Serra, which captured the CCS Open Division title on its way to the Open Division state championship game in 2021, will open the 2022 season on the road at state power Folsom.
Aragon, which won the 2021 Division V CCS crown for the first time since 1994, will open this season against Homestead. The Mustangs played in the CCS Division IV title game last year.
You’ve probably been wondering: We’re a day from the high school football opener. I’ve seen all these high school football previews over the last several weeks. Where is the Daily Journal?
Never fear. We are rolling out our annual football preview on Opening Day Friday with a breakdown of the new merger between the PAL and SCVAL and how it will impact the season (answer: very little). We’ll also look at each of the “traditional” Peninsula Athletic League teams and the divisions with which you are familiar (Bay, Ocean and Lake). We’re going to also include a list of players from the Santa Clara Valley Athletic Divisions (De Anza and El Camino), to give you an idea of how the other half of the new PAL lives.
Today, however, I’ll highlight some of the opening day matchups.
Serra at Folsom, 7 p.m. Friday
Serra, which captured the CCS Open Division title on its way to the Open Division state championship game in 2021, will open the 2022 season on the road at state power Folsom.
Daily Journal sports file
There will be no easing into the season for two of the top teams in Northern California. In the MaxPreps.com California pre-season rankings, the Bulldogs come ranked No. 16 in the state, while the Padres are 10 spots lower at No. 26.
For Serra, Folsom is only the first of four straight games against some of the best Nor Cal has to offer. The Padres will be on national television to face De La Salle in Week 2. Week 3 is Serra’s home opener against Sac-Joaquin power Central Catholic-Modesto, that lost in the 2-AA state championship game. After a bye, Serra opens WCAL play: against St. Francis.
All five of these teams, including Serra, are ranked in the top-40 in the state by Calpreps.com and are the top-5 ranked teams in Northern California.
Sacred Heart Prep vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral at Kezar Stadium, 7 p.m. Friday
I can safely say that there is no other game on the schedule that features a pair of state champs facing off against each other in Week 1.
The Gators beat Righetti-Santa Maria 16-0 to capture the CIF Division 5-A state crown, while the Irish beat Northview-Covina 48-29 for the CIF Division 4-A title. The parallels between these two teams last year were very similar: both teams finished the regular season 3-7. SHP had a losing streak of four in row. SHC had a five-game slide to start the season.
That was last year. This year, SHP has the pieces to make another deep postseason run. SHC has a new coaching staff, but also has Oregon-commit Jerry Mixon at linebacker and running back. While the Irish may have a tougher time in the West Catholic Athletic League, they, too, should be a factor come the playoffs.
This should be a good one because both teams return a slew of players from last year’s teams. Aragon is moving back into the Bay Division for the first time since the 2019 season and the Dons have the personnel to compete with the best the PAL has to offer.
This is also a cross-over game between PAL and SCVAL schools. While it won’t be an official stat, rest assured there will be an unofficial tally of wins and losses when teams from these two leagues meet.
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Bellarmine at Menlo-Atherton, 2 p.m. Saturday
A rematch of last year’s opener, a 56-41 Bellarmine win. The Bells enjoyed a renaissance last season, finishing third in the WCAL before falling to Serra in the CCS Open Division semifinals to finish the season 8-4. The expectation is Bellarmine is built to contend again this season.
In the case of M-A, the rich get richer. Already enjoying a 20-game Bay Division winning streak, the Bears added one of the best players in the country in receiver Jurrion Dickey, who transferred from Valley Christian. While he won’t be eligible to play right away, his arrival brought a collective moan from the rest of the CCS.
Even without Dickey, the Bears are still stacked. Johno Price is more than capable of doing a pretty good impression of his more heralded teammate.
Sequoia at Woodside, 7 p.m. Friday
Somehow, this game is not THE annual rivalry game for both teams, normally slated for the last game of the regular season. Sequoia faces Carlmont for its Rivalry Game, while Woodside’s rivalry with Menlo-Atherton, that began in 1959, was abandoned prior to the 2019 game for competitive reasons.
These schools are separated by only a couple of miles and their matchups tend to be exciting affairs. Expect this game to be the same.
Burlingame at Capuchino, 7 p.m. Friday
It’s always fun when PAL teams from different divisions face off against each other. There is always a little extra energy when an Ocean Division team (Capuchino) takes on a Bay Division squad (Burlingame).
Given these teams’ penchant for running the ball, this could be one of those games that is over before other games even get midway through the fourth quarter. If you’re looking for tough, hard-nosed, physical football, this is the game.
El Camino at San Mateo, 7 p.m. Friday
Similar to when Bay and Ocean teams get together, the Lake Division’s El Camino will be looking to make a statement against San Mateo and the Ocean Division.
Here is the rest of the schedule for the opening weekend:
Friday: Jefferson at Lincoln-SF, 3 p.m.,, Half Moon Bay at Leland; San Lorenzo Valley at Carlmont, Santa Clara at Terra Nova, Kennedy-Richmond at South City, 7 p.m.
Saturday: North Salinas at Menlo School, 2 p.m.
Hillsdale opened Thursday at Silver Creek, Mills has a Week 1 bye and will open play Sept. 2.
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Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.