Metropolitan

Schedule/Scores

Week 0 Scores
Grant 42, Montgomery 0...Sacramento 33, Woodside 0
Burbank 8, Pittsburg 27

Week 1 Scores
Grant 27, Edison 0...Johnson 6, Franklin-Stockton 33
McClatchy 0, Patterson 42...Burbank 20, Christian Bros. 36
Rosemont 6, Placer 32...El Camino 44, Kennedy 37

Week 2 Scores
Burbank 6, Granite Bay 22...Johnson 6, Amador 31
Kennedy 28, Valley 12...Rosemont 28, Enochs 13
Grant 14, Bellevue, WA 0...Sacramento 42, Florin 13
McClatchy 6, Center 27

Week 3 Scores
Burbank 46, Riordan 21...Johnson 15, Bear Creek 18
Kennedy 0, Mt. Diablo 30...Sacramento 26, Folsom 69
McClatchy 14, Vanden 57...Grant 14, Oak Ridge 0
Rosemont 54, San Juan 6

Week 4 Scores
Grant 62, Johnson 0...McClatchy 32, Kennedy 16
Rosemont 34, Sacramento 26

Week 5 Scores
Grant 56, Rosemont 7...Kennedy 20, Antelope 56
McClatchy 39, Johnson 14...Burbank 50, Sacramento 12

Week 6 Scores
Grant 63, Sacramento 0...Rosemont 27, McClatchy 24
Burbank 52, Kennedy 26...Johnson 0, Atwater 50

Week 7 Scores
Burbank 24, Rosemont 12...Grant 85, Kennedy 0
Sacramento 42, Johnson 14...Vista del Lago 61, McClatchy 13

Week 8 Scores
Burbank 60, McClatchy 7...Rosemont 64, Johnson 32
Sacramento 16, Kennedy 0

Week 9 Scores
Burbank 63, Johnson 0...Rosemont 44, Kennedy 0
Grant 62, McClatchy 6...Sacramento 42,Lathrop 13

Week 10 Scores
Burbank 22, Grant 40...Union Mine 23, Rosemont 3
McClatchy 14, Sacramento 28...Kennedy 39, Johnson 6

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AROUND THE LEAGUE: WEEK 5

October 8, 2009

We've got four and a half weeks in the bag this season and there are some terribly interesting things going on in the Metro.

♦ Nobody expected anybody to challenge the Grant Pacers this year for a league title, but did anybody expect the Pacers defense to be this good?  At the halfway mark in the season, the Grant defense is allowing just 103 total yards per game and have not given up a single point.  Now, if they could go five weeks without surrendering a single point, including games against Oak Ridge and Washington state powerhouse Bellevue, then who is to say that they cannot go the entire regular season?  To do the unthinkable, the Pacers would have to shutout Burbank, Rosemont and Sacramento, plus McClatchy and Kennedy.  The latter two are not only possible but probable, while Burbank, Rosemont and Sacramento will be tricky.  Rosemont and Sac High have the sort of big play capability to spoil Grant's run at history with one breakaway touchdown.  Of course, with Terrance Mitchell on the roster Burbank is even more of a threat for a spoiler touchdown, and the Titans can match up with the Pacers' size to a certain extent as well.  All in all, it will be nothing short of amazing if the Pacers can go through the entire regular season without giving up a single point, but not at all impossible!  With Vei Moala, Faigame Lopa, Darryl Paulo and the rest of the Pacer defensive line stuffing or disrupting every single running play and Shaquille Thompson, Ronald Fields and company making play after play in the secondary it really makes you wonder if this might be the defense that goes down in history as the best ever.  The even scarier thing is...a lot of these guys will be back next year! 
♦ The Burbank Titans had a week off last week to recover from a crazy start to their 2009 campaign.  The Titans had without a doubt one of the toughest schedules in the section, facing Bay Area powerhouse Pittsburg, and a couple of Sacramento's elite programs in Christian Brothers and Granite Bay.  All three of these contests ended in losses and the same general theme.  Burbank was able to play with all of these teams, as the yardage statistics would show.  However, the Titans lost the turnover battle in each game, but more importantly, were also plagued by an inability to convert red zone appearances into touchdowns.  In week three, the Titans got themselves their first victory of the season in blowout fashion, but if they expect to win any games this season, other than the ones they are supposed to win easily, then they have to find a way to improve their red zone offense.  This Saturday will be the Titans' first big test, as they take on a reeling but still talented Sacramento Dragons team.  This is a huge game as the victor will be back in the playoff hunt while the loser will be in considerable trouble.
♦ Rosemont and McClatchy both made big statements with their week four victories.  Rosemont improved to (3-1, 1-0) with its 34-26 victory over Sacramento, a team that just a couple weeks ago was thought by many to be the second best team in the Metro.  Although the Dragons ended up with 26 points, Rosemont's defense actually played a whole lot better than the score would suggest.  On the season, the Wolverine's defense is allowing just 258.50 yards per game, second in the Metro behind Grant...Meanwhile, it was the McClatchy run defense and passing game that turned heads in the Lions' 32-16 win over Kennedy.  McClatchy QB Vertrail Payne threw for 249 yards and four touchdowns on 14 of 20 passing.  He spread the ball around quite a bit, especially to receivers Tre'vaughn Brown (5 for 70 yards), Shawn Smith (3 for 73 yards) and Seanjay Pickens (2 for 57 yards).  Defensively, the Lions did a wonderful job of containing lightning quick Kennedy running back Tristan Lay, who had shredded a couple of defenses this season and promised to do the same against McClatchy, a team not known for being dominant between the tackles.  Lay was only allowed to gain 61 yards on 12 carries, and Kennedy was forced to turn to their passing game to move the football, which is certainly not their strength.  In the end, McClatchy brought home the 32-16 victory and established themselves as a threat to take seriously in the Metro. 

-Justin Cruise

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BURBANK WINLESS IN THREE TRIES

Sept. 19, 2009

Burbank High is the perfect example of a good football team with a ridiculously difficult schedule.  The Titans were a playoff team a year ago and returned plenty of talent to go back again this year.  The only problem?  They had to play three juggernauts to open the 2009 season.

Some say to be the best, you have to beat the best...and Burbank has not been able to beat the best thus far this season. 

The Titans opened up the season against a tough East Bay foe in Pittsburg High.  The Titans played them tough but turnovers and other costly mistakes, as well as an inability to convert in the red zone, cost the Titans dear, and the Pirates won 27-8.

In week two, the Burbank Titans took on crosstown rival Christian Bros and lost 28-32.  Again, the opportunities were there and the Titans squandered them.

This Friday, Burbank headed into Granite Bay to take on the 1-0 Grizzlies.  The Titans offense produced 338 total yards of offense, including 300 rushing, against an outstanding Grizzlies defense.  Burbank quarterback Tu'ata Inoke carried the ball 17 times for 78 yards, running back Jamon Archie had 76 yards on 14 carries, and team playmaker Terrance Mitchell carried 11 times for 114 yards and caught one pass for 25 yards.  Still, the Titans offense bogged down every time they pushed inside the red zone and they were only able to produce six points the entire game.

The Grizzlies, on the other hand, took advantage of every opportunity.  Running back Cory Brehm scored two touchdowns and gained 113 yards on 14 carries.  Granite Bay converted on every red zone opportunity, adding three field goals to Brehm's two scores.  Although the total yardage gained by both offenses was close, with Granite Bay edging the Titans 382 to 338, the game was not.  For the second straight week the Grizzlies out-worked and out-disciplined a more athletic team, and for the second straight week they were victorious, winning the game 22-6. 

-Justin Cruise