The final week of the high school football regular season is here and what a closing act it could be.
Two win-and-in games in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa-Valley Division as Leigh, Westmont, Sobrato and Overfelt vie for the division’s two automatic Central Coast Section playoff spots.
A win-and-in game in the BVAL’s West Valley Division between Del Mar and Prospect.
A winner-take-all game for the BVAL Mt. Hamilton Division championship between Live Oak and Christopher, both undefeated and bound for the playoffs.
Acalanes playing host to rival Campolindo with league championship and possibly playoff implications on the line.
Antioch and Pittsburg are meeting in a big Big Little Game.
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Here are this week’s top matchups and schedule:
Friday
No. 17 Clayton Valley (5-4) at No. 2 De La Salle (7-2), 7 p.m.: Playoff seeding will be at stake when these North Coast Section powers clash. Clayton Valley could still wind up in a first-place tie with San Ramon Valley in the EBAL Mountain, but the Wolves would have to lose to Monte Vista, which is unlikely. As for seeding in the Open/Division I playoffs, both Clayton Valley and De La Salle are locks to make the eight-team bracket. De La Salle will be the No. 1 seed if it wins. The Spartans haven’t lost to an NCS team since a 35-27 setback to Pittsburg in the 3A title game in 1991, so there’s no point in discussing what-ifs for DLS now. Clayton Valley seemed to assure itself an NCS bid by beating California last Friday. The Uglies are 3-1 in the EBAL Mountain, and games against De La Salle are non-league. Unless the Eagles turn in a really ugly performance against DLS, they should be a fourth or fifth seed. If the Eagles are to have any chance against the Spartans, they will have to put up points. Clayton comes in having won three in a row, but it has given up an average of 30 points in those contests, and 25 for the season. They have some talented individuals in QB Tyson Lovett and a college-size receiving corps in Daven Amos (6-3, 190), Logan Knapp (6-5, 230) and Tony Keck (6-4, 205). The Spartans are allowing 11 points per game during their seven-game winning streak since starting 0-2. Chris Biller and Matthew Johnson (6-5, 250) have combined for 11 sacks. Jaden Jefferson and Robert Santiago lead one of the better secondaries in the Bay Area. – Mike Lefkow
No. 16 Campolindo (6-2-1, 4-1) at No. 15 Acalanes (6-3, 5-0), 7 p.m.: Acalanes captures the Diablo Athletic League Foothill Division title with a victory. If Campo wins, the teams share the championship among themselves or with Las Lomas, which is tied with Campo for second and plays at Miramonte on Friday. No matter the outcome, Acalanes should be one of the top seeds in the NCS Division IV playoffs. If Campo doesn’t win, it could miss the playoffs entirely because of a crowded Open/Division I field and only eight available spots. Campo was put in the top division because of the success it had in D-II. Before that, it was put in D-II because of its success in D-III. The Cougars are the prime example of what’s good or bad about the NCS’s competitive equity model, depending on one’s point of view. Campo faces a big challenge against Acalanes, which nearly beat the Cougars last season. Acalanes has outscored its five league opponents 235-34. Campo has scored 201 points and given up 101 in league play. Campo will have to find a way to slow down Sully Bailey, who has passed for 2,094 yards and 25 TDs, and a group of receivers that includes track star Trevor Rogers (54 receptions, 861 yards, 11 TDs). Campo’s Isaiah Ortiz has thrown for 1,509 yards and 11 TDs. Micah Parker, a sophomore, adds balance to the Campo offense, having rushed for 700 yards and eight TDs. Calpreps.com’s computer says Acalanes wins, 31-20. — Darren Sabedra
No. 24 Live Oak (8-0, 4-0) at No. 20 Christopher (9-0, 4-0), 7:15 p.m.: A perfect regular season and the Blossom Valley Athletic League Mt. Hamilton Division title will be on the line. Both teams have secured spots in the CCS playoffs. Live Oak’s offense runs, literally, through senior Josh Gagni, who has rushed for 159.4 yards per game while scoring 16 touchdowns. A front seven led by linebacker Zach Rocha and defensive lineman Luke Richey will be tasked with stopping Christopher’s efficient offense when Gagni isn’t helping LIve Oak keep possession. Christopher has scored at least 30 points in the past six games and won each by double-digit point margins. Junior quarterback Jaxen Robinson has thrown for 15 touchdowns, with wide receiver Amari Bluford his favorite target with nine touchdown receptions.. But like Live Oak, Christopher is a run-dominant team, boasting a top-notch runner in William Rizqallah and his 13 rushing TDs. Christopher won last year’s matchup 22-19. CalPreps’ computer has Christopher winning Friday, 27-21. — Joseph Dycus
