What a week. Just when you think you have a handle on the South Bay football scene, a week like this comes along and shakes up everything we thought we learned in nonleague play. Here's a quick rundown:
Game of the Day: San Pedro delivered a resounding statement that it is legit with a grind-it-out 6-5 victory over Carson. If San Pedro can somehow get past Narbonne next week, it has a real shot at a 10-0 season, which the Pirates haven't done since 1997. But if the Pirates are going to beat Narbonne, they'll need more offense than they put together against Carson. Or at least their impressive defense contributing on the scoreboard. Definitely a tall order for San Pedro, but Narbonne's line is suspect, meaning next week's showdown will be up for grabs. Carson's tough nonleague schedule hasn't paid off yet, and the Colts have many worries. They need to get back on track quickly before their Week 10 showdown against Narbonne.
MARINE LEAGUE SINKS: Banning appears not to be among the league's upper echelon after another disappointing effort. The Pilots may not have been expected to beat Narbonne, but 35-7 is much too lopsided for Banning. The Pilots have been given the benefit of the doubt thanks to a tough nonleague schedule, but that window has closed. Banning needs to get on track, and quickly. Gardena also had a disappointing opener, losing to Washington for the second straight year. It puts Gardena in a hole and makes its 3-2 start almost irrelevant.
SHIFT OF POWER: The Pioneer League race is shaping up to be quite interesting after El Segundo's emphatic win over a depleted Torrance team missing star running back Michael Andrews. Torrance is in a must-win situation next week against a resurgent South Torrance next week. El Segundo's quality win sets up an interesting showdown with unbeaten North Torrance in two week. The impression here is that Torrance is in a world of trouble and may be the odd team out of the playoff picture after an unbeaten league campaign a year ago.
TOPSY TURVY BAY: Can someone in the Bay League please stand up and start acting like a contender. Please. We thought Leuzinger was poised to start breaking away, then the Olympians not only lost to previously winless Palos Verdes, but were annihilated, 23-6. So much for that Leuzinger defense. So much for that 4-1 start. And does that mean 1-5 Palos Verdes is really a contender? Redondo, considered a darkhorse after the return of quarterback Erik Wilson, suffered an incomprehensible loss at Peninsula as its ground game completely disappeared. So who's the frontrunner now? It has to be Mira Costa, which posted a quality victory over West Torrance. But who knows. This league has become the most unpredictable. Or most unstable. However you want to look at it.
OCEAN WATER CHOPPY: The Ocean League is not much better than the Bay League, except that Santa Monica is clearly the favorite with another resounding victory. Kudos to Inglewood for an eye-opening win over a Culver City team that is clearly not the same one that has dominated the league in recent years. After an atrocious start, Inglewood appears to be on track after wins over Palos Verdes and Culver City, though the Sentinels will certainly miss talented Shaquelle Evans next week while he serves a one-game suspension for being ejected. Watch for Inglewood to make a postseason push. And don't hold your breath for Morningside or Hawthorne.
ROLLING ALONG: Serra routs Bosco Tech, 50-3. Cavaliers better not be overconfident next week against Harvard-Westlake, which is always an upset threat.
A NEW START: Bishop Montgomery made the most of its Camino Real League debut, beating Mary Star in overtime. But if you have to take Mary Star to overtime, that should signal some kind of alarm. Still, expect the Knights to be Camino Real League title contenders after being the Del Rey League doormats for so long. The Knights did what they needed to do.
Game of the Day: San Pedro delivered a resounding statement that it is legit with a grind-it-out 6-5 victory over Carson. If San Pedro can somehow get past Narbonne next week, it has a real shot at a 10-0 season, which the Pirates haven't done since 1997. But if the Pirates are going to beat Narbonne, they'll need more offense than they put together against Carson. Or at least their impressive defense contributing on the scoreboard. Definitely a tall order for San Pedro, but Narbonne's line is suspect, meaning next week's showdown will be up for grabs. Carson's tough nonleague schedule hasn't paid off yet, and the Colts have many worries. They need to get back on track quickly before their Week 10 showdown against Narbonne.
MARINE LEAGUE SINKS: Banning appears not to be among the league's upper echelon after another disappointing effort. The Pilots may not have been expected to beat Narbonne, but 35-7 is much too lopsided for Banning. The Pilots have been given the benefit of the doubt thanks to a tough nonleague schedule, but that window has closed. Banning needs to get on track, and quickly. Gardena also had a disappointing opener, losing to Washington for the second straight year. It puts Gardena in a hole and makes its 3-2 start almost irrelevant.
SHIFT OF POWER: The Pioneer League race is shaping up to be quite interesting after El Segundo's emphatic win over a depleted Torrance team missing star running back Michael Andrews. Torrance is in a must-win situation next week against a resurgent South Torrance next week. El Segundo's quality win sets up an interesting showdown with unbeaten North Torrance in two week. The impression here is that Torrance is in a world of trouble and may be the odd team out of the playoff picture after an unbeaten league campaign a year ago.
TOPSY TURVY BAY: Can someone in the Bay League please stand up and start acting like a contender. Please. We thought Leuzinger was poised to start breaking away, then the Olympians not only lost to previously winless Palos Verdes, but were annihilated, 23-6. So much for that Leuzinger defense. So much for that 4-1 start. And does that mean 1-5 Palos Verdes is really a contender? Redondo, considered a darkhorse after the return of quarterback Erik Wilson, suffered an incomprehensible loss at Peninsula as its ground game completely disappeared. So who's the frontrunner now? It has to be Mira Costa, which posted a quality victory over West Torrance. But who knows. This league has become the most unpredictable. Or most unstable. However you want to look at it.
OCEAN WATER CHOPPY: The Ocean League is not much better than the Bay League, except that Santa Monica is clearly the favorite with another resounding victory. Kudos to Inglewood for an eye-opening win over a Culver City team that is clearly not the same one that has dominated the league in recent years. After an atrocious start, Inglewood appears to be on track after wins over Palos Verdes and Culver City, though the Sentinels will certainly miss talented Shaquelle Evans next week while he serves a one-game suspension for being ejected. Watch for Inglewood to make a postseason push. And don't hold your breath for Morningside or Hawthorne.
ROLLING ALONG: Serra routs Bosco Tech, 50-3. Cavaliers better not be overconfident next week against Harvard-Westlake, which is always an upset threat.
A NEW START: Bishop Montgomery made the most of its Camino Real League debut, beating Mary Star in overtime. But if you have to take Mary Star to overtime, that should signal some kind of alarm. Still, expect the Knights to be Camino Real League title contenders after being the Del Rey League doormats for so long. The Knights did what they needed to do.
Regarding the Pioneer: Wasn't El Segundo expected to do well this year with something like 18 returning lettermen and Gage carrying the ball? Now that they are 5 - 1 it makes me wonder about their 1 loss: what happened?