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By Harold Abend, Special to CalHiSports.com

The caravan has been busy taking us around the Bay Area to catch as many teams in live action as possible before posting the first rankings this season.

Between practices, scrimmages and games we've been to every part of the Bay Area and seen several of the top-ranked teams personally.

This past weekend we landed in San Leandro for the Pirates hosting of Valley Christian, and Santa Rosa to see Newman against CIF Div. III state bowl runner-up Central Catholic of Modesto. We also took in the battle of the Wildcats with Marin Catholic (Kentfield) hosting St. Ignatius of the City.

Now that each section has begun play and almost every team has at least one game under its belt, we present the opening Bay Area Top 20 with an additional 20-plus teams on the bubble.

Football Top 20 Teams
(games completed by Sept. 13)

1) De La Salle (Concord) 1-0
If the 29-28 victory over Serra (San Mateo) on a botched extra point that turned into a game-winning two-point conversion is any indication of things to come, the race in the East Bay Athletic League with the Spartans as its newest member may resemble a Wild West shootout almost every week. Coach Bob Ladouceur notched career win No. 333 in his quest to pass Marijon Ancich who compiled 344 wins but it might not have been if not for the heads up fourth quarter play by Terron Williams-Ward. He took a low snap from center on the Spartans' final touchdown conversion attempt, and used his speed to race around left end for the game winning two-pointer. After the game Ladouceur admitted his defensive line is still a work in progress, and certainly if the Spartans are to return to Carson in a state bowl appearance the coaching staff will need to work its usual magic' soon. Up next is a game in Glendale against explosive 2-0 Loyola of Los Angeles. Then comes Don Bosco of New Jersey. Lost in the excitement was the fact Arizona-bound running back Kylan Butler had 165 yards rushing and a touchdown on 26 carries in the Serra win.   

2) Bellarmine (San Jose) 1-0
The Bells did nothing to diminish their status as the No. 5 team in the state and the heir apparent to top spot in the Bay Area should De La Salle falter and Bellarmine continue to play like it did in a 48-6 victory over Clovis. The Bells rolled up a ton of offense against Clovis with most of it coming on the ground. Stanford-bound Usua Amanam compiled 249 all-purpose yards, including four touchdowns, and running back Kyle Olugbode added 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns in 10 carries for the hosts. Before the Bells can think about moving up anywhere they must defeat a tough St. Mary's of Stockton on the road. The Rams come off a 52-0 blitzing of Jesuit of Carmichael.

3) Valley Christian (San Jose) 2-0
For the second week in-a-row, senior running back/defensive back Cameron Marshall showed just why he is being hotly pursued by several D1 colleges including a few in the Pac-10. Two weeks ago in a come from behind 22-13 win over last year's CIF Div. II state bowl runner-up Novato, he performed on both sides of the ball. Running the ball Marshall gained 176 yards on 22 carries with one touchdown. On defense from his linebacker position he was instrumental in shutting down the Hornets running game and finished with 12 tackles. This week, after the Warriors spotted San Leandro a 7-0 lead, Marshall went to work again, and dominated both sides of the ball in a 35-21 road victory. He was instrumental in VC running off 35 unanswered points. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound running back and defensive back accounted for four of the Warriors' touchdowns, rushing for three and returning an interception 27 yards for his final score. On the ground, Marshall gained 161 yards on only 11 carries, scoring on runs of 11, 53 and 2 yards, and punishing tacklers in the process. He added nine tackles on defense. Next up is a home game against the Bears of Menlo-Atherton.

4) Oak Grove (San Jose) 2-0
Two weeks ago the defending CCS Open Division champion Eagles pounded St. Francis (Mountain View), spotting the home team a 7-0 lead before running off 40 unanswered points in a 40-7 victory. In that game, standout Jabari Carr had five catches for 83 yards including a 25-yard screen pass for a score. He also had a fumble recovery. This week in a 49-7 triumph over visiting Woodside, Omari Carr rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns in 13 carries. The Eagles now have a bye before hosting San Benito of Hollister.

5) San Ramon Valley (Danville) 1-0
Quarterback Joe Southwick passed his first test with little returning offense from last season. The 6-2, 180-pound Boise State-bound senior passed for 288 yards and three touchdowns on a pinpoint 20-of-28 attempts in 35-10 home victory against West of Tracy. Southwick connected with six receivers and would have posted even more impressive numbers if not for several dropped balls. Linebacker Garrison Goodman had a fumble recovery and a 37-yard interception return for a touchdown.

