Welcome again to Monday Morning Lights, our weekly characteristic that sheds extra mild on the highschool soccer weekend and peeks forward to the brand new week. Should you haven’t already, please subscribe.
IT’S SHOWTIME — FINALLY
Eight months after Serra drudged off the Saddleback School area in Mission Viejo, overwhelmed by Mater Dei-Santa Ana within the Open Division state championship sport, highschool soccer is again for Bay Space groups.
And why wait to set the tone?
This season will begin with a heavyweight matchup – Serra of the Bay Space visiting Folsom on Friday night time – and the drama will proceed by means of the opening month and past.
Final 12 months, there was a debate about which Northern California heavyweight ought to have been chosen by the California Interscholastic Federation to play Mater Dei on the state’s largest championship stage.
Serra, De La Salle and Folsom had been on the board.
This 12 months, there will likely be no debate. All the massive boys are taking part in each other within the opening weeks of the 2022 season.
How’s this for a gap month?
Friday: Serra at Folsom
Sept. 2: Serra at De La Salle
Sept. 9: St. Francis at De La Salle
Sept. 16: Folsom at Pittsburg
Sept. 23: Folsom at De La Salle, Serra at St. Francis
By the shut of enterprise on Sept. 23, we must always know which NorCal workforce has the smoothest path to taking part in Southern California’s prime heavyweight within the Open championship sport on Dec. 10 at Saddleback School.
- Full preseason protection: League previews, all-BANG place lists, extra
We right here on the Bay Space Information Group will present full protection of all these video games and plenty of extra because the 16-week journey to state championship weekend unfolds.
And this 12 months, we've added a newcomer to our workforce.
Joseph Dycus has joined me – highschool sports activities editor Darren Sabedra – and a employees that features latest Fresno State grad Jesus Cano and veteran freelancers Mike Lefkow, Glenn Reeves, Phil Jensen and extra.
There’s most likely no higher spot than the season’s first Monday Morning Lights column for Joseph to introduce himself.
So let’s give him the ground.
NEW ADDITION TO OUR TEAM
Hey! You might have observed my unfamiliar title in among the latest options and articles, so I feel it could be a good suggestion to introduce myself. My title is Joseph Dycus and I’m the Bay Space Information Group’s latest highschool sports activities reporter, taking the spot vacated by now-Giants author Evan Webeck.
I’ve lived across the nation and received’t bore you with these particulars, however I can say that I lived the longest in Chattanooga, Tenn.
After graduating from UT-Chattanooga in 2019, I acquired to cowl loads of nice highschool soccer groups for Chattanoogan.com, such because the three-time defending state champion McCallie Blue Tornadoes.
The Blue Tornadoes – sure, that’s their title – performed one of the unimaginable video games I’ve ever watched in 2021. And it got here on the expense of McCallie’s rival, Baylor. After being down 28-7 with 10 minutes to go within the fourth quarter, a spirited Baylor workforce scored back-to-back touchdowns to chop the deficit to 28-20. Baylor had the ball for a 3rd possession and regarded able to steal the sport away in hostile territory. Solely a last-second McCallie interception spared the Blue Tornadoes from gifting away the sport. I’ve by no means heard a crowd so deafening as McCallie’s after that play.
However having the chance to cowl the Bay Space’s 130-plus groups was a chance I couldn't cross up. Regardless that I used to be 2,500 miles away, I had heard of De La Salle’s medical and dominant method to the sport, PIttsburg’s high-flying assault and the way stacked the area is with highschool expertise.
After previewing the leagues and divisions within the Bay – we previewed each single workforce and league in our protection the previous two weeks – I’ve by no means been extra excited for the beginning of a highschool soccer season.
I hope that my enthusiasm comes by means of in my reporting.
Let the video games start!
PITTSBURG’S RASHADA KEEPS IT REAL
Pittsburg quarterback Jaden Rashada ended a scrimmage Friday night time posing for photos with little youngsters. A number of of them, in reality.
The four-star senior dedicated to the College of Miami had simply accomplished his ultimate costume rehearsal earlier than Friday’s season opener towards Bethel, a jamboree scrimmage on his workforce’s residence area that included De La Salle, El Cerrito and Jesuit of Carmichael.
Afterward, Rashada made certain each child who wished an image with him acquired one. It wasn’t till the ultimate one was snapped that he mentioned what unfolded on the sphere.
“I feel we got here out fairly good,” Rashada mentioned. “I do know we’ve acquired some issues to tweak up earlier than subsequent week’s sport and I can’t wait. We had a reasonably good exhibiting. Undoubtedly might have been higher. That’s the factor. We had loads of issues we might have finished higher. Issues I need to see are extra explosiveness from the offense and that can come as a result of it’s been occurring throughout follow.”
Rashada is clearly aiming for his senior season to be particular and maybe even historic.
“I'm most wanting ahead to having enjoyable with my associates, individuals I grew up with my entire life,” he mentioned. “It’s actually simply making an attempt to placed on for this metropolis and do one thing completely different that hasn’t been in a very long time right here.”
