Monterey Bay Prep Report Article

Friday's Games

Milpitas (7-3) At Palma (9-1)

Game Time:	7:00	Location:	Salinas Sports Complex
Last Year
Teams did not play.
Notes

The reigning CCS Division 1 champions take a first step towards defending their title by hosting Milpitas in a first round playoff game Friday night. Palma, currently ranked #3 in the CCS by the San Jose Mercury, will attempt to rebound from a 10-7 loss last week to Hollister. Milpitas is a program that, over the years, has produced some of the most highly recruited athletes in the section. Former Cal-Berkley standout and current Denver Bronco Deltha O'Neil and Cleveland Brown Lenzie Jackson are Milpitas graduates, and currently in the college ranks are Tab Perry (UCLA), Jason White (Washington State), Aaron Edmonds (BYU), Dwayne Johnson (Iowa State) and Dedrick Roper (Michigan State). Leading the Milpitas offense this season is strong-armed quarterback Dustin Gugliemelli, who last week completed 11 of 13 passes for 182 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 35-28 win over Homestead. Gugliemelli also had a 5 touchdown performance earlier in the year against Santa Clara. On the season, Gugliemelli threw for 1361 yards and 18 touchdowns. Joey Quintana and Mike Teschera are Gugliemelli's top receiving targets. As explosive as the Trojans are on offense, the defense has had problems stopping a Palma forte - the run. Homestead running back Will Fauls exploded for 244 yards and 3 touchdowns last week against Milpitas.

Wilcox (7-3) At Salinas (7-2-1)

Game Time:	7:00	Location:	the "PIT"
Last Year
Teams did not play.
Notes

Salinas, currently ranked #12 in the CCS by the San Jose Mercury, makes its first playoff appearance since winning the CCS Division 2 title in 1993. Wilcox, currently ranked #15 in the CCS, lost to fellow Santa Clara DeAnza Division league member Los Gatos 28-7 in last season's CCS D3 finals. The Wilcox attack is led by All-DeAnza league running back Ardell Briggs, who rushed for 1243 yards and 16 touchdowns in 10 games. Briggs' 124 yard average per game ranks him at #7 in the section. Wilcox quarterback Daniel Romero, a standout in baseball as well, is a threat running and passing the ball. In a 42-11 humbling last week of Santa Clara, Romero had touchdown runs of 1, 76 and 29 yards, and also hooked up with Briggs on a 40 yard touchdown pass. Wide receiver/running back Marquis Henderson, voted Santa Clara Valley DeAnza Division outstanding junior of the year last season, is also a potent offensive weapon for the Chargers.

Piedmont Hills (6-4) At Hollister (8-2)

Game Time:	7:00	Location:	Hollister High
Last Year
Teams did not play.
Notes

The reigning CCS Division 2 champions start their title defense by hosting Piedmont Hills in a first round playoff game Friday night. Currently ranked #6 in the CCS, the Balers scratched out a 10-7 win over previously unbeaten Palma. Piedmont Hills claimed a share of the Blossom Valley Mount Hamilton Division title after posting three consecutive shutouts to close out the regular season, including a 17-0 upset of perennial CCS power Oak Grove. Last season, Piedmont Hills lost 47-28 to Leigh in the first round of the CCS D2 playoffs. Piedmont Hills finished out the regular season with a 43-0 thrashing of Santa Teresa. In the game, Piedmont Hills running back Aaron Cervantez rushed for 120 yards on 19 carries.

Burlingame (5-4) At Pacific Grove (9-1)

Game Time:	7:30	Location:	Breaker Stadium
Last Year
Teams did not play.
Notes

Pacific Grove and Burlingame both suffered first round defeats in last year's CCS Division 4 playoffs, and share a combined 2-11 record in CCS postseason play. Burlingame got a big boost in last week's season finale with the return of 3 year starter Peter Chigos from a broken right hand. Chigos, a kick-returner and wingback, returned the opening kickoff 71 yards and also posted some nice runs in a 37-19 playoff-clinching victory over long-time rival San Mateo High. Multi-talented Panther Josh Bizon is also a player to watch Friday night. Bizon hauled in a 55 yard touchdown pass and also contributed a long 74 yard touchdown run in last week's victory. Fullback Joe Bernardini will pound the ball up the middle. On the season, quarterback Ken Bowden threw for 1178 yards and 9 touchdowns, while Bizon hauled in 25 catches for 463 yards.

Saturday's Games

Leigh (4-6) At Alvarez (8-1-1)

Game Time:	1:00	Location:	Alvarez High
Last Year
Teams did not play..
Notes

Alvarez, currently ranked 5th in the CCS by the San Jose Mercury, hosts its first playoff game in the brief history of the school. A 38-13 season-ending loss to Pioneer had the Leigh Longhorns thinking they would be out of contention for postseason play, but a power-point tie with Riordan resulted in a coin toss that bounced Leigh's way. Having the unenviable task of replacing California State Athlete of the Year Antwon Guidry (Nebraska full ride), All-Blossom Valley Mount Hamilton division running back Chris Orozco has put up respectable numbers. Orozco has 886 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on the year for the Longhorns. James Murdock has been a force on defense, registering 11 quarterback sacks. Wide receiver Mike Crooks ranks among the section's top receivers with 24 receptions, 450 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Gilroy (7-3) At Aragon (8-0-1)

Game Time:	1:00	Location:	Aragon High
Last Year
Teams did not play.
Notes

Gilroy travels to San Mateo to face off against CCS 9th ranked Aragon in a first round Division 2 playoff contest. The Mustangs have the unenviable task of trying to shut down Manase Tonga, the CCS's current rushing leader. Tonga has amassed 1629 yards in just 9 games, an impressive average of 181 yards per game. In last week's 42-14 mangling of Hillsdale, Tonga carried the ball 36 times for 365 yards and four touchdowns, one of the top rushing performances in CCS history (424 yards on 54 carries is the record, held by Burlingame's Onan Reyes). But it is unlikely that Aragon and Tonga have faced the type of physical defensive play prevalent in the run-heavy MBL, where Gilroy allowed only 1430 yards for the entire season. Aragon receiver and kick returner David Rosas has had some big games for the Don's, including a 225 combined yard effort against Capuchino earlier in the year.

Carmel (7-2) At Capuchino(6-4)

Game Time:	1:00	Location:	Capuchino High
Last Year
Teams did not play.
Notes

Carmel makes its first postseason appearance since 1983. Last season, Capuchino made its first postseason appearance since 1980, losing to Stevenson 35-7 in the first round of the CCS Division 4 playoffs. Neither team has ever won a CCS playoff game; Carmel is 0-1, and Capuchino is 0-2 in the CCS playoffs since 1972. Capuchino is a team that thrives on a ground game that features several quality backs: Moses Kato, Steven Baxter, Josh Finau and Ben Neilsen. In a 28-16 regular season-ending rivalry victory last week over PAL-Ocean division champ Mills, Moses had 18 carries for 135 yards and 2 touchdowns .