Sometimes our video roundtable discussion overshadows the picks.
This was one of those weeks.
The hot story was the aftermath of College Park’s 84-0 victory over Ygnacio Valley. Given that our high school football expert Mike Lefkow is quite familiar with the history of those schools, having grown up in that part of the Bay Area, this was in his wheelhouse.
So it led off our discussion.
“I am not as bummed out about this as so many people seem to be,” Lefkow said. “In many respects, this is my home area. I am wearing a cap from my old high school, Pleasant Hill High School. When that school closed (in 1980), students were given a choice of going to College Park or Ygnacio Valley. The vast majority of them chose Ygnacio Valley. I don’t think College Park and Ygancio have ever been on the best of terms.
“That being said, I think College Park could have shut it down a little bit earlier. But the situation with high school football these days is part of the reason you saw what happened. Travis Raciti is a fine young coach who is trying to build a program at College Park. He was a great player at College Park. He was a great player at San Jose State. All-conference twice. All-academic three times. He played in the NFL for three years with the Eagles. Vikings and Broncos. He’s a bright guy and he’s doing everything he can to build a program there.”
And, as Lefkow points out, part of building a program in this era is recruiting your own players to keep them from transferring.
“Everybody says, ‘Oh man, these kids are posing under the scoreboard that said 84-0.’ You’re kind of caught in a tough situation,” Lefkow added. “You don’t want to beat a team 84-0. That’s not good for the game. But at the same time, he’s trying to build a program. He’s got to do what he can to make the kids want to play there.”
Our panel also included a guest, Jesús Cano, who helped report the story for our Monday Morning Lights column.
“I was hoping that it was the wrong score,” Cano said.
In our video show, we have plenty more on College Park-Ygnacio Valley and the upcoming playoffs, including potential North Coast Section scenarios for Pittsburg, De La Salle and Clayton Valley and whether anyone in the Central Coast Section can beat Serra.
As always, we pick 15 games.
The Week 10 lineup includes the Holy War matchup between Bellarmine and St. Francis and two Peninsula showdowns: The King’s Academy at undefeated Sequoia and Sacred Heart Prep playing host to Menlo-Atherton.
Yours truly went 9-6 to lead the way in Week 9. My advantage in the season standings has stretched to four games over Lefkow and 10 over The Kid (aka Joseph Dycus).
If you want just the predictions, keep scrolling.
And, If you haven’t already, please subscribe here for digital access all season long.
Enjoy the video.
WEEK 10 PICKS
Thursday
Menlo (4-4) at Burlingame (4-4), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Burlingame
Dycus: Menlo School
Lefkow: Burlingame
Guest (Cano): Menlo School
Mt. Pleasant (6-2) at Willow Glen (6-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Willow Glen
Dycus: Willow Glen
Lefkow: Willow Glen
Guest (Cano): Willow Glen
Santa Teresa (4-4) at Lincoln-San Jose (7-1), 7:30 p.m.
