Serra and Mitty to face off for West Catholic Athletic League crown

The Serra (San Mateo) football season started more than two months ago on a Saturday afternoon with a near historic win over De La Salle (Concord) at Freitas Field.

Its regular season ends Saturday at the same spot in a game with equal anticipation and billing.

The Padres (7-2, 5-1), ranked seventh in Northern California by MaxPreps, host No. 3 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (9-0, 6-0) at 1 p.m. with a West Catholic Athletic title at stake.

"The last game for all the marbles. …it's awesome. … it's Bay Area football at its finest," Serra coach Patrick Walsh said. "Mitty is just sound and well-rounded in every facet of the game. They have no weaknesses. They're the Kansas City Chiefs of high school football around here, with a better offense."

Mitty coach Matt Haniger had equal praise for the Padres and it wasn't coach speak, he said.

"They run multiple things on offense, their defenders are always in the right spot and very physical, they have excellent team speed and are well coached," Haniger said. "It's just going to be a good tight ball game that will come down to who takes care of the ball."

That, or who can break off the long ones. Serra's game breakers are running back Kava Cassidy, quarterback Matthew Fa'aita or receiver Hamilton Anoa'i. Mitty counters with running backs Dakari Monroe and Kyle Evans and quarterback Trent Scharrenberg.

Perhaps the best part of both teams is each have numerous contributors and weapons. Serra is after at least a share of its fourth WCAL title since Walsh took over 13 years ago. Mitty is after its first outright crown since 2001.

Since 2009, the best record in Northern California's best football league — the WCAL — belongs to Bellarmine at 28-5-1. No surprise there. But No. 2 might be.

Mitty, on the verge of wrapping up its first outright WCAL title since 2001, has the second best record at 25-6-3, followed by Serra (22-11-1) and Valley Christian and St. Francis, each at 20-14.

Known for its basketball and girls sports prowess, Mitty can boost its football reputation with a win Saturday.

Following a resounding 34-7 win over Bellarmine on Friday, Mitty has already secured at least a co-title. But if Serra prevails, then the Padres earn the league's top seed heading into the Central Coast Section Open Division playoffs.

Mitty shared the WCAL title with Bellarmine in 2009 and has WCAL crowns in 1971, 1974 and 2001.

"I'm really proud of our record and what we've accomplished here as a staff and program," said seventh-year head coach Haniger. "None of it has happened by accident."

Haniger took the advice of De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur years ago and found the best weight training coach possible. He hired Brett Nichols and believes it's a big key to the Monarchs success.

Not big by any means — only All-Metro two-way lineman Daniel Mendoza (6-foot-1, 265 pounds) weighs more than 250 — Mitty relies on speed and explosion. Much like the De La Salle teams.

The best of the skill bunch is fullback-defensive end Chandler Ramirez (6-1, 210) and flanker-cornerback Monroe (6-0, 175). Ramirez, who has 10.5 sacks, along with Mendoza and Evans (5-7, 170) are each three-year starters and the heart of the well-balanced Monarchs.

Evans was believed to be out for the season with a broken hand, but returned Friday and provided a huge spark with a touchdown run and spectacular catch to set up another score. Monroe, a junior, might be the best cornerback in the league and hard-hitting safety Drew Mount (5-10, 190) helps lead a defense that hasn't allowed more than 16 points in any game.

Add in a terrific and surprising senior year from Scharrenberg — he was 12 of 13 for 253 yards and two scores Friday — and it's no wonder the Monarchs are where they are.

"I'm most pleased with how we've responded to adversity," Haniger said. "When guys have gone down, others have responded."