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Football preview: Must-see games of 2008
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To describe August as a mildly boring month for the professional sports world, as well as the local scene, is an understatement. Most of us scrape to the depths of the athletic globe to watch anything semi sports-related: hot dog eating contests, poker and even spelling bees.
Spell, relief: F-O-O-T-B-A-L-L.
To get through the rest of this month, I tried to ease the pain with a look ahead to the 2008 high school varsity football season. With only 36 days left until the Sept. 12 season openers, here’s a glance at the top 10 must-see games (one from each week) of the regular season.
Week 1
Friday, Sept. 12
Pleasant Grove at Franklin
This should be a great early-season gauge for both programs. Not to mention it just might be the most intriguing Delta Valley-Delta River game of the non-conference slate.
Pleasant Grove is fresh off the program’s first-ever league title and playoff appearance. Franklin, which qualified for a second consecutive postseason last year, will begin the Brian Prahl era.
Prahl replaced likeable head coach Mike Johnson, who retired to spend more time with his family.
Early-season prediction: Franklin 20, Pleasant Grove 14
Week 2
Friday, Sept. 19
Monterey Trail at Elk Grove
Still searching for the program’s signature win, Monterey Trail figures to be much improved from last season, the school’s best in its brief history. In fact, Elk Grove survived overtime to escape a near upset by Monterey Trail in 2007.
After seemingly a breeze in Week 1, this should prove to be Elk Grove’s first true test of the season.
Early-season prediction:
Elk Grove 26, Monterey Trail 16
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 26
Pleasant Grove at Laguna Creek
This will be the first of consecutive trips to Elk Grove-Laguna Creek Community Stadium for Pleasant Grove, which faces Elk Grove next week. It’s part of a preseason schedule makeover that consists of Franklin, Del Campo and 2007 holdover Roseville.
Laguna Creek scheduled three Delta River League opponents in the preseason, a list that also includes Florin and Jesuit.
Early-season prediction: Pleasant Grove 27, Laguna Creek 20
Week 4
Friday, Oct. 3
Pleasant Grove at Elk Grove
To think Pleasant Grove would be nervous to face a storied program such as Elk Grove is foolish. After all, Pleasant Grove already chopped down one of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s beloved programs, Jesuit, in a thrilling road win last season.
Head coach Joe Cattolico stuck to his plan of scheduling beatable opponents through the program’s initial two seasons before adding top-echelon teams for this season. Franklin, Laguna Creek and Elk Grove fit that profile.
Early-season prediction: Elk Grove 31, Pleasant Grove 21
Week 5
Friday, Oct. 10
Elk Grove at Del Oro
By far, this is the best week of the regular season. Forget about the colossal Elk Grove-Del Oro showdown, non-conference finales also include Sheldon at Franklin and Jesuit at Laguna Creek.
Both Delta Valley-Delta River games should create plenty of intrigue between the two leagues.
Still, Elk Grove’s midseason trip to Loomis will undoubtedly be one of the section’s most anticipated games of the season.
Early-season prediction: Del Oro 19, Elk Grove 14
Week 6
Friday, Oct. 17
Franklin at Elk Grove
Until Franklin can find a way to beat Elk Grove, they will still be considered only a mere contender to the league’s elite. This season gives them as good a chance as any, especially considering Elk Grove will be only seven days removed from a showdown against Del Oro and an emotional two-game stretch that also includes upstart Pleasant Grove.
This will also be the first time these two programs meet in the league opener instead of the season finale.
Early-season prediction: Elk Grove 24, Franklin 15
Week 7
Friday, Oct. 24
Sheldon at Pleasant Grove
Sheldon is expected to be a completely different team from last season. They won just one game in 2007, yet coaches and supporters of the program pointed to this season and 2009 with talented sophomore and junior classes.
Pleasant Grove knows all about pointing toward the future, except they seem to be about two or three years ahead of schedule. Clinching a league title and winning a first-round playoff game is hardly the norm for a second-year varsity program.
Early-season prediction: Pleasant Grove 32, Sheldon 27
Week 8
Saturday, Nov. 1
Sheldon at Jesuit
Don’t think Jesuit has forgotten about last year’s humbling exit from the Division I section playoffs, a 38-14 home loss to Vacaville. The Marauders have seen Sheldon and Pleasant Grove, two of the newer schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District, win the last two Delta River League titles.
Jesuit plans to be in the race this season, although that task will be equally as difficult with Sheldon expected to bounce back from a rocky 2007 and Monterey Trail’s continued progression.
Early-season prediction: Jesuit 28, Sheldon 17
Week 9
Friday, Nov. 7
Elk Grove at Nevada Union
Similar to Sheldon and Jesuit, Nevada Union also hopes to rebound from a disappointing season. The Miners failed to clinch a playoff spot despite numerous opportunities in the final month.
Regardless, any trip to Grass Valley is a daunting task.
Elk Grove will have plenty of early-season tests to prepare them for this late-season showdown, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a road win is probable.
Early-season prediction: Nevada Union 24, Elk Grove 21
Week 10
Friday, Nov. 14
Jesuit at Pleasant Grove
Two years ago it was hard to imagine this would be one of the biggest games of the Delta River League season. But, with rapid progression from Pleasant Grove, including a shocking win at Jesuit last season, this year’s season finale expects to be full of playoff scenarios.
Avenging last year’s loss will be the focal point for Jesuit, while Pleasant Grove will try to prove they belong in the discussion as yearly playoff contenders.
