Wildcats missed several free throws in the second half of the final quarter. In the overtime session, Whitney played tight and mustered only three points. The Wildcats finish the season 25-7 and return several productive guards for next season.

The Monarchs face El Cerrito in the next round with a battle of the wings, Grigsby against Montana commit Sayeed Pridgett. Both teams came into this season with high hopes but each has 13 losses. The winner gets to face the survivor of Serra and Antelope.

Player of Note:
Riley Grigsby 6-foot-5 Wing Archbishop Mitty (2018): Grigsby had a game high 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting including seven 3-point shots. The sophomore had several timely shots that pulled the Monarchs back into the game. Grigsby has good length and versatility to play the wing position.

Article 432: Castro Valley gets road win

3/10/2016

Since the NCAA Men’s Division I tournament went to the 64 team format in 1985, the 8 vs 9 game has been the most evenly opening round matchup with the eight-seed winning 53.4 percent of the games. On Wednesday evening, No. 8 Piedmont Hills did not follow that trend and lost to No. 9 Castro Valley 56-54. The Trojans move on to play top seed Bellarmine on Saturday in the second round of the Division I bracket.

Both teams started the game hot from the perimeter as Castro Valley and Piedmont Hills made five and three 3-point goals respectively in the first quarter. But the Trojans used their size and athleticism to take a 23-13 advantage at the end of the quarter. The teams went cold in the second quarter as neither made a perimeter shot. The Pirates used their scrappiness to cut the deficit to 33-25 at the half.

Piedmont Hills trailed by double digits for the first part of the third quarter before heating up from the perimeter to trail 44-42. In the final quarter, the Pirates came as close as one point. Castro Valley’s shaky free throw shooting gave the Trojans the eventual 56-54 score as Piedmont Hills’ last possession half court shot did hit the board and rim.

Castro Valley’s starting five has four players 6-foot-3 and taller who are of the athletic guard or wing types. The team’s rotation does not have true post size but was much bigger than the Piedmont Hills program that was undersized with 6-foot-1 being their tallest player in the rotation. The Trojans won in rebounding, block shots, and in free throw attempts but the Pirates were more accurate in their perimeter shooting and more aggressive in the dribble drives to the basket.

Piedmont Hills end the season at 21-7 but did win the CCS Division I title. Castro Valley goes to 19-11 and faces the 19-8 Bells in San Jose. The Trojans will need to use their versatility and athleticism to keep it close with Bellarmine.

Player of Note:
Daniel Bessolo 6-foot-5 SF Castro Valley (2017): The junior was tallest player in either starting rotation as he led the Trojans in rebounding and block shots during the season. Bessolo’s skills are varied as he had three key block shots to prevent easy layups, had several rebounds including a few offensive ones, and made a nice mid-air put back. He scored 14 points but contributed in all facets of the game.

Article 431: WCAL sweeps CCS Open Division

2/27/2016

The public schools gave a valiant effort but were overwhelmed in the end by their private West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL) opponents in the opening round of the bottom half of the Central Coast Section Open Division bracket. Santa Cruz led most of their battle with St. Francis but ran out of gas in overtime to lose 68-58 in the opening game at Piedmont Hills. Menlo-Atherton from the Peninsula South League kept it close with WCAL opponent Archbishop Mitty but ended up losing 47-42.

The eight seed Santa Cruz from the Santa Cruz Coast League rushed out to a 19-9 first quarter lead on accurate perimeter shooting. St. Francis caused many turnovers but could not convert nor make a perimeter shot. The top-seeded Lancer offense settled down in the second quarter as they hit two 3-point shots to trail 30-23 at the half.

The Lancers worked all the way back to a 41-39 advantage at the 1:40 mark in the third quarter before the quarter ended at 41-41. Despite being shorter and having less depth, Santa Cruz was on the verge of winning as the Cardinals led 56-51 with 57 seconds left. The Lancers made a timely 3-point shot and then converted on a layup on a turnover from the following in-bounds. The teams exchanged one free throw and exchanged turnovers with Santa Cruz getting blocked on a breakaway to end regulation at 57-57. Without any interior offense and no longer making their perimeter shots, Santa Cruz got blitzed in the four minute overtime session to lose 68-58.

