Bay Area Blitz: 10 top games, 10 picks, 10 takes

If ever there were a poster boy for the California (San Ramon, Calif.) football team, it would be running back Blake Bierwith.

The rugged 6-foot, 220-pound senior is the Metro Area's fourth-leading rusher (902 yards), and his 15 rushing touchdowns rank second in the region.

How he gets from point A to point B is not unlike how fifth-year coach Eric Billeci built the San Ramon program: straight ahead, relentless and without fanfare or hyperbole.

"We're a day-to-day, game-to-game operation," said Billeci, whose team is 38-16 since he took over in 2009. "We don't look back and we don't look too far forward. We're never too high or low."

So when Bierwith had to miss much of spring practice and the passing league season with a hand injury, he didn't dwell or pout. As with a plugged up middle of the line, he looked for a seam and found an opening.

In this case, it was the weight room, which he hit very hard.

Bierwith focused on his lower body and increased his weight from 195 pounds as a junior to 220 for his senior season.

Billeci, who doesn't generally throw around praise lightly, said the results have been astounding.

"I think we knew last year with a little hard work he was going to be a special back this season," Billeci said. "But he's exceeded all expectations."

Bierwith has averaged 180 yards per game and 8.8 yards per carry.

His low game was a 137-yard effort in a 16-14 win over Granada-Livermore. His best games have been against Castro Valley (208 yards and five TDs) and then-No. 19 Amador Valley-Pleasanton (206 yards and four scores last week).

"He doesn't often go down on first contact," Billeci said. "He's generally a north-and-south runner, but he's fast enough to get outside. He's a complete, every-down back."

Like Billeci, a former De La Salle-Concord standout at tight end, Bierwith doesn't say much. A straight-A student, who is getting college looks from the Ivy League schools, Bierwith leads by example and not with words.

He does rattle off his offensive linemen in rapid succession when asked about his personal success: Mario Diaz, Dean Heinz, Jeffrey Huettenhain, Tyler Whisenhunt, Kurt Olson and Matt Snyder.

"He's just a team guy through and through," Billeci said.

Friday, Bierwith and the ninth-ranked Grizzlies (4-1) face their toughest challenge in No. 5 Foothill (Pleasanton) (5-0), which has given up 41 points all year.

California has had Foothill's number since Billeci took over, not only winning all four games, but also doing so handily: 45-24, 49-7, 22-7 and 35-7. Bierwith will be asked to help control the clock and keep the ball away from Foothill's high-powered offense, which features the potent passing tandem of quarterback Kyle Kearns and receiver Isaiah Langley, who are considered two of the best juniors in the state.

"We've had some success in the past against them," Billeci said. "But this is a different time, a different year. We'll be ready."

10 games, picks of the week

#18 Clayton Valley (4-1) at College Park (3-1-1), 3:30 p.m. Friday — Two high-powered offenses should put up a bunch of points. Predicted score: Clayton Valley 52, College Park 31

Acalanes (Lafayette) (4-2) at Miramonte (Orinda) (4-2), 7 p.m. Friday — Big Lamorinda rivalry game will likely come down to Acalanes' running game, led by Peter Mitchell, and the passing game of Miramonte's Drew Anderson. Predicted score: Acalanes 24, Miramonte 21

#21 Amador Valley (Pleasanton) (4-1) at #19 San Ramon Valley (Danville) (2-3), 7 p.m. Friday - We'll see if San Ramon Valley's rigorous nonleague schedule pays off in the rugged EBAL. Predicted score: San Ramon Valley 28, Amador Valley 21.

#5 Foothill-Pleasanton (6-0) at #9 California (4-1), 7 p.m. Friday - Can California stop the big-play passing prowess of Foothill? Predicted score: Foothill 27, California 21

Freedom (Oakley) (2-3) at #7 Deer Valley (Antioch, Calif.) (5-0), 7 p.m. Friday - Freedom running back Joe Mixon versus Deer Valley quarterback Nsimba Webster alone is worth the price of admission. Predicted score: Freedom 35, Deer Valley 28

Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) (4-1) at Montgomery (Santa Rosa) (4-1), 7 p.m. Friday — After humbling loss to Casa Grande, Montgomery responded with big win at Cardinal Newman. Other than one blip, Cotate has been nails all season. Both teams on Top 25 cusp. Predicted score: Montgomery 21, Rancho Cotate 21

Sacred Heart Cathedral (2-2) at #2 Serra (3-1), 7 p.m. Friday — SHC coach Ken Peralta and Serra coach Patrick Walsh are best friends, but no particular love lost between two schools. Could be a trap game for Padres, coming off a huge win over Bellarmine last week. Predicted score: Serra 35, Sacred Heart Cathedral 21.

# 6 Bellarmine (San Jose) (3-1) at #10 St. Francis (Mountain View) (4-0), 7:30 p.m. Friday - It's been almost three years since Bellarmine had to rebound from a loss in WCAL play. Predicted score: Bellarmine 17, St. Francis 14.

