I got to see exact opposite games this week. Friday night I was at San Leandro’s 15-14 thrilling overtime victory over Castro Valley and on Saturday I was at Bishop O’Dowd’s 63-20 romp over Arroyo. That game had nearly 1,000 yards of offense! Incredible. O’Dowd looks tough. They have four tailbacks that are gamebreakers (Che’rod Simpson, Mario Brown, Adonis Smith and Marcus Harrison).
NCS 2-A picture
Locks: Las Lomas (8-0, 7-0 DFAL), Heritage (5-3, 4-2 BVAL), Bishop O’Dowd (6-2, 4-1 HAAL), Encinal (6-2, 4-1 ACCAL), Piedmont (6-2, 4-0 BSAL)
Near locks: Ygnacio Valley(6-2, 4-2 BVAL), Acalanes (5-3, 5-2 DFAL), Campolindo (6-2, 5-2 DFAL)
Bubble teams: El Cerrito (5-3, 3-2 ACCAL), Miramonte (4-4, 3-4 DFAL), JFK-Fremont (3-5, 2-3 MVAL); Northgate (4-4, 3-4 DFAL)
My picks/seedings: 1. Las Lomas; 2. Bishop O’Dowd; 3. Heritage; 4. Ygnacio Valley; 5. Encinal; 6. Acalanes; 7. Campolindo; 8. Piedmont
After No. 1 and No. 2, the seeding in this division is complicated. Piedmont will likely come in with a solid record, but it hasn’t played the competition that Encinal, Acalanes and Campolindo have. Piedmont lost to Campolindo in the season opener 31-2. Now, Piedmont certainly has improved but the seeding committee doesn’t care about that. They will see 31-2 and probably put Campolindo in front of Piedmont. Although, Piedmont’s impressive overall record could boost them higher.
But I pretty much think these will be the teams that get in. I don’t think any of the bubble teams have a chance to crack the eight teams that I have listed.
