The first week of the playoffs was daunting, humbling and mentally exhausting. But we aim to learn from our mistakes, study the errors and be stronger this weekend.
The three of us in this all-in-fun Bay Area News Group high school football picks competition went a combined 21-27 last week, largely because of the Central Coast Section’s competitive-based brackets.
I led the way at 8-8. Joseph Dycus was 7-9. Mike Lefkow went 6-10.
Nearly all our losses were in the CCS because the section does not use enrollment to separate teams into its five eight-team divisions.
It’s all strength-based.
As a result, we saw eighth-seeded Christopher beat top-seeded Archbishop Mitty in Division II, seventh-seeded Wilcox stun second-seeded St. Francis in Open/Division I and seventh-seeded Alisal upset No. 2 seed Capuchino in Division III.
The North Coast Section blends enrollment and competitive equity to separate teams, choosing its playoff divisions during the off-season. Playoff results over the previous three seasons determine whether a team moves up or down or stays put.
For what we do here, the NCS’s system makes it easier to predict.
But aren’t playoff games better when they’re unpredictable?
“No system is flawless,” Lefkow said on this week’s video show. “But I think the CCS has closed the gap a little bit more than NCS. I hope that North Coast Section eventually does something similar to CCS. It makes for a better playoff. You don’t have these 48-0 games and you have upsets.”
If calpreps.com’s computer is on point, we won’t have many blowouts among the 15 games we picked this weekend. Only two of the games — Serra over Wilcox and Acalanes over Vallejo — are projected to have at least a 30-point margin of victory.
Check out the video for all of the picks, analysis and much more.
We discuss the rematches between San Ramon Valley and De La Salle and California and Pittsburg. We address how Wilcox might approach the Serra game. We also rehash the drama from last weekend, including the epic SRV-Campolindo overtime game.
If you want just the predictions, keep scrolling.
Also, if you haven’t already, please subscribe here for digital access. Your contributions keep us going.
Enjoy the video.
WEEK 13 PICKS
Central Coast Section
Open/Division I
Open championship game
No. 7 Wilcox (9-3) vs. No. 1 Serra (11-0) at San Jose City College, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Serra
Dycus: Serra
Lefkow: Serra
Division I semifinal
No. 4 Los Gatos (9-2) at No. 3 St. Ignatius (7-4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Los Gatos
Dycus: Los Gatos
Lefkow: Los Gatos
Division II
Semifinals
No. 8 Christopher (10-1) at No. 5 Menlo School (10-1), Saturday, 1 p.m.
Sabedra: Christopher
Dycus: Menlo School
Lefkow: Menlo School
Division III
Semifinals
No. 4 Palma (4-7) at No. 1 Menlo-Atherton (5-6), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Palma
Dycus: Palma
Lefkow: Palma
Division IV
Semifinals
No. 3 Branham (9-2) at No. 2 Mountain View (5-6), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Branham
Dycus: Mountain View
Lefkow: Mountain View
No. 5 Leigh (8-3) at No. 1 Palo Alto (6-5), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Palo Alto
Dycus: Palo Alto
Lefkow: Palo Alto
Division V
Semifinals
No. 7 Leland (4-7) at No. 3 South San Francisco (10-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: SSF
Dycus: SSF
Lefkow: SSF
No. 4 Santa Teresa (5-6) at No. 1 Woodside (7-4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Woodside
