Northern push makes West Catholic Athletic League even stronger

If the West Catholic Athletic League wasn't enough of a grind, the crush figures to be even more pulverizing in 2015.

The league, considered the best top-to-bottom in Northern California, has been a largely Southern affair for the last decade, especially the last five years when Northern squads St. Ignatius (San Francisco) (11-23-1), Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) (4-31) and Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (3-32) have been a combined 18-86-1 in WCAL play.

But this season figures to be different.

Seven of the eight WCAL teams will be severely tested to open the season Friday, including Sacred Heart Cathedral versus Terra Nova-Pacifica at Kezar Stadium, Valley Christian at Pioneer-San Jose, St. Ignatius travels to Campolindo, Mitty hosts Los Gatos at Foothill College, Serra hosts national juggernaut De La Salle and Bellarmine plays against Franklin-Elk Grove at San Jose City College. All games are at 7 p.m.

Riordan opens Sept. 11 at Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton.

"Those schools looked much improved," Valley Christian coach Mike Machado said of the three San Francisco schools. "I don't see the rest of the league dropping off, so it's going to be a really tough race."

With the vast experience at Bellarmine, the urgency at Serra, the Division I athletes at Valley Christian, a new coach at Mitty, stability at St. Francis and vast improvement from the North, this is as wide open a race as we've seen in the last 10 years.

Add a new Central Coast Section three Open Division playoff format, and a new CIF 13 Bowl Game structure, there is even more hope and cause for optimism among the eight coaches. 

"The clear favorite in the WCAL never turns out to be the clear favorite," St. Ignatius coach John Regalia said. "I don't think anyone saw Bellarmine doing what they did last year. Everyone has experience, great coaching and there's a ton of respect for one another. It's just a great league to be a part of."

Here's an alphabetical league at the WCAL, which boasts three ranked squads among Northern California's top 12.

Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
Coach: Keith Burns
2014: 8-5, 4-3

Burns, a former college and NFL assistant, joined Mitty last season and now is the head man. He's immediately implemented the spread offense and with a couple of superb athletes vying for the quarterback job, the Monarchs should be fun to watch.

Fremont transfer Phillip Tran and Samuel Serra, a basketball standout who sat out last season to focus on the round ball, are battling out for the starting job.

Other top players including running back Derek Bauerle, a first-team-All leaguer last year, linebackers Blake Flovin and Matt Tofano and DE Jacob Dewey.

Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose)
Coach: Mike Janda
2014: 10-3 overall, 5-2 WCAL

Janda needs just 12 wins to catch CCS career leader Benny Pierce at Saratoga. With the experience he has, especially at the skill position, led by perhaps the fastest player in the Bay Area Kyle Macauley, don't be surprised if Janda catches him by the end of the season. They return 13 starters from last year's squad.

The Bells play a rugged nonleague season — Sac Joaquin Section powers Franklin-Elk Grove and Del Oro-Loomis, along with two-time defending CCS champion Aptos — so they should be battle tested by league play.

"This is one of the most experienced teams I've ever coached," Janda said. "Because of their development over the last two and three years, we're hoping they can provide the leadership we need."

Janda called Macauley, who ran a 10.69 100-meters last spring, second year quarterback Troy Martig, tight end/LB Josh Bringuel and OL Wolfie Rehbock, the "heart and soul of the team."

Riordan
Coach: Kevin Fordon
2014: 1-9, 1-6
First-year head coach Fordon, a De La Salle-Concord graduate and former assistant at Concord and DVC, is very optimistic about a senior-laden team that is led by first-team All-WCAL linebacker Payton Ilalio (103 tackles) and running back Raymone Sanders (867 rushing yards, eight TDs).

"I'm lucky enough to work with a large, talented senior group who I hope can go out as WCAL champions," said Fordon, the team's defensive coordinator last year. "That's our goal. I think we can do it."

Most of the Crusaders were juniors last year, including all-leaguers linemen Rocco Russell, Sam Tofi and Mario Guisto, along with receivers Isaiah Davis and Aidan Verba-hamilton.

"They have a lot of talented seniors coming back," Machado said. "It's a very good class."

Sacred Heart Cathedral
Coach: Ken Peralta
2014: 3-7, 0-7

Under third-year coach and proven winner Peralta, SHC has some beef up front to go along with arguably the league's top tailback in Jamar Williams-Sheppard, a 6-foot-2, 215-pound senior who will also play some outside linebacker.

