CCS playoff football breakdown
Central Coast Section Football Championships
Division III
Friday’s game
No. 7 Aptos (7-5) vs. No. 1 Carmel (12-0) at Rabobank, 7 p.m.
For as much attention and deservingly so as the Padres offense gets, it was their defense that set the tone in the second half of last week’s come-from-behind win, shutting out Hollister in the second half.
With 6-foot-7, 285-pound Alabama bound offensive tackle Jackson Lloyd spending time in the trenches on defense as well, Carmel has seen freshman defensive lineman David Spencer rise to the occasion in the postseason, along with linebacker Carter Lloyd.
The front seven will be challenged with an Aptos offense that averages just 6.5 passes a game. Five different players have rushed for over 400 yards, including quarterback Ryan Solorio.
As run heavy and methodical as the Mariners offense is, they are averaging 48 points a game in two postseason games, knocking off top-seed Willow Glen and No. 3 seed Palo Alto.
The only remaining team in the Central Coast Section that is undefeated at 12-0, the Padres have won 25 of their last 26 games dating back to 2022, with the one loss coming from 2023 State Division 4AA champion Soquel.
Over the course of the season, Carmel is averaging just under 45 points a game, having scored 96 points in wins over San Mateo and Hollister.
Quarterback Hudson Rutherford has thrown nine touchdown passes in two postseason games, completing 17 of his last 20 passes last week in the rain over Hollister.
The three-sport standout has connected with four different receivers for touchdowns in the playoffs for Carmel, with Ty Arnold and Simeon Brown having multiple touchdown catches.
As effective as the Padres have been in throwing the ball for the last 15 years, Ashton Rees rushed for 168 yards last week and has scored 31 touchdowns in 23 games.
Rees and Brown have been effective on special teams as well, with each returning a kickoff for touchdowns in the playoffs. Both also have interceptions in the postseason.
As well as the Padres special teams return units have performed, the kickoff team struggled last week, giving up two lengthy returns that set up Hollister’s first two touchdowns. Carmel has recovered five onside kicks this year.
This will be Carmel’s fifth trip to the CCS finals and fourth time it has started a season 12-0. Its last title came in head coach Golden Anderson’s first season in 2009.
Aptos has won four section divisional titles in the last 21 years, with its last coming in 2018. The only time these teams have faced each other came in 2019 when the Mariners posted a 35-34 regular season win.
Division II
Saturday’s game
No. 7 Palma (7-5) vs. No. 1 Wilcox (10-2) at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.
While the two teams used to scrimmage each other between 1990-2010, the Chieftains and Wilcox have never met in an actual game.
The Chargers are making their fourth straight CCS finals appearance, having won the Division II title in 2021, before falling in the Open Division title game to Serra in 2022 and the Division I championship to Los Gatos in 2023.
The defending CCS Division III and State 4A champions, Palma has won its last seven postseason games — five of which have come on the road.
The Chieftains defense has held Sacred Heart Cathedral and Menlo to a combined one touchdown in the second half, with Caden Scherer anchoring the unit at linebacker.
The biggest improvement throughout the course of the season has been Palma’s offensive line, anchored by senior Job Barroso, as evident by Eli Dukes approaching 2,000 rushing yards.
The sophomore tailback has put together his best games in the postseason, having rushed for over 1,100 yars in seven playoff games for Palma, scoring 14 touchdowns.
Dukes is also spending time on defense, where he had an interception, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble in Palma’s playoff opening win over Sacred Heart Cathedral.
The return of tight end Aidan Williams has been huge in the running game, as Dukes has rushed for over 200 yards in three of the five games since his return.
If Palma is going to repeat as CCS champions, it has to slow down Brayden Rosa, who has nearly 1,500 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns this fall for Wilcox. Teammate Elijah Vallego adds 701 yards on the ground.
Kai Imahara was effective in throwing the ball for Wilcox in last week’s 10-7 win over Menlo-Atherton, completing 7-of-11 for 111 yards. Rosa has also spent time behind in the ‘Wildcat’.
Rosa is also dynamic on defense with a team high 92 tackles coming up from his safety position. As a team, the Chargers have 21 sacks.
Special have been big all season for Palma, with Dominic Chaidez returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, while Weldon Chisum has returned a pair of blocked punts for six — in the same game.
Palma has had a lot of success in title games at San Jose City College, having gone 5-1.
