Prep Football Notebook: Mixed Results in Non-League Play

Mixed results: Both the BSAL and ACCAL have held their own in non-league play, but neither league has distinguished itself as one of the area's best. BSAL teams are 6-6 in non-league play — the league has four undefeated teams and four winless teams, with no one in between — and ACCAL teams are 7-7. In games between the two leagues, the BSAL has a 2-0 advantage, as both Encinal and Kennedy have beaten El Cerrito. Three BSAL-ACCAL games remain on the schedule, as Kennedy plays Richmond and Hercules in the next two weeks, and Alameda plays Encinal on Sept. 24.

Gotta fight to the finish: Before the season, Albany coach Scott Shevelson said one of the keys for his team would be whether or not they had the will to fight for a full four quarters. In the Cougars first game, they did just that, battling perennial DFAL power Campolindo all night before falling 21-6. But last Friday, Albany fell apart in the second half. After leading Vallejo by four in the third quarter, Albany was outscored 29-7 down the stretch and lost 42-24. For the Cougars to compete for a playoff spot, the late-game effort must improve.

Preparing for an air attack: It's rare for a team to go two games without allowing a single passing yard. It's rarer still for that team to lose both of those contests. But that's exactly how El Cerrito has begun the season, allowing 649 combined rushing yards in losses to Kennedy and Encinal. Expect that to change Friday, as the Gauchos travel to Moraga to face Campolindo and its two-headed quarterback attack. Senior Nick Zolintakis keys the Cougars' option running attack, but sophomore Brett Stephens is more of a dropback passer, and he'll look to get going against an untested El Cerrito secondary.

They said it: "We don't rely on one guy. We have a system in place where we're spreading it around, where they never know who's going to get the ball on a play." -Encinal coach Joe Tenorio, referring to his team's multi-faceted rushing attack, which gashed El Cerrito in its opener.

Player of the week: Encinal running back Jonathan Allen, who carried the ball 15 times for 196 yards and five touchdowns against El Cerrito. Allen did most of his damage in the first half, when he gained 147 yards and scored four touchdowns.

What to watch this week: Berkeley at Marin Catholic, Saturday at 11:30 am. ACCAL favorite and perennial NCS Divison I power Berkeley travels to Kentfield to face Marin Catholic, which beat Encinal in the Division III championship game last year. The Yellowjackets are reeling after they lost last week to Freedom, which won only one game in all of 2009. Marin Catholic, which represented Northern California at the Division III State Bowl Game last year,  is 2-0 after beating Las Lomas last week.

Back from the dead: The biggest surprise in the BSAL has to be Kennedy, which is 2-0 after a miserable 2009 season in which the Eagles had to forfeit their final five games because they didn't have enough healthy and academically eligible players to field a full team. New coach Clyde Byrd has installed strict academic standards, and he told Richmond Confidential that his goal is to not lose a single player to academic issues. If they stay healthy and keep key players in good academic standing, the Eagles could continue to surprise in the BSAL.

Quarterback stability: After rotating third- and fourth-stringers at quarterback last week against El Cerrito, Encinal will bring back starting quarterback Andrew Ve'e this Saturday against Serra. A knee injury held Ve'e out of the opener, and backup Demonyo Bills, a transfer from Berkeley, has not yet been cleared to play by the CIF. "We expect our team to be deeper and not have too many two-way guys as soon as we get Bills eligible, which we expect," Encinal coach Joe Tenorio said this week. "Ve'e will solidify our offense, and we will have a better running and throwing attack."

Get in touch: This notebook will run each week, rounding up the news and notes from around the ACCAL and BSAL. If you have news to report on any of the league's teams, e-mail me at jconn23@gmail.com.

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Complete Patch East Bay Football Coverage from last week

Friday Sept. 10

San Ramon Valley 16, Mitt-San Jose 13. By Kyle Bonagura

Campolindo 35, Mt. Eden 14. By Kyle Yamamoto

Encinal 59, El Cerrito 20. By Jordan Conn

Marin Catholic 20, Las Lomas 8. By Richard Paolinelli

Serra-San Mateo 28, Monte Vista 21. By Jim Mannion

Dougherty Valley 31, Kennedy-Fremont 13. By Bill Soliday

Foothill 37, Novato 12. By Steve R. Waterhouse

Cal 45, College Park 3. By Adam Berke

Berean Christian 45, St. Helena 7. By Peter Fournier

Northgate 70, Tennyson 18. By Jim Mannion

Vallejo 42, Albany 24. By Patrick Creaven

Concord 36, Amador Valley 23. By Eric Gilmore

Saturday Sept. 11

Acalanes 10, Hayward 6. By Kyle Bonagura

Bishop O'Dowd 59, Alameda 10. By Matt Rempel

 By Jim Mannion