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The early view: De La Salle vs. Folsom
Every week presents a new challenge for De La Salle.
The challenges lately have intensified as injuries to key players have forced the coaches to call on young and inexperienced understudies to plug gaps.
That certainly was not the game plan when De La Salle loaded its schedule once again with the best Northern California has to offer.
But that’s the reality.
Friday, the Spartans will face another heavyweight as Folsom, fresh off winning at Pittsburg and less than a year from eliminating De La Salle in a regional playoff game, will make another trip to Concord to play DLS.
This is a matchup many Spartans circled as part of their revenge tour. But how many of the veterans will be on the field?
Injuries to linemen Derek Thompson and Cooper Powers, defensive tackle Chase Tofaeono and linebacker Peter Rachwald have hurt.
But that’s part of the game. Folsom lost its Stanford-bound tight end, Walker Lyon, to a broken leg in the first half of the first game this season.
It’s unclear if DLS will get some of the injured guys back for the game Friday. Not that coach Justin Alumbaugh or anyone in the DLS program would use the lineup shuffling as an excuse if things go sideways.
Alumbaugh saw progress over the weekend as his team found a way to hold off host Cathedral-San Diego when the game was on the line in the fourth quarter. Cathedral beat Folsom in a state championship game last season.
Charles Greer ran for 211 yards and two touchdowns in 22 carries and Carson Su’esu’e threw for 180 yards and two TDs on Friday.
“To walk away with a win – where our kids didn’t fold and we responded – is encouraging,” Alumbaugh said. “But now the natural De La Salle coach in me is I know we have to be better. We just have to look at how we can get there and keep working.”
– Darren Sabedra
Folsom ready for DLS rematch
The final whistle was still echoing through the Pittsburg night as Folsom’s coach began to look forward to his team’s next Bay Area matchup. Paul Doherty’s Bulldogs will return to the East Bay on Friday, this time to play De La Salle.
Last year, Folsom took down the Spartans 28-27 in the I-AA Northern California championship to deny DLS a shot at a state title.
But after blocking a kick and punt against Pittsburg, Doherty focused on De La Salle’s special teams’ dominance during the 2021 regular-season game between the Spartans and Folsom, which DLS won 31-10.
“Last year, we hosted De La Salle, and played terrible on special teams,” Doherty said. “We let Zeke Berry take it to the house, and then later in the half, they blocked a punt against us. That’s the difference in the game.”
Doherty also rued his team’s 17-12 loss this season to visiting Serra but admitted that he couldn’t be too upset considering how Folsom found a way to beat Pittsburg 23-15 on Friday.
“I felt like we gave one away a few weeks ago against Serra,” Doherty said. “I thought we were better than they were. But these guys from Pittsburg were probably better than us, and we stole one from them. So it evens out.”
Rico Flores is a player who could single-handedly tilt this Friday’s game in Folsom’s favor. Though he is a prolific receiver, the Notre Dame commit’s biggest impact could come on the other side of the ball.
“He hates me saying it, but that kid should be playing some defense at the next level, and even on Sundays,” Doherty said. “He’s that good. He breaks up passes and he’s in the middle field, which forces teams to check it down.”
– Joseph Dycus
Clayton Valley: What’s up with the slow start?
A month from now, Clayton Valley might look at its 1-3 start and not recognize what it sees in the mirror. The Ugly Eagles have next week off, then visit Jesuit-Carmichael on Oct. 1 before opening East Bay Athletic League Mountain Division play a week later at Amador Valley.
There is time to turn things around.
Given the scores, Clayton Valley isn’t that far away. The Ugly Eagles have lost three games at home, all by a touchdown or less, two to teams that have yet to lose, Salinas and Del Oro-Loomis.
Longtime coach Tim Murphy has never had a start like this one since he took over the Clayton Valley program a decade ago.
In fact, the last time the Concord school opened with three losses in its first four games was 15 years ago, when the Ugly Eagles started 0-3 on their way to a 4-6 season in 2007.
Murphy points to a young defense and his softening coaching style as reasons for the slow start this season.
Two weeks ago, the Ugly Eagles traveled to North Las Vegas and routed Canyon Springs 42-6.
That following Monday, the team had 20 absences from practice.
Five days later, the team lost at home to Turlock 35-33, a surprising outcome given that the visitors were 1-3.
But maybe not a surprise, given Clayton Valley’s practice attendance earlier in the week.
“A couple of them were legitimately sick, but 20 absences at Clayton Valley, absolutely unheard of,” Murphy said. “I just said, ‘Look, man, too many of us are living on the reputation of what we have always done. Every year we earn it. It’s not just given to us.’
“The blame goes on me for not being hard enough on these guys. I’ve tried to do it the nice-guy way this year, and they just can’t handle it. It’s not their fault. It’s my fault, and I really mean it.
“This bye is way needed. This is a team that just needs to get refocused. We have talent. We’ve really got a lot of talent. We’ve just got to get back on track.”
