While the spotlight this week belonged to the always-intense Palma–Salinas rivalry, there’s still plenty to unpack as the regular season enters its final stretch.
Find out how each team fared, who performed well and who’s next.
Alisal (4-4, 2-4) 28 at Carmel 42
After two early touchdowns from star senior Jayden Duarte gave Alisal a 14-0 lead, Carmel outscored the Trojans 42-14 to secure its third win in the last four games. The Padres took home the CIF state 5AA championship last year amid an undefeated season and moved into the Gabilan Division, like Alisal.
Since scoring over 28 points in five of its first six games, plus three outings of 40 or more, Alisal’s offense has cooled off, managing only 35 points combined in its last two contests. The Trojans have a pair of two-game winning streaks, including one to begin the season, yet have also dropped two consecutive games twice. They now sit at .500 for the first time in a month.
Next: Bye
North Salinas 12 (4-3, 2-3) at Soquel 41
The Vikings are the latest team to fall to Soquel, which improved to 7-0 Thursday night as a borderline top-50 team in the state, according to MaxPreps. The Knights are averaging a 30-point margin of victory in league play and remain firmly in front for the Gabilan Division title.
North Salinas did find some success in the ground game, rushing for a game-high 169 yards behind sophomore Dylan Reyneso’s 78-yard, one-touchdown performance.
The team will end the season playing two of its last three games at home, featuring a favorable road matchup against Aptos, which is winless and last in the Gabilan standings. It’s a stretch that should present the Vikings a chance to make a push for a third-straight playoff appearance under head coach Ben Ceralde.
Next: North Salinas vs Palma, 7:30 pm on Oct. 24
Rancho San Juan (1-6, 1-3) 7 at Santa Cruz 35
In its first season under new head coach Andrew Zarate, Rancho San Juan dropped its third straight league game, falling to league-leading Santa Cruz, which has cruised through Mission South play undefeated with an average margin of victory of 25 points.
Despite allowing all 35 points in the first three quarters, the Trailblazers held the red-hot Cardinals to their lowest scoring total in over a month and continue to show progress after snapping a nearly two-year losing streak earlier this season.
Next: Rancho San Juan at Seaside, 7:30 pm on Oct. 24
Alvarez (5-2, 1-1) 28 vs King City 42
The Eagles’ best stretch of play since 2013 came to a halt against King City, which has now won six straight games by more than two touchdowns. Mustang running back Carson Tidwell rushed for 419 yards and five touchdowns on the Alvarez defense.
After tying the game multiple times and pulling within a score late from junior Jaylen Ward’s third touchdown of Friday night’s contest, the Eagles ultimately suffered their first loss since their season opener in August.
Next: Alvarez vs Greenfield, 7:30 pm on Oct. 24
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Palma’s overtime win over Salinas highlights Week 8 high school football
Reporting by Andrew Edwards/Special to the Salinas Californian / Salinas Californian
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
