The picks are in for Week 12 of the season — aka the opening weekend of the section playoffs.
Los Gatos or Serra? California or San Ramon Valley? Soquel or Riordan? Las Lomas or Amador Valley?
The Bay Area News Group’s high school crew is back for another round of predictions.
Christian Babcock, Nathan Canilao and Joseph Dycus join long-timers Mike Lefkow and Darren Sabedra to see who can pick the most games correctly each week.
All in good fun, of course.
Babcock has pulled to within three games of Sabedra’s lead in the season standings. He can close the gap even more if James Logan wins on the road over Heritage and Palo Alto prevails at home against Half Moon Bay.
Our first-year prognosticator has Logan and Palo Alto moving on. Sabedra does not.
The city championship — ie bragging rights — that Granada celebrated with its come-from-behind 28-27 victory at home over Livermore last week could be short-lived. The teams will play again on the same field Friday.
Dycus is predicting a different outcome this time. He’s taking Livermore.
Be sure to check out the video for all of our guys’ prep football talk.
If you just want the picks, keep scrolling.
And if you haven’t already, please sign up for a digital subscription. Your contributions keep us going.
On to the picks …
WEEK 12 PICKS
Oakland (7-3) at Oakland Tech (6-4) in Oakland Section playoffs, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Sabedra: Oakland Tech
Dycus: Oakland Tech
Canilao: Oakland Tech
Babcock: Oakland Tech
Lefkow: Oakland
No. 5 Gunn (10-0) at No. 4 Sequoia (5-5) in CCS Division V, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Sequoia
Dycus: Gunn
Canilao: Sequoia
Babcock: Sequoia
Lefkow: Gunn
No. 5 Redwood (6-4) at No. 4 Antioch (5-5) in NCS Division IV, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Antioch
Dycus: Antioch
Canilao: Antioch
Babcock: Antioch
Lefkow: Antioch
No. 6 Livermore (6-4) at No. 3 Granada (6-4) in NCS Division IV, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Granada
Dycus: Livermore
Canilao: Granada
Babcock: Granada
Lefkow: Granada
No. 6 Half Moon Bay (8-2) at No. 3 Palo Alto (5-5) in CCS Division III, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: HMB
Dycus: HMB
Canilao: Palo Alto
Babcock: Palo Alto
Lefkow: HMB
No. 5 James Logan (4-6) at No. 4 Heritage (6-4) in NCS Division III, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Heritage
Dycus: Heritage
Canilao: James Logan
Babcock: James Logan
Lefkow: Heritage
No. 6 San Leandro (5-5) at No. 3 Northgate (7-3) in NCS Division III, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Northgate
Dycus: Northgate
Canilao: Northgate
Babcock: Northgate
Lefkow: Northgate
No. 6 Menlo (7-3) at No. 3 Christopher (9-1) in CCS Division II, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Christopher
Dycus: Christopher
Canilao: Christopher
Babcock: Christopher
Lefkow: Christopher
No. 8 Santa Teresa (9-1) at No. 1 Wilcox (8-2) in CCS Division II, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Wilcox
Dycus: Santa Teresa
Canilao: Wilcox
Babcock: Wilcox
Lefkow: Wilcox
No. 5 Monte Vista (5-5) at No. 4 Bishop O’Dowd (8-2) in NCS Division II, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Bishop O’Dowd
Dycus: Bishop O’Dowd
Canilao: Bishop O’Dowd
Babcock: Bishop O’Dowd
Lefkow: Bishop O’Dowd
No. 7 Las Lomas (7-3) at No. 2 Amador Valley (6-4) in NCS Division II, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: Amador Valley
Dycus: Amador Valley
Canilao: Amador Valley
Babcock: Amador Valley
Lefkow: Amador Valley
No. 7 Valley Christian (5-5) at No. 2 St. Francis (8-2) in CCS Open/Division I, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: St. Francis
Dycus: St. Francis
Canilao: St. Francis
Babcock: St. Francis
Lefkow: St. Francis
No. 8 Salinas (8-2) at No. 1 St. Ignatius (8-2) in CCS Open/Division I, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: St. Ignatius
Dycus: St. Ignatius
Canilao: St. Ignatius
Babcock: St. Ignatius
Lefkow: St. Ignatius
No. 6 California (8-2) at No. 3 SRV (9-1) in NCS Open/Division I, Friday, 7 p.m.
Sabedra: San Ramon Valley
Dycus: San Ramon Valley
Canilao: San Ramon Valley
Babcock: San Ramon Valley
Lefkow: San Ramon Valley
No. 6 Soquel (8-2) at No. 3 Riordan (6-4) in CCS Open/Division I, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Sabedra: Riordan
Dycus: Riordan
Canilao: Riordan
Babcock: Riordan
Lefkow: Riordan
No. 5 Los Gatos (8-2) at No. 4 Serra (5-5) in CCS Open/Division I, Saturday, 1 p.m.
