PAL Bay football preview: Best in CCS

And now there is a new bully on the block.

The CCS has what is called the “League Classification Index,” which uses a formula to determine the strength of each team in a particular division to come up with an overall division or league ranking. For 2025, the Bay Division is ranked ahead of the WCAL and the top-ranked divisions in the section.

“I think the Bay Division is the strongest division in the section, but the WCAL will get the nod 99 out of 100 times (by fans),” said Menlo-Atherton head coach Chris Saunders. “I think if you stack up the head-to-head matchups (over the last couple of seasons), I think we’re out in front.”

In 2024, all six teams in the Bay Division qualified for the CCS playoffs. All six made it to the semifinals, three made it to a championship game and two — Wilcox (Division II) and Sacred Heart Prep (Division IV) — won titles.

“The health of the Bay Division is extremely strong,” Saunders said. “The division is a meat grinder. It’s legit. Everyone is doing the right stuff. … Everyone brings something to the table.”

For Los Gatos, that means public-school continuity that has seen the Wildcats turn into a Northern California juggernaut as they simply reload every season — and this coming off an appearance in the Division I championship game last season.

And yet, Los Gatos is not even the defending Bay champion. That honor belongs to Wilcox, which like Los Gatos, has developed into a Nor Cal power with the Chargers’ ground-and-pound offense.

They were the only two teams to have a winning record in division play in 2024 and, at this point in time, the Bay Division title goes through these two schools.

Menlo-Atherton is hoping to take that next step and insert itself in the title conversation. The Bears’ graduated some impact players, but have a starting quarterback and running back returning.

Palo Alto held its own in its first season in the revamped Bay Division, but may find the going a little tougher this season as the Vikings will have to identify a number of new offensive weapons.

And then there is Menlo School and Sacred Heart Prep, whose combined school population would still be last in the division by several hundred students. With each school enrolling between 600 and 650 students, the fact they can compete against schools that are more than three times their size (M-A clocks in with a student body population of more than 2,100) is kind of amazing.

Menlo, of all the teams, is the one that struggles the most with roster numbers and this year’s team is no exception. Head coach Todd Smith said he has only 25 kids on the varsity roster. The Knights have the talent to hang with the top teams. They consistently have one of the highest-scoring offenses in the section.

But their lack of depth is the Knights’ real weakness.

“We’re really good playing 7-on-7 (in the summer) when we have space,” Smith said. “But this is a front line league. This is a line-of-scrimmage league.”

Roster numbers are not as big as issue at SHP, but there are certainly times when the Gators are at a physical disadvantage. They were just 1-4 in division play last year and yet went on a run in the playoffs in capturing a section crown.

But for head coach Mark Grieb, he wouldn’t have it any other way and he does not apologize for the Bay Division’s success.

“The competition makes you better,” Grieb said. “It’s sort of the structure of the league. It allows teams to take their lumps, but (all the teams qualifying for the playoffs) gives the kids something to look forward to.”

Los Gatos Wildcats

2024: 4-1, 2nd Bay Division, 10-3 overall

2024 playoffs: Lost DI CCS final

The Wildcats continue to be among the elite programs in the Central Coast Section and Northern California. What makes them so good is the seemingly endless flow of football talent into the program, talent that is identified early.

Which is how a team, playing in the arguably the toughest division in the section, can start a new quarterback this season and still be one of the main contenders for the Bay Division, CCS, Nor Cal and state titles.

And even that new starting quarterback, senior Callum Schweitzer, saw plenty of game action in 2024. He appeared in nine of 13 games and threw for more than 500 yards with seven touchdowns.

Additionally, the Wildcats return their top running back in senior Grayson Doslak and their top two wide receivers in Max Thomas and Beau Musser, also both seniors.

The 6-2, 205-pound Doslak rushed for 982 yards and 16 touchdowns, averaging 6.3 yards per carry and earning first-team All-Bay Division honors.

Musser earned Bay Division Receiver of the Year honors after catching 42 balls for 712 yards and seven scores. The 6-5, 190-pound Thomas was a first-team selection after leading Los Gatos with 54 catches for 816 yards and five touchdowns.

Garrett Bertsch — 6-4, 250-pound line who is committed to Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo — anchors the offensive line.

The Wildcats’ defense has a bigger rebuild job than the offense, but they still return their leading tackler from a year ago, senior Austin Krug, who finished with 91 tackles. Two other senior linebackers, Tyler Purcell and Andrew Sandoval, will move into starting roles after combining for 84 tackles last season.

