November 20, 2013
The month of November marks the transition from the end of the high
school football regular season to the start of the basketball preseason.
In Northern California, the 7th Annual Nor Cal Tip Off Classic features
seven games starting at 11:00am on November 30 at Newark Memorial High.
The previous six events have included competitive high school programs
and have featured over 50 eventual Division I prospects.
The event will have a number of NCP Boys Basketball Top 40 players from both the 2014 and 2015 classes. Ivan Rabb
of Bishop O'Dowd, who is ranked No. 3 nationally by Rivals.com, will be
in the evening finale. Host Newark Memorial, Bishop O'Dowd, and Modesto
Christian are favorites from Northern California to watch from day one
in the regular season to the spring postseason.
Game 1: 11:00 am - Fairfield vs. Castro Valley
Castro Valley is coming off a mediocre 13-13 season but the Trojans will look to Chico State commit point guard Jalen McFerren
to pace them. Fairfield will counter with its own point guard in
Demoriaye Hart-Spikes. The Falcons are coming off a 16-13 season.
Game 2: 12:30 pm - College Park (Pleasant Hill) vs. St. Mary's (Stockton)
St. Mary's (Stockton) features UC Santa Barbara commit, Gabe Vincent, who can light up the scoreboard and junior wing Lance Coleman.
The Rams have eclipsed 20 wins in the last four seasons and will look
to start the season off with a win. College Park had an impressive
27-win season last year that culminated in the state championship game
as the Falcons will lean on 6-foot-6 junior forward, Kevin Crosno.
Game 3: 2:15 pm - Heritage (Brentwood) vs. Oakland
Heritage will be a team to reckon with in the Bay Valley Athletic League as the Patriots will have bruising senior forward Shon Briggs
to man the post. Oakland nearly reached the 20-win mark with eighteen
victories last season. The Wildcats look to make that next jump as they
are led by senior sharp shooting guard, Jamaliah Brown.
Game 4: 3:45 pm - Freedom (Oakley) vs. Granite Bay
Freedom will have one of the more imposing frontcourts as the Falcons have senior Elliott Smith
and junior Kendall McIntosh both standing at 6-foot-6. Granite Bay won
the Sierra Foothill Athletic League last season with 19 total wins.
Junior Kendrick Jackson led the Grizzlies last season but he has transferred out of state as the team will be looking for new leadership.
Game 5: 5:30 pm - Moreau (Hayward) vs. Monte Vista (Danville)
Moreau
Catholic will have one of the younger teams in the field and the state.
But the Mariners have nationally rated talent in 6-foot-6 sophomore
wing Oscar Frayer and 6-foot-2 freshman sensation Damari Milstead in addition to promising sophomores 5-foot-11 Armond Simmons and 6-foot-2 Brandon Lawrence. Monte Vista counters with seniors Trevor John, who is headed for Cal Poly SLO, and big man Spencer Rust to help the Mustangs in their quest to dethrone De La Salle for top spot in the East Bay Athletic League.
Game 6: 7:00 pm - Newark Memorial (Newark) vs. Modesto Christian
Both
Newark Memorial and Modesto Christian who are perennial favorites in
their leagues, are tough matchups in the section playoffs, and have over
20 wins a season consistently. The host Cougars are a senior heavy
team with Joey Frenchwood, Matthew Thomas and Damien Banford. The Crusaders are complete and deep with a junior trio frontcourt of 6-foot-6 Anthony Townes, 6-foot-7 Leandro Amador, and 6-foot-6 Kevin Hamlet and highly regarded 6-foot-2 sophomore guard Christian Ellis.
Game 7: 8:30 pm - Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) vs. Bullard (Fresno)
Bishop
O'Dowd will present matchup problems both inside and outside as the
Dragons are headlined by nationally acclaimed junior prospect, Ivan Rabb, and lightning-fast junior point guard Paris Austin.