Both Menlo-Atherton and Archbishop Mitty were evenly matched up in terms of size and depth. The first quarter was a 12-12 tie while the Bears were able to take a 24-22 lead at the half. Menlo-Atherton scored half their points on four 3-point shots while Riley Grigsby accounted for 12 points for the Monarchs.

Menlo-Atherton kept shooting from the perimeter but only made one more 3-point shot in the second half. Despite this, the Bears led 35-34 after the third quarter but the lack of offense caught up to them in the fourth quarter as Mitty lived at the free throw line as the Monarchs had 23 attempts compared to nine for the Bears in the game. The contest was still tied 38-38 midway in the final quarter before the Monarchs pulled away 47-42.

Players of Note:

Curtis Witt 6-foot-3 PG St Francis (2016): Witt was a stabilizing factor on the offense as he scored 23 points on 8-of-14 shooting including three 3-point shots. His perimeter game gave him several driving opportunities. The Lancer frontcourt was bailed out by the guard play, especially from Witt.

Kaijae Yee-Stephens 6-foot-2 G Santa Cruz (2016): In a losing effort, Yee-Stephens led all scorers with 26 points on 10-of-27 shooting as the Cardinals had eight total points from their front court. The Lancer defense keyed on the perimeter, which caused Yee-Stephens to put up several contested shots. He has a quick release and suspends well mid-air to create some shooting space.

Riley Grigsby 6-foot-5 Wing Archbishop Mitty (2018): With Ben Kone injured, Grigsby was the offensive focal point for the Monarchs. He has a nice high perimeter release while having good length to get to the basket quickly. He had 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting with two 3-point shots.

Nick Labruna 6-foot-5 PF Archbishop Mitty (2016): The brawny forward played to his strength, which was staying in the post and making contact. The senior led all scores with 15 points on 3-of-5 shooting including nine free throws.

Blake Henry 6-foot-7 PF Menlo-Atherton (2016): Henry led the Bears with 13 points on 6-of-12 shooting but took a few ill-advised perimeter shots when he was the biggest post player for Menlo-Atherton. With Kone out, Henry had the height advantage in the post and was able to convert on a few nice post moves but could have taken advantage more times.

Next up:

Mitty will try to avenge the two losses against St. Francis from the regular season, 62-60 and 67-55. The Lancers have the size and depth advantage against the Monarchs. The Monarch backcourt will have their hands full on both ends.

Both Bellarmine and Serra, WCAL members as well, also advanced in the upper half of the Open Division bracket. Serra won both meetings during the regular season.

Both games will be on Tuesday starting at 5:30 PM at Independence High School.

Article 430: Fadal running wild with Mustangs

1/24/2016

Since Nick Jones took over Monte Vista in 2012-2013, the program has had season win totals of 20, 32, and 27. In the current 2015-2016 season, the Mustangs are 14-3 and look to be on pace with the previous seasons’ win totals. A big reason for this year’s success has been the play of transfer combination guard, Austin Fadal.

The former Dougherty Valley standout transferred to Monte Vista as his family moved to Danville during the summer. Jones said about the transition period, “Austin has transitioned very well into Monte Vista. I still think that everybody is learning how to play together and his teammates are learning his strengths and he is learning theirs as well. He had to play point guard early in the season (he has never played PG before) due to injuries and that was an adjustment for him but things on our team have resolved themselves and he is only playing the point about half the game now.”

As a junior, Fadal has been averaging 17 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals while making 50 percent of his 3-point shots (33-of-66 shooting). Six of the Mustang victories have been by more than nineteen points. As a result, player minutes are spread out more evenly through both the first and second rotations.

Jones had a successful stint at Castro Valley High where he developed several college level prospects. Talking about Fadal’s abilities, Jones said, “Austin really has knack for scoring. He has a tremendous first step and can really get to the rim. He has been a consistent 3-point shooter as well.”