Menlo-Atherton Bears

2024: 2-3, tied 3rd Bay Division, 7-5 overall

2024 playoffs: Lost CCS DII semifinals

Nearly every high school football team is going to graduate any number of seniors every season.

But the Bears’ turnover is almost comical.

“Last year we had 34 seniors,” said M-A head coach Chris Saunders. “This year we have 13.”

But that baker’s dozen returning is pretty good. Quarterback Teddy Dacey returns for his third season at the varsity level, having split starts the last couple of seasons because of injuries. And he has performed, throwing for a little more than 1,000 yards while appearing in all 12 games for the Bears.

Dacey will be aided by the return of senior receiver Jacob Roeder, who was second on the team last season with 523 yards on 27 catches, averaging nearly 20 yards a catch with seven touchdowns.

The Bears also return their top two running backs from 2024. Eva Ama led the team with 722 yards, while also adding 218 yards receiving. Monty Turner had 359 yards rushing last season.

“Our offensive skills players are pretty damn experienced,” Saunders said.

The Bears’ lines won’t be as big as previous editions, but what they might lack in relative size, Saunders said they make up with being faster.

Senior center Jordan Lavulo is the only returner on the offensive line, but Saunders expects big things out of a pair of sophomores: 6-2, 270-pound Michael Vanikola and 5-11, 220-pound Angel Villegas.

Saunders said the defensive side of the ball has the most rebuilding to do. Ama and Matei Tau, who is the leading returning tackler, will split time at strong safety, with 6-4, 190-pound junior Lucca Keighery playing free safety, who saw some time as a sophomore.

Marlo Jackson and Diego Madrid, both junior cornerbacks, will move into starting roles, but the defensive line and linebacking units are a work in progress.

“Linebacker and defensive line is a bit of a committee. There are no Devin Hydes,” Saunders said, referring to 2024 Lineman of the Year Devin Hyde, who is currently on the University of Washington roster as a freshman.

Menlo Knights

2024: 2-3, tied 3rd Bay Division, 8-4 overall

2024 playoffs: Lost CCS DII semifinals

The Knight, once again, punched above their weight class last season, finishing in the middle of the Bay Division pack.

Their reward? Another year in the Central Coast Section’s toughest division/league.

“Survival is a nice way to put it,” said Menlo head coach Todd Smith of his team last year.

“We’re playing a murders’ row (of teams in the Bay Division).”

Numbers, once again, will be a problem for Menlo as Smith said he has just 25 players on the varsity roster.

Don’t feel too sorry for the Knights, however. They return a handful of key players that hopefully can keep Menlo competitive in the meat grinder that is the Bay Division.

The Knights return reigning Bay Division Offensive Back of the Year in senior quarterback Jack Freehill, who threw for more than 2,000 yards last season, with 25 touchdowns and just seven interceptions. Freehill was also the Knights’ second-leading rusher, finishing with 612 yards and 10 more scores.

“He’s an extreme competitor,” Smith said of Freehill, who will play baseball at Columbia University next year.

The Knights also return their leading rusher in senior Chuck Wynn, who ran for more than 700 yards with six scores. He is also the team’s leading returning receiver after he caught 19 passes for 244 yards and three more touchdowns.

“He’s a complete back,” Smith said.

Senior receiver Trevor Van der pyl returns for his second varsity season, while Smith is expecting big things from sophomore Jayar Davis, who saw limited action as a freshman last year.

“He’s as good a receiver I’ve seen,” Smith said.

The lines on both sides of the ball will have a lot of similar faces as many will be playing both ways. The Knights have some experience on the offensive line with the return of Tyler Hinkie, who enters his third season of varsity play. Look for Lawrence Latu to take a step forward, as well, after appearing in seven games last season.

The defense will be anchored by Princeton-commit Palmer Riley, a 6-4, 240-pound senior defensive end. Joining him is Liam Pappalardo, another senior with was second on the team in tackles with 62 from his linebacker position last year.

Palo Alto Vikings

2024: 1-4, tied 5th Bay Division, 6-6 overall

2024 playoffs: Lost CCS DIII semifinals

The Vikings not only survived their first season in the Bay Division, they reaped the benefits of being in an “A-plus” league by making the Central Coast Section playoffs despite finishing the regular season with a losing record.

