Let’s break down the league races, and the bubble teams…
ACCAL
Berkeley is in total control. The Yellowjackets control their own destiny, but a loss to Richmond on Thursday could make it interesting. Pinole is starting to fade with a rough stretch. The winner of Tuesday’s Pinole v. Richmond match is in much better shape to stay in the hunt.
BSAL
Albany has emerged to the top, and I think it would be safe to say that the winner of the Albany and St. Mary’s game that is upcoming likely takes the league.
BVAL
I would be shocked if Deer Valley faltered. The rest of the league is lumped together very closely and DV is in the driver’s seat.
DFAL
Acalanes just needs to win out. Campo is hoping to win out and that the Dons either draw or drop one. It’s a two-horse race and a co-title is still possible.
DVAL
If YV wins the games they should win and beats Clayton Valley, then they would win the league by virtue of being 1-0-1 head-to-head with CV. All CV has to do is win. They can win and draw with YV and still win the league. The Eagles are in the driver’s seat.
EBAL
Cal is looking to be in great shape, barring any type of collapse.
HAAL
I think four teams still have a legitimate chance, but it looks like it could come down to the Feb. 8 game with Mt. Eden and San Lorenzo. If both teams hold serve until then, there is nothing that O’Dowd and Hayward can do to catch them.
MVAL
This Friday Logan and Newark play. That is likely to give us our champion.
Bubble teams
Division I: Alameda, Antioch, Arroyo, Castro Valley, College Park, Freedom, Granada, Heritage, Liberty, Washington.
I am saying that California, Clayton Valley, De La Salle, Deer Valley, James Logan (that was for Sweeper), Livermore, Monte Vista, Mt. Eden, Newark Memorial, Pittsburg, Richmond and San Ramon Valley are going to the playoffs.
Pittsburg would have to go 0-4, Richmond would have to go 0-4 or 0-3-1 and SRV would have to go 0-4 to close the year, and that’s not happening. That gives us 12 teams.
The bubble teams with the best chance to get in are Arroyo, Castro Valley, College Park and Granada. CP needs to go 1-1-1, or even 0-0-3 in their final three league games and they are qualified. They just can’t have more losses than wins. Same goes for the other three teams in their last four games. Going 2-2-0, or 1-1-2, or better, would equal them being eligible.
Antioch has to go 3-1-1, or 2-0-3 in their last five league games. 2-0-1 or better is what Alameda needs. Freedom is in pretty decent shape. They just need one more win than a loss. 3-1-1 or 2-0-3 would work for Heritage, and Liberty would have to go at least 3-0-1 to have a chance.
Division II: Alhambra, Hercules, Kennedy-Fremont, Las Lomas, Northgate, Pinole Valley, St. Joseph-Notre Dame.
Acalanes, Albany, Bishop O’Dowd, Campolindo, Concord, Dougherty Valley, Dublin, Hayward, Kennedy-Richmond, Piedmont, San Lorenzo, St. Mary’s and Ygnacio Valley are in. Dougherty and Kennedy won’t go 0-4 to end the year, which is the only thing that would keep them out. That gives us 13 teams. The bubble teams here aren’t in as good of shape.
Alhambra has to win one more than they lose and considering they play Campo and Dougherty, they will need to either draw both and beat Miramonte, or if they lose one they have to win the other two. Hercules is exactly .500 in league and would also need to win one more than they lose.
Kennedy-Fremont has to go 2-0-1 at least in their last three games, and they play Logan and Newark. Las Lomas has to go 3-0-1 at least, and Northgate needs to do the same. St. Joe’s has to go 3-0 to get in.
The weird case here is Pinole Valley. They were practically a lock, but three losses in a row has put them in a tough spot. They are still two games above .500, but I couldn’t consider them a lock with recent history. They end with Richmond, El Cerrito and De Anza and all the Spartans have to do is not lose twice. Even 1-2 works, but as long as they don’t lose twice, they are in, and they should be fine considering they’ve already beaten all three of those teams. One would imagine they could go 1-2-0 or anything better than that.
Bingham signs with Quakes
A quick congratulations to former Cal High standout, and UC Berkeley All-American David Bingham. The keeper signed with the San Jose Earthquakes after the MLS team was awarded his rights in a weighted lottery.
Rankings
Acalanes, what are you guys doing to me? The win over Campolindo and they for sure had to move ahead, right? Then the tie against Northgate. I decided to reward them for the win over Campo and not punish for the draw. In looking more closely at the draw, they had a lot of chances to add on to a 1-0 lead, and gave up the equalizer in the 75th minute.
Berkeley, Deer Valley and San Lorenzo all bumped up as well, and Mt. Eden joins the rankings for the first time. Logan is back, and deservedly so.
So right now, based on how they are playing, who is the team to beat in Division I… Cal, Newark or Berkeley? Division II…Acalanes, Campo or San Lorenzo?