Sabedra: Santa Teresa
Dycus: Lincoln-San Jose
Lefkow: Lincoln-San Jose
Guest (Cano): Lincoln-San Jose
Friday
Arroyo (4-3) at Newark Memorial (3-5), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Newark Memorial
Dycus: Newark Memorial
Lefkow: Newark Memorial
Guest (Cano): Arroyo
Bellarmine (3-5) at St. Francis (5-3), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: St. Francis
Dycus: Bellarmine
Lefkow: St. Francis
Guest (Cano): St. Francis
Berean Christian (5-3) at Concord (6-1), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Concord
Dycus: Concord
Lefkow: Concord
Guest (Cano): Concord
Branham (7-1) at Piedmont Hills (2-6), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Branham
Dycus: Piedmont Hills
Lefkow: Branham
Guest (Cano): Branham
California (5-3) at San Ramon Valley (6-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: San Ramon Valley
Dycus: San Ramon Valley
Lefkow: San Ramon Valley
Guest (Cano): San Ramon Valley
El Cerrito (8-0) at De Anza (4-3), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: El Cerrito
Dycus: El Cerrito
Lefkow: El Cerrito
Guest (Cano): El Cerrito
Granada (4-4) at Foothill (5-4), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Foothill
Dycus: Foothill
Lefkow: Foothill
Guest (Cano): Foothill
Las Lomas (4-4) at Campolindo (8-0), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Campolindo
Dycus: Las Lomas
Lefkow: Campolindo
Guest (Cano): Campolindo
Mt. Eden (5-3) at Berkeley (5-3), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Berkeley
Dycus: Berkeley
Lefkow: Berkeley
Guest (Cano): Berkeley
Pittsburg (7-1) at Heritage (6-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Pittsburg
Dycus: Pittsburg
Lefkow: Pittsburg
Guest (Cano): Pittsburg
King’s Academy (6-2) at Sequoia (8-0), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: The King’s Academy
Dycus: The King’s Academy
Lefkow: Sequoia
Guest (Cano): Sequoia
Saturday
Menlo-Atherton (5-3) at Sacred Heart Prep (7-1), 2 p.m.
Sabedra: Sacred Heart Prep
Dycus: Sacred Heart Prep
Lefkow: Sacred Heart Prep
Guest (Cano): Sacred Heart Prep
WEEK 9 RESULTS
Live Oak 42, Lincoln-San Jose 14
Sabedra: Lincoln-San Jose (L)
Dycus: Lincoln-San Jose (L)
Lefkow: Lincoln-San Jose (L)
Tennyson 26, James Logan 6
Sabedra: James Logan (L)
Dycus: James Logan (L)
Lefkow: James Logan (L)
Mt. Pleasant 21, Del Mar 7
Sabedra: Mt. Pleasant (W)
Dycus: Del Mar (L)
Lefkow: Del Mar (L)
Las Lomas 38, Miramonte 21
Sabedra: Las Lomas (W)
Dycus: Miramonte (L)
Lefkow: Las Lomas (W)
Overfelt 27, Westmont 21
Sabedra: Westmont (L)
Dycus: Westmont (L)
Lefkow: Westmont (L)
Livermore 48, Dougherty Valley 16
Sabedra: Livermore (W)
Dycus: Livermore (W)
Lefkow: Livermore (W)
Liberty 35, Antioch 6
Sabedra: Liberty (W)
Dycus: Liberty (W)
Lefkow: Antioch (L)
Berkeley 44, Hayward 41
Sabedra: Berkeley (W)
Dycus: Berkeley (W)
Lefkow: Berkeley (W)
Christopher 27, Santa Teresa 25, OT
Sabedra: Santa Teresa (L)
Dycus: Santa Teresa (L)
Lefkow: Christopher (W)
Campolindo 50, Northgate 7
Sabedra: Campolindo (W)
Dycus: Campolindo (W)
Lefkow: Campolindo (W)
San Mateo 26, Terra Nova 14
Sabedra: Terra Nova (L)
Dycus: Terra Nova (L)
Lefkow: Terra Nova (L)
Sacred Heart Cathedral 30, Bellarmine 17
Sabedra: Sacred Heart Cathedral (W)
Dycus: Bellarmine (L)
Lefkow: Bellarmine (L)
Menlo-Atherton 24, Menlo School 14
Sabedra: Menlo-Atherton (W)
Dycus: Menlo School (L)
Lefkow: Menlo-Atherton (W)
Clayton Valley 49, California 14
Sabedra: Clayton Valley (W)
Dycus: Clayton Valley (W)
Lefkow: Clayton Valley (W)
Los Gatos 28, Wilcox 7
Sabedra: Wilcox (L)
Dycus: Los Gatos (W)
Lefkow: Wilcox (L)
WEEK 9 STANDINGS
Sabedra: 9-6
Lefkow: 7-8
Dycus: 6-9
SEASON STANDINGS
Sabedra: 92-43
Lefkow: 88-47
Dycus: 82-53