In the last two seasons, Bullard has a record of 59-7, including
back-to-back Central Section championships. The Knights have a solid
duo in senior Calvin Young and junior Austin Armstead.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Article 355: Padres share WCAL title
November 17, 2013
Serra got three receiving touchdowns from senior Hamilton Anoa'i and had a stifling defense to gain a share of the West Catholic Athletic League title with a 31-7 victory over Archbishop Mitty on Saturday in San Mateo. Anoa'i also had an interception on defense as he scored the first two touchdowns of the game to give Serra a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. With the win, the Padres go to 8-2 while Mitty loses for the first time ans fall to 9-1 as both teams gear up for the postseason.
Serra's offense was efficient, had a balance passing and rushing game plan, and made key plays without any turnovers. Without senior Matt Dickerson, the Padre defense limited the prolific Mitty rushing game to only 104 yards while also getting three interceptions. A complete Serra team effort helped with the dominant victory.
The game was Mitty's season low for points scored and its season high for points allowed. The vaunted running attack was scoreless as the only touchdown was on a long first quarter 66 yard pass from Trent Scharrenberg to Tommy Hudson. The defense only gave up 280 yards in total offense but the three turnovers by the offense put the defense in difficult field position.
The win propels Serra to its first share of the league title since 2008. The Padres, with a balanced offensive attack and complete defense to make them a difficult matchup in the postseason, will likely be in the Open division for the CCS playoffs.
Despite the loss, Mitty earns a share of the league title and will also likely be in the Open division. Hopefully for the Monarchs, the regular season finale was an aberration, as they will need to raise their level of play on both sides of the ball to make a deep run in the postseason. Steve Hu
Hamilton Anoa'i 6-foot-2, 225 pounds S/WR Serra (2014): The senior had three touchdown receptions, went over 100 yards receiving, and had a key early interception on defense to lead the Padres. Anoa'i has good size and versatile skills on both sides of the ball. He could be a versatile prospect on the college level.
Matthew Fa'aita 5-foot-10, 190 pounds QB Serra (2014): Fa'aita was efficient as he completed 8 out of 11 passes for his 138 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He ran for 41 yards as well but it was his scrambling that helped extend plays. His athleticism and versatility will help the offense in the postseason.
Kava Cassidy 6-foot-0, 160 pounds RB Serra (2015): Cassidy had 77 yards rushing as most of his yards helped extend drives with key first down conversions. The junior did not break a long run or score a touchdown but did go over 1,000 rushing yards for the season. He should be the featured back during his senior year and should be on the recruiting radar.
Serra got three receiving touchdowns from senior Hamilton Anoa'i and had a stifling defense to gain a share of the West Catholic Athletic League title with a 31-7 victory over Archbishop Mitty on Saturday in San Mateo. Anoa'i also had an interception on defense as he scored the first two touchdowns of the game to give Serra a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. With the win, the Padres go to 8-2 while Mitty loses for the first time ans fall to 9-1 as both teams gear up for the postseason.
Serra's offense was efficient, had a balance passing and rushing game plan, and made key plays without any turnovers. Without senior Matt Dickerson, the Padre defense limited the prolific Mitty rushing game to only 104 yards while also getting three interceptions. A complete Serra team effort helped with the dominant victory.
The game was Mitty's season low for points scored and its season high for points allowed. The vaunted running attack was scoreless as the only touchdown was on a long first quarter 66 yard pass from Trent Scharrenberg to Tommy Hudson. The defense only gave up 280 yards in total offense but the three turnovers by the offense put the defense in difficult field position.
The win propels Serra to its first share of the league title since 2008. The Padres, with a balanced offensive attack and complete defense to make them a difficult matchup in the postseason, will likely be in the Open division for the CCS playoffs.
Despite the loss, Mitty earns a share of the league title and will also likely be in the Open division. Hopefully for the Monarchs, the regular season finale was an aberration, as they will need to raise their level of play on both sides of the ball to make a deep run in the postseason. Steve Hu
Hamilton Anoa'i 6-foot-2, 225 pounds S/WR Serra (2014): The senior had three touchdown receptions, went over 100 yards receiving, and had a key early interception on defense to lead the Padres. Anoa'i has good size and versatile skills on both sides of the ball. He could be a versatile prospect on the college level.
