BAY VALLEY ATHLETIC LEAGUE PREVIEW
(Predicted order of finish)
No. 1 PITTSBURG
Coach: Vic Galli
2021 record: 9-3
What to expect: Passing records at Pittsburg may fall faster than temperatures on a north pole night in 2022. It starts with Jaden Rashada, the senior quarterback with a nationally-famous NIL deal who is committed to the University of Miami. He throws to a whopping four receivers who have made it to the all-Bay Area News Group preseason wide receiver list. Zach Card, Keynan Higgins and Khai Taylor are all three-star prospects with a plethora of offers from big-time colleges. Rashid Williams is ranked as a four-star and is committed to Washington, and led the team with 753 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. On the defensive side of the ball, Giomani Enea had 64 tackles, two sacks and a fumble recovery. Pittsburg has a difficult non-league schedule befitting a team of its talent. The Pirates play Nevada’s Liberty at a neutral site, then host Folsom and Oakland Athletic League powerhouse McClymonds in back-to-back weeks. Pittsburg captured its first North Coast Section championship in 30 years last fall but fell one victory shy of playing for a state championship.
Season opener: Aug. 26 vs. Bethel, 7 p.m.
No. 2 HERITAGE
Coach: Dave Fogelstrom
2021 record: 5-5
What to expect: Losing three games at home, which is what happened last season, shouldn’t happen again. The Patriots return several key players who are all a year older and more experienced. Halfback Devon Rivers was called “a true D-I prospect” with 1,175 yards and 15 touchdowns last season, displaying the same moves his brother Ronnie Rivers has shown at Fresno State. Devon has committed to Fresno State, too, following in the footsteps of his brother and dad, Ron, who went on to play in the NFL. Charlie Holland is a masher in the run game and the offensive lineman was tagged as a leader in the weight room. Brock Lombardi transferred in from De La Salle last season, and the linebacker is another player who lives in the weight room and uses that strength on the field. Koen Wolfe lines up next to Lombardi as the captain of the defense, and Fogelstrom called Wolfe one of the strongest players on the team. Jeremiah Ruffin led the team in receiving yards last season, and his coach said the former basketball player can beat double-coverage and get balls most receivers can’t.
Season opener: Aug. 26 vs. Dublin, 7 p.m.
No. 3 ANTIOCH
Coach: Brett Dudley
2021 record: 6-5
What to expect: The 2021 season was one of prolonged highs and lows, with the team losing three of its first four, then winning five straight, and then bowing out with two consecutive losses to end the season. One coach in the BVAL called Isaiah Pino the best player in the league, and coach Dudley said, “Isaiah is the best two-way player in the county” as a hybrid linebacker and tight end. Charles Brown is another senior who was first-team all-BVAL (with Pittsburg) and should have a big year. Splitting reps with Brown is Elijah Stingley, a junior who averaged over five yards per catch last season. Benjamin Ulufaleilupe is the captain of the offensive line, and he also stars with Josh Pese in the defensive trenches.
Season opener: Aug. 26 vs. Monte Vista, 7 p.m.
No. 4 LIBERTY
Coach: Mike Cable
2021 record: 5-5
What to expect: Liberty’s bid to contend with the top half of the BVAL starts with the capable arm and quick feet of senior quarterback Nate Bell. The 5-10 dual-threat threw for 13 scores and ran for three more. Bell will be expected to throw to 6-2 wideout Ryan McKendry, who led the team with 525 yards and five touchdowns last season. Senior do-everything player Darrell Carr should catch passes on one side while preventing them as a DB. Linebacker Ty Ternes totaled 87 tackles — six behind the line of scrimmage — and is listed as a candidate to play running back on MaxPreps. Mike Cable has taken over the program after coaching at Prospect.
Season opener: Aug. 26 vs. Enochs, 7 p.m.
No. 5 FREEDOM
Coach: Zach Sims
2021 record: 2-8
What to expect: Freedom started the 2021 season with a win and ended it with another victory. Unfortunately for the school’s supporters, those wins sandwiched eight consecutive losses. Zach Sims doesn’t expect another long losing streak in his second season at the helm, with a player like Herschel Turner back for his junior year. Sims called him the best player Freedom has produced since Joe Mixon. Lining up in the same backfield is quarterback Jacob Wasso, whom his coach said has “an absolute cannon of an arm.” Freedom also returns all four starters in the secondary, and cornerbacks Norman Robinson and Taylor Edmon should give opposing receivers a difficult time this year. Three-star athlete Samaje Featherstone lines up at multiple positions and should make plays at all of them.
Season opener: Aug. 26 vs. Marin Catholic, 7 p.m.
No. 6 DEER VALLEY
Coach: Matt Mills
2021 record: 2-8
What to expect: The Wolverines won two of their first three in non-league play and were competitive in all five of their non-BVAL games. The league schedule was not as kind, with the team losing every game by at least 44 points. One of the bright spots on last year’s team was receiver Carlos Perez, a baseball standout who caught 45 passes for the football team. Senior Marc Mixon had 48 tackles, two forced fumbles and one sack. Andre Vixon, a 6-1 sophomore, had 36 tackles and forced one fumble, and was a revelation as a freshman.
Season opener: Aug. 26 at Northgate, 7 p.m.
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