6) Monte Vista (Danville) 1-0
The host Mustangs rolled up 447 yards of total offense in a dominating 45-13 victory over James Logan of Union City. Quarterback Brett Nottingham was 12-of-15 for 169 yards and two touchdowns. David Wilkerson rushed for three scores and finished with 74 yards on 10 carries. Greg Johnson added 112 yards and a TD on nine carries.

7) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 1-0
Senior running back/linebacker Jeff Badger turned in a heroic performance in a 38-20 come from behind Newman home victory over Central Catholic of Modesto. Badger took the third quarter opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown that cut the Cardinals deficit to 14-10 and turned the momentum in Newman's favor. Then, Badger took it up the gut 10-yards for a score, and subsequently picked off a pass and returned it 36-yards for his third touchdown, all of a different variety. Joe Ferguson closed out the Newman scoring when he took a screen pass from Wright and raced 64 yards for a score. Badger's statistical totals were 114 yards rushing on 10 carries, 151 return yards, and eight tackles on defense. Ferguson finished with two catches for 89 yards and the one score, and 75 yards rushing on 11 carries. Next up for Newman is Del Oro of Loomis, coming off a heartbreaking 34-33 loss on the road in Idaho at Lake City of Coeur d'Alene.

8) Gilroy 1-0
It took a little time for Gilroy senior quarterback Jamie Jensen to warm up but once he did it was lights out for Mitty (San Jose) in a 62-13 blowout victory by the Mustangs. Jensen was only 3-of-9 with two picks to start the game but an 89-yard game-opening kickoff return for a touchdown by Richie Sotelo, and a direct snap to wide receiver Dante Fullard for a 48-yard TD run, staked Jensen to an early 14-0 lead. After shaking off the jitters, Jensen ended up connecting on 11-of-19 attempts for 268 yards and three touchdowns of 58, 46, and 59 yards before giving way to junior quarterback Nick Marra. Fullard finished with six catches for 171 yards and three scores. Next up is Atascadero on the road in San Luis Obispo County.

9) California (San Ramon) 1-0
The Grizzlies took care of last year's NCS 2A runner-up and host Las Lomas of Walnut Creek 29-9, but both star running backs came away from the game with injuries. Leroy Green ran for 125 yards and two touchdowns in the first half but came out before halftime with a shoulder injury and didn't return. California's other starting tailback, Reggie Davis, landed awkwardly late in the game defending Las Loma's wide receiver Diante Jackson, who he helped limit to seven catches for 47 yards and no touchdowns. The Grizzlies now travel to Bellevue, Washington to play the team that ended De La Salle's 151-game win streak.  

10) Serra (San Mateo) 1-1
Two weeks ago, the Padres walloped Westmont (Campbell) 56-0 in a tune-up for the recent annual game against De La Salle of Concord. After trailing 21-0, head coach Patrick Walsh's charges came as close as any recent Northern California team has come in quite a few years to defeating Walsh's alma mater in a 29-28 home loss. The good news is the 363 yards the Padres rolled up against the Spartan defense. Jared Braun rushed for 97 on 15 carries with one touchdown; quarterback Cody Jackson had 18 carries for 83 yards and one score and Adonis Smith ran for 70 yards on eight carries. Next up is a road game in Reno against McQueen.

11) Los Gatos 1-0
The Wildcats recovered three first half fumbles and used their always tough ground game to register a 35-6 dismantling of visiting Aragon of San Mateo.  In only two quarters of work Los Gatos running back Chris La Bouff rushed for 128 yards and three touchdowns. Next up for Coach Butch Cattollico's charges is a game up the road at St. Francis of Mountain View.

12) Casa Grande (Petaluma) 1-0
Quarterback and Coach/AD Rick O'Brien's son Matt O'Brien found the end zone four times and accounted for 315 total yards of offense in a 38-7 victory over San Rafael. The 6-0, 180-pound senior signal-caller passed for 257 yards and three touchdowns on 12-of-19 attempts, and ran for 58 yards on five carries with one score. O'Brien's favorite target Matt Nadolski had three catches for 98 yards including a 77-yard touchdown on the Gauchos' first play from scrimmage. Next up for Casa is Carrillo of Santa Rosa.

13) Palo Alto 1-0
Paly used its patented grinding running game, accounting for 202 of 305 yards of total offense with the run,  to blow past Burlingame by a 28-7 margin. Sam Tompkins was the workhorse, rushing for 15-1 yards on 29 carries. The Vikings now face a reeling Mitty (San Jose) at home.