Matthew Fa'aita 5-foot-10, 190 pounds QB Serra (2014): Fa'aita was efficient as he completed 8 out of 11 passes for his 138 passing yards and three touchdown passes. He ran for 41 yards as well but it was his scrambling that helped extend plays. His athleticism and versatility will help the offense in the postseason.
Kava Cassidy 6-foot-0, 160 pounds RB Serra (2015): Cassidy had 77 yards rushing as most of his yards helped extend drives with key first down conversions. The junior did not break a long run or score a touchdown but did go over 1,000 rushing yards for the season. He should be the featured back during his senior year and should be on the recruiting radar.
Article 354: Eight is enough for Terra Nova
November 2, 2013
Eight was the magic number for Terra Nova as the Tigers stay undefeated for the season to go to 8-0 as they scored eight touchdowns in a 57-27 victory over Menlo-Atherton in Pacifica on Friday night. Menlo-Atherton scored first and trailed 28-21 at the half, but could not slow the Tigers down in the second half as the Bears drop to 5-3.
The Tigers scored a season high 57 points and broke the 50 point mark for the third time. The offense is stacked with playmakers led by junior quarterback Anthony Gordon, senior running back John Wallace, and senior wide receiver Domenic Ortisi. Terra Nova likes to run a spread offense that is up tempo that puts pressure on opposing defenses. On defense, the Tigers were physical and got after the opposing quarterback. Senior linebacker Nick Pierotti had several bruising hits and was an active tackler to lead the defense.
Next week, Terra Nova will face an identical 8-0 Sacred Heart Prep. Expect the Tigers to play a physical game on both sides of the ball in order to keep Sacred Heart Prep on its heels. The winner will most likely decide the regular season champion in the Peninsula Bay League.
Menlo-Atherton hung tough and battled back after giving 28 unanswered points to trail 28-7 before narrowing the deficit to 28-21 at the half. The offense was led by senior running back Isiah Nash who made several big runs while senior quarterback Brian Keare was versatile in both passing and scrambling. Senior Oliver Bucka deflected a few passes as a defensive end and also was a big target as a tight end.
Menlo-Atherton will face Menlo next week as both teams are battling for third place in the league. The Bears defense will have to tighten up as Menlo has scored over 40 points in seven of its eight games so far. Steve Hu
Oliver Bucka 6-foot-5, 225 pounds DE/TE Menlo-Atherton (2014): The senior was a big target going across the middle as a tight end and showed good hands catching the ball in traffic. With his height, Bucka also swatted a few passes and proved to be a good run stopper as well. At his height, Bucka is athletic enough that he could play at the college level.
Brian Keare 6-foot-2, 175 pounds QB Menlo-Atherton (2014): Keare played gritty as he was under pressure a lot. He was able to scramble out of trouble several times while making accurate passes. The senior threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one touchdown on the night.
Isiah Nash 6-foot-1, 195 pounds RB Menlo-Atherton (2014): Nash was a bruising running back with good size and adequate speed. His highlight play was an 81-yard catch and run that he eluded and outran the defense. He could project to be a fullback at the college level.
Domenic Ortisi, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds WR Terra Nova (2014): The senior wide receiver displayed good route running and sure hands as he was the favorite target for Gordon. Ortisi had one touchdown reception, but his impact was his ability to move the chains.
Nick Pierotti 6-foot-2, 215 pounds LB Terra Nova (2014): Pierotti quarterbacks the defense at the linebacker position for the Tigers. He had several big hits on defense and kick return coverage. The senior showed good instincts for tracking down the ball carrier on defense.
John Wallace, 6-foot-0, 195 pounds RB Terra Nova (2014): Wallace had three rushing touchdowns in the first half as he sat out the second half with a minor right leg injury. One of his touchdown runs was in the wildcat formation on fourth down that he took for 56 yards. Wallace has good strength and speed at the running back position.
