The Pag Meter went 5-1 on Championship Friday and for the year 479-83 (86%)  

Friday Night State Playoff Lights

SOUTH DIVISION 4-AA

Bakersfield Christian Eagles (13-1) at Selma Bears (13-1) 

• Pag Meter Line Bakersfield Christian -1

• The Winner will play for the state title at home at 6 p.m. Dec. 17 against North Division 4-AA champ Campolindo-Moraga (10-3) or Palma-Salinas (10-3).
•  If you would have combined division 3 and division 4, the Pag Meter would have had Bakersfield Christian the No 1 seed and Selma the No 2 seed.
• Now they get to play each other and the winner plays for the division 4 AA state Championship.
• This is the classic of the great throwing offense of the Eagles vs the great Bears defense. Nobody has slowed down either team.
• The X factor is the Eagles defense because the Bears offense is very good.
• Can the Bears defense stay with the hottest QB in the valley Braden Wingle?
• Junior QB Braden Wingle has thrown for 4,055 yards and likely will become the school’s single-season leader ( Head coach Darren Carr little brother Derek in 2008 has the record) WR senior Jeremiah Foster has 1,605 receiving yards on 85 catches, and 20 touchdowns.The Eagles are huge upfront so what will the Bears do to put pressure on the Eagles?
• Bears QB  Junior Ramirez who has thrown for 1,732 yards with 18 TD’s and has rushed for 547 yards and has scored 11 TD’s will need a big game to keep the pressure off the Bears defense. RB Jordan Dominguez has rushed for 1,252 yards and has scored 22 TD’s and Jordan is also huge on defense making 77 tackles.
• Weather could be a factor and that will favor the Bears.

The Pag Meter scoop

• The Bears haven’t seen the size or the passing attack that the Eagles will bring in. The Eagles dismantled two very good teams with Memorial and Tulare Western so I’m thinking the Eagles will be ready for the Bears. If Wingle turns this game into a 7 vs 7 summer league game then the Eagles will roll. Can the Bears put pressure on Wingle??
• The Eagles are slowly turning into the private school status that talent is just showing up to play at. The Bears are the great story of the year!
• Pag Meter Prediction  Bakersfield Christian 29 Selma 28
• Final Bakersfield Christian 28 Selma 27

NORTH DIVISION 6-AA

Mendota  Aztecs (13-1) vs Amador Buffaloes (14-1) at CalaverasPag Meter Line Amador -7

• The Winner will play for the state title at 6 p.m. Dec. 17 at South Division 6-AA champ Rancho Christian-Temecula (12-2) or Franklin-Los Angeles (13-1)
• The only thing the Pag Meter can go by in this match up is both teams played Orestimba from Newman. Mendota beat Orestimba 36-0 and Amador beat Orestimba 17-14. It probably doesn’t mean much but……
• The Aztecs are hot on both sides of the ball and leading the charge is QB Junior Cardenas with 42 TD passes.
• Amador has won 9 in a row and the Aztecs have to slow down senior running back Daylan Thetford  who is crushing defenses rushing for 1,564 and has scored 33 TD’s.
• The X factor is the Aztecs defense and can they slow down Thetford? The Buffaloes want to run downhill and that is their game plan. It’s simple….the Buffaloes are all in with Thetford.

Pag Meter Scoop

• Maybe the Orestimba game could be the factor?? I can’t imagine the Aztecs letting one guy beat them!! The big factor is that’s a long way to go for a high school team to travel.
• Pag Meter PredictionMendota 28 Amador 27 Mendota 24
• Final Amador 21 Mendota 14

Saturday Night State Playoff football

 NORTH DIVISION 1-AA

Bakersfield Drillers (11-3) at Del Oro Golden Eagles (13-2)

Pag Meter Line Del Oro -9

• The Winner will play for the state title at 4 p.m. Dec. 17 vs South Division 1-AA champ San Clemente (13-1) or Edison-Hungtington Beach (13-1) at Sacramento State’s Hornet Stadium
• The Drillers will make the long haul up to Loomis to face the Golden Eagles, who captured the Sac-Joaquin Division 2 championship. The Golden Eagles are led by Quarterback Stone Smartt ,who has thrown for 2,663 yards, 25 touchdowns and has rushed for 772 yards. Running backs Dalton Gee and Camrion Davis, and receiver Mason Hurst lead the Golden Eagles who have rushed for 3,800 yards.
• The Drillers won their 37th valley championship beating Central 21-14.
• The X factor is the Del Oro offense because to beat the Drillers is to run at the Drillers. Last week Central’s game plan was not good. The Grizzlies could have run all night long with that big physical line but decided to be cute and it backfired. I’m thinking Del Oro will be much smarter and will go right at the Drillers.
• It won’t be easy for Del Oro to figure out the Drillers in a short week. The Drillers offense needs to be on their game to win on the road. Weather and turnovers could be huge!

