YouTube offers no shortage of looks at Nipomo’s opponent Friday in the quarterfinals of the CIF-Southern Section Northwest Division playoffs, Serra of Gardena.
The Cavaliers’ best offensive weapon is USC-bound receiver Robert Woods, the No. 3 recruit in the nation at Rivals.com, which thinks pretty highly of other Serra players, too:
If there’s any Central Coast football team that would be able to keep up in a shootout, it’s Nipomo. Titans QB Josh Correia leads both San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties in passing with nearly 1,700 yards despite missing two games due to an emergency appendectomy.
It’s interesting to compare Nipomo’s No. 1 receiver, Kevin Britt (pictured atop this post), to Woods:
Interestingly, their numbers are almost identical. The 6-foot-1 Woods, who runs about a 4.4-second 40-yard dash, has 48 catches for 735 yards and 10 touchdowns, while the also-6-1 Britt, who runs a 4.5, has 49 for 767 and nine. Of course, Woods is a little bigger and faster, but it highlights something I’ve often heard about from area coaches: that even in the cases of bona fide Division I-level players, it can be tough to get major-college scouts to come to the area simply due to its sparse population.
Whatever happens Friday, it has already been a historic season for Nipomo. Expect more on the Titans’ game — as well as Mission Prep’s contest at Corcoran — in Friday’s Tribune. Anyone willing to offer any score predictions?
A couple other items:
- Again, just so everyone’s clear, all-county volleyball and football teams (as well as Players of the Year) have been moved back a tad in order to accommodate basketball previews, which are coming soon. Thanks for waiting.
- I’ve added a Volleyball Player of the Year poll to the right.
- Speaking of basketball, the Southern Section released some winter preseason rankings Monday that I wasn’t able to fit into my Monday notebook. Arroyo Grande was tabbed No. 1 in the Division IV girls water polo poll, while Morro Bay was voted atop the Division VI wrestling ballots. Arroyo Grande was also No. 9 in Division III girls soccer. Which winter sports teams are you expecting the most from this year?
20 responses so far ↓
1 L. Cardinale // Nov 24, 2009 at 10:21 pm
This is by no means an attack on the Nipomo team, but I don’t see how this game is going to be close. Serra is just THAT talented/good, and I don’t think any San Luis County team would be able to hang with them. Nipomo does have the athletes to compete, but I think they’re lacking the line (both offensive and defensive) to match up with Serra’s scary Somoans. I saw part of their game against Cathedral (who plays PV this week) and their line is big, athletic and was simply unblockable against an excellent Cathedral team. With Hanna, King, Penningroth, and Britt, they stand a chance in the secondary, but like the saying goes, “the team that wins in the trenches, usually wins the game.” I can’t see how Nipomo will be able to block them offensively, and stop the run defensively.
Next week, the likely match-up of St. Joes and Serra ‘could’ be a little more interesting, if only because St. Joes has the o and d-line to match up with any team from the division. Plus, they’ve got them at home. That’ll be two long trips in a row to the Central Coast for Serra…
But back to Nipomo, I’d love to see an upset. Crazier things have happened, and they’ve definitely got some talent and a good staff. Regardless of the outcome this week, this Nipomo team deserves some recognition and congratulations for an excellent season. Good luck to the Titans, and hopefully they’ll get a ton of local support Friday night, as Pioneer Valley is the only other team hosting a game (which should be a great rematch of a 17-14 playoff battle last year). Can’t decide which game to go see…
Predictions:
Serra 38 – 25 over Nipomo
St. Joes 42 – 17 over El Segundo
Pioneer Valley 28 – 21 over Cathedral
Good luck to all three local teams. Its the playoffs, disregard who you root for during the regular season, and start supporting all the area teams. Go watch PV or Nipomo this Friday!
2 PAC-6 // Nov 25, 2009 at 6:49 am
I’ll be at Nipomo pulling for them, even though they are an in-season rival. I agree that the OL and DL will determine this game. The other thing I saw with Nipomo this season were a lot of silly penalties. They got to reduce their penalties.
PV had one of their players in the news for an arrest. That may be a factor as he won’t be playing on Friday. Not sure how big a difference maker the kid is.
