PAGMETER FOOTBALL PREDICTIONS CHAMPIONSHIP FRIDAY 2021
KEEP THE PAG METER UPDATED ON THE LATEST SCOOP ON YOUR TEAM, NEED STATS TO ADD IN
With Photos. Player updates….
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In week 14 (Semifinals) the PAGMETER went 9-3 for the year 461-89 (85%)
THANK YOU TO THE TEAMS THAT SEND IN YOUR STATS!
THANK YOU TO ALL THE SPOTTERS AT ALL THE GAMES FOR THE UPDATED SCORES THAT WE PUT UP ON TWITTER/FACEBOOK.
We see it popping up in many social media pages…teams that say “WE ARE PLAYING FOR A VALLEY CHAMPIONSHIP”, that would be 100% WRONG!
You can’t win a Valley Championship any longer. We now have the Central Coast/High Desert teams in the Central Section and the last time I checked, the Central Coast/High Desert do not live in the valley. It’s an insult to our friends on the Central Coast and the High Desert. By the way, winning a Section Championship is much bigger than a Valley Championship!
The Central Coast FOOTBALL will be changing starting in the fall and the Central Section will be getting some new schools into the family with the Lompoc Braves, Santa Ynez Pirates, and the Cabrillo Conquistadors.
CHAMPIONSHIP FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS 7PM KICKOFF
Join us on TWITTER-SPACES (it’s brand new) with the post-game show TONIGHT and we will chat about championship Friday and all the games
DIVISION 6 SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
MORRO BAY PIRATES (7-6) at TAFT WILDCATS (6-5)
THE PIRATES ARE THE DIVISION 6 SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
SEMIFINAL FINAL RESULTS
Pirates beat Pioneer Valley 29-26. Nicky Johnson hit Ethan Lisman on an 18-yard TD pass and the game winner.
Wildcats beat Woodlake 49-13. Jackson Berry threw 3 TD passes. Cyris Gaylord scored on a rushing TD.
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Pirates win their 1st section Championship since joining the Central Section.
Wildcats are looking to win their 1st section Championship since 2007 when they beat the Corcoran Panthers 28-14 in the Division 4 Section Championship.
PIRATES X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Pirates are playing their best football heading into the Championship game. QB Nicky Johnson and the offense needs a big game on the road. Can the Pirates defense slow down QB Jackson Berry and Wildcats offense?
WILDCATS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Wildcats are a physical team that plays outstanding defense, speed in the secondary and a dangerous QB with Berry. Wildcats are also hot in the playoffs and if they play like they did against Woodlake, game over.
PAGMETER X factor it’s the Pirates offense vs the Wildcats defense. This is the interesting matchup. Jackson Berry is very good, running, throwing and will be the difference. THE WILDCATS TURNOVERS DID THEM IN. Can Pirates QB Nicky Johnson go off? NICKY SURE DID WITH 4 TD PASSES!
PAGMETER Prediction Taft Wildcats 36 Morro Bay Pirates 24
FINAL MORRO BAY PIRATES 35 TAFT WILDCATS 33
The Pirates win their first section title in school history. QB Nicky Johnson with 4 TD passes and Dylan Turner scored on a TD run. The Pirates had a 35-6 lead, and the game was so close with a running clock beginning of the 4th quarter. Then everything changed. Taft scores 27 unanswered points. With about 13 seconds left, the Wildcats with the onside kick and got the ball! On the first play, broken play, Jackson Berry scrambles scoring the final TD on the last play of the game to make the score 35-33, the Wildcats 2-point play was no good. WHAT A GAME!
DIVISION 5 SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
LIBERTY MADERA RANCHOS HAWKS (7-6) at RIGHETTI HIGH WARRIORS (5-8)
WARRIORS WIN THEIR FIRST SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY!
SEMIFINAL FINAL RESULTS
Hawks beat Boron 20-6. Dominic Castaneda scored 3 TDs and the red-hot defense played outstanding for the 4th straight game.