This year’s East Bay Athletic League (EBAL) may be a two team race between Monte Vista and De La Salle. As Fadal gels with his teammates, Jones wants to see his junior improve in certain areas as well. “We are pushing him everyday in practice to become an outstanding defender, both on-ball and off the ball. I think he has the skill set to be an excellent defender who is getting 3-5 steals a game.”

During the summer, Fadal will continue to play with Team Superstar in the Under Armour Association. Fadal felt that his previous summer helped him improve most in his ball handling, shooting accuracy, explosiveness to the basket, shooting off the dribble, and playing the combo guard position. Fadal currently sports a 3.20 GPA.

The programs that are either in contact with him or have seen him in open gym practices include Montana, Nevada, San Jose State, St. Mary’s, UC Irvine, San Francisco, and Weber State. Aside from his AAU and high school basketball involvement, Fadal trains with Teohn Conner and Kelvin “KP” Potts.

The 2014-2015 EBAL regular season ended with Monte Vista and De La Salle tied at 12-2 while San Ramon Valley was 11-3. The 2013-2014 EBAL regular season had Monte Vista at the top at 13-1 while De La Salle and San Ramon Valley were 11-3. Expect the current EBAL season to be a wild scramble to the top as Fadal runs wild with the Mustangs in Danville.

Article 429: St. Francis closes out Serra

1/9/2016

The top two teams in the 2014-2015 season in the West Catholic Athletic League squared off for their second league game on Friday evening. The crowd was a ruckus in Mountain View with the Lancers winning 54-52.

Early foul trouble kept Serra sophomore Jack Wilson on the bench. Three 3-point makes gave the Padres a 13-11 first quarter lead. St. Francis benefited from being aggressive and was in the penalty early in the second quarter. The Lancers made nine free throws while Serra had no free throw makes in the first half. A half court heave by the Lancers’ Curtis Witt narrowed Serra’s first half advantage to 28-26.

Both Lancer senior Peter Hewitt and Wilson picked up their third foul early in the third quarter but Serra had a game high 38-30 lead before leading 40-37 after three quarters. Serra made their first free throw at the 7:35 mark in the fourth quarter while Wilson picked up his fourth and fifth fouls around the midway point. The Padres tied the game at 52-52 at the 1:00 mark with a made 3-point shot that could have been a 4-pt play. The Lancers’ final possession had a few missed opportunities but ended with a Hewitt two-handed slam and the eventual final 54-52 score with ten seconds left. Serra could not capitalize on three opportunities in those final ten seconds to tie the score.

Going into the game, the interior players highlighted each team, but Serra scored 39 of their 52 points from their guards while the Lancers’ leading scorers were guards Curtis Witt (13 points) and Logan Johnson (12 points). The battle of post prospects was won by St Francis as Hewitt made the game-winning dunk, had six points, and stifled Wilson to just two points.

At 9-1, the Lancers should be the team to beat in WCAL play as St. Francis has the deepest roster. St. Francis plays Folsom in the Father Kelly Tribute and can see if their size advantage is enough to overcome Folsom’s talented backcourt. The Padres drop to 9-3 but look like a contender with their tenacious guard play and potential in the post.

Players of Note:
Logan Johnson 6-foot-2 PG St Francis (2018): The sophomore was efficient with his 12 points (5-of-6 shooting). He plays in control, is laterally quick, and drives aggressively to the basket. Johnson’s older brother, Tyler, played for the Lancers (2010), Fresno State (2014), and now plays for the Miami Heat.

Peter Hewitt 6-foot-10 Post St Francis (2016): The senior’s scoring numbers for the first two WCAL games totaled only 11 points, but the UC Davis signee had the game-starting dunk against Archbishop Riordan and had the game-ending dunk against Serra. Hewitt also flustered Wilson with two early block shots and helped draw fouls against the opposing post.

Jeremiah Testa 6-foot-2 G Serra (2016): Testa led the game with four 3-point shots and scored 18 points on 7-of-10 overall shooting. If left open, Testa has an accurate perimeter shot. The senior has the ability to score in bunches both from inside and outside.

Lee Jones 5-foot-10 G Serra (2016): Jones had 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting in addition to a team high seven assists. The senior is a good floor general who can also create his own shot. Combined with Testa, the Padres backcourt is senior-laden, mature, and versatile.

