When Cardinal Newman plays Rancho Cotate it has to be a one score game.
It must be some hidden rule.

Cardinal Newman had a 21 point lead with eight minutes left. Yet Rancho Cotate actually had the ball, seven down as time ran out. The problem was time actually ran out after a Cardinal Newman punt. So Cardinal Newman survived, taking a 42-35 win and first place in the NBL race.
The score would tell you it was an offensive show that is normal when these two teams meet. Saying that wouldn’t be fair to the Cardinal Newman defense, who held Rancho Cotate scoreless from the early second quarter to the mid fourth. During that time the game turned from a 14-7 Rancho Cotate lead, to a 35-14 Cardinal Newman lead.
That isn’t to say there weren’t some offensive fireworks. There will be four players from this game on the honors list that goes with the weekly rankings, two from each team.
The video posted here is worth the looks. It is a good commercial for local high school football.
NORTH BAY LEAGUE
No. 1 Cardinal Newman 42 No. 3 Rancho Cotate 35   WATCH THE FULL GAME HERE
No. 8 Windsor 35 Montgomery 7
No. 10 Maria Carrillo 49 Santa Rosa 15
Casa Grande 42 Ukiah 12
At 4-0, Cardinal Newman has a one game lead over four teams.
There was one game between one loss teams, which was the Casa Grande win over Ukiah. The Gauchos scored three touchdowns in a 3 1/2 minute run late in the second quarter to open up a 28-6 halftime lead. The big play of the run was a 25 yard interception return by Stephan Dennis which made it 21-6.
After the 0-4 start Casa Grande has won two straight and next week they travel to Cardinal Newman.
Windsor scored four second quarter touchdowns in its win over Montgomery. David Escarcega rushed for two of the touchdowns.
Windsor still has Cardinal Newman on the schedule.
Cole Martin rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns to lead Maria Carrillo over Santa Rosa.
Maria Carrillo’s league loss is to Cardinal Newman.
SONOMA COUNTY LEAGUE
No. 2 Analy 56 Piner 7
No. 7 Petaluma 46 Healdsburg 12
El Molino 44 Elsie Allen 0
Sonoma Valley (0-6) BYE

It is a foregone conclusion that Analy is going to win the SCL.
Analy looks comfortable playing that role as they moved to 6-0 with a win over Piner.
After a scoreless first quarter, Analy led 28-0 at the half. Kyle Johnson intercepted three passes, returning one for a score. He also returned a block field goal 80 yards for another score.
Petaluma is playing the role saying, “don’t give that championship pennant out yet.” In its first place battle with Healdsburg they had a 40-0 halftime lead.
Quarterback Brendan White threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more. Running back Lucas Dentoni rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns.
After losing its first two, Petaluma has won five straight. They are two wins from a SCL championship game against Analy, which would be on November 6th. Before that they meet El Molino and Elsie Allen who has a combined one win.
That win belongs to El Molino who defeated Elsie Allen. Joshua Wright rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns.
NCL I
No. 4 St. Helena 38 Lower Lake 0
No. 5 Fort Bragg 28 No. 6 Middletown 14
No. 9 Cloverdale 21 Kelseyville 6
Clear Lake 30 Willits 20
Middletown played its first home game since the Valley Fire. It was also a game between two of the three teams left undefeated in NCL I play.
The game was decided in the fourth when Fort Bragg scored three touchdowns to break a 7-7 tie. Kaylor Sullivan threw three touchdown passes, two of them the first two scores of the fourth quarter to give Fort Bragg a 21-7 lead.
Fort Bragg is 6-0 on the season, as is St. Helena after their win over Lower Lake. St. Helena had a 10-0 lead at the half. In the second half Jahaiver Otero scored three of the touchdowns on his way to a 182 rushing night.
There are two more games before Fort Bragg travels to St. Helena on October 30th.
Cloverdale remains one game out with its win over Kelseyville. Cloverdale’s league loss is to St. Helena. The Eagles end the regular season at Fort Bragg on November 6th.
BAY FOOTBALL
St. Vincent 33 CSD Fremont 10
The first game for St. Vincent in the Bay Football League was a successful one. Dominic Pedersen threw four touchdown passes.
St. Vincent is 2-4 on the season.

NCL III
Calistoga 50 Tomales 0
Upper Lake 34 Anderson Valley 12
Point Arena 60 Laytonville 14
Rincon Valley Christian 2 Mendocino 0 (Forfeit game according to MaxPreps)
Potter Valley BYE
Upper Lake hands Anderson Valley its first loss.
At 5-0 Calistoga is the last undefeated team left in the league race.
My email address is jacpasquini@comcast.net