Warriors beat Ridgeview 27-6. The Warriors defense played their best game of the year. The offense had plenty of holding calls but still had a 27-0 lead before shutting it down. Ryan Bovin rushed for 120-yards and scored on a 2-yard TD run. Elias Martinez scored on a 11-yard TD, QB Abel McCormack scored on a 1-yard TD run and Alex Magellan kicked 23- & 22-yard Field Goals.
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
Hawks last won a Championship in 2014 when they beat CVC 24-6 in the Division 4 Section Championship. This is the Hawks 6th Championship and looking for number 4.
Warriors are looking to win their first Section Championship since they joined the Central Section. The Warriors played in the Division 2 Section Championship in 2018 and lost to Tulare Union.
HAWKS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Hawks double Wing T offense has to move the ball with long drives and finish with points. IT DID NOT. The Hawks are not a throwing team so they cannot afford to get in 3rd and long situations. Hawks defense is smoking hot with only giving up 1 TD in 4 games. Hawks D has played against plenty of Wing T/Pistol offenses and are tough against the run and to beat the Hawks it could be the passing game, but the Warriors are not a passing team. If RB Dominic Castaneda and his offensive teammates have a fantastic game, then the Hawks bus ride home will be fun. THE OFFENSE HAD NO ANSWERS VS THE WARRIORS! The Hawks can’t afford turnovers and expect to win. THE TURNOVERS KILLED THE HAWKS!
WARRIORS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Warriors had about 1000 penalties in the semifinals, and they still dominated. The officials called every possible penalty against the Warriors, and it got ridiculous. The officials had a bad night. The Warriors lost in week 8 to the Paso Robles Bearcats 21-6 who run the same style Double Wing T offense. The Bearcats throw the ball a little more than the Hawks.
For the Warriors to win the front seven on defense must play another outstanding game this week and pray they don’t get the same officiating crew. If the Warriors play like they did vs Ridgeview, the Warriors will win. THEY PLAYED ANOTHER OUTSTANDING GAME! QB Abel McCormack does a nice job running the pistol offense and RB Ryan Bovin does a great job running the downhill. The Warriors can’t afford turnovers.
PAGMETER X Factor It’s the Hawks Double Wing T vs Warriors Pistol Wing.
This game is all about the defensive side of the ball and who can win the line of scrimmage. THE WARRIORS DID. The Warriors have the big advantage playing at home and being closer to a division 2/division 3 team. The Hawks are on a great playoff run right now.
PAGMETER Prediction Righetti High Warriors 21 Liberty Madera Hawks 20
FINAL RIGHETTI HIGH WARRIORS 34 LIBERTY MADERA HAWKS 7
The Warriors win their first Section Championship in school history. The Warriors defense played outstanding. Brian Monighetti started the scoring with a pick 6. Ryan Boivin scored 2 TDs with runs of 6 and 1-yard runs. Abel McCormack hit Elias Martinez on a 9-yard TD pass. Hayden Baichtel picks up a fumble and takes in for a 20-yard TD. The Hawks had to play the perfect game to win and they didn’t with a Pick 6, a fumble return.
DIVISION 4 SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
MENDOTA AZTECS (8-4) at INDEPENDENCE FALCONS (8-6)
FALCONS WIN THEIR FIRST SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP IN SCHOOL HISTORY!
SEMIFINAL FINAL RESULTS
Aztecs beat Highland 34-28. Jacob Silva had a monster game rushing for 368-yards on 45 carries and scored on 4 rushing TDs. Richard Ceja Jr and Silva each caught TD passes from QB Renato Gaeta.
Falcons beat Roosevelt 42-14. The Falcons have scored 40 plus points in 6-straight games. QB Ladon Denmark scored on 4 rushing TDs and Evan Peaker rushed for 195-yards and scored a TD.