Article 428: Mitty extends streak

1/6/2016

In the 2008-2009 season, Sacred Heart Cathedral won all three meetings with Archbishop Mitty. Since then, the Monarchs have reeled off 17 straight wins over their league counterpart with a 55-50 win on Tuesday.

The game started out offensively stagnant for both teams but the Monarchs converted in the paint and limited turnovers to take a 15-7 first quarter advantage. The Irish continued their turnover ways in the second quarter but timely 3-point shooting narrowed the halftime deficit to 28-24.

The Monarchs inability to convert on turnovers and free throws allowed Sacred Heart to take an early 29-28 third quarter lead. Alfred Hollins picked up his fourth foul and Mitty took a 39-35 lead at the end of the quarter. The Irish would get as close as 46-44 with less than three minutes left in the game but faltered in the end to lose 55-50. Both teams entered the game around the .500 level as Mitty moves to 6-5 while the Irish drop to 5-5.

Mitty’s forwards and center accounted for 44 of the 55 total points. Guard play and free throw shooting (9-of-23) will be the wildcards in terms of how successful the Monarchs are in league play. Ben Kone and Riley Grigsby form an effective and efficient one-two punch.

Sacred Heart’s offense runs through Hollins as his fourth foul was at a critical juncture of the game. The Irish have athletes on the floor but committed too many careless turnovers. Sacred Heart needs to find other scorers and take care of the ball better to challenge for league.

Players of Note:
Riley Grigsby 6-foot-5 SF Archbishop Mitty (2018): The sophomore played efficiently as he scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting. Grigsby lets the game come to him but would benefit from being more aggressive in looking for his offense. According to him, Utah is the lone school that has made contact with him.

Ben Kone 6-foot-8 PF Archbishop Mitty (2016): The Oregon State commit had 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting and was effective on defense in the paint. His mid-range game was not working but he was effective when he went strong to the basket.

Alfred Hollins 6-foot-6 SF Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): Hollins led all scores with 19 points. He smoothly steps into his 3-point shooting motion as he hit back-to-back shots in the second quarter. The junior is aggressive in his offense and is an active body on defense.

Ramzi Carter 6-foot-6 PF Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): The junior had six points and was the main defensive presence in the post. Carter had a nice left-handed move in the paint to score but he will need to develop his perimeter offense more. Carter currently does not have enough height or size to be an effective post player on the next level.

Romello Dunbar 5-foot-8 PG Sacred Heart Cathedral (2017): The undersized guard had nine points as he could create his own space and offense. Dunbar played frenetically on both sides and could be disruptive when pressing the opposing guards.

Article 427: Bibb leads Salesian Pride

1/5/2016

Salesian has nine underclassmen on their roster of twelve. Despite the youth, the Pride have started the season 9-4 and are ranked No. 15 in NorCal.

One of the underclassmen making his mark is Jamario Bibb, the No. 8 player in the 2018 Top 20. Bibb is a long, athletic wing that will be the focal point on Salesian for years to come.

For a Salesian team that has its tallest player listed at 6-foot-5, the 6-foot-4 Bibb is expected to help with post defense and rebounding even though his natural position will be at wing or shooting guard on the next level. During the summer, the sophomore played for the Team Superstars 15U program. Bibb plays with a high motor, is always in attack mode, and competes at a high level.

Team Superstars 15U Coach Grady Dodson says, “Jamario plays bigger than he is. Slashes to the bucket with force. He loves to rebound and block shots. Jamario is an animal on the court. High motor for playing (helps that he plays football). He fears no one. He is a proven leader on and off the court.”

Team Superstar 15U ended their AAU season with a 30-4 record beating the Oakland Soldiers 15U team twice (once for the Memorial Day Championship) and Earl Watson 15U (fellow Under Armour Team) as well as another 20 plus teams while capturing three of the six championships that the team played during the past summer.

Without a doubt, the summer team was led by Bibb. The Salesian prospect already has high interest from several schools including Boise State, Cal, and Nevada while San Jose State has offered.

