High school football Week 6 preview: Today's key games
Today, the West Catholic Athletic League takes center stage as No. 10St. Francis visits No. 1Serra and No. 5 Valley Christian plays at No. 7 Archbishop Riordan.
The Bay Area News Group will have complete coverage this weekend and all season. If you have not already, please sign up for a digital subscription. Your contributions keep us going.
No. 10 St. Francis (2-2) at No. 1 Serra (4-0), 1:30 p.m.:
Serra has left no doubt that it's the top team in Northern California. Wins over Folsom 21-14 and De La Salle 28-0cemented the San Mateo powerhouse's placement at the top. If there are to be caution flags for Serra as it aims to defend its West Catholic Athletic League championship — a big if given the Padres' talent and experience — the game today against St. Francis would qualify. St. Francis and Serra have a deep history. Serra has won four of the past five and 13of the past 21between the teams dating to 2007. Before that, St. Francis owned the long-running series, going 35games over 34 years without losing to the Padres. Both teams enter this game having won league openers last week. Serra, as expected, rolled over Sacred Heart Cathedral 61-0 as Jaden Green and Nano Latu scored early touchdowns to help lead the way. St. Francis opened its WCAL schedule with a 41-20 victory over Archbishop Mitty as Kingston Keanaaina ran for 167yards and scored four touchdowns for the winning side. When St. Francis visited Serra two years ago with the league championship on the line, the visitors hammered the Padres 44-21as Viliami Teu rushed for 344yards and two TDs in 45carries. Serra has won the two games since then, including a 17-12triumph in the Central Coast Section Division I final just three weeks after Teu's huge game against the Padres. Calpreps.com's computer projects Serra to win on Saturday, 42-7.
— Darren Sabedra No. 5 Valley Christian (4-0) at No. 7 Riordan (3-1),
2 p.m.: Long before the season began, Valley Christian and Riordan were hot topics. The Warriors were 1-9 last season, but many felt that was an aberration. Coach Mike Machado's last losing season was 2006, when Valley Christian was 3-7. Riordan was attracting attention because of all the football players transferring there. After being bottomfeeders last year in the West Catholic Athletic League (Riordan was 3-7), both teams seem primed to compete. The key today could be whether Valley Christian can keep the ball away from Riordan's offense. In at least two wins, the Crusaders ran more plays than their opponent. But in a 24-14 loss to St. Bonaventure, the visitors from Ventura ran more plays. The Crusaders are a difficult team to defend. They average 38 points per game. They beat St. Ignatius 41-34 in their WCAL opener. Sophomore QB Michael Mitchell, who has offers from Cal, Arizona and Washington State, is averaging 315.5 passing yards per game. He's thrown for nine TDs without an interception. His receivers include big-time recruits Chris Lawson and Cynai Thomas, Boise State commit Tyrone Jackson and junior Jacob Dubriwny, who's flying under the radar but probably not for long. He's 6-1, 180 and has 4.51 speed in the 40. Last week the Crusaders introduced freshman RB Isitolo Tuugamusu, who scored five TDs while totaling 89 yards on 17 carries. Valley Christian, which beat Bellarmine 23-7 in its WCAL opener, will counter with a physical team that includes four-star recruit Champ Taulealea, a junior who measures 6-3, 335 and has 10 power-5 offers. Senior Rayne Mayo Jr. goes 6-2, 285. Receiver Kai Hamilton, who has an offer from Washington State, is also pretty physical at 6-3, 178 pounds. A road win would certainly send a message that the Warriors are back.