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The last time the Mendota Aztecs won a championship was in 2017 when they beat Firebaugh 50-22 in the Division 5 section Championship.
The Falcons are looking to win their first Section Championship in school history. THEY GOT IT!
AZTECS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Aztecs are finally heathy entering the playoffs, so this playoff run is no fluke. The Aztecs play physical football on both sides of the ball. For the Aztecs to win, they need to play GREAT defense and slow down the hot Pistol offense. Can they slow down hot senior RB Evan Peaker who has rushed for 1,655-yards and QB Ladon Denmark? The Aztecs need to play tremendous run stop defense and can’t let the Falcons run on the edge. Jacob Silva needs another big game and work the clock. The Falcons are not a throwing team, and the Aztecs will need to force the Falcons in 3rd and long situations. THEY PLAYED THEIR HEARTS OUT!
FALCONS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
The Falcons are a 3-headed monster on offense with Peaker, /Wing/RB Anthony Rico and QB Denmark. For the Falcons to win they need a big night from the pistol that the Falcons run so well. Leading the defense is Middle Linebacker Demian Garcia. The Falcons are big up front on both sides of the ball. The Falcons will pound the football and run on the edge wiith a leading blocker. They are not a throwing team.
The Aztecs will pound the football and spread it out if needed. Can the Falcons defense slow the Aztecs down? THEY SURE DID!
PAGMETER X factor it’s the Aztecs front seven on defense going up against the Falcons Pistol. The Aztecs can’t afford turnovers and expect to win. THEY HAD SOME BIG TURNOVERS! This will be the 3rd straight week that the Aztecs have traveled to Bakersfield. They beat Foothill, Highland and now the hottest team with Independence.
PAGMETER Prediction Independence Falcons 37 Mendota Aztecs 30
FINAL INDEPENDENCE FALCONS 28 MENDOTA AZTECS 21
Evan Peaker was BIG TIME MONEY! Peaker rushed 133-yards on 25 carries, returned an 83-yard kickoff for a TD that turned the MOJO around. Forced a HUGE fumble and picked off an Aztecs pass at the 5-yard line while the Aztecs were driving to tie the game up with 2:53 to go. QB LaDon Denmark scored on a 5-yard TD run, Jonathan Vigil picked up a fumble and scored on a 5-yard TD, Denmark hit Anthony Rico on 53-yard TD pass.
Aztecs Jacob Silva scored a 5-yard TD run. QB Juan Ceja threw 2 TD passes to Devon Murphy (63 &13 yards)
DIVISION 3 SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
The Christian Bowl
BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN EAGLES (10-4) at CENTRAL VALLEY CHRISTIAN CAVALIERS (10-4)
THE CAVILIERS ARE THE SECTION CHAMPIONS FOR THE 6TH TIME
SEMIFINAL FINAL RESULTS
Eagles beat Dinuba 49-27. The Eagles have now won 8 straight games. QB Braden Waterman threw 3 TD passes (Dylan Johnson, 47-yards, Bryson Waterman 54 & 69-yards) and scored on a 18-yard TD run. Bryson Waterman returned a 34-yard punt for a TD and Nathan Perez scored 2 TDs on runs of 40 & 24-yards.
Cavaliers beat Washington Union 24-0. The Cavaliers defense stuffed the Panthers red-hot offense. Josh Sousa scored 2 TDs with runs of 32- and 2-yard runs. Trent Koltsier kicked a 25-yard FG, and Max Bakker hit Parker Jones on a 14-yard TD pass.
This is a rematch from week 1 when CVC beat BC 30-24.
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
This is the Private school championship Bowl
The last time the Bakersfield Christian Eagles won a championship was when they beat CVC 28-14 in 2019 to win the Division 3 Section Championship along with winning the Division 3-A State Championship beating Rancho Cotate 42-21.
The last time the Central Valley Christian Cavaliers won a Championship was in 2018 when they beat the Golden West Trailblazers in the Division 4 Section Championship 49-14.