As a local prospect, Bibb will initially get interest from the Big West, Mountain West, and West Coast (WCC) conference teams. As he matures and grows his body and skill set, he will garner more Pac 12 and even national interest.

The Pride finished 19-11 overall and 5-5 in league play last year. Salesian is the lone team from the Tri County Rock League ranked in the current NCP Top 20 rankings. Look for the Pride to challenge for league with Bibb in Richmond, Calif.

Article 426: Langford leading the Pride back

December 2, 2015

After seven straight 20 plus win seasons, Salesian fell back to earth with a 19-11 record last season. The Pride lost two seniors from that squad but return a plethora of talented underclassmen including sophomore Derrick Langford.

The 6-foot-2 combination guard has room to grow as he plays similarly to former Ohio State Buckeye D'Angelo Russell. Langford is a floor general who facilitates for his teammates but has the ability to score with his dribble. During the past summer, Langford was travelling with Team Superstar 15U on the Under Armour circuit.

Team Superstar Coach Kellan Carter says, "Derrick's best strength is scoring. He is very shifty with his dribble and attacks the basket very well. Also has a great shooting touch. Made seven 3s in one game this summer. On the court, he is very poised. He is a very good teammate and I always could count on him to get the team back on the right track. Whether we needed a basket or somebody to make a play, he stepped up."

By all accounts, Langford is a humble and easygoing type of student. He considers math to be his subject and wants to major in Sports Science. He is looking for a program that can help him maximize his playing abilities while winning some games.

The schools that have expressed interest in Langford have primarily been on the west coast in the Pac-12, Big West, Mountain West, and WCC conferences. The Salesian program has produced several Division I level prospects recently including guards like Mario Dunn (Montana) and Markel Leonard (Cal Poly, Lewis and Clark).

Coach Carter has high hopes for Langford, "At the next level, I think he will become a great PG. His size is very good for the position and his decision making improved greatly over the summer. He will be a great play maker and a great leader. Derrick was by far my most consistent player this summer. His recruiting should sky rocket this year."

El Cerrito went undefeated in the Tri County Rock League last season but the Gauchos lost half their roster due to graduation or transfer. Salesian has great depth in the backcourt that includes Langford, fellow sophomore Jamario Bibb, and senior Brandon Mcghee. Look for the Pride to be back in the mix with Langford in Richmond, Calif.

Article 425: Tip Off Classic Preview

11/14/2015

All the teams will have identical records and identical goals when the high school basketball season starts in Northern California with the 9th Annual Prep2Prep Tip Off Classic.

The event features seven games starting at 11:00am on Saturday, November 28 at Newark Memorial High. The previous eight events have included state championship caliber high school programs and have featured over 50 eventual Division I prospects.

This year's field includes four 2015 Northern California regional finalist teams: Bishop O' Dowd, Modesto Christian, Woodcreek, and St. Mary's. In addition, four 2015 Northern California teams participated in the Open Division state playoffs: Bishop O' Dowd, Modesto Christian, Folsom, and Moreau Catholic. Bishop O'Dowd was the 2015 state championship team in the Open Division while Southern California based Sierra Canyon, the Division V winner, will play in the nightcap against Moreau Catholic.

Below is the schedule of games with records from previous season:

Game 1: 11:00 am - St. Mary's (Albany) 20-12 vs. Manteca 22-8

St. Mary's has had three different coaches the past three seasons but still had more than 19 wins in each of those three years. The Panthers compete in the ultra-competitive Tri County Rock League and will not be intimidated by Manteca. Senior Kevin Warren is a versatile scoring guard, who can easily put up 20 plus points per game. Sophomore point guard Kyree Brown is a likely Division I prospect.

Manteca will go into the season with advantages in size and athleticism in the post as the Buffaloes feature 6-foot-8 junior Tydus Verhoeven, 6-foot-8 senior Kenneth Wooten (Nevada signee) and 6-foot-10 senior Anand Hundal. Wooten is a long and athletic postman who impacts the game at the defensive end significantly. He had to sit out last year due to transfer rules. Verhoeven is an athletic point forward while Hundal is a five man who can score inside and outside.