— Darren Sabedra
SHP: Receivers shouldn’t be overlooked
Sacred Heart Prep runs a precise offense based on a punishing ground game. The drives can often seem like an unending parade of five-yard runs as the Gators work their way downfield.
But when Los Gatos visits on Friday afternoon, don’t be surprised if the SHP passing game plays a key factor in what Gators coach Mark Grieb called the biggest game of the year.
“I can’t see the future, but when you think of Los Gatos and how well coached and how disciplined they are, that game stands out,” Grieb said.
Carter Shaw, called a freak athlete by Grieb and the son of Stanford coach David Shaw, started SHP’s 35-7 win over Archbishop Riordan with a long touchdown reception. He ripped the ball from two defenders in a play that left opposing coach Adhir Ravipati impressed.
“Carter Shaw gives them a tall and long guy that they haven’t traditionally had on the outside,” coach Ravipati said. “They did a great job of scheming up our defense too.”
The passing game is more than just Shaw on the outside, though.
Brandon Hsing, Tyler Wong and Luke Maxwell are capable of running routes and making a play when needed, and running back Andrew Latu is a great option when quarterback Mitchell Taylor has to check it down or throw screens.
“There’s ups and downs like there is with every team, but they’re a hard-working group,” Grieb said when asked about his team’s pass catchers. “You saw a glimpse of that today. When their number is called, they’ll make a play.”
Those aforementioned receivers can all make a play, but when Sacred Heart Prep needs the play of the game against Los Gatos, it would be wise to bet that Taylor will be looking at Shaw.
“Carter is 6-3 and has long arms and can go after the ball. I thought it was a pretty good matchup for Carter (against Riordan’s corners), but he got that one for sure.”
— Joseph Dycus
Heritage: What’s fueling unbeaten record?
“All in.”
For the Heritage Patriots, those words echoed throughout off-season workouts. Those words were plastered on banners around the weight room at the Brentwood school. Those words were stitched on the back of the shirts the players wore.
Those two words have become synonymous since Dave Fogelstrom took over the program in 2020. The school had won three games in two seasons before the coach’s arrival. He wasted no time incorporating the new “All in” motto.
Through four games this season, it’s clear that Heritage is all in.
The team is off to a 4-0 start and has outscored opponents 177-34. The Patriots have a chance to go undefeated in non-league play when they travel to Union City to play James Logan on Friday night.
Fogelstrom said this team has the potential to be the best in the program’s 17-year history. Even better than the 2010 team that beat fellow Bay Valley Athletic League member Pittsburg in the quarterfinals of the North Coast Section Division I playoffs.
To this day, that has been Heritage’s only victory over the powerhouse Pirates.
“This team doesn’t have any ‘me’ guys on it. Everybody just wants to win,” Fogelstrom said. “They can be the best team in school history. They believe me, and I believe in them.”
– Jesús Cano
Tennyson: Halftime snacks ignite rally
Tennyson’s slow start on Friday night seemed odd for a team that put up basketball-like points against Mt. Eden the previous week.
But against a good Hayward team, Tennyson coach John Pangelina — yes, the coach — was a little slow during the first 24 minutes of an eventual 29-28 win.
After the game, Pangelina gave a surprising reason for his shaky performance.
“I almost passed out because I had a crazy busy day and hadn’t had anything to eat,” Pangelina said. “The first half I was out of it. After that, people brought me snacks and fluids, and then I was back into it.”
A re-energized coach masterminded Tennyson’s rally from down 13 in the fourth quarter.
The team won after Hayward missed a field goal that Hayward’s coaching staff believed went in. Pangelina said he and the video disagreed.
“On our film, it shows it went wide,” Pangelina said. “You see it goes up and around the upright.”
— Joseph Dycus
Early peek at Week 5
Friday
Folsom (3-1) at De La Salle (3-1), 7 p.m.: DLS hasn’t forgotten how last season ended.
Los Gatos (2-1) at Sacred Heart Prep (3-1), 4 p.m.: Should be a terrific matchup, given how SHP dominated Riordan.
Serra (3-0) at St. Francis (1-2), 7 p.m.: St. Francis won the WCAL title last season. Serra is the heavy favorite to capture the crown this season.
San Ramon Valley (3-0) at Liberty (3-1), 7 p.m.: SRV QB Luke Baker is completing 77.3% of his passes.
Menlo-Atherton (2-1) at Wilcox (3-0), 7 p.m.: Wilcox has had an extra week to prepare. M-A is coming off a blowout loss at Del Oro-Loomis.
St. Ignatius (1-2) vs. Bellarmine (1-2) at SJCC, 7 p.m.: Both had strong non-league schedules. Has that gotten them ready for the WCAL?
Archbishop Mitty (3-0) vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (2-1) at Kezar Stadium, 7 p.m.: Mitty beat Palma to open the season. SHC lost to Palma a week later.
Amador Valley (2-1) at Foothill (2-2), 7 p.m.: The battle of Pleasanton. Enough said.
– Darren Sabedra
Source: www.mercurynews.com