Welcome back to the Bay Area News Group’s high school football preview.
Here, you’ll find the week’s top matchups and complete weekend schedule for teams in this news organization’s coverage area, which encompasses leagues based primarily in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
Check back every Thursday morning during the season for the preview.
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On the top matchups …
No. 3 San Ramon Valley (7-0, 1-0) at De La Salle (6-0, 0-0), 7:15 p.m.: A rematch of last season’s NCS Open Division championship game. After coming close to beating the Spartans twice last season, can San Ramon Valley end De La Salle’s 30-plus year NCS winning streak? The Wolves had a chance to win their regular season game on a field goal, but missed the kick and then lost in overtime 33-27. DLS won the NCS title game rematch 17-7. The Spartans are 270-0-1 within their section since their last loss in 1991. SRV senior Marco Jones, a Texas A&M commit, is the best player in the Bay Area. He has six sacks and a whopping 21 TFLs. He’ll need to have a big game against Duece Jones-Drew, Toa Faavae, Derrick Blanche, Dominic Kelley and the fearsome DLS rushing attack. On the other side, SRV quarterback Rhett Thompson, LT Jason Doyle, running back Matthew Garibaldi and WR Owen Scott will try to find holes in a DLS defense that boasts future D-I players in Matthew Johnson and DB Jaden Jefferson. De La Salle is coming off a bye week after beating NFL Academy in London on Oct. 8. CalPreps has the Spartans routing SRV 38-14. – Joseph Dycus
No. 2 Pittsburg (5-1, 1-0) at Heritage (5-1, 1-0), 7 p.m.: Both teams are riding high after blowout wins in their Bay Valley Athletic League openers. Quarterback Marley Alcantara tossed five touchdowns in the first quarter of Pittsburg’s 49-0 win over Freedom last week. The Pirates will be facing a stingier defense as Heritage allows just 15.5 points per game. Look for running backs Jamar Searcy and Elijah Bow to be more involved in the running game. Pittsburg’s defense will have their hands full trying to stop Heritage running back Mekhi Adanandus, who has rushed for 561 yards and nine touchdowns this season. History is on Pittsburg’s side as the Pirates have beaten Heritage in the last 13 matchups. Calpreps has Pittsburg winning this game 52-7. — Nathan Canilao
No. 5 St. Francis (5-1, 3-0) at No. 4 St. Ignatius (5-1, 3-0), 7 p.m.: This titanic matchup of West Catholic Athletic League contenders should be a close one and one of the games of the year. Both squads are 3-0 in WCAL play, and the winner will be in strong position for the league title. St. Francis most recently defeated Serra 27-21 as Kingston Keanaaina went off with 319 rushing yards on 34 carries. It was Keanaaina’s third 300-yard game this season. SI had no trouble with Bellarmine as Jarious Hogan ran for three touchdowns. – Christian Babcock
No. 20 Menlo-Atherton (4-2, 0-1) at No. 16 Menlo School (5-1, 0-1), 3:15 p.m.: It will be a key game for the cross-town rivals as both teams will be looking to bounce back from losses in their league opener. M-A hung tough with Los Gatos last week, but lost 21-14. Wide receiver Angelo Marin was a bright spot in the loss, totaling seven catches for 181 yards and a touchdown. M-A’s defense has been its strength season with the Bears allowing just 9.3 points per game. Anthony Van der meet leads M-A’s defense with 36 tackles and two sacks through six games. The Bears will have to contain Menlo quarterback Jack Freehill in order to stop the Knights’ high-powered offense. The junior threw completed 18 of 27 passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns in Menlo’s 28-14 loss to Wilcox. Jamie Forese will also have to be accounted for as he leads Menlo in receiving yards per game at 53.3. Calpreps is predicting a tight game with M-A winning 22-21. — Nathan Canilao
Las Lomas (5-2, 0-1) at Campolindo (2-4, 0-0), 7 p.m.: Both teams are looking to right the ship in this Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division matchup. Las Lomas has lost two in a row and is coming off a defeat to Clayton Valley Charter, and Campolindo is starting league play after it was waxed 37-7 by Amador Valley. Las Lomas’ offense is paced by quarterback Dylan Thomas and senior wideout Roman Mercado. Pass-rusher Chase Martin has five sacks. Campolindo’s strength is its secondary with seniors Luke Bonardi and Mack Fisher. Tight end Crosby Kelly is also garnering college interest as a pass-rusher. Las Lommas beat Campolindo 45-42 last season, and CalPreps another Knights win, 31-21. – Joseph Dycus
No. 8 El Cerrito (5-1, 1-0) at No. 22 Salesian (6-0, 1-0), 1 p.m.: This is the de-facto Tri-County Athletic League Rock Division league championship game. El Cerrito head coach Jacob Rincon will miss his fourth straight game after being put on adminiistrative leave. The Gauchos have won two of the previous three games, with the only loss being to No. 1 De La Salle. Fresno State commit Jonathan Craft leads the attack, and Gary Youngblood and Savion Bandy are both explosive players on the outside for El Cerrito. Joseph Tarin caught four touchdown passes from Salesian QB Marcus Burke last week, and Justin Villavincencio returned an interception for a touchdown. Calpreps has El Cerrito winning 38-17. – Joseph Dycus
Week 8 football schedule
Thursday, Oct. 17
EAST BAY
WACC Mission
Piedmont vs. Irvington at Washington-Fremont, 7 p.m.
