Marin teams playing for three section titles
Marin has won its fair share of section titles in football over the past two decades but the county has a chance to make some history this weekend.
Marin teams are hosting three section finals but the county hasn’t claimed two section titles in the same season since 2002, when Marin Catholic and Tomales pulled off the feat. (The MCAL has repeated the achievement three times since then, with Justin-Siena claiming titles alongside MC in 2003, Terra Linda in 2004 and MC again in 2012).
MC (Division IV), San Marin (D-V) and Branson (8-Person) could all claim section titles with home wins this weekend. MC and San Marin would then move on to NorCal bowl games next weekend with the opportunity to advance to state. Branson’s season, win or lose, will come to an end on Saturday.
NCS D-V final, No. 2 Del Norte (10-1) at No. 1 San Marin (10-1), 7 p.m., San Marin
San Marin’s quest to end a 20-year section-title drought reaches its final hurdle when the Mustangs take on the defending champions from 2019. Del Norte defeated Alhambra, Moreau Catholic and Encinal en route to that title while San Marin bowed out in the quarterfinals against De Anza. The Warriors have rolled through the playoffs to this point, defeating Archie Williams, 49-6, in the quarterfinals then Miramonte, 42-13, in the semifinals. San Marin survived a major scare winning 2625 against No. 4 St. Bernard’s last week. The Warriors faced St. Bernard’s twice this season, winning a close game (32-27) and a blowout (25-7). San Marin’s
run defense will need to be on point against the Warriors, who ran for almost 4,000 yards this season while throwing for just 409 yards. RJ Loftin led the way with 1,472 yards and Caleb Dobson ran for 1,058 yards. Giancarlo Desolenni also ran for 800 yards. San Marin counters with Justin Guin (1,923 yards) and Aidyn Gendel (411 yards). The Mustangs should have an advantage through the air as Joey Cook has thrown for 1,756 yards this season. Both Frankie Quinci (715) and Andy Garcia (462) have more receiving yards individually than Del Norte has as a team.
Saturday
NCS D-IV final, No. 2 Cardinal Newman (8-3) at No. 1 Marin Catholic (10-1), 7 p.m., Kentfield
There’s no shortage of history between the Cardinals and the Wildcats. The previous two D-IV champions — Cardinal Newman in 2019, Marin Catholic in 2017 (the 2018 game was never played and the title was decided by a coin flip between Eureka and Newman) — went through each other to claim those titles. The Cardinals won the 2019 game, 13-10, by kicking a field goal as time expired. MC’s senior quarterback Michael Ingrassia was a freshman then. MC was limited to just 17 passing yards during that game. The 2017 game was also decided by three points as the Spencer Petras-led Wildcats won, 59-56. Petras threw for a school-record 502 yards in that game. MC also defeated the Cardinals in the 2015 title game, 38-21, with QB Darius-James Peterson throwing for 169 yards and running for 108 more. The 2021 Cardinals are led by quarterback Lucas Knechtle (1,352 passing yards) and running back Santino Acevedo (1,153 rushing). Much like MC, the Cardinals’ passing attack is diversified with five receivers netting more than 100 yards on the season but none of them above 250 yards. The Cardinals won their first two playoff games this season by a combined score of 100-28, defeating Newark Memorial and Tennyson.
NCS 8-person final, No. 2 Stuart Hall (5-3) at No. 1 Branson (9-0), 1 p.m., Ross
The Bulls are looking to make some history of their own this season. The program has gone undefeated in league before and won a section title before but it has never done both in the same season. A win over leaguerival Stuart Hall would allow the Bulls to pull off that unprecedented double. The two teams faced off once during the regular season. The game was tied 28-28 at the half before Branson pulled away for a 58-36 victory on Oct. 30. QB George Gale threw seven of his 45 touchdowns this season against the Knights. WR Alexander Getty had five of his 22 touchdowns in that game. RB Lucas Segal (10 TDs this year) had 122 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown, in the regular-season meeting. “(The Knights are) physical, like Calistoga, but they can throw more,” Branson coach Max Pond said. “They have more athletes, I’d say, more skill-position guys. … A lot of our guys live in (San Francisco) so they know a lot of Stuart Hall guys. That’s why it’s a rivalry because they know each other to some degree and played against each other growing up.”