Game 2: 12:30 pm - Bishop O'Dowd 28-4 vs. Dublin 18-12

Bishop O'Dowd will find out if they are either rebuilding or reloading in this upcoming season as the state champions need to replace Paris Austin and Ivan Rabb. Senior Mike Hauser has size at 7-foot-0 while sophomore guards Elijah Hardy and Naseem Gaskins are playmakers. Freshmen Raymond Hawkins (6-foot-7 post) and William Chavaron (6-foot-1 guard) are bright prospects with high-level potential.

Dublin graduated seven seniors from last year's team. The Gaels return one of the more versatile guards in NorCal in junior Timmy Falls. Senior guard Kobe Toney will also be a key contributor. A victory against Bishop O'Dowd would be a signature win to start the season for the Gaels.

Game 3: 2:15 pm - Immanuel (Reedley) 30-3 vs. Weston Ranch 20-13

These two teams are quite familiar with each other as they met twice last season with the Eagles from Reedley winning both games. 30 win seasons are not easy to come by but the Fresno County program is a force in the Central Section. Immanuel will be led by Tulane commit Colin Slater. Slater is a New Orleans native who averaged 20.8 points, 4.8 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game last season. Junior post Darrin Person and sophomore guard Nate Kendricks are also Division I prospects.

Weston Ranch is senior laden with nine seniors but no one on the roster is taller than 6-foot-5 with Anthony Booker becoming eligible in January. Senior Jaelen Ragsdale is a scoring point guard who was the team's leading scorer a year ago. Senior guard Fred Lavendar can also put up points in a hurry. Both players have signed with Cal State Stanislaus. Weston Ranch will look to dethrone Sierra in Valley Oak League play this season.

Game 4: 3:45 pm - Sheldon 21-8 vs. Army-Navy (Carlsbad) 26-7

Sheldon returned to a 20 win season last year but had an early exit in the State Division I playoffs. The Huskies had only two seniors from last year's program and return their top four offensive threats in Isaiah Brooks, Elishja Duplechan, Devin Greene, and Matt Manning. Senior big man Justin Allen has low major potential.

The Warriors from Carlsbad are located in the northern San Diego County and feature 2017 forward Richard Polanco who is a high-major prospect. Senior big man Aziz Seck also has Division I potential. Army-Navy made a deep run in the Division V brackets and will be looking to build on that success.

Game 5: 5:30 pm - Modesto Christian 30-4 vs. Folsom 28-5

Modesto Christian started last season in the same event with an easy win against Bullard. The Crusaders graduated three seniors, but two went on to Division I college programs (Anthony Townes and Jeff Wu). Guard Christian Ellis and forward Robinson Idehen provide a good inside-outside combination and both are solid Division I prospects.

Folsom has won 60 games in the past two seasons. This year's Bulldogs will feature versatile scoring point guard Jordan Ford (St. Mary's signee). Folsom lost all their post size but return sophomore Mason Forbes who is their tallest player at 6-foot-5 and has the athleticism to be a small forward or wing but will be called on to be their primary post player. Senior guard Tre Finch can also provide scoring punch.

Game 6: 7:00 pm - Newark Memorial 14-14 vs. Woodcreek 27-6

Newark Memorial will be trying to bounce back from a sub-20 win season as hosts of the event. 6-foot-10 Kevin Kahriman has the size to help the Cougars to achieve that goal. Junior point guard Decaurey Brown has low major potential. The Cougars hope this season starts off better as they lost to Folsom last season in this event and started the season 3-8.

Woodcreek had a potent freshman-senior combination of Jordan Brown and Noah Blackwell last season. Blackwell is now at Long Beach State but Brown (who is 6-foot-9) returns and is ranked in the top five nationally in the class of 2018. Woodcreek and Folsom tied in the Sierra Foothill League standings last year and look to be the favorites again this season.

Game 7: 8:30 pm - Moreau Catholic 23-7 vs. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 26-4

Moreau Catholic lost in the opening round of the Open Division last year but lost only one senior from that team. Oscar Frayer is a Cal commit while Terrell Brown is a San Jose State commit. Junior point guard Damari Milstead has several offers as he runs the Mariners. Senior guard Brandon Lawrence is also a Division I level player.