Early-season prediction: Jesuit 33, Pleasant Grove 23
Spell, relief: F-O-O-T-B-A-L-L.
To get through the rest of this month, I tried to ease the pain with a look ahead to the 2008 high school varsity football season. With only 36 days left until the Sept. 12 season openers, here’s a glance at the top 10 must-see games (one from each week) of the regular season.
Week 1
Friday, Sept. 12
Pleasant Grove at Franklin
This should be a great early-season gauge for both programs. Not to mention it just might be the most intriguing Delta Valley-Delta River game of the non-conference slate.
Pleasant Grove is fresh off the program’s first-ever league title and playoff appearance. Franklin, which qualified for a second consecutive postseason last year, will begin the Brian Prahl era.
Prahl replaced likeable head coach Mike Johnson, who retired to spend more time with his family.
Early-season prediction: Franklin 20, Pleasant Grove 14
Week 2
Friday, Sept. 19
Monterey Trail at Elk Grove
Still searching for the program’s signature win, Monterey Trail figures to be much improved from last season, the school’s best in its brief history. In fact, Elk Grove survived overtime to escape a near upset by Monterey Trail in 2007.
After seemingly a breeze in Week 1, this should prove to be Elk Grove’s first true test of the season.
Early-season prediction:
Elk Grove 26, Monterey Trail 16
Week 3
Friday, Sept. 26
Pleasant Grove at Laguna Creek
This will be the first of consecutive trips to Elk Grove-Laguna Creek Community Stadium for Pleasant Grove, which faces Elk Grove next week. It’s part of a preseason schedule makeover that consists of Franklin, Del Campo and 2007 holdover Roseville.
Laguna Creek scheduled three Delta River League opponents in the preseason, a list that also includes Florin and Jesuit.
Early-season prediction: Pleasant Grove 27, Laguna Creek 20
Week 4
Friday, Oct. 3
Pleasant Grove at Elk Grove
To think Pleasant Grove would be nervous to face a storied program such as Elk Grove is foolish. After all, Pleasant Grove already chopped down one of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s beloved programs, Jesuit, in a thrilling road win last season.
Head coach Joe Cattolico stuck to his plan of scheduling beatable opponents through the program’s initial two seasons before adding top-echelon teams for this season. Franklin, Laguna Creek and Elk Grove fit that profile.
Early-season prediction: Elk Grove 31, Pleasant Grove 21
Week 5
Friday, Oct. 10
Elk Grove at Del Oro
By far, this is the best week of the regular season. Forget about the colossal Elk Grove-Del Oro showdown, non-conference finales also include Sheldon at Franklin and Jesuit at Laguna Creek.
Both Delta Valley-Delta River games should create plenty of intrigue between the two leagues.
Still, Elk Grove’s midseason trip to Loomis will undoubtedly be one of the section’s most anticipated games of the season.
Early-season prediction: Del Oro 19, Elk Grove 14
Week 6
Friday, Oct. 17
Franklin at Elk Grove
Until Franklin can find a way to beat Elk Grove, they will still be considered only a mere contender to the league’s elite. This season gives them as good a chance as any, especially considering Elk Grove will be only seven days removed from a showdown against Del Oro and an emotional two-game stretch that also includes upstart Pleasant Grove.
This will also be the first time these two programs meet in the league opener instead of the season finale.
Early-season prediction: Elk Grove 24, Franklin 15
Week 7
Friday, Oct. 24
Sheldon at Pleasant Grove
Sheldon is expected to be a completely different team from last season. They won just one game in 2007, yet coaches and supporters of the program pointed to this season and 2009 with talented sophomore and junior classes.
Pleasant Grove knows all about pointing toward the future, except they seem to be about two or three years ahead of schedule. Clinching a league title and winning a first-round playoff game is hardly the norm for a second-year varsity program.
Early-season prediction: Pleasant Grove 32, Sheldon 27
Week 8
Saturday, Nov. 1
Sheldon at Jesuit
Don’t think Jesuit has forgotten about last year’s humbling exit from the Division I section playoffs, a 38-14 home loss to Vacaville. The Marauders have seen Sheldon and Pleasant Grove, two of the newer schools in the Elk Grove Unified School District, win the last two Delta River League titles.
Jesuit plans to be in the race this season, although that task will be equally as difficult with Sheldon expected to bounce back from a rocky 2007 and Monterey Trail’s continued progression.
Early-season prediction: Jesuit 28, Sheldon 17
Week 9
Friday, Nov. 7
Elk Grove at Nevada Union
Similar to Sheldon and Jesuit, Nevada Union also hopes to rebound from a disappointing season. The Miners failed to clinch a playoff spot despite numerous opportunities in the final month.
Regardless, any trip to Grass Valley is a daunting task.
Elk Grove will have plenty of early-season tests to prepare them for this late-season showdown, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a road win is probable.
Early-season prediction: Nevada Union 24, Elk Grove 21
Week 10
Friday, Nov. 14
Jesuit at Pleasant Grove
Two years ago it was hard to imagine this would be one of the biggest games of the Delta River League season. But, with rapid progression from Pleasant Grove, including a shocking win at Jesuit last season, this year’s season finale expects to be full of playoff scenarios.
Avenging last year’s loss will be the focal point for Jesuit, while Pleasant Grove will try to prove they belong in the discussion as yearly playoff contenders.
Early-season prediction: Jesuit 33, Pleasant Grove 23