Dycus: Santa Teresa
Lefkow: Woodside
North Coast Section
Open/Division I
Open championship game
No. 2 San Ramon Valley (10-1) vs. No. 1 De La Salle (9-2) at Dublin HS, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: De La Salle
Dycus: San Ramon Valley
Lefkow: De La Salle
Division I semifinal
No. 5 California (7-4) at No. 3 Pittsburg (11-0), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Pittsburg
Dycus: California
Lefkow: Pittsburg
Division II
Semifinals
No. 5 Heritage (5-6) at No. 1 El Cerrito (9-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: El Cerrito
Dycus: El Cerrito
Lefkow: El Cerrito
Division III
Semifinals
No. 3 Cardinal Newman (10-1) at No. 2 Las Lomas (10-1), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Las Lomas
Dycus: Las Lomas
Lefkow: Cardinal Newman
Division IV
Semifinals
No. 3 Vallejo (8-3) at No. 2 Acalanes (7-4), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Acalanes
Dycus: Acalanes
Lefkow: Acalanes
Division V
Semifinals
No. 4 Alhambra (8-3) at No. 1 Miramonte (7-3), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Miramonte
Dycus: Miramonte
Lefkow: Miramonte
Division VI
Semifinals
No. 3 Salesian (9-2) at No. 2 Moreau Catholic (6-5), Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Moreau Catholic
Dycus: Salesian
Lefkow: Salesian
WEEK 12 RESULTS
CCS PLAYOFFS
Open/Division I
No. 7 Wilcox 52, No. 2 St. Francis 28
Sabedra: St. Francis (L)
Dycus: St. Francis (L)
Lefkow: St. Francis (L)
No. 3 St. Ignatius 21, No. 6 Valley Christian 17
Sabedra: Valley Christian (L)
Dycus: Valley Christian (L)
Lefkow: Valley Christian (L)
No. 4 Los Gatos 28, No. 5 Archbishop Riordan 14
Sabedra: Los Gatos (W)
Dycus: Los Gatos (W)
Lefkow: Los Gatos (W)
Division II
No. 5 Menlo School 30, No. 4 Live Oak 28
Sabedra: Menlo School (W)
Dycus: Live Oak (L)
Lefkow: Live Oak (L)
No. 8 Christopher 32, No. 1 Archbishop Mitty 28
Sabedra: Archbishop Mitty (L)
Dycus: Archbishop Mitty (L)
Lefkow: Archbishop Mitty (L)
Division III
No. 6 Scotts Valley 33, No. 3 Aragon 21
Sabedra: Aragon (L)
Dycus: Aragon (L)
Lefkow: Aragon (L)
No. 7 Alisal 20, No. 2 Capuchino 17
Sabedra: Capuchino (L)
Dycus: Capuchino (L)
Lefkow: Capuchino (L)
Division IV
No. 5 Leigh 21, No. 4 North Salinas 20
Sabedra: North Salinas (L)
Dycus: Leigh (W)
Lefkow: North Salinas (L)
Division V
No. 4 Santa Teresa 37, No. 5 Los Altos 15
Sabedra: Los Altos (L)
Dycus: Santa Teresa (W)
Lefkow: Los Altos (L)
NCS PLAYOFFS
Open/Division I
No. 2 San Ramon Valley 38, No. 7 Campolindo 31, OT
Sabedra: San Ramon Valley (W)
Dycus: San Ramon Valley (W)
Lefkow: San Ramon Valley (W)
No. 5 California 31, No. 4 Clayton Valley 24
Sabedra: California (W)
Dycus: California (W)
Lefkow: Clayton Valley (L)
Division II
No. 5 Heritage 35, No. 4 Redwood 8
Sabedra: Redwood (L)
Dycus: Redwood (L)
Lefkow: Redwood (L)
No. 6 Rancho Cotate 40, No. 3 Granada 18
Sabedra: Rancho Cotate (W)
Dycus: Rancho Cotate (W)
Lefkow: Rancho Cotate (W)
Division III
No. 2 Las Lomas 17, No. 7 Ukiah 7
Sabedra: Las Lomas (W)
Dycus: Las Lomas (W)
Lefkow: Las Lomas (W)
Division V
No. 4 Alhambra 49, No. 5 Piedmont 14
Sabedra: Alhambra (W)
Dycus: Piedmont (L)
Lefkow: Alhambra (W)
Division VI
No. 3 Salesian 21, No. 6 St. Mary’s-Berkeley 13
Sabedra: Salesian (W)
Dycus: St. Mary’s-Berkeley (L)
Lefkow: Salesian (W)
WEEK 12 STANDINGS
Sabedra: 8-8
Dycus: 7-9
Lefkow: 6-10
SEASON STANDINGS
Sabedra: 129-62
Lefkow: 119-72
Dycus: 110-81