Sabedra: Serra
Dycus: Serra
Canilao: Los Gatos
Babcock: Serra
Lefkow: Serra
WEEK 11 RESULTS
Thursday
Gunn 28, Jefferson 7
Sabedra: Gunn (W)
Dycus: Gunn (W)
Canilao: Jefferson (L)
Babcock: Gunn (W)
Lefkow: Gunn (W)
Willow Glen 23, Leland 0
Sabedra: Willow Glen (W)
Dycus: Leland (L)
Canilao: Willow Glen (W)
Babcock: Willow Glen (W)
Lefkow: Willow Glen (W)
Las Lomas 21, Acalanes 14
Sabedra: Acalanes (L)
Dycus: Acalanes (L)
Canilao: Acalanes (L)
Babcock: Acalanes (L)
Lefkow: Acalanes (L)
Alameda 42, Encinal 7
Sabedra: Alameda (W)
Dycus: Encinal (L)
Canilao: Alameda (W)
Babcock: Alameda (W)
Lefkow: Alameda (W)
The King’s Academy 42, Capuchino 6
Sabedra: Capuchino (L)
Dycus: Capuchino (L)
Canilao: Capuchino (L)
Babcock: Capuchino (L)
Lefkow: Capuchino (L)
Liberty 14, Heritage 7
Sabedra: Liberty (W)
Dycus: Liberty (W)
Canilao: Liberty (W)
Babcock: Liberty (W)
Lefkow: Heritage (L)
Related Articles
High school football rankings Week 12, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 25
Monday Morning Lights: Inside Riordan’s players-only meeting that turned around its season
CCS football playoffs 2024: Matchups are set. What are the top storylines?
NCS football playoffs 2024: Matchups are set. What are the top storylines?
NCS football playoffs 2024: First-round schedule in all divisions
Los Gatos 44, Palo Alto 6
Sabedra: Los Gatos (W)
Dycus: Los Gatos (W)
Canilao: Los Gatos (W)
Babcock: Los Gatos (W)
Lefkow: Los Gatos (W)
Carlmont 27, Sequoia 17
Sabedra: Sequoia (L)
Dycus: Sequoia (L)
Canilao: Sequoia (L)
Babcock: Carlmont (W)
Lefkow: Sequoia (L)
Bishop O’Dowd 49, San Leandro 23
Sabedra: Bishop O’Dowd (W)
Dycus: Bishop O’Dowd (W)
Canilao: Bishop O’Dowd (W)
Babcock: Bishop O’Dowd (W)
Lefkow: Bishop O’Dowd (W)
Campolindo 35, Miramonte 17
Sabedra: Campolindo (W)
Dycus: Campolindo (W)
Canilao: Campolindo (W)
Babcock: Campolindo (W)
Lefkow: Campolindo (W)
Menlo School 20, Sacred Heart Prep 17
Sabedra: Sacred Heart Prep (L)
Dycus: Sacred Heart Prep (L)
Canilao: Menlo School (W)
Babcock: Menlo School (W)
Lefkow: Menlo School (W)
Serra 29, Valley Christian 3
Sabedra: Serra (W)
Dycus: Serra (W)
Canilao: Valley Christian (L)
Babcock: Serra (W)
Lefkow: Serra (W)
Northgate 63, Mt. Diablo 26
Sabedra: Northgate (W)
Dycus: Mt. Diablo (L)
Canilao: Mt. Diablo (L)
Babcock: Northgate (W)
Lefkow: Northgate (W)
Granada 28, Livermore 27
Sabedra: Granada (W)
Dycus: Livermore (L)
Canilao: Granada (W)
Babcock: Granada (W)
Lefkow: Livermore (L)
San Mateo 35, Burlingame 10
Sabedra: Burlingame (L)
Dycus: Burlingame (L)
Canilao: San Mateo (W)
Babcock: Burlingame (L)
Lefkow: Burlingame (L)
Riordan 34, St. Francis 24
Sabedra: St. Francis (L)
Dycus: St. Francis (L)
Canilao: Riordan (W)
Babcock: St. Francis (L)
Lefkow: St. Francis (L)
WEEK 11 STANDINGS
Babcock: 12-4
Canilao: 10-6
Sabedra: 10-6
Lefkow: 9-7
Dycus: 6-10
SEASON STANDINGS
Sabedra: 119-47
Babcock: 116-50
Canilao: 110-56
Lefkow: 110-56
Dycus: 95-71
