CCS football finals preview: What to know heading into championship games

It’s football championship game weekend in the Central Coast Section. Here is a preview of games involving teams in the Bay Area News Group’s coverage area:

CCS DIVISION I: NO. 5 LOS GATOS VS. NO. 2 ST. FRANCIS

Records: Los Gatos 10-2, St. Francis 9-3

Kickoff: Friday at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.

Series history: St. Francis is 7-1-1 against Los Gatos in the MaxPreps era (since 2004). The only loss came in their most recent meeting, a 31-14 win for the Wildcats in the CCS Division II championship game in 2013.

Storylines: Perhaps the two most storied programs in the Central Coast Section will duke it out one more time for the Division I crown. Each team has won 16 CCS championships historically, so this game – provided it doesn’t end in a tie, as at least two of their matchups did in the pre-overtime era – will put one squad on top. Los Gatos has gone on the road in back-to-back weeks and won, first knocking off No. 4 Serra in San Mateo and then No. 3 Riordan in San Francisco. Senior quarterback Scotty Brennan has come on strong for the Cats. Against Riordan, he completed 10 of 15 passes for 245 yards and three TDs without an interception. Junior Grayson Doslak anchors the run game. He rushed for 125 yards on 30 carries at Riordan. Los Gatos’ defense has also been playing well. The Wildcats held the explosive Riordan attack to 28 points and turned the Crusaders over three times. Junior Bryce Novinsky snagged an interception, and Los Gatos recovered two fumbles. St. Francis must rebound from a dispiriting 10-7 loss to St. Ignatius in the CCS Open Division title game. In a rain-soaked slugfest, the Lancers lost when Jarious Hogan scored a late rushing touchdown for SI. St. Francis’ offense runs through senior running back Kingston Keanaaina, who eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards this season with a 136-yard showing against SI. Senior quarterback Aaron Knapp leads the Lancers’ passing game. A CCS championship would make it back-to-back years for Los Gatos, which won the D-I title in 2023. St. Francis has not won a section title since claiming the Division II championship in 2014. The Lancers have been close, reaching four other section title games since then.

Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Los Gatos to win 26-21.

— Christian Babcock

CCS DIVISION II: NO. 7 PALMA VS. NO. 1 WILCOX

Records: Wilcox 10-2, Palma 7-5

Kickoff: Saturday at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.

Series history: Palma and Wilcox have not faced off in football in the MaxPreps era (since 2004).

Storylines: Will this be the year Wilcox wins a section championship? The Chargers had two shots at it last year and lost both. First they fell to Serra in the Open Division title game, then they lost to longtime rival Los Gatos in the D-I final. This year, they’ll have a chance in Division II. Wilcox will likely be without starting quarterback Kai Imahara, who suffered a separated AC joint in his non-throwing shoulder on Nov. 9 against Menlo-Atherton. Senior Brayden Rosa, typically a running back/safety, and senior backup quarterback Adrian Garcia have shared time under center in Imahara’s absence. They should be more comfortable after three weeks of reps as the starters. Rosa is the featured player for Wilcox offensively, though sophomore Elijah Vallejo has emerged as a speedy backfield complement. Senior Jeiman Delos Santos will receive carries as well. Wilcox beat No. 8 Santa Teresa 36-3 in the first round and survived No. 4 Menlo-Atherton 10-7 in the rain last Friday. Wilcox last won a section title in 2021, also in Division II. Palma has won 12 of its 16 appearances in a CCS championship game, while Wilcox has lost 10 of 13. Palma won the Division III crown last season. This year’s Chieftains are led by sophomore quarterback Pete Driscoll, who has passed for 1,051 yards on 118 attempts. Sophomore running back Eli Dukes is Palma’s offensive player to watch, having rushed for 1,942 yards on 230 carries this season. 

Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Wilcox to win 31-17.

CCS DIVISION IV: NO. 4 BURLINGAME VS. NO. 3 SACRED HEART PREP

Records: Burlingame 8-4, Sacred Heart Prep 6-6

Kickoff: Saturday at San Jose City College, 1 p.m.

Series history: The two teams have played 13 times in the MaxPreps era (since 2004). Sacred Heart Prep leads the all-time series 8-5 and won the most recent matchup 41-7 in 2023.

Storylines: Can Burlingame pull off one more upset? The Panthers have gained a well-earned reputation as giant-killers this season. First, they upset Wilcox 19-18 in Santa Clara on Sept. 20. Just last week, they knocked off Piedmont Hills, the top seed in the Division IV bracket, 14-12 in San Jose. What do they have in store for an encore? Burlingame has appeared in two section championship games prior to this one. The Panthers have won both, claiming the Small school crown in 2004 and the Division IV title in 2018, both under current coach John Philipopoulos. Senior quarterback Luke Levitt is Burlingame’s offensive leader. He has passed for 1,274 yards this season and added 137 rushing yards. Senior Lucas Kirk leads Burlingame in rushing with 1,003 yards. Senior Jake Flood is the Panthers’ standout receiver with 530 yards on 42 catches. Senior Cole Hardtke is the defensive leader with 99 tackles. … Sacred Heart Prep is a running team first, second and third behind its massive offensive line. Junior quarterback Nico Pollioni, the Gators’ leading passer, has just 83 attempts this year for 614 yards. Leading running back Greg Gamitian, a senior, has carried the ball 177 yards for 755 yards. Junior bruiser Maxime Morelle is next up with 89 carries for 478. Senior Kyle Chai and juniors Sasha Bamdad and Andrew Shen will also contribute in the run game. Sacred Heart Prep has reached eight section title games all time, winning six. The Gators’ most recent victory came in the 2021 Division IV championship game, also under current coach Mark Grieb.

Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Sacred Heart Prep to win 26-8.

– Christian Babcock

CCS DIVISION V: NO. 4 SEQUOIA VS. NO. 3 LELAND

Records: Sequoia 7-5; Leland 9-3

Kickoff: Saturday at MacDonald HS, 7 p.m.

Series history: One previous meeting in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present), with Sequoia winning 27-14 in a 2010 the CCS Division II semifinal.

Storylines: Sequoia’s story this season has been an ongoing journey from winless to championship contender. After an 0-4 start, the Ravens welcomed RB Jordan Crockett V to the mix and the season took a 180-degree turn. They have won seven of eight since the winless start, captured a league championship and prevailed in two playoff games. Now they’re one victory from the program’s first section football championship. … Sequoia reached the final with a 33-6 victory over previously undefeated Gunn in the first round and a 21-6 win at top-seeded South San Francisco last week. … Crockett rushed for 162 yards and two TDs against South City, giving him 1,147 yards on the season. … MLB Justin Schernig (8.1 tackles per game) and ILB Mosese Tangitau (11 tackles for loss) lead the Sequoia defense. … Leland is seeking its fifth section title in its 10th championship game appearance. … The Chargers have also won seven of eight, including wins over Stevenson 30-20 and Alisal 35-14 in the playoffs. … Hudson Vye and Brady Hernandez have combined for more than 1,500 rushing yards to help lead the Leland offense. … OLB Wyatt Markos is the Chargers’ top tackler. … Leland was the runner-up to Willow Glen in the Blossom Valley Athletic League’s Santa Teresa-Valley Division. … The Chargers captured the CCS’s first football championship, in 1972.

Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Sequoia to win 17-16

– Darren Sabedra