He didn’t say what that one thing is perhaps. However possibly it has one thing to do with beating De La Salle, which Pittsburg hasn’t finished in 31 years.
Rashada declined to reply questions in regards to the NIL (title, picture, likeness) cope with Miami that stirred up social media this summer time when it was reported that the contract was value $9.5 million, the biggest so far.
Has the deal made him much more of a celeb?
“I nonetheless really feel like me,” Rashada mentioned. “I’ll without end be me, Jaden Rashada. That’s why I by no means act too large as a result of I used to be a type of youngsters (asking for pictures). I need to let the youngsters in Northern California know that it’s potential.”
— Darren Sabedra
DE LA SALLE IS NOT YET IN PEAK FORM
The final workforce huddled on the sphere after Friday’s scrimmage at Pittsburg was De La Salle. Sure, it was solely a scrimmage. And the Spartans have had ups and downs in scrimmages earlier than. However coming off final season’s historic losses to St. Francis and Folsom, De La Salle coach Justin Alumbaugh hoped for higher play than he acquired towards Pittsburg, El Cerrito and Jesuit.
“I didn’t suppose sufficient guys rose as much as competitors,” Alumbaugh mentioned. “We had hassle with that final 12 months, and this workforce has been working exhausting. That was discouraging to see this workforce not rise as much as competitors. Jesuit’s offense got here proper at us, and Pitt’s protection got here proper at us. I wasn’t happy with how we responded.
“We misplaced twice to NorCal groups final 12 months. Nobody’s coming in afraid of De La Salle. These guys acquired to earn a fame again, they usually ain’t going to earn it again like they did tonight.”
The Spartans open the season Friday at Monterey Path-Elk Grove, which misplaced to Folsom 47-18 to begin its season on Friday.
— Darren Sabedra
MENLO-ATHERTON HAS PLETHORA OF SKILL POSITION DEPTH — EVEN WITHOUT DICKEY
5-star extensive receiver and Valley Christian switch Jurrion Dickey has been practising for Menlo-Atherton and was on the sideline for its Friday night time scrimmage towards St. Ignatius, however there’s no sure timeline for when he can truly play in a sport.
Bears coach Chris Saunders isn’t stressing over when he’ll hear from Central Coast Part about when Dickey can get right into a sport with M-A. And, if Friday night time was any indication, he’s acquired motive to be assured in his workforce even with out Dickey.
Minus Dickey and standout receiver Jayden Moss taking part in within the scrimmage, M-A’s offensive weapons shined towards SI. The spotlight play got here from two-way participant Johno Value, who made a leaping catch over two Wildcat defenders on a deep ball from new Bears quarterback Billy Johnson.
M-A’s offense may also characteristic 6-8, 210-pound junior Alek Marshall at tight finish, 6-3 senior Cameron Johnson as one other wideout and two completely different appears to be like at working again, with senior Sherrod Smith as a velocity again and 5-9, 270-pound junior Jordan Masuisui as an influence again.
For Value, a workforce captain that Saunders praised for incomes the respect of his teammates, there’s confidence in what the group who will open the season towards Bellarmine on Saturday can do.
“We now have quite a lot of nice receivers that may assault you in any manner — going deep, quick routes, going after the catch,” Value mentioned. “I feel we've a bunch of nice receivers right here even with out Jurrion, however he’s going to assist rather a lot additionally. I feel he’s an important addition to the workforce and he suits in already.”
Saunders added, “Even with out Jurrion, I felt very optimistic about what we’d have the ability to do and get finished.”
However that doesn’t imply Dickey received’t be welcomed. Value performed flag soccer with Dickey again in center faculty and has identified him for longer. As soon as Dickey is ready to get on the sphere, Value mentioned he wouldn’t need to be a defender making an attempt to determine cease M-A.
“I’d be very nervous guarding this workforce,” Value mentioned.
— Alex Simon
WHAT MONTE VISTA’S NEW COACH IS LIKE
For the third time in as many seasons, a distinct head coach is strolling Monte Vista’s sideline. This time, the contemporary face is 30-year-old Johnny Millard, who steps into the job vacated by former NFL and Cal working again CJ Anderson, who left the Danville faculty to develop into an assistant coach at Rice College.
Millard, a former Foothill Excessive and Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo linebacker, oversaw a sideline at a scrimmage Friday towards Heritage that was definitely disciplined. However the gamers additionally gave the impression to be having enjoyable as teammates ran for big good points and made crunching tackles. When Ben Meineke beat a Patriots defensive again on an extended achieve, each the coach and sideline erupted into cheers.
Millard has received over the locker room with a method that emphasizes steadiness. Whereas the workforce will utterly concentrate on soccer throughout practices and video games, the coach understands the significance of letting his highschool athletes be, effectively, highschool youngsters, too.
“Coach Millard actually cares in regards to the gamers, and so we begin follow a bit bit earlier so we will go residence and chill and spend time with our households and exit with associates and stuff like that,” senior lineman Nick Jensen mentioned.