Del Mar (6-3, 6-0) at Prospect (8-1, 6-0), 7:15 p.m.: The winner will capture the Blossom Valley Athletic League West Valley championship and secure the division’s only CCS playoff spot. If Del Mar finishes on top, it will be the Dons’ first postseason appearance since 2011. Prospect has not made the playoffs in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present). Even getting this far has been an accomplishment for the Panthers, who went 0-10 last season in the tougher BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley Division. Quarterback Tommy Lewit threw three touchdowns last week, and running backs Prospect Afanyu, Ahmed Alnaimi and Julian Herrera-Walston should complement him in the ground game. Del Mar had to come back from a 17-0 halftime deficit to beat Gunderson last week. Option quarterback Andre Latimore ran for 267 yards and five second-half touchdowns to lead the rally. Running back Bradley Tavish has rushed for 662 yards and is capable of breaking a big run if Prospect focuses too much on Latimore. Del Mar won last year’s game 34-16. CalPreps has Prospect winning 31-26. – Joseph Dycus
Logan (5-4, 4-0) at Moreau Catholic (5-4, 3-1), 7 p.m.: NCS officials are contemplating a new playoff format beginning next season. For many of the section’s 102 football coaches, it’s about time. The big change would be allowing schools to move up or down a maximum of two divisions before the playoff brackets being announced. If adopted, it will ease what’s about to occur Sunday in Open/Division I. Three of the 11 teams hoping to receive playoff bids will be told their seasons are over. Logan will have a big hand in that. If the Colts beat Moreau Catholic, they will be the MVAL/WACC Foothill champions and will receive an automatic invite into the Open/D-1 bracket. Chances are their first-round opponent will be De La Salle, but that’s preferable to being told to turn in their shoulder pads and helmets on Monday. Teams on the bubble include California, Campolindo, Antioch and Monte Vista. Logan, too, if it loses to Moreau Catholic. None of the 11 schools in D-I is lower than No. 21 in the section rankings compiled by MaxPreps. Logan comes in having won five in a row after starting the season 0-4. The Colts are outscoring opponents by a 34-13 average in those contests. Junior QB Jonathan Craft is passing for almost 150 yards per game. Moreau Catholic doesn’t have to worry about making the playoffs. The Mariners are the No. 1-ranked team in Division VI. Of course, this begs the question of why are the six teams in the MVAL/WACC Foothill spread over five NCS playoff divisions. One key for Logan on Friday will be making sure it covers Moreau WR Jalen Arnold, who has 35 catches for 727 yards and eight touchdowns. – Mike Lefkow
Saturday
No. 23 Antioch (7-2, 3-1) at No. 4 Pittsburg (9-0, 4-0), 1:30 p.m.: A league championship will be at stake when Antioch and Pittsburg meet in the 105th Big Little Game. Antioch grabs a share of the Bay Valley Athletic League title if it defeats the Pirates for the first time since 2015. Pittsburg captures the championship outright if it wins. Given that the Pirates have won 25 consecutive BVAL games, last losing to Liberty late in the 2018 season, the odds are good that Pittsburg will complete an undefeated regular season under first-year head coach Charlie Ramirez, a Pirates alum. Pittsburg has rolled through the BVAL behind juniors Marley Alcantara, who has passed for 1,837 yards and 29 touchdowns, and Elijah Bow (985 yards rushing and eight TDs). Noah Quesada, a senior, has caught 32 passes for 627 yards and seven TDs. The defense, led by standouts such as junior Jadyn Hudson, has intercepted 17 passes. Antioch’s Larenzo Mayfield provides much of the offense for his team. He has passed for 1,065 yards and 18 TDs and is the Panthers’ leading rusher (877 yards, eight TDs). Curtis Tucker has run for 720 yards and seven touchdowns. Pittsburg is a lock for a good seed in the NCS Open/Division I playoffs. Antioch probably needs to win to qualify for the Open/D-I bracket. Calpreps.com says Pittsburg wins, 44-20. — Darren Sabedra
Schedule
Thursday, Nov. 2
SOUTH BAY/PENINSULA
BVAL Santa Teresa-Foothill
Branham at Pioneer, 7:15 p.m.