But it’ll be a bit of a rebuild for Palo Alto. The Vikings have a good core at the quarterback and receiver spots, as well as an experienced, veteran presence on the offensive and defensive lines.

Justin Fung returns for his junior year and second season as starting quarterback. He threw for more than 1,900 yards as a sophomore in 2024, completing 62% of his passes with 15 touchdowns against 10 interceptions.

Senior Jake Wang is poised to move into the No. 1 receiver spot after a 2024 campaign that saw him finish second on the team in catches and yards, with 52 and 561, respectively.

That combination may have to carry the offense for a while as the Vikings have to rebuild their running back depth. Palo Alto graduated 1,500 of its 1,700 yards rushing last season. Fung is the leading returner runner for the Vikings — and he had just 19 carries for 43 yards. Look for Paula Pongi, a senior, to see an increased role in the backfield after limited touches last year that saw him gain 92 yards.

The offensive line returns three-fifths of last year’s starters: senior center Danny Khan appeared in all 12 games last season, along with seniors Dominic Hernandez and Zeke Maples.

Look for sophomore Levi Pires to make an impact on both offensive and defensive line, as well, this season.

Sacred Heart Prep Gators

2024: 1-4, tied 5th Bay Division, 7-7 overall

2024 playoffs: CCS DIV champion

With a stable of effective running backs, a couple of returning linemen and a senior quarterback who started two-third of the season in 2024, the Gators are looking to move up in the Bay Division standings after a 1-4 mark last season.

“The running game, in general, is usually where our bread is buttered,” said SHP head coach Mark Grieb.

And health willing, SHP will get a full season out of senior running back Maxime Morrelle, who rushed for 518 yards and seven touchdowns while playing in just eight of the Gators’ 14 games last season. Morrelle is a bull who will pose problems for opposing defenses.

“He’s such a load. A 240-pound running back,” Grieb said. “He’s just so tough to bring down.”

Cooper Karros and Hunter Dolinko, two more seniors who saw limited touches last season, are expected to fill bigger offensive roles this season. Sasha Bamdad, a senior wing back, returns after rushing for 411 yards and averaged 7.4 yards per carry.

“It takes a while to get that feel to run the fly sweep,” Grieb said. “He looks great. He can fly.”

Running the offense is senior quarterback Nico Pollioni, who threw for 824 yards in 10 games, but the Gators don’t throw the ball a lot. Grieb just needs him to command the offense.

“Last year, he was fully prepared to be the backup and he was thrust into the fire,” Grieb said. “But he never blinked and he never backed down.

“(This year) he knew he was going to be the starter.”

Paving the way up front is four-year varsity senior Atelea Tau and sophomore Tim Fangupo. Who like Tau and older brother Aseli Fangupo, is on track for a four-year varsity career.

“(Fangupo) looks dominant,” Grieb said. “He’s put on 20 to 30 pounds of muscle and is just very explosive.”

Wilcox Chargers

2024: 5-0, 1st Bay Division, 11-3 overall

2024 playoffs: CCS D2 champion

When McDonald High School came on line prior to the 2023 season, there was a thought that the new high school in north San Jose would siphon talent away from the Wilcox football team.

That hasn’t happened.

So despite graduating 2024 Bay Division MVP Brayden Rosa, the Chargers return junior quarterback Kai Imahara, along with its second-leading rusher, Elijah Vallejo.

As such, Wilcox is a threat for the quad, again, this season: division, section, regional and state titles.

Imahara burst on the scene last season in his first year as varsity starter. Not only did he throw for nearly 1,000 — which is a lot in the Chargers’ run-heavy offense — he completed 70% of his passes and throwing nine touchdowns.

He was also the Chargers’ third-leading rusher, running for almost 600 yards, averaging nearly 10 yards a pop.

Most teams would have a problem replacing a player like Rosa, who rushed for 1,850 of the Chargers’ 4,064 yards last season. Instead, Wilcox will plug in the heir apparent. Vallejo, a junior, was hardly just an understudy last season as a sophomore, as his 859 yards rushing would lead many teams.

Gilbert Padilla, a senior, could see his touches increase on offense this season after rushing for 151 yards in limited use. He was much more impactful on the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker, where he was fourth on the team in tackles with 77.

Paving the way for the Wilcox offense is a trio of returning starters: seniors Sione Poulivaati and Jack Johnson, a center; along with 6-2, 246-pound junior Martin Arreguin.