Monday Morning Lights: Why Serra, Folsom schedule heavyweights in September

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It doesn’t matter what occurs, Serra and Folsom know that the majority seasons, they are going to be in place to compete for part championships on the finish of the 12 months.

Which is why each groups exit of their approach to schedule exceptionally robust nonleague opponents in September.

This 12 months, Sacramento space energy Folsom visited one other prime group from its space (Grant), bussed to San Mateo to play Serra on Saturday and can fly to Southern California this week to face Mission Viejo.

Week 1: The place to seek out our full protection

Serra opened with Folsom and also will tackle De La Salle in San Mateo this Saturday. The Padres will end their nonleague schedule with a visit to face Southern Part powerhouse St. John Bosco.

After beating Serra 56-42, Folsom coach Paul Doherty admitted that incomes Northern California’s berth within the CIF Open Division state championship recreation is the Bulldogs’ aim this season.

Testing themselves – and successful – in opposition to the most effective groups within the state is a crucial a part of making {that a} actuality.

“Every time you go through it, you’re like, ‘This is a bad idea,’” Doherty mentioned. “Tough schedule, that’s the only way to do it. We’ve won four section (championships) in a row. We were in four NorCals in a row. We’ve won two of them, and we lost two by a total of four points. If we’re going to get better, we have to schedule and we have to plan. That’s the DNA or the blueprint of what we’re trying to do.”

Doherty famous that the packages in SoCal particularly are “better than ours,” and enjoying them provides Folsom one thing to aspire to transferring ahead.

Serra, in the meantime, is attempting to recapture the shape that powered the Padres to a 25-0 report in opposition to NorCal foes in 2022 and 2023. That stretch got here throughout a run through which the San Mateo college represented Northern California within the Open state title recreation three consecutive seasons.

Serra’s sturdy displaying in opposition to Folsom on Saturday could possibly be the primary signal that the Padres are on their manner again to being a prime NorCal contender.

“There’s a Nelson Mandela quote that says, ‘I either win or I learn,’” Walsh mentioned. “I want to know what we got and what we don’t have. I’m not trying to stack up wins around here. What we’re trying to do is be WCAL champions and CCS champions. And my philosophy has always been to schedule the best, be a part of the best. Challenge yourself against the best coaches and players, and then you know exactly where you are.”

— Christian Babcock

RIORDAN: FAMILY BUSINESS

Early within the first quarter, Riordan quarterback Mike Mitchell Jr. scanned the sphere for openings in McClymonds’ protection. After going by means of his reads, Mitchell locked in on a goal he’s very conversant in. 

Youthful brother Maxwell, a sophomore receiver, discovered the smooth spot within the protection on a crossing route, pulled within the cross, and ran in for a 27-yard landing. 

It was a play that the 2 had informally rehearsed within the yard for years, and drilled on the apply discipline all summer time. 

“It was unreal,” Max Mitchell informed the Bay Space Information Group. “We did that every day in the summer, so the work definitely paid off.”

– Joseph Dycus

ACALANES: NEW POSITION … SORT OF 

After Grant Ricker grabbed three interceptions in Acalanes’ emotional 33-12 victory, he famous that it was his first begin ever at defensive again. He had began at receiver final season for Acalanes’ North Coast Part Division III championship group. 

“I have to thank my coaches for teaching me on the fly,” Ricker mentioned. 

In response to teammate Deonte Littlejohn, that isn’t fairly true. 

“Actually, Ricker played DB freshman year … and he wasn’t the best,” Littlejohn mentioned. “He had a complete turnaround, and now he’s a dog out there. Playing receiver just helps him track that ball down.”

– Joseph Dycus

DE LA SALLE: JEFFERSON CAN SCOOT

Jaden Jefferson is a quick runner.

De La Salle’s two-way speedster reset the state report within the 100-meter sprint final spring, clocking a time of 10.01 seconds on the CIF state meet in Clovis.

However his time induced some controversy.

It was extensively speculated by these together with Arcadia Invitational meet director Wealthy Gonzalez that the record-breaking time resulted partly as a result of, he suspected, the starter fired the gun too removed from the digital timing sensor, inflicting a clock delay.