SOUTH BAY/PENINSULA
BVAL Mt. Hamilton
Oak Grove at Christopher, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley
Sobrato at Westmont, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL West Valley
Lick at Yerba Buena, 7:15 p.m.
PAL El Camino
Homestead at Los Altos, 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 18
EAST BAY
Bay Valley
Antioch at Freedom, 7 p.m.
Deer Valley at Liberty, 7 p.m.
Pittsburg at Heritage, 7 p.m.
DAL Foothill
Acalanes at Clayton Valley, 7 p.m.
Las Lomas at Campolindo, 7 p.m.
DAL Valley
Alhambra at College Park, 7 p.m.
Benicia at Northgate, 7 p.m.
DAL Mountain
Concord at Mt. Diablo, 7:30 p.m.
EBAL Mountain
San Ramon Valley at De La Salle, 7 p.m.
Monte Vista at California, 7:15 p.m.
EBAL Valley
Foothill at Dougherty Valley, 7 p.m.
Granada at Dublin, 7 p.m.
Oakland Athletic League
Fremont-Oakland at Oakland, 7 p.m.
McClymonds at Castlemont, 7 p.m.
Oakland Tech at Skyline, 7 p.m.
TCAL Rock
Pinole Valley at Vallejo, 7 p.m.
TCAL Stone
Kennedy-Richmond at Hercules, 7 p.m.
Richmond at St. Patrick-St. Vincent, 7 p.m.
WACC Foothill
San Leandro at Moreau Catholic, 7 p.m.
Tennyson at James Logan, 7 p.m.
WACC Mission
Hayward at Newark Memorial, 7 p.m.
Kennedy-Fremont at Washington-Fremont, 7 p.m.
WACC Shoreline
Alameda at Mt. Eden, 7 p.m.
Arroyo vs. Encinal at Estuary Park in Alameda, 7 p.m.
SOUTH BAY/PENINSULA
BVAL Mt. Hamilton
Lincoln-San Jose at Leigh, 7:15 p.m.
Live Oak at Santa Teresa, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL Santa Teresa-Foothill
Independence at Overfelt, 7:15 p.m.
Piedmont Hills at Pioneer, 7:15 p.m.
Silver Creek at Del Mar, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley
Leland at Prospect, 7:15 p.m.
Willow Glen at Gilroy, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL West Valley
Gunderson at Evergreen Valley, 7:15 p.m.
San Jose at Mt. Pleasant, 7:15 p.m.
PAL Bay
Menlo-Atherton at Menlo School, 3:15 p.m.
Wilcox at Palo Alto, 7 p.m.
PAL De Anza
Aragon at Mountain View, 7 p.m.
Burlingame at King’s Academy, 7 p.m.
Hillsdale at Capuchino, 7 p.m.
PAL El Camino
Fremont-Sunnyvale at Santa Clara, 7 p.m.
Woodside at South San Francisco, 7 p.m.
PAL Ocean
Half Moon Bay at Sequoia, 7 p.m.
Milpitas at Carlmont, 7 p.m.
San Mateo at Terra Nova, 7 p.m.
PAL Lake
Cupertino at Mills, 7 p.m.
Gunn at Lynbrook, 7 p.m.
Monta Vista at Jefferson, 7 p.m.
Saratoga at MacDonald, 7 p.m.
West Catholic
Sacred Heart Cathedral at Valley Christian, 7 p.m.
St. Francis at St. Ignatius, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 19
EAST BAY
DAL Mountain
Ygnacio Valley at Berean Christian, noon
TCAL Rock
De Anza at St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 1:30 p.m.
El Cerrito at Salesian, 1 p.m.
WACC Foothill
Castro Valley at Berkeley, 2 p.m.
WACC Shoreline
American at San Lorenzo, noon
SOUTH BAY/PENINSULA
PAL Bay
Los Gatos at Sacred Heart Prep, 2 p.m.
West Catholic
Bellarmine at Archbishop Riordan, 1:30 p.m.
Archbishop Mitty at Serra, 1:30 p.m.