Valley Christian or St. Ignatius? Campolindo or Clayton Valley? Palo Alto or Menlo-Atherton? Miramonte or Las Lomas?
The Bay Area News Group’s high school crew is back for another week of football predictions.
Christian Babcock, Nathan Canilao and Joseph Dycus join long-timers Mike Lefkow and Darren Sabedra to see who can pick the most games correctly each week.
All in good fun, of course.
Before getting to the picks, the guys discussed what has been unfolding at El Cerrito. The Gauchos are 1-6 after forfeiting five games for using ineligible players.
But they can still make the playoffs.
If they do, they’ll likely be in a division with the section’s heavyweights.
“They’re not going to say they’re 1-6, let’s put them in Division V,” Dycus said.
The guys also started to peek ahead a few weeks as it is becoming more clear that De La Salle and Pittsburg are on a collision course for the North Coast Section’s Open Division title.
De La Salle has gone to another level this season as the Spartans showed once again last week with their rout of previously undefeated San Ramon Valley.
“They’re probably firing on cylinders we don’t even know that they have,” Dycus added.
Across the Bay, St. Ignatius will aim to bounce back from losing to St. Francis as the Wildcats play host to Valley Christian in a crucial West Catholic Athletic League matchup that will kickoff at 5 p.m. in San Francisco.
“In some ways they’re more similar than what St. Francis brought to the table, just because neither team has that superstar player that everyone’s gonna key in on,” Babcock said. “So, two teams that like to play a similar style. They sort of win in similar ways. I think SI probably has a little more talent and the last time they had that 5 p.m. start, it worked pretty well for them.”
Yes, a couple of weeks ago, SI overcome a 21-point deficit to turn back Archbishop Riordan.
Be sure to check out the video for more prep football talk.
If you just want the picks, keep scrolling.
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On to the picks…
WEEK 9 PICKS
Thursday
Santa Teresa (6-1) at Leigh (4-3), 7:15 p.m.
Sabedra: Santa Teresa
Dycus: Santa Teresa
Canilao: Santa Teresa
Babcock: Santa Teresa
Lefkow: Santa Teresa
Friday
Newark Memorial (4-3) vs. Irvington (6-1) at Washington-Fremont, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Newark Memorial
Dycus: Irvington
Canilao: Irvington
Babcock: Newark Memorial
Lefkow: Newark Memorial
Menlo School (5-2) at Los Gatos (6-1), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Los Gatos
Dycus: Los Gatos
Canilao: Los Gatos
Babcock: Los Gatos
Lefkow: Los Gatos
Arroyo (6-1) vs. Alameda (5-2) at Thompson Field in Alameda, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Arroyo
Dycus: Alameda
Canilao: Arroyo
Babcock: Arroyo
Lefkow: Arroyo
James Logan (2-5) vs. San Leandro (4-3) at Burrell Field in San Leandro, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: San Leandro
Dycus: San Leandro
Canilao: San Leandro
Babcock: James Logan
Lefkow: San Leandro
Sacred Heart Prep (3-4) at Wilcox (5-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Wilcox
Dycus: Wilcox
Canilao: Wilcox
Babcock: Wilcox
Lefkow: Wilcox
Berean Christian (5-2) at Mt. Diablo (5-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Berean Christian
Dycus: Mt. Diablo
Canilao: Berean Christian
Babcock: Mt. Diablo
Lefkow: Mt. Diablo
Palo Alto (5-2) at Menlo-Atherton (5-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Menlo-Atherton
Dycus: Palo Alto
Canilao: Menlo-Atherton
Babcock: Menlo-Atherton
Lefkow: Menlo-Atherton
Silver Creek (4-3) at Piedmont Hills (5-2), 7:15 p.m.
Sabedra: Piedmont Hills
Dycus: Piedmont Hills
Canilao: Piedmont Hills
Babcock: Piedmont Hills
Lefkow: Piedmont Hills
Miramonte (4-3) at Las Lomas (5-3), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Las Lomas
Dycus: Miramonte
Canilao: Miramonte
Babcock: Las Lomas
Lefkow: Miramonte
Saratoga (6-0-1) at Jefferson (6-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Saratoga
Dycus: Jefferson
Canilao: Jefferson
Babcock: Jefferson
Lefkow: Jefferson
Moreau Catholic (5-3) at Bishop O’Dowd (5-2), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Bishop O’Dowd
Dycus: Bishop O’Dowd
Canilao: Bishop O’Dowd
Babcock: Bishop O’Dowd
Lefkow: Bishop O’Dowd
Half Moon Bay (6-1) at San Mateo (6-1), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Half Moon Bay
Dycus: Half Moon Bay
Canilao: Half Moon Bay
Babcock: Half Moon Bay
Lefkow: Half Moon Bay
Campolindo (4-3) at Clayton Valley (4-3), 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Clayton Valley
Dycus: Campolindo
Canilao: Campolindo
Babcock: Clayton Valley
Lefkow: Clayton Valley
Valley Christian (5-2) at St. Ignatius (5-2), 5 p.m.
