Central Coast Section DI semifinal: No. 4 Salinas at No. 1 Serra

Try to stop the run? Serra quarterback, junior Maealiuaki Smith is averaging 202 yards passing this season, including seven games over 200 yards and a trio of 300-yard performances.

Try to stop the pass? Serra is averaging 114 yards rushing per game, led by juniors Jaden Green, Danny Niu and Jabari Mann. The Padres have gone over the 200-yard mark three times this season, including 227 in the Padres’ first-round win.

Let’s not leave out special teams that saw Kyon Loud return a punt 64 yards for a score last week.

Last, but certainly not least, is the Serra defense — which may be the team’s best unit. The Padres have allowed 7 points in each of its last eight games and are allowing an average of 10.8 points for the season. They have recorded at least one sack in seven games and have 14 on the season and have picked off nine passes.

All of which were on display as the top-seeded Padres dismantled No. 8 Palma — which tied for the division championship with Salinas this season — 57-7 in the first-round last week.

To make a long story short, Salinas has its work cut out for it. But as they say in the sport of boxing, the Cowboys do have a puncher’s chance. They have established themselves as one of the best public school programs in the CCS, having won or shared the Pacific Coast Athletic League Gabilan Division championship the last five seasons. The Cowboys have qualified for the CCS Division I bracket in four of the last five years (not including the 2020 COVID season), winning the Open Division I championship in 2017.

Salinas knocked off No. 5 Sacred Heart Prep 28-21 last week, holding off the Gators on a potential game-winning drive late in the fourth quarter.

Like Serra, Salinas likes to mix up the pass and run. Senior quarterback Adam Shaffer has thrown for nearly 2,300 yards this season, averaging 226 yards passing per game. The Cowboys rush for an average of 152 yards per game and while no one topped the 1,000-yard mark this season, Shaffer and sophomore Dayven Marquez have combined for more than 1,200 yards.

Salinas comes into the game scoring an average of 42.9, while allowing 19.1.