14) Pittsburg 1-0
Bryce Flowers, a 5-10, 195-pound running back, finished with 205 total yards and three second-half touchdowns in a 32-21 Pirate victory on the road at Kezar Stadium against Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco. Flowers rushed for 122 yards on 17 carries and caught three passes for 83 yards. We'll find out a little about the balance of power between the EBAL and BVAL when Pittsburg hosts Monte Vista this week.

15) Foothill (Pleasanton) 1-0
Every Bay Area poll snubbed the Falcons in the preseason but after taking a one-year hiatus from coaching on the gridiron, he's baacck, and Matt Sweeney's charges rewarded him by smacking around Novato in a 48-13 romp at home. Sweeney and co-head coach John Mannion have a top-notch quarterback in Mannion's son, 6-4, 190-pound Sean, who shredded the Hornets defense right out of the blocks. On Foothill's very first play from scrimmage Mannion hit wide receiver Nathan Hinke for a 48-yard touchdown and the rout was on as Foothill raced to a 27-0 lead. Mannion finished 13-of-20 for 268 yards passing and four touchdowns, all to the 6-5 Hinke who pulled in eight total balls for 224 yards. Next up is Logan of Union City on the road. Foothill will be looking for revenge against the team that knocked them out of last year's NCS 4A playoffs.    

16) Palma (Salinas) 1-0
Fort the 11th straight year the Chieftains opened the season with a victory. This year it was at the expense of host Skyline of Oakland who were overwhelmed in a 43-7 Palma victory. With the score deadlocked at 7-7, running Justin Olivarria broke free for a 95-yard touchdown run with 4:50 left in the second quarter to give Palma the lead for good. Of Palma's 284 yards rushing, Olivarria finished with 158 yards on eight carries. The Chieftains next host Sequoia of Redwood City.

17) Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) 1-0
The Cougars opened with a 56-10 home blowout of Terra Linda after vaulting out to a 35-0 halftime lead. The offense rolled up 300 yards rushing and accounted for six touchdowns. The defense came up with three interceptions and six sacks. Quarterback and free safety Cody Allen returned an interception 35 yards for one score and then added a six-yard run for another. Next up is a home date with Jesse Bethel of Vallejo.

18) Freedom (Oakley) 2-0
After opening with a 28-3 victory on the road at Amador Valley (Pleasanton), the Falcons went on the road again, easily handling Castro Valley 33-12. The passing and running duo of quarterback Ryan Rodriguez and running back Cameron Gupton did most of the damage. Rodriguez threw for 300 yards on 14-of-27 passing with three touchdowns while Gupton rushed for 108 yards on 27 carries and one score. The Falcons finished with 488 total yards on offense. Now comes a home date with Fairfield to try and stay unblemished.

19) Novato 0-2
What to do with a Hornet squad that has almost lost its stinger. We're holding them in the rankings despite two losses based on the teams above them appearing to be very legitimate. With a game this weekend against St. Ignatius of San Francisco, someone will have to drop.

20) St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 2-0
After going down to Los Angeles and beating Verbum Dei behind a strong performance from running back Josh Thierry, the Wildcats took on mascot namesake Marin Catholic in a battle of Catholic school rivals from opposite sides of the Golden Gate. Down 14-0, SI ran off 26 unanswered points and held Marin Catholic to 14 total yards in the second half en route to a 26-14 victory. Host Marin Catholic gave up a 50-yard punt return to Billy Mattimore who then plunged in from 3-yards out to cut it to 14-7 at the half and seize the momentum for the City boys. Now comes Novato on the road.

On The Bubble
Berkeley 1-0, Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 1-0, Campolindo (Moraga) 2-0, Clayton Valley (Concord) 2-0, Concord 2-0, Encinal (Alameda) 2-0, Heritage (Brentwood) 2-0, Justin-Siena (Napa) 2-0, Kings Academy (Sunnyvale) 2-0, Menlo-Atherton (Atherton) 2-0, Las Lomas (Walnut Creek) 1-1, Lincoln (San Francisco) 2-0, Live Oak (Morgan Hill) 2-0, Milpitas 1-0, Newark Memorial (Newark) 2-0, North Salinas (Salinas) 1-0, Redwood (Larkspur) 2-0, Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 1-1, San Leandro 0-1, Ukiah 1-0, Ygnacio Valley (Concord) 1-0

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