EAGLES X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Eagles offense is crazy hot, with winning 8 straight games so the defense needs a big game on the road and slowing down another hot offense. QB Braden Waterman has taken his game to another level and playing just as good as any QB right now in the state. The Eagles are not the same team from the week 1 loss to CVC. Eagles just beat a team that averages over 40-points per game (Dinuba) so can the Eagles defense put pressure on the QB Max Bakker?
CAVALIERS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Cavaliers are playing tremendous football since the confusing loss to Exeter in week 11. That confusing loss turned into the No1 seed in division 3. QB Max Bakker and the offense needs to stay hot. The Cavaliers defense has the edge in this game and will need to put pressure on the Eagles passing game. Look for the Eagles to try to slow down the outstanding 6’4 junior WR TE/WR Jaeden Moore.
PAGMETER X Factor can the Cavaliers put pressure on QB Braden Waterman? If they can’t then game over. Which defense will step up against two outstanding offenses? The Eagles will want to turn this game into a 7 vs 7 passing game, spread it out and throw it all the yard. This game is all about the Cavaliers defense. This game could come down to the final minutes.
PAGMETER Prediction Bakersfield Christian 35 Central Valley Christian 31
FINAL CENTRAL VALLEY CHRISTIAN CAVALIERS 27 BAKERSFIELD CHRISTAIN EAGLES 25
Trent Koetsier kicked 2 field goals including the game winning 26-yard field goal. Max Bakker threw 3 TD passes, (Jaeden Moore on a 59-yards and Josh Noeske 29-yards, Brandt Munger 35-yards)
Eagles Braden Anderson threw 3 TD passes (Dylan Johnson, 65-yards & Bryson Waterman 11 & 15-yards) Simon Nycamp kicked a short field goal.
Controversial!! With less than a minute to go, the Eagles David Bonales appeared to pick off a Cavaliers pass and the game winner, but one referee overruled the back judge and called an incomplete pass. To overrule a call, the referee better be 100000% sure. The film showed it was an interception.
DIVISION 2 SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
BAKERSFIELD DRILLERS (6-6) BULLARD KNIGHTS (9-4)
THE BULLARD KNIGHTS ARE THE DIVISION 2 SECTION CHAMPIONS
SEMIFINAL FINAL RESULTS
Drillers beat Frontier 21-14. Ty Monteiro scored on a 2-yard TD run and Monteiro hit Drahcir Mackey to tie the game up with the 2-point pass play at 14-14. Tybo Rogers scored the game winner with a 31-yard TD run.
Knights beat Kingsburg 49-21. QB Roland Russo threw 7 TD passes. Jalyn Utendahl caught 11 passes for 151-yards and caught a 31-yard TD. Daizon Allen caught 6 passes for 103-yards and 3 TDs (39, 17, and 12 yards). Jayden Davis caught 2 TD passes (26 & 34 yards) and Koda Lamanuzzi caught a 5-yard TD.
SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
It’s hard for me to call this a division 2 section championship so I say we call it the Division 1 Section championship and Liberty vs Central, will be the Open Division Championship. With the new silly playoff format, 98% of the time, the Division 2 teams in the Championship game will be from division 1. There needs to be 12 teams in Division 1/Open so Division 2 teams will play in the Division 2 Section Championship game.
Drillers have won more Central Section Championships than any other school in history and has won more state championships than any other school in California. Now you get why this should be the Division 1 Section Championship. The Drillers have won over 800 games as a school and have won 37 Central Section Championships.
The Last time the Drillers won a Championship was in 2016 when they beat the Central Grizzlies 21-14.
Knights won their only Central Section Championship in 2009 beating the Centennial Golden Hawks 42-31.
Drillers beat the Knights 35-28 in 2005. The Drillers had only 3 first downs the entire game and still won. The Drillers beat the Knights 38-3 in 2011.
DRILLERS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Drillers came into the semifinals with some injuries but worked through them.