Williams-Sheppard rushed for 1,159 yards and 15 touchdowns but 886 of those yards came in the first four weeks before seven starters went down with season-ending injuries. Williams-Sheppard is getting Pac-12 Conference interest on both sides of the ball, though 6-3, 300-pound two-way tackle Keith Ismael is the team's top recruit and perhaps the best linemen in the league.

The Irish return 12 starters and feature such skill guys as junior RB Jamal Lavallier, receiver Areon Mitchell and quarterback George Stefko.

"We got a lot of good kids in all three levels of the program," Peralta said. "Everyone is buying in. It's looking good."

Serra (San Mateo)
Coach: Patrick Walsh
2014: 8-5, 6-1

The defending WCAL champions will not have a postseason because of two-year sanctions against the program for cancelling a consolation playoff game last season against Milpitas. Safety concerns were at the forefront of Walsh's decision, which was backed by the school's administration. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the CCS implemented the first consolation football bracket in the country's history. It was wiped away after one season.

"It's certainly there," Walsh said. "Like any other difficult situation we need to take it head on and that's what we're doing. … Thankfully we play in arguably the best league in Northern California"

The Padres have one of their best teams skill-wise, but feature a young line. Third-year starting wide receiver-defensive back Brandon Monroe, Tevita Tuitakavake and running back Kelepi Lataimua are three of the team's top skill players.

Said Monroe: "We know we don't have playoffs, but our goal is still to go 10-0. We're out to win every game and prove a point that even though we don't have playoffs, we're still going to work hard and keep playing and we're not going to quit on one another. … It's a brotherhood. … It's tradition."

Walsh talked about how, for the first time ever, he knows his team's end date, which will be Nov. 14.

"We know our death. … I think that's an interesting perspective. … If I knew the day I was going to die I'd go jump of cliffs. I'd be swimming with sharks, doing the greatest things possible. … These players, their friends and our staff have a choice. What path will we take?"

Saint Francis (Mountain View)
Coach: Greg Calcagno
2014: 9-4, 4-3

The Lancers won their 15th CCS title last season with a 17-7 triumph over Mitty for the Division II crown. They lost some fantastic seniors to graduation, but return two key parts on offense, running back Lutoviko Ahoia (914 yards rushing, nine TDs) and quarterback Kamalii Akina (1,246 yards passing, 11 TDs).

St. Francis also returns offensive lineman/LB Kevin Glajchen and lineman Ryan Moles to give Calcagno a rock core group, especially on defense.

St. Ignatius (San Francisco)
Coach: John Regalia
2014: 7-6, 2-5

The Wildcats lost most of its skill players, but returns linemen Julian Villavicencio (6-2, 240), Jack Tunney (6-2, 185), Jack Mckeon (6-2, 180), Will Sweeney (6-2, 217) and Daniel Hagan (6-2, 195). Three are fighting it out for the quarterback spot, led by Peter Katz, while Xavier Tharpe and Key Butler are two of a committee who will carry the load at running back.

Friday's game at Campolindo should help see just where this group is. Campolindo is defending state Division III champion and gone 52-4 since 2011.

"We have a lot of respect for coach (Campolindo's Kevin) Macy as a person and as a coach," St. Ignatius coach John Regalia said. "This will be a great test for our young team."

St. Ignatius will also have its annual tussle with Marin Catholic and SJS power St. Mary's-Stockton.

"We're very excited about our schedule and this group," Regalia said. "They've done all the work in the offseason and I'm very excited about the potential of this group."

Valley Christian (San Jose)
Head coach: Mike Machado
2014: 9-4, 6-1

The Warriors lost a ton to graduation but return a very talented team, led by 6-5 receiver Collin Johnson, a four-star senior headed to Texas.

Though they lost Johnson's brother Kirk to graduation — he's also at Texas — there should be no drop-off at running back with Morian Walker, a physical and fleet senior. Another top recruit is senior back and linebacker Akil Jones, who will also run the ball. Jones has committed to Colorado.

Jones and Walker are both 6-1 and 215. Don't expect any arm tackles. Add in 6-4, 270-pound tight end Cameron Woodard and Machado has plenty of talent. The Warriors just need to improve quickly a young but talented line.

"They'll need to grow up quick," Machado said.

Miles Kendrick has elevated from the JV ranks to be the starting quarterback. "He's a very good athlete," Machado said of the 5-10 junior. "He's not real tall, but he can run and he has a strong arm."