On The Prep Beat: Hornets, Jets Entering Season's Final Stretch

Ready to finish strong?: After his team's 41-13 loss to Pinole Valley on Friday, Alameda coach Steve Rochlin said he thought his team could finish the year by winning its last three games. For the 2-5 Hornets to pull that off, they'll have to beat one team that currently sits 4-2 (Hercules) and another that has made a dramatic in-season turnaround (El Cerrito). Alameda's third opponent, Richmond, has struggled in league play, but the injury-riddled Hornets will have to be on top of their game to get through that stretch unscathed.

A challenger dismissed: Last week, I foolishly wrote that St. Patrick/St. Vincent might have a chance to knock off Encinal and take control of the BSAL. But when they met, the Jets showed the Bruins that they remain in a different class. Entering the night, St. Patrick/St. Vincent had scored at least 33 points in every game this season. Encinal held the Bruins to 14 points on only 278 total yards. St. Patrick/St. Vincent also had no answer for Encinal's multifaceted running game, which was led by Paul Okamura's 159 yards and three touchdowns.

Albany's top playmaker goes down: Albany's do-it-all playmaker, Avi Rosenblum, injured his shoulder in last week's 65-14 loss to Moreau Catholic. As of Tuesday, Albany coach Scott Shevelson wasn't sure of the extent of the injury. "At this point what I can tell you is that his shoulder is unstable," Shevelson said. Rosenblum was scheduled to see a specialist on Wednesday, after which they would make a decision about Rosenblum's ability to play. Shevelson refuted a previous report that Rosenblum has separated his shoulder.

Home, finally: After playing its first six games of the season on the road or at a neutral site, El Cerrito plays its first home game of the season Friday night against De Anza. In their 7-4 2009 season, the Gauchos played seven of their 10 regular season games at home, but this season's schedule represented the other extreme. "The two games that really matter we play at home," El Cerrito defensive tackle Charles Conner said. "Homecoming and senior night." The De Anza game will be El Cerrito's homecoming, and the Gauchos will celebrate senior night Nov. 12 against Alameda.

Running wild: Pinole Valley did its best Encinal impression last Friday, running up the score against Alameda without gaining a single passing yard. The Spartans threw only two passes all night — both incomplete Hail Mary attempts right before halftime. Pinole Valley, who at 6-0-1 has a real chance to finish the regular season undefeated, finished with 421 rushing yards against the Hornets.

Signs of life at Piedmont: After Piedmont lost its first four games in spectacular fashion (it was outscored 169-29), the Highlanders have won two straight and now sit in a four-way tie for second place in the BSAL. The two wins have been over league bottom-feeders Albany and Swett, but for a team that had grown so accustomed to losing, any win is valued.

Player of the week: El Cerrito running back James Savage went wild in the Gauchos' 32-7 win over Richmond, rushing for 280 yards and three touchdowns.

What to watch this week: 

BSAL

St. Mary's at Piedmont, Friday, 7 p.m. — Both teams began the season 0-4, but both have rebounded to win their last two games and emerge as potential playoff teams. 

ACCAL

Hercules at Alameda, Friday, after JV — It's a relatively weak slate in the ACCAL, but both of these teams will be fighting to keep playoff hopes alive.

Where they rank: Here are the ACCAL and BSAL teams ranked in this week's Patch.com NCS rankings.

Pinole Valley: No. 6, Division II

Encinal: No. 3, Division III

St. Patrick/St. Vincent: No. 2, Division IV

St. Mary's: No. 10, Division IV

League standings:

ACCAL

Pinole Valley 3-0 (6-0-1)

El Cerrito 2-0 (3-3)

Berkeley 2-1 (4-3)

Hercules 1-1 (4-2)

Alameda 1-2 (2-5)

Richmond 0-2 (2-3)

De Anza 0-3 (0-7)

BSAL

Encinal 3-0 (5-1)

St. Patrick/St. Vincent 2-1 (5-1)

Moreau Catholic 2-1 (4-1-1)

Piedmont 2-1 (2-4)

St. Mary's 2-1 (2-4)

Swett 1-2 (1-5)

Kennedy 0-3 (2-4)

Albany 0-3 (1-5)

Volleyball Cougars rolling: Albany's volleyball team is four wins away from completing an undefeated season in the BSAL. The Cougars (20-4 overall, 14-0 BSAL) have won 31 of their past 32 league matches overall. This wouldn't be the first time they've made it through the year unscathed — they finished 16-0 in 2007.