Sierra Canyon is expected to be one of the top teams in the country this upcoming season. The Trailblazers won the Division V state title last year and return their core players in juniors Ira Lee, Remy Martin, and Cody Riley and senior Devearl Ramsey (Nevada signee). All are high major prospects. In addition, the Trailblazers have five other players who are likely Division I prospects on the roster. The winner of this nightcap can make a statement win for either the north or the south for geographical dominance in the state of California for the upcoming season.

Article 424: Bellarmine wins TO battle, game

10/3/2015

The West Catholic Athletic League opener between Serra and Bellarmine was hard fought but the Padres had too many turnovers to overcome. The Bells bolstered their claim to being the team to beat in the WCAL with the 36-28 win.

The first quarter was scoreless as both defenses came up with big stops to prevent scoring chances. Serra quarterback Leki Nunn had a tipped ball that was intercepted in the red zone while Bellarmine was stopped on a fourth and one at Serra's five yard line. Serra scored first in the second quarter on a three yard run by Kelepi Lataimua that was setup by two key passes by Nunn to extend the drive. Bellarmine got a big 53-yard kick return from Will Wegner that ended with an Antonio Garcia one yard score to tie the game at 7-7. A Nunn fumble led Bellarmine to a 42-yard field goal. The Bells had first and goal at the two but a Troy Martig interception ended the half with a 10-7 advantage for Bellarmine.

Lataimua started the third quarter with a 52-yard score to give Serra the 14-10 margin. Bellarmine scored on their next three possessions with a Martig 51-yard running score, another Garcia one yard run (missed PAT), and a Martig 13-yard scamper. Serra helped by having back-to-back interceptions by Nunn and on a trick play pass by Nikolao Vaefaga. Trailing 30-14, Serra got a seven yard passing score from Nunn to Brandon Monroe (missed two-point conversion) but Martig answered with a 52-yard connection to Kyle Macauley (missed PAT). Nunn completed the scoring with an 18-yard passing score to Vaefaga (two-point conversion) but the Padres could not recover the onside kick to lose 36-28.

The Bells' past formula has always been a strong running game with an opportunistic and stout defense. Martig runs the offense efficiently and minimizes the risk for turnovers. The Bellarmine defense won the turnover battle with three interceptions and a fumble recovery. Bellarmine has another big test at home next week against Archbishop Mitty.

Serra's backfield of Nunn and Lataimua has big play capability on every play. But Nunn's three turnovers ended scoring chances and gave the Bells a short field. The Serra defense had trouble stopping Bellarmine as the Bells had close to 32 minutes in time of possession. The Padres have a trip to San Francisco to face Archbishop Riordan next.

Players of Note:

Troy Martig 6-foot-0, 175 pounds QB Bellarmine 2016: Martig manages the game well. He is not flashy with his athleticism but makes good decisions and moves north-south with the ball efficiently on his runs. He only completed 5-of-12 passes but did run for 156 yards.

Jacob Bergstrom 6-foot-3, 225 pounds LB Bellarmine 2016: Bergstrom was constantly in the backfield making key tackles against the Serra running game. At the high school level, he dominates the line with his size and height. As a college prospect, he is a solid linebacker option.

Justin Malone 6-foot-2, 210 pounds TE Bellarmine 2017: For a team that is run oriented, Bellarmine has a good target with Malone who slipped through the line for a few catches in the first half. His catches helped extend drives, as he is a good third down option with his size and speed to outmatch opposing linebackers or defensive backs.

Leki Nunn 5-foot-10, 175 pounds QB Serra 2017: Nunn is an athletic, mobile quarterback who is high risk, high reward in his playmaking. He helped move the chains but also had three turnovers. Nunn passed for 175 yards and ran for 141 yards.

Kelepi Lataimua 5-foot-8, 200 pounds RB Serra 2016: The senior is shifty and elusive for his size. He averaged nearly 10 yards a carry for 183 yards with two touchdowns.