The Pag Meter scoop

• They both played each other in 2013 when the Drillers won the State Championship and the Golden Eagles have watched the game film a bunch of times this week.
• The difference could be that the Drillers can throw it this year but the 2013 Drillers team is a tad better than the Drillers 2016 team.
• I just think that Del Oro will not be dumb like Central was and will pound it. Stay tuned
• Pag Meter Prediction Del Oro 29 Bakersfield 21
• Final Del Oro 57 Bakersfield 16

NORTH DIVISION 2-A

 Serra Padres (10-4) at Sanger Apaches (13-1)

Pag Meter Line Serra -7

• Broadcasted on 940 ESPN Radio
• The Winner will play for the state title at noon Dec. 17
• vs South Division 2-A champ Los Angeles (11-3) or Sierra Canyon-Chatsworth (13-0) in Sacramento at Hornet Stadium.
• The Padres from San Mateo head south to face Sanger. Serra has won nine straight since opening 0-4, meaning these two teams have combined to win 22 straight games this year.
• The Pag Meter has gotten many emails asking who are the Serra Padres???
• I would say they are San Joaquin Memorial Panthers on steroids. Tom Brady and hall of famer Lynn Swann both went to Serra.   Serra is a little private professional high school that played against the powerhouses and some big private professional high schools like De La Salle, St Mary’s of Stockton, Valley Christian of San Jose, Bellarmine Prep……You get the idea. Serra has played a schedule a million times better than Sanger’s schedule.
• Serra offense has two tremendous options at quarterback – dual-threat Leki Nunn and prolific sophomore passer Luke Bottari.  Serra was banned from the postseason for illegal recruiting a year ago and written off after a brutal opening month, it’s safe to say that Serra flipped the script on its season.
• The Padres continued to overcome adversity Friday night at Westmont High in Campbell, with dual-threat quarterback Leki Nunn putting on a show, as the senior threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for another pair during a 37-24 victory over Mitty to win the Central Coast Section Open Division 2 championship. Nunn is compared to Ridgeview QB Jamar Moya but can throw the ball.
• The X factor and there is a couple of them.
  • No 1 X factor is Serra does not play on grass and the last time I checked, Chuck Shidan field will be wet grass. It’s almost like comparing roller skating to ice skating. Will the Padres cleats work in Sanger? That’s a huge X factor!
  • No 2 X factor is Serra plays in front of  about 1,000 fans and now they travel to the greatest place in the state to play football. That won’t be easy and Apache nation will have to be LOUD! Apache nation has to be the 12th man for Sanger to win!

Pag Meter scoop

• Serra has played the tougher schedule and I guarantee that the Sanger Bangers will not be intimidated! The Apaches defense will match up with Serra.
• Legend coach Chuck Shidan is looking to win No 204
• Pag Meter Prediction (Mini upset) Sanger 27 Serra 24
• Final Serra 49 Sanger 36

SOUTH DIVISION 6-A

Horizon Panthers (7-7) San Diego at Strathmore Spartans(14-0) 

Pag Meter Line Strathmore -21

• The Winner will play for the state title at home at 6 p.m. Dec. 17
• against North Division 6-A champ Brookside Christian-Stockton (9-4) or St. Patrick-St. Vincent-Vallejo (11-3)
• This game is easy to figure out. Can the Panthers slow down running back Joseph Garcia? Nope ! 421 yards rushing with 7 TD’s
• The X Factor is the Spartans defense against the hot Panthers offense.

 The Pag Meter Scoop

• The Spartans at home and Garcia pounding the ball should be the difference.
• Pag Meter Prediction Strathmore 44 Horizon 23
• Final Strathmore 62 Horizon 22