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We are through the non-league portion of the East Bay Athletic League football season, and it is time to get down to business as play in the Mountain and Valley divisions begin this week.
It is a chance for two teams – the winner of each division – to hang a championship banner in their gym.
Who will it be in each division? What did we learn from each team through the non-league campaign? Let’s run through each team in both divisions!
The teams are listed in my predicted order of finish.
Mountain
San Ramon Valley (5-0): The Wolves went to a CIF State Football title game last year and came into this season with a solid returning base. They were expected to be loaded and have not disappointed.
In rolling to a 5-0 mark, the Wolves under the direction of senior quarterback Luke Baker, San Ramon Valley has outscored their opponents 232-61.
That includes a 35-7 win over McClymonds, another team that reached a CIF Bowl game last season. This past weekend De La Salle beat Mack 21-0.
It gets real right off the bat as San Ramon Valley travels to Clayton Valley for a week one showdown.
Clayton Valley (2-3): It is hard not to factor the Eagles into the title race as they play a brutal non-league campaign each year to get ready for league.
This year it seems like CV may be a bit off as a pair of the losses have been pretty decisive with them losing 28-0 to Oak Ridge and 26-0 Jesuit. A 21-14 win over Turlock, a team with a 1-5 record leaves me some cause for pause as well.
Then again, right when you count Clayton Valley out, they jump up and a take a bite out of the league. Can take control of the Mountain right out of the gate.
California (4-2): Might be the second-best team in the
Mountain. Their two losses have come to San Juan Hills, a team
that is 7-0 this year, and at Pittsburg by a 38-35 final.
Pitt – now 5-0 – is always good and it is not easy to play at Pitt. The Cal offense has been getting it done and the defense turned it on this past week in slowing down an explosive Granada defense in a 41-17 win.
A convincing 42-21 win over Escalon, a loaded small-school program, was also an indicator as to how Cal may fare this year.
The Grizzlies have a bye this week but circle the dates October 20 and October 27 as the Grizzlies get San Ramon Valley and Clayton Valley.
Monte Vista (3-2): The Mustangs have the potential to be a strong team, but they have suffered from inconsistency this year.
The opened the season impressively by swatting Granada 42-3, then scoring 90 points in their wins over San Leandro and Bellarmine.
They looked strong in the first quarter of their game against Amador but ended up coming up on the short end a 41-34 game with Amador.
That was followed by a 38-14 loss to Campolindo, a team Amador beat 6-0.
They had a bye last week, giving them two weeks to prepare for their opener against Foothill. Monte Vista coach John Millard played and coached for Foothill so this will be an emotional one.
November 3 is the date of the crosstown rivalry game with San Ramon Valley.
Foothill (1-4): By virtue of winning the Valley two years in a row, the Falcons were sent into the Mountain. Low on numbers, this is a Herculean task for the Falcons.
Two weeks back they beat Amador Valley 12-7 in their best performance of the season. This past week they fell 30-28 to Livermore. Three of their losses came by a combined seven points.
One thing you can count on is that the Falcons will show up compete and play hard in every game.
After opening with Monte Vista, the have a gauntlet of Clayton Valley, De La Salle, San Ramon Valley, and California.
Valley
Amador Valley (3-2): It’s going to be a new look Amador team starting this week as the welcome Granada transfers Tristian Tia (QB) and his cousin Paul Tia (lineman) into the fold.
Despite enrolling at Amador last March, the duo was forced to sit out five games. Now they are back and the Amador offense, which struggled in every game except the 41-34 win over Monte Vista, will be mutli-dimensional.
The Amador defense played well throughout the non-league run, holding as loaded El Cerrito team to 14 points, and dropping a shutout on Campolindo.
I think it is their league to lose. Circle October 20 on your calendar when the Dons travel to Granada in what figures to be an emotional game.
Granada (4-2): Has book end gotten slammed by a pair of Mountain teams – 42-3 by Monte Vista and 41-17 by Cal – but in between has been solid and explosive.
The four-game win streak saw that Mats score 35, 42, 56, and 56. Paced by highly touted quarterback Quinn Boyd, Granada has shown the ability to light up the score board.
Obviously looking forward to the Amador game on October 20, the Mats will open with the game of this week, hosting Dublin, another team that has shown the ability to points on the board.
Dublin (4-2): The Gaels opened with three convincing wins, then suffered a pair of perplexing losses before ending the non-league campaign with a 20-13 win at Hayward.
I am thinking the Gaels, particularly quarterback Jack Duncan, has Oct. 27 circled as that is when they host Amador, the school where Duncan spent his first two years.
Livermore (3-3): After Foothill the Cowboys have been the most consistent program in the Valley over the last few years.
That made last week’s 30-28 win over Foothill that much sweeter. It’s been an inconsistent non-league campaign for the Cowboys.
There have been good wins – Foothill and Castro Valley – but these has also been losses to Gregori and Moreau Catholic.
If Livermore can figure out things, the Cowboys will be in every game.
Obviously, the Amador game on October 13 is a big one but the regular season ending game with Granada on November 3 will see a packed house in the battle for Livermore.
Dougherty Valley (2-4): There has been an ability to score some points – 28 in a loss to Deer Valley and 47 in a win over Washington – but there have been some troubling losses.
The Wildcats fell 24-0 to a Newark team that was wacked 42-6 by Dublin.
Dougherty will make it tough for some teams before the season is over but does not get to ease into Valley play as they open with Amador.