Junior RB Tybo Rogers is back from a high ankle sprain and the Drillers will need a big running game to win. Tybo is being recruited from all over the country and has offers already from Fresno State, Boston College and Oregon State. Tybo will come into 2022 as one of the top running backs in the state and will have tons of offers to choose from.
Senior WR/DB Daylon Leach is the speedy dangerous WR that the Drillers will want to get the ball to. sophomore RB/LB Drahcir Mackey is the next Drillers star on both sides of the ball. All Star LB/TE Alex Rocha leads the Drillers defense.
Drillers defense is very physical and gets after it. Can the Drillers defense put pressure on the Knights passing game and make Russo uncomfortable? Junior QB Ty Monteiro needs a big game running, throwing, and keeping the drives moving.
KNIGHTS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Knights offense is playing at a high level, so this game is all about the Knights defense. The Knights beat Clovis West 70-42 in the quarterfinals. The Knights secondary plays both ways so they were flat out tired and the Golden Eagles passing attack is good. The big X factor is the Knights defense to make some big stops.
QB Roland Russo, 7 TD passes ties the Bullard school record for TDs in a game. (Alex Huerta vs Edison in 2005). WR Jalyn Utendahl now has 72 receptions which broke Peter Sartini’s Bullard school record for receptions in a season (Sartini had 68 in 1981).
PAGMETER X Factor for the Drillers to pull off a win, the offense needs to hold serve and that means they need to score and avoid punting to the Knights. The Drillers can’t afford to turn the ball over at McLane Stadium and the Drillers defense must put pressure on the Knights passing game. I can’t see this a defensive battle because the Knights are giving up 28 points per game and scoring 30 plus per game. The Drillers did a great job with proving the PAGMETER wrong.
PAGMETER Prediction Bullard Knights 38 Bakersfield Drillers 28
FINAL BULLARD KNIGHTS 45 BAKERSFIELD DRILLERS 21
Roland Russo went 19-25 for 197-yards and a TD pass. Russo broke school single-season passing yards record in the 3rd quarter on a 16-yard pass to Daizon Allen. Russo is also the first in school history to have a passing TD, rushing TD and receiving TD in a single game. Jalyn Utendahl returned a kickoff for an 85-yard TD.
CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP
LIBERTY PATRIOTS (10-2) at CENTRAL GRIZZLIES (9-2)
THE LIBERTY PATRIOTS ARE THE CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONS
SEMIFINAL FINAL RESULTS
Patriots beat Buchanan 28-21. Carson Woods threw a TD pass to Luke Wattenbarger, Jason Oliver returned a punt for a TD and Grant Austin scored 2 TDs including the game winner.
Grizzlies beat Memorial 37-20. The score looks like it was a close game, but it wasn’t. The Grizzlies pretty much shut it down after getting a big lead. QB Dayton Tafoya went 9-14 for 91-yards and threw a TD pass, rushed for 57-yards, and scored on a 10-TD run. RB Jesiah Lindsay rushed for 110-yards, scored on a TD run and caught a 4-yard TD pass. Ah’ Marion Gaines-Smith rushed for 64-yards and scored on a 2-yard TD run. Amarian Hunter made 9 tackles. Marcus Ramirez with an interception. Imari Conley blocked a field goal and returned a kickoff for a 72-yard TD.
CENTRAL SECTION CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
The last time the Patriots won the Central Section Championship was in 2015 when they beat Clovis 56-21.
The Grizzlies are looking to win the Central Section Championship for the 4th straight year. The defending champions are also the defending state champions.
Grizzlies beat Buchanan 29-7 in 2017. Grizzlies beat Liberty 58-34 in 2018. Grizzlies beat Buchanan 28-21 in 2019 and beat Sierra Canyon 34-19 to win the Division 1-A State Championship.
2020 the world ended.