Sabedra: St. Ignatius
Dycus: St. Ignatius
Canilao: Valley Christian
Babcock: St. Ignatius
Lefkow: Valley Christian
WEEK 8 RESULTS
Piedmont 49, Irvington 7
Sabedra: Irvington (L)
Dycus: Irvington (L)
Canilao: Irvington (L)
Babcock: Piedmont (W)
Lefkow: Piedmont (W)
Piedmont Hills 14, Pioneer 6
Sabedra: Pioneer (L)
Dycus: Pioneer (L)
Canilao: Pioneer (L)
Babcock: Piedmont Hills (W)
Lefkow: Piedmont Hills (W)
Menlo-Atherton 21, Menlo School 18
Sabedra: Menlo-Atherton (W)
Dycus: Menlo-Atherton (W)
Canilao: Menlo School (L)
Babcock: Menlo-Atherton (W)
Lefkow: Menlo-Atherton (W)
Pittsburg 45, Heritage 0
Sabedra: Pittsburg (W)
Dycus: Pittsburg (W)
Canilao: Pittsburg (W)
Babcock: Pittsburg (W)
Lefkow: Pittsburg (W)
Wilcox 42, Palo Alto 13
Sabedra: Wilcox (W)
Dycus: Wilcox (W)
Canilao: Wilcox (W)
Babcock: Palo Alto (L)
Lefkow: Wilcox (W)
California 50, Monte Vista 36
Sabedra: California (W)
Dycus: California (W)
Canilao: California (W)
Babcock: California (W)
Lefkow: California (W)
Santa Teresa 17, Live Oak 16, OT
Sabedra: Santa Teresa (W)
Dycus: Live Oak (L)
Canilao: Live Oak (L)
Babcock: Santa Teresa (W)
Lefkow: Santa Teresa (W)
South San Francisco 29, Woodside 17
Sabedra: Woodside (L)
Dycus: South San Francisco (W)
Canilao: South San Francisco (W)
Babcock: Woodside (L)
Lefkow: Woodside (L)
Granada 49, Dublin 14
Sabedra: Dublin (L)
Dycus: Dublin (L)
Canilao: Granada (W)
Babcock: Granada (W)
Lefkow: Dublin (L)
Moreau Catholic 37, San Leandro 33
Sabedra: Moreau Catholic (W)
Dycus: San Leandro (L)
Canilao: San Leandro (L)
Babcock: Moreau Catholic (W)
Lefkow: San Leandro (L)
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Acalanes 28, Clayton Valley 27
Sabedra: Clayton Valley (L)
Dycus: Acalanes (W)
Canilao: Clayton Valley (L)
Babcock: Clayton Valley (L)
Lefkow: Clayton Valley (L)
Campolindo 30, Las Lomas 7
Sabedra: Las Lomas (L)
Dycus: Campolindo (W)
Canilao: Campolindo (W)
Babcock: Las Lomas (L)
Lefkow: Campolindo (W)
St. Francis 27, St. Ignatius 13
Sabedra: St. Francis (W)
Dycus: St. Francis (W)
Canilao: St. Francis (W)
Babcock: St. Ignatius (L)
Lefkow: St. Ignatius (L)
De La Salle 42, San Ramon Valley 14
Sabedra: De La Salle (W)
Dycus: De La Salle (W)
Canilao: De La Salle (W)
Babcock: De La Salle (W)
Lefkow: De La Salle (W)
Serra 56, Archbishop Mitty 21
Sabedra: Serra (W)
Dycus: Serra (W)
Canilao: Serra (W)
Babcock: Serra (W)
Lefkow: Serra (W)
WEEK 8 STANDINGS
Babcock: 10-5
Dycus: 10-5
Lefkow: 10-5
Canilao: 9-6
Sabedra: 9-6
SEASON STANDINGS
Sabedra: 90-30
Babcock: 80-40
Canilao: 80-40
Lefkow: 80-40
Dycus: 70-50