However CIF stood by its time, and so is Jefferson.

“CIF, they confirmed it, they said they had two clocks running,” Jefferson mentioned. “So I’m not really arguing with the people who don’t believe it. I know what I ran, and I came back a second day to run another time. They said they had two clocks running, and they approved it. So I’m not sure what the other people are talking about.”

De La Salle soccer coach Justin Alumbaugh isn’t too involved, both. He is aware of what Jefferson’s wheels do for his group.

“I think he could have broken 10,” Alumbaugh mentioned. “He slowed up at the end. What I know is he was moving. And football-wise, he passes the eye test for speed. You’ll see him out there. He can scoot. No matter what the exact time is, that dude can run. You get under a 10.3, you’re scooting pretty well.”

— Christian Babcock

NORCAL COMMIT FROM FLORIDA ENJOYS TIME IN GOLDEN STATE

Lakeland-Florida working again and Sacramento State commit Ja’darious Dobie acquired a bit style of the Cali life when the Dreadnaughts performed De La Salle on Friday.

Although Lakeland didn’t get the outcomes it needed, Dobie mentioned he loved his time in NorCal.

“It was beautiful weather out here and it’s just beautiful scenery,” Dobie mentioned. “I wish we could have come out here and dominated better, but at least we lost in Cali. So it feels good to be home.”

Dobie picked Sacramento State over FBS colleges Wake Forest, UNLV, Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech. New Sacramento State coach Brennan Marion is a former Bay Space resident, teaching at St. Patrick-St. Vincent in Vallejo, and enjoying at Foothill and De Anza faculties within the South Bay.

– Nathan Canilao

MENLO SCHOOL: OPENER SHARED CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

It’s not yearly you see a California highschool group play a season opener in opposition to a squad from New Mexico.

Menlo Faculty welcomed Hózhó Academy, a constitution college from Gallup, N.M., on Saturday in Atherton. The weird matchup introduced collectively two small colleges with various variations however related values.

Hózhó Academy is situated on the sting of the Navajo Nation in New Mexico, a Native American reservation house to the Diné folks. Many of the Hózhó Academy gamers had not traveled off the reservation earlier than coming to the Bay Space this weekend.

“Coach (Todd) Smith and I actually clicked once we talked about our teaching philosophies and the larger image of serving to form good, younger males,” Hózhó Academy coach Cyle Balok mentioned in a launch. “We thought this game could be a special opportunity for both of our teams to meet and use the game as a bridge between two vastly different parts of the country.”

Hózhó Academy traveled to Atherton by bus and made the journey because of fundraising from native companies close to Gallup. The 2 groups shared a pregame dinner Friday, and Menlo hopes the connections they make by means of the sport final past Week 1.

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“We come from very different parts of the country,” said Smith, Menlo’s head coach. “But we started this friendship and knew this could be much more than a regular game.”

— Christian Babcock

PEEK AHEAD TO WEEK 2

Friday

Campolindo (1-0) at Northgate (1-0), 7 p.m.: Campo was in midseason kind final week at Granada. 

Los Gatos (0-1) at Liberty (1-0), 7 p.m.: Los Gatos will attempt to tighten its protection earlier than the lengthy journey to Brentwood. 

Menlo-Atherton (0-1) at Acalanes (1-0), 7 p.m.: Acalanes aiming to beat CCS college for second week in a row.

St. Francis (0-1) at McClymonds (0-1), 7 p.m.:  Powerful journey for St. Francis as Lancers attempt to bounce again from loss to Cathedral Catholic.

San Jose (1-0) vs. Lincoln-San Jose (1-0) at San Jose Metropolis School, 7 p.m.: Will Lincoln’s dominance proceed in Massive Bone recreation? 

Windsor (1-0) at Hayward (1-0), 7 p.m.: Each groups had spectacular season-opening wins.

Saturday

De La Salle (1-0) at Serra (0-1), 2 p.m.: DLS remembers its final go to to Serra, a 28-0 loss two seasons in the past.