You never know which game will be the Game of the Week, until it is actually the Game of the Week. You can take an educated guess, but rarely does it become the actually Game of the Week. A lot of times the actually Game of the Week is off the radar, and it isn’t given consideration for the Game of the Week.

On Friday, KSRO started its third season doing the high school football Game of the Week.  A game is picked and then you hope. KSRO has been pretty fortunate with the games it has chosen. That started with the first broadcast two years ago, when the station resumed its Game of the Week coverage. The opening game that didn’t look like the game of the week on paper, turned out to be, when Analy held off Maria Carrillo 34-30.
The good fortune continued this weekend. There was little doubt that the Cardinal Newman-St. Mary’s was a good choice for Game of the Week status as far as interest goes. This was considered one of the best games in the state. Then the two teams went out and actually played the Game of the Week. It even had a finish with controversy, or at the very least questions on whether Cardinal Newman scored on a two point conversion in the last minute that would have won the game.
One thing we learned from the game is defense doesn’t win championships anymore, but the defense needs to make a play now and then.
The offenses for both teams basically did what they wanted to do when they wanted to do it. Every score was a touchdown, and the only quarter that didn’t have at least two was the first. That was missed by one play, when the game’s second touchdown was scored on the first play of the second quarter.
Each team scored five touchdowns and the game was tied at 7, 14, 21 and 28. The two teams combined going nine of ten on conversations and were a perfect nine of nine on kicks. Both of those stats could have been added to with a kick after the last touchdown with :45 left. Cardinal Newman went for two and the win and just missed…maybe.
The second broadcast of the weekend, the SRJC game on Saturday, started out the same way. At the end of the third quarter there had been two ties and three lead changes. That was the end of that suspense as San Joaquin Delta had the only score the rest of the way and pulled off a 27-17 surprise.
APPEARS TO BE AS GOOD AS ADVERTISED
Ed Conroy started his 28th season as head coach at Rancho Cotate. During that time he has had some pretty good teams, including what would be on a short list of the best teams in the area’s history in the early 2000’s. If they had state playoffs then, they would have been in it.
So when Conroy said that this could be the best offensive team he has had, it is a pretty strong statement for what he has had. Heck last year’s team averaged nearly 40 points a game.
If the first game is any indication, Conroy has a case. Senior Quarterback Gunner Mefferd threw four touchdowns and Mo Ward rushed for four more as Rancho Cotate defeated Alhambra 55-19. Most of those numbers were put up before halftime.
A NICE START
Santa Rosa head coach Dennis Brunk is probably feeling pretty good today. His career record at Santa Rosa is 1-0.
Brunk’s debut was on Saturday and the Panthers went on the road and defeated Piner 27-20. Santa Rosa scored two fourth quarter touchdowns to erase a 20-13 Piner lead. Running back Trevor Smith went in from 18 yards out with 1:30 left for the game winner.
The win matches how many wins Santa Rosa had all of last season.
Another team that hasn’t seen much winning lately started 1-0. That is Upper Lake who played it first game as an eight man football team and went on the road to defeat Rincon Valley Christian 36-20. It was Upper Lake’s first win since October 13th, 2012.
WHAT TO EXPECT
Just in case you are new to YSN365.com, this is what you can expect.
Towards the beginning of the week the YSN Rankings, the computer rankings and other notes of interest that might have been missed over the weekend. The YSN365.com first rankings will be this week.
Towards the end of the week, there will be a preview of the weekend action.
During the weekend, there will be a recap of the weekend action along with a scoreboard.
We are always looking for help for in-game updates. It you are interested in helping there are three ways to get in touch.
Email: jacpasquini@comcast.net
Twitter: @homer2612
Or find me on Facebook and let me know.
SCOREBOARD
St. Mary’s (Stockton) 35 Cardinal Newman 34
Rancho Cotate 55 Alhambra 19
Analy 27 Maria Carrillo 14
Windsor 38 Northgate 22
Napa 49 Casa Grande 18
St. Helena 57 Drake 35
Vintage 48 Petaluma 19
Fort Bragg 20 Del Norte 14
Hayward 12 Montgomery 7
Eureka 40 Ukiah 35
Esparto 77 Elsie Allen 0
Lower Lake 21 El Molino 14
Healdsburg 20 Kelseyville 13
Durham 50 Clear Lake 7
Cloverdale 54 St. Vincent 12
Willits 52 Hoopa Valley 6
Berkeley 41 Sonoma Valley 7
Santa Rosa 27 Piner 20
Salesian 41 Middletown 19
NCL III 8 MAN
Anderson Valley 64 Potter Valley 8
Calistoga 46 Laytonville 8
Tomales 46 Mendocino 16
Upper Lake 36 Rincon Valley Christian 20
Point Arena (BYE)
JC FOOTBALL
San Joaquin Delta 27 SRJC 17
My email address is jacpasquini@comcast.net