1. California (15-0-3)
2. Newark Memorial (17-3-0)
3. Berkeley (14-2-2)
4. Acalanes (13-3-3)
5. Campolindo (14-1-3)
6. Monte Vista (11-4-4)
7. Deer Valley (12-2-5)
8. Clayton Valley (12-2-4)
9. De La Salle (13-5-1)
10. San Lorenzo (13-3-1)
11. Livermore (10-5-4)
12. Mt. Eden (12-3-3)
13. Logan (11-5-2)
14. San Ramon Valley (11-7-2)
15. Ygnacio Valley (10-3-1)
Others considered: Albany (14-2-2), Dublin (11-5-2), Bishop O’Dowd (12-5-2), Pittsburg (9-5-4), Hayward (9-4-3), Dougherty Valley (10-6-4), St. Mary’s (11-2-0), Richmond (9-8-1), Arroyo (6-8-5), Granada (5-10-5).
Standings
ACCAL
Team Overall League Points
Berkeley (14-2-2) 7-1-0 21
Pinole Valley (9-7-3) 5-3-1 16
Richmond (9-8-1) 5-2-1 16
Alameda (4-11-3) 3-4-2 11
Hercules (3-10-0) 4-4-0 12
El Cerrito (1-12-5) 1-4-3 6
De Anza (2-13-1) 0-7-0 1
BSAL
Team Overall League Points
Albany (14-2-2) 11-1-0 33
Piedmont (10-4-2) 10-2-1 31
St. Mary’s (11-2-0) 10-2-0 30
Kennedy (10-9-0) 8-4-0 24
St. Joseph Notre Dame (5-9-3) 5-7-1 16
Salesian (3-7-2) 3-7-1 10
Encinal (2-9-1) 2-6-1 7
St. Patrick-St. Vincent (2-9-0) 2-9-0 6
Swett (0-14-0) 0-12-0 0
BVAL
Team Overall League Points
Deer Valley (12-2-5) 4-0-2 14
Pittsburg (9-5-4) 2-2-2 8
Freedom (5-8-2) 2-2-1 7
Liberty (5-8-0) 2-4-0 6
Heritage (3-7-6) 1-2-3 6
Antioch (1-9-5) 1-2-2 5
DFAL
Team Overall League Points
Campolindo (14-1-3) 6-1-2 20
Acalanes (13-3-3) 7-1-1 22
Dublin (11-5-2) 4-4-0 12
Dougherty Valley (10-6-4) 2-4-2 8
Alhambra (8-8-3) 2-5-2 8
Miramonte (3-8-3) 2-5-2 8
Las Lomas (6-8-3) 1-4-3 6
DVAL
Team Overall League Points
Clayton Valley (12-2-4) 7-0-1 22
Ygnacio Valley (10-3-1) 6-1-1 19
Concord (7-2-4) 4-2-3 15
College Park (6-9-5) 4-3-2 14
Northgate (2-12-5) 2-4-2 8
Berean Christian (2-15-2) 1-7-1 4
Mt. Diablo (3-8-0) 1-8-0 3
EBAL
Team Overall League Points
California (15-0-3) 7-0-3 24
Monte Vista (11-4-4) 5-2-3 18
Livermore (10-5-4) 5-3-2 17
San Ramon Valley (11-7-2) 5-4-1 16
De La Salle (13-5-1) 5-4-1 16
Granada (5-10-5) 5-4-1 16
Foothill (5-12-2) 1-8-1 4
Amador Valley (5-12-3) 0-8-2 2
HAAL
Team Overall League Points
Mt. Eden (12-3-3) 9-2-1 28
San Lorenzo (13-3-1) 9-3-0 27
Hayward (9-4-3) 8-4-0 24
Bishop O’Dowd (12-5-2) 7-4-1 22
Castro Valley (6-11-3) 6-5-1 19
Arroyo (6-8-5) 4-3-5 17
San Leandro (2-13-1) 2-8-1 7
Tennyson (4-12-1) 2-10-0 6
Moreau Catholic (2-12-1) 1-10-0 3
MVAL
Team Overall League Points
Newark Memorial (17-3-0) 7-0-0 21
Logan (11-5-2) 6-1-0 18
Kennedy (4-7-6) 2-3-2 8
Washington (4-6-6) 1-3-3 6
Mission San Jose (6-10-3) 1-5-1 4
Irvington (2-11-3) 1-6-0 3
OAL
Team Overall League Points
Fremont (2-0-1) 2-0-1 7
Oakland Tech (2-2-2) 1-1-1 4
Oakland (0-1-1) 0-1-1 1
Skyline (0-0-1) 0-0-1 1
Statistics
Padilla, Clayton 20
Ulloa, Logan 15
Villa, Pitt 15
Pagliuca, Cal 14
Parisi, Dougherty 14
Hartland, Dublin 14
Navarro, Newark 13
Shaiwany, Dougherty 11
Espinoza, St. Mary’s 11
Name, School Goals
Name, School Assists
Scott, St. Mary’s 12
Shaiwany, Dougherty 10
Tavecchio, Campo 9
Gomez, Clayton 9
Navarro, Newark 8
Oranstil, BOD 7
Danielson, Cal 7
Bochenek, Dougherty 7
Morales, Livermore 7
Hodges, LL 7
Ramirez, Newark 7
Vazquez, Pitt 7
Jara, St. Mary’s 7