Jensen, whom his teammates referred to as “a canine,” isn’t the one participant who has grown to understand Millard’s model. Quarterback Matteo Congdon, who received a three-way quarterback battle this offseason, mentioned that he was annoyed with how Anderson’s tenure ended. However he additionally mentioned he has grown shut with Millard and that the brand new coach has introduced the workforce collectively.
“The stuff we do actually helps our workforce chemistry,” Congdon mentioned. “The change has been robust, although, with the seniors having to study (one other playbook). However I’m loving what I’m seeing up to now with coach Millard and I can’t wait to see what we come out with this season.”
— Joseph Dycus
HERITAGE’S RIVERS: 1,000 CLUB MEMBER
Devon Rivers might have taken the summer time straightforward, stayed in first rate form, and regarded forward to his future school soccer profession at Fresno State. In spite of everything, the three-star prospect ran for 1,175 yards and 15 touchdowns final season and had his scholarship locked up.
However Rivers didn’t take it straightforward.
He walked onto the sphere at Monte Vista on Friday with a number of extra kilos of muscle and extra energy than the again whose junior season resulted in a loss to Liberty 9 months in the past. Within the low season, Rivers devoted himself to getting stronger.
“I used to be understanding on days I didn’t need to work out, and I took my days understanding from three or 4 occasions every week to 5 - 6 days,” Rivers mentioned. “I undoubtedly had teammates encouraging me, particularly on our max days.”
In fact, understanding isn’t one thing new within the Rivers family. His father, Ron, a Fresno State legend and former NFL working again, is nearly as good a job mannequin as any in relation to soccer conditioning. Ron mentioned Devon’s affinity with the burden room is as a lot intrinsic as it's family-related. Devon’s brother Ronnie additionally went on to develop into a Fresno State star.
“I feel that simply comes from watching his brother Ronnie, my daughter, and myself,” the elder Rivers mentioned. “It’s simply one thing he picked up from watching, and all of us nonetheless work out. And I feel he took a flowery to desirous to be stronger, look larger, and be more healthy.”
Except for including muscle, Rivers’ elevated energy manifested itself in one other tangible manner. Heritage coach Dave Fogelstrom mentioned the 5-foot-7, 170-pound Rivers joined the vaunted “1,000 membership,” which is a gaggle that may carry 1,000 mixed kilos within the squat, bench and deadlift.
“Final 12 months, he was within the low-900s,” Fogelstrom mentioned. “He’s one of many 4 strongest guys on the workforce, and he’s placed on weight too. He’s over 170 kilos, and he’s making an attempt to have a very good season this 12 months.”
— Joseph Dycus
MILPITAS QB BACK WITH TEAM
Milpitas quarterback Tyberius Egorerua, who was first-team all-Santa Clara Valley Atheltic League De Anza Division final 12 months as a junior, has returned to the workforce, Trojans assistant Vito Cangemi mentioned Sunday. The 5-foot-11, 160-pounder started follow final week. Egorerua is predicted to play on offense and protection. He was honored final season for his work at quarterback and defensive again. For now, he'll share time with 6-2, 240-pound senior Zae Mims behind middle along with his work within the secondary. The De Anza Division is deep at quarterback. In addition to Egorerua, Jake Boyd of Los Gatos was the junior MVP and Armand Johnson of Wilcox was voted offensive MVP.
— Mike Lefkow
PEEK AHEAD TO WEEK 1
Friday
Antioch at Monte Vista, 7 p.m.: New coaches on each sidelines as Brett Dudley makes his debut for Antioch and Johnny Millard does the identical for Monte Vista. Streamed by NorCalSportsTV
Central Catholic-Modesto (1-0) at St. Francis, 7 p.m.: These groups had been purported to play final 12 months in Modesto, however the sport was canceled due to poor air high quality brought on by wildfire smoke.
Corona del Mar-Newport Seashore (1-0) at Los Gatos, 7 p.m.: Corona del Mar has overwhelmed two CCS groups in state finals, Sacred Coronary heart Prep and Serra. LG misplaced to the Sea Kings in 2016 and 2017.
De La Salle at Monterey Path-Elk Grove (0-1), 7:30 p.m.: Which De La Salle workforce will present up? The Spartans beat Monterey Path 68-6 final 12 months.
Palo Alto at St. Ignatius, 7 p.m.: New lights at St. Ignatius, new coach at Palo Alto.
Pioneer at Santa Teresa, 7 p.m.: Within the CCS playoffs final 12 months, Santa Teresa beat Pioneer 45-42 in triple extra time.
Salinas at Clayton Valley Constitution, 7 p.m.: Clayton Valley unveils its new offense, which is predicted to incorporate extra passing.
Serra at Folsom (1-0), 7 p.m.: Folsom rolled previous Monterey Path on Friday however misplaced Stanford-bound tight finish Walker Lyons to a damaged leg.
Saturday
Bellarmine at Menlo-Atherton, 2 p.m.: What has develop into a conventional opener offered many highlights final season as Bellarmine received 56-41.