Anthony Gordon 6-foot-2, 185 pounds QB Terra Nova (2015): Gordon ran the offense quite well and displayed a quick release, as he was able to make his reads. Gordon had three touchdown passes in the game. Only a junior, he could make a big leap if he can add size and strength, as he looked comfortable running the offense.
Eight was the magic number for Terra Nova as the Tigers stay undefeated for the season to go to 8-0 as they scored eight touchdowns in a 57-27 victory over Menlo-Atherton in Pacifica on Friday night. Menlo-Atherton scored first and trailed 28-21 at the half, but could not slow the Tigers down in the second half as the Bears drop to 5-3.
The Tigers scored a season high 57 points and broke the 50 point mark for the third time. The offense is stacked with playmakers led by junior quarterback Anthony Gordon, senior running back John Wallace, and senior wide receiver Domenic Ortisi. Terra Nova likes to run a spread offense that is up tempo that puts pressure on opposing defenses. On defense, the Tigers were physical and got after the opposing quarterback. Senior linebacker Nick Pierotti had several bruising hits and was an active tackler to lead the defense.
Next week, Terra Nova will face an identical 8-0 Sacred Heart Prep. Expect the Tigers to play a physical game on both sides of the ball in order to keep Sacred Heart Prep on its heels. The winner will most likely decide the regular season champion in the Peninsula Bay League.
Menlo-Atherton hung tough and battled back after giving 28 unanswered points to trail 28-7 before narrowing the deficit to 28-21 at the half. The offense was led by senior running back Isiah Nash who made several big runs while senior quarterback Brian Keare was versatile in both passing and scrambling. Senior Oliver Bucka deflected a few passes as a defensive end and also was a big target as a tight end.
Menlo-Atherton will face Menlo next week as both teams are battling for third place in the league. The Bears defense will have to tighten up as Menlo has scored over 40 points in seven of its eight games so far. Steve Hu
Oliver Bucka 6-foot-5, 225 pounds DE/TE Menlo-Atherton (2014): The senior was a big target going across the middle as a tight end and showed good hands catching the ball in traffic. With his height, Bucka also swatted a few passes and proved to be a good run stopper as well. At his height, Bucka is athletic enough that he could play at the college level.
Brian Keare 6-foot-2, 175 pounds QB Menlo-Atherton (2014): Keare played gritty as he was under pressure a lot. He was able to scramble out of trouble several times while making accurate passes. The senior threw for two touchdowns and rushed for one touchdown on the night.
Isiah Nash 6-foot-1, 195 pounds RB Menlo-Atherton (2014): Nash was a bruising running back with good size and adequate speed. His highlight play was an 81-yard catch and run that he eluded and outran the defense. He could project to be a fullback at the college level.
Domenic Ortisi, 6-foot-2, 180 pounds WR Terra Nova (2014): The senior wide receiver displayed good route running and sure hands as he was the favorite target for Gordon. Ortisi had one touchdown reception, but his impact was his ability to move the chains.
Nick Pierotti 6-foot-2, 215 pounds LB Terra Nova (2014): Pierotti quarterbacks the defense at the linebacker position for the Tigers. He had several big hits on defense and kick return coverage. The senior showed good instincts for tracking down the ball carrier on defense.
John Wallace, 6-foot-0, 195 pounds RB Terra Nova (2014): Wallace had three rushing touchdowns in the first half as he sat out the second half with a minor right leg injury. One of his touchdown runs was in the wildcat formation on fourth down that he took for 56 yards. Wallace has good strength and speed at the running back position.
Anthony Gordon 6-foot-2, 185 pounds QB Terra Nova (2015): Gordon ran the offense quite well and displayed a quick release, as he was able to make his reads. Gordon had three touchdown passes in the game. Only a junior, he could make a big leap if he can add size and strength, as he looked comfortable running the offense.
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