Football: Battle-Tested Logan Prepares for Berkeley

Where: James Logan High, Union City

When: Saturday, 7 p.m.

Records: Berkeley 7-3, Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League runner up; Logan 8-2, Mission Valley Athletic League champion

The key to the game: Berkeley comes into the game well rested, having not played since a 33-0 win over Hercules on Nov. 5 but is 0-2 against teams this year that finished above .500 and hasn't played in a close game since a 16-14 loss to ACCAL champion Pinole Valley on Oct. 1. Logan is riding a six-game win streak, including a 28-6 league title clinching win over Washington last week. Logan has the momentum, the home field and appears to be the better team.

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For the football team the North Coast Section playoffs officially begin on Saturday at 7 p.m. when the Colts host Berkeley.

But Logan has already been playoff tested, coming off an impressive 28-6 win last week against Washington and that recent experience may prove to be a huge asset for the young Colts.

"We're kind of young," said Logan coach George Zuber. "But we're getting better and better every week."

After running the table in the Mission Valley Athletic League to finish 6-0 and claim the title outright over Washington, the Colts (8-2) are riding an impressive six-game winning streak as they begin their playoff run.

How deep that run goes will depend on the offense being able to run the ball and the defense being able to stop the Colts' opponents from doing the same.

"Establishing the run is our bread and butter on offense," Zuber said. "We're a run-first team with a decent passing attack."

With running backs Warren Long (1,500 yards) and Damond Beasley (900 yards) leading the way, Logan can grind up field position and the clock. But quarterback Ryan Bua is going to have to step up the aerial attack for the Colts.

"That's the bottom line for us," Zuber said. "We are going to have to pass the ball to win this game (on Saturday)."

When the Colts are on defense they will face a Berkeley team that finished 7-3 on the season and was the runner-up to Pinole Valley in the Alameda Contra Costa Athletic League primarily because the Yellowjackets are big and fast.

And they can run the ball seemingly at will.

"They are a power running team with big, fast players," Zuber said.

Rudolpho James is coming off a 137-yard effort on 13 carries in Berkeley's last game – a 33-0 rout of Hercules on Nov. 5 – and will likely be the Yellowjackets' primary threat against the Colts.

"If we can limit the big plays and slow down their running game, we can win this game," Zuber said.

One negative for the Yellowjackets coming into the game is that they are 0-2 against teams with winning records this year and have not played in any close games since a two-point loss to Pinole Valley on Oct. 1.