3 L. Cardinale // Nov 25, 2009 at 3:32 pm
PAC-6 – Thats kind of old news. He was a their second or third-leading rusher I believe, but I don’t think his absence will affect the outcome by any means…
But glad to hear your support for Nipomo. Might want to get there early, as I expect its going to be pretty crowded being one of two local games (not to mention the small size of the Nipomo stadium). I’m planning on getting there an hour or so early…
4 Mr Recruter // Nov 26, 2009 at 12:51 pm
It will be interesting to see whats left after this weekend.
5 Titan Fan // Nov 26, 2009 at 9:47 pm
GO TITANS!!!!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!!
6 Mr Montana // Nov 27, 2009 at 7:55 am
This will be a very interesting weekend for who’s left. St Joe and PV and Nipomo will all have hard matchups. If you are fortunate to win, we will be waiting for that winner.
San Luis Counties season will be over after this weekend. Wonder what excuses there will be after tonight. Stay tuned folks.
Game 9: Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, CA) vs Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA)
Game 10: Cathedral (Los Angeles, CA) vs Pioneer Valley (Santa Maria, CA)
Game 11: St. Joseph (Santa Maria, CA) vs El Segundo (CA)
Game 12: Serra (Gardena, CA) vs Nipomo (CA)
7 Mr Recruter // Nov 27, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Lets see, I predict the following. What do you think?
Oaks Christian 56 Harvard-Westlake 20
Cathedral 28 PV 21
St Joseph 45 El Segundo 41
Serra 62 Nipomo 14
8 Quit Chirpin' // Nov 27, 2009 at 1:20 pm
I think you to “Mr”s need to get lives. Pretending to be Joe Montana is just plain creepy (seriously man, get some professional help) and not being able to spell Recruiter, yet rolling with it is just plain asinine.
Yeah, yeah, I’m from SLO County so I am a “looser”, or some other incorrectly spelled slander. Save all the negative comments and simply enjoy a game realizing these kids are exactly that, just kids.
9 Bye and Bye // Nov 27, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Hey quit chirpin. Get a life! These people are interesting and makes this page light up, aside from all the dead heads around here. It sure beats listin to AG#1 and Atascadero will win it all and those pathedic SLO parent’s. Come on boys, lighten up!
10 Know it all // Nov 27, 2009 at 3:57 pm
After tonight, you coastal people won’t have anything to talk about except how Oaks Christian and Serra will meet for the title. Get over it, your done! And leave Mr Montana alone. He’s a real nice person when you get to know him.
11 Mr Recruter // Nov 27, 2009 at 5:41 pm
I predict a complete sweep of all Coastal Teams. And yes, that is how I spell my name. It is not spelled incorrectly. Maybe after tonight, you all will be silent.
12 Bozo // Nov 27, 2009 at 5:44 pm
Hey Quit Chirpin. Whats ya going to do when you get squashed! Watch out for that cat around the corner. You never know when he is going to strike!
13 Quit Chirpin' // Nov 27, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Faith in humanity quickly diminishing.
14 SLO County is proud of St. Joe // Nov 27, 2009 at 9:47 pm
So many of us have close ties to players on St. Joe.
Congrats to St. Joseph as the march towards their destiny.
After Serra, St. Joe will BEAT the little girl Oaks team. Mr. Montana will be forced to play with his sons barbie dolls.
15 Mr Montana // Nov 28, 2009 at 8:12 am
Hey San Luis County! Shut up all ready! Your out! You lost! Your season is over! At least St Joseph may put up a fight. Can’t say the same for your lack of size, baby faced, over pacified Coastal boys. Lets now here from all the couch daddies that will try and attempt to tell us how we will lose.
Sorry, but we are still suprime to any coastal team.
16 Mr Montana // Nov 28, 2009 at 8:19 am
Lets recap folks. Now let’s see what’s left. That’s right. No San Luis County. Let’s see if our brothers can take care of your last hope!
If not, we will be waiting!
Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) 45 Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, CA) 10
Cathedral (Los Angeles, CA) 41 Pioneer Valley (Santa Maria, CA) 24
St. Joseph (Santa Maria, CA) 34 El Segundo (CA) 11
Serra (Gardena, CA) 48 Nipomo (CA) 18
Semifinals
Game 13: Cathedral (Los Angeles, CA) vs Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) at TBA (Saturday, December 5th, 7:30pm)
Game 14: Serra (Gardena, CA) vs St. Joseph (Santa Maria, CA) at TBA (Friday, December 4th, 7