Piedmont Hills at Gilroy, 7:15 p.m.
Silver Creek at Independence, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley
Willow Glen at Mt. Pleasant, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL West Valley
Lick at Evergreen Valley, 7:15 p.m.
PAL De Anza
King’s Academy at Palo Alto, 7 p.m.
Non-league
Sequoia at Carlmont, 7 p.m.
Woodside at Milpitas, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 3
EAST BAY
Bay Valley
Deer Valley at Freedom, 7 p.m.
Heritage at Liberty, 7 p.m.
DAL Foothill
Campolindo at Acalanes, 7 p.m.
Las Lomas at Miramonte, 7 p.m.
Benicia at Northgate, 7 p.m.
EBAL Mountain
Foothill at California, 7 p.m.
Clayton Valley at De La Salle, 7 p.m.
Monte Vista at San Ramon Valley, 7 p.m.
EBAL Valley
Dougherty Valley at Dublin, 7 p.m.
Granada at Livermore, 7 p.m.
Oakland
Castlemont at Skyline, 7 p.m.
McClymonds at Fremont-Oakland, 7 p.m.
Oakland Tech at Oakland, 7 p.m.
TCAL Rock
Bethel vs. De Anza at Vallejo, 7 p.m.
Hercules at Pinole Valley, 7 p.m.
TCAL Stone
Vallejo at Richmond, 7 p.m.
MVAL/WACC Foothill
San Leandro at Bishop O’Dowd, 7 p.m.
Logan at Moreau Catholic, 7 p.m.
Tennyson at Castro Valley, 7 p.m.
MVAL/WACC Mission
Irvington at Berkeley, 7 p.m.
Washington-Fremont at Hayward, 7 p.m.
MVAL/WACC Shoreline
Alameda vs. American at Washington-Fremont, 7 p.m.
Kennedy-Fremont at San Lorenzo, 3:30 p.m.
Piedmont at Newark Memorial, 7 p.m.
Non-league
Alhambra at College Park, 7:30 p.m.
SOUTH BAY/PENINSULA
BVAL Mt. Hamilton
Leland at Lincoln-San Jose, 7:15 p.m.
Live Oak at Christopher, 7:15 p.m.
Santa Teresa at Oak Grove, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL Santa Teresa-Valley
Leigh at Westmont, 7:15 p.m.
Sobrato at Overfelt, 7:15 p.m.
BVAL West Valley
Gunderson at Yerba Buena, 7:15 p.m.
Del Mar at Prospect, 7 p.m.
Hill at San Jose, 7:15 p.m.
PAL Bay
Menlo-Atherton at Los Gatos, 7 p.m.
PAL Lake
Cupertino at Monta Vista, 7 p.m.
Gunn at Jefferson, 7 p.m.
West Catholic
Riordan vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral at Kezar Stadium, 7 p.m.
St. Ignatius at Serra, 7 p.m.
St. Francis vs. Bellarmine at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.
Valley Christian vs. Mitty at Foothill College, 7 p.m.
Non-league
Mills at Capuchino, 7 p.m.
Homestead at Fremont-Sunnyvale, 7 p.m.
Aragon at Hillsdale, 7 p.m.
Mountain View at Los Altos, 7 p.m.
Sacred Heart Prep at Menlo, 7 p.m.
Half Moon Bay at Terra Nova, 7 p.m.
Santa Clara at Wilcox, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 4
EAST BAY
Bay Valley
Antioch at Pittsburg, 1:30 p.m.
DAL Valley
Mt. Diablo at Berean Christian, noon
TCAL Rock
El Cerrito at Salesian, 1 p.m.
TCAL Stone
St. Patrick-St. Vincent at St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 1:30 p.m.
MVAL/WACC Mission
Mt. Eden at Encinal, 1:30 p.m.
SOUTH BAY/PENINSULA
PAL Lake
Saratoga at Lynbrook, 7 p.m.
Non-league
Burlingame at San Mateo, 11 a.m.
South San Francisco at El Camino, 2 p.m.