PATRIOTS X FACTOR FOR WINNING
Patriots offense must pound the football with the big offensive line and the defense must slow down the Grizzlies zone read offense. The Grizzlies ran all over Memorial’s defense with Jesiah Lindsay running up the middle and QB Dayton Tafoya pulling the ball and running on the edge. It was a thing of beauty. The Patriots front seven must be 100% better than what Memorial tried to do. In the red zone the Patriots will see plenty of power running from Ah’ Marion Gaines-Smith. THE PATRIOTS DOMINATED FROM THE OPENING KICKOFF!
The Patriots offense will need to get the ball to the dangerous Jason Oliver. Jason will run back punts, kickoffs, and line up all over. Patriots’ defense is very good, and they will need a big night. The Patriots offense can not afford turnovers and must move the chains. The Patriots are always big and physical upfront and leading the way is junior DE/TE Grant Buckey who is 6’5, 280lbs. Grant is being recruited by all the big boys around the country. The Patriots O-line also has DL/OL Xavier Campos, DL/OL Christian Gretlein, DL/OL Shay Achen, and Bryce Monsevais OL/DL.
Junior QB Carson Woods is the real Patriots X factor on offense. Carson needs a big night especially if the Grizzlies turn this game into a shootout. The Grizzlies will bring plenty of pressure and will play plenty man-man defense.
Patriots speedy RB junior Jalen Hankins will be a game time decision if he’s a go from a knee injury. That means senior Grant Austin will be ready to go. Grant had a big game in the semifinals rushing for 99-yards and scoring 2 TDs including the game winner.
The Grizzlies are a team that likes to throw quick passes and let the athletes do the rest. The Patriots must make tackles!!
The Patriots have a huge advantage with the kicking game. The Patriots have senior Dylan Lynch, junior Grant Meadors and one of the best long snappers in the country with Bryce Kellams.
The Grizzlies will do everything possible to NOT kick it to Jason Oliver. Plenty of pooch kicks.
GRIZZLIES X FACTOR FOR WINNING
The Grizzlies are red hot on both sides of the ball and playing on the magic field turf. The Grizzlies are light years better now than when they lost to Buchanan 24-17 on October 7. In the loss, Grizzlies had 3 big turnovers; 3 times, came up empty going for it on 4th down. Punter fielding a snap on his knee deep in Buchanan territory, gave up a kickoff for a TD and still had a chance to tie the game. That game was the Grizzlies wakeup call because they have been on fire since that Thursday night.
The Grizzlies offensive line, which is led by seniors OL Tanner Hirschler, NG Gilbert Munoz, OL Harmanjot Singh and OL Colin Garrett flat out dominated SJM. Can they do it again in the Championship?
QB Tafoya had a good game against SJM and is ready to do it again. If the Grizzlies are on with the zone read offense, along with the short passing game then they are tough to stop.
The Grizzlies defense, which is led by seniors DL Jeremiah Shelton, DL Amarian Hunter, LB Marcus Ramirez and Imari Conley will be focusing on the Patriots running attack and WR Jason Oliver.
Grizzlies defense is a smothering style, bring pressure with man-man in your face and the offense is dangerous with speed everywhere.
PAGMETER X Factor the Grizzlies are fantastic playing at home with their college style crowd. It’s a horrible idea to play the Championship game the day after Thanksgiving but if anybody can pack the home side, it’s the Central Grizzlies.
PAGMETER has the Central Grizzlies winning their 4th straight Central Section Championship. THE PAGMETER WAS A 100% WRONG!
PAGMETER Prediction Central Grizzlies 37 Liberty Patriots 24
FINAL LIBERTY PATRIOTS 42 CENTRAL GRIZZLIES 14 (PAGMETER WAS WRONG ON THIS PREDICTION)
QB Carson Woods 12/18 for 250-yards 3 TDS passes (Austin Pratt, Kresean Kizzy & Luke Wattenbarger and also had a pick 6. Jalen Hankins scored on 2 rushing TDs