# 4 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (4-0) at #14 Valley Christian (San Jose) (3-1), 7:30 p.m. Friday - There isn't a Top 25 team with more contributors than Mitty. Valley Christian largely depends on Kirk Johnson and Mark Quinby, who have combined for 1,198 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. Predicted score: Mitty 29, Valley Christian 28

#22 Wilcox (Santa Clara) (3-1) at #20 Palo Alto (2-2), 7:30 p.m. Friday - Great matchup of Palo Alto's terrific passing game led by QB Keller Chryst against Wilcox's dynamic running tandem of Delshawn Mitchell and Sione Finefeuiaki. Predicted score: Palo Alto 24, Wilcox 21

10 takes/surprises

1. Jalen Canty doesn't just shoot baskets.

The 6-foot-7, 230-pound power forward for St. Patrick-St. Vincent (Vallejo) is not only one of the top 30 basketball recruits in the state, but he also plays football very well. Canty leads the state in sacks with 16 as a defensive end. He also has three catches for 165 yards (55.0 average) and two touchdowns as a tight end for the 4-2 Bruins. He's committed to the Washington basketball program, but he told reporters Saturday that he also plans to play football for the Huskies. Can you say Tony Gonzalez?

2. Michael Hutchings lives on.

Well, at least his last name does. The 2012 All-America linebacker from De La Salle-Concord, now at USC, has an undiscovered football prospect in the family at Deer Valley (Antioch). His brother Malik Hutchings, a 6-3, 245-pound senior linebacker, played in his fifth varsity game Friday. The younger Hutchings was a "man among boys" in a 45-34 win at Vacaville with 19 tackles and four forced fumbles, two of which he recovered. He leads Deer Valley with 55 tackles. Malik Hutchings was enrolled at De La Salle in 2012-13 and played basketball.

3. Paul Perenon is still coaching and doing it well.

Unceremoniously let go in 2009 by Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland, where he had two non-winning seasons in 25 years and won three North Coast Section titles, Perenon has helped rebuild a floundering Mt. Eden (Hayward) squad and made it exciting. The Monarchs (3-2) have scored 175 points (given up 149) and in a 48-40 win over Mount Diablo on Sept. 27, senior quarterback JJonathan Sturholm completed 27 of 41 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns. "It feels good to be appreciated again," Perenon said last week. We're glad he feels it too.

4. Serra's 21-14 loss to De La Salle was no Spartan letdown.

We all wondered what was wrong with the Spartans after they won by only seven points at Serra on Sept. 7, especially considering the Padres were missing six starters. Turns out, this is quite clearly a special Serra team, as became most evident Friday in its 17-7 win over Bellarmine at San Jose City College. Still down three starters on defense, including Notre Dame-bound defensive end Matthew Dickerson, the Padres looked superior in all facets to the Bells, who hung tough with strong red zone defense. Serra receiver-defensive back-Wildcat quarterback Hamilton Anoa'i (6-2, 225), who didn't play against De La Salle, looks like a four- or five-star recruit. Sophomore Kelepi Lataimua(5-8, 170) also looks special.

5. De La Salle doesn't even need Dasmond Tautalatasi to carry the ball.

That's because of the emergence of the superb tandem of 5-7, 195-pound senior John Velasco (907 yards, 11 touchdowns) and elusive 5-8, 166-pound sophomore Antoine Custer (467, six). Velasco averages 8.9 yards per carry and Custer 9.5. Tautalatasi, the Arizona-bound senior who rushed for 1,034 yards as a junior, dislocated his elbow against Serra and is now playing just defense. The Spartans, powered by one of the best offensive lines in school history, are averaging 340.5 rushing yards per game and 7.5 yards per carry.

6. Hard to drop Marin Catholic, but...

The Wildcats have outscored 272-59 this season but, to no fault of their own, that's come against teams with records of 11-22. We dropped them from second to third this week not because their play has dropped, but Serra's emergence.

7. Bellarmine linebacker Elijah Marshall can stick.

There were few bright spots for the Bells last week in their loss to Serra, but Marshall was definitely one. He really hits hard and is a fine all-around player.

8. De La Salle deserved week off.

Though the top-ranked and nationally-ranked Spartans (6-0) didn't play anyone outside of the state this season, their first six weeks cumulatively might have been on of their toughest in recent memory. We'll see how it all shakes out at the end of the season, but all six opponents definitely presented significant challenges.

9. Analy (Sebastopol) earned its way back into the rankings.

After a big home win over Pittsburg, the No. 24 Tigers faltered a couple weeks, before coming on strong the last three weeks, winning by a combined count of 146-26.

10. The PAL Bay Division might be the most interesting in the Bay Area.

The combined records of Terra Nova (Pacifica), Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton, Calif.), Menlo (Atherton, Calif.),Sequoia (Redwood City) and Menlo-Atherton (Atherton) is 19-3. Should be fun to watch who emerges. Terra Nova seems to have the most on both sides of the ball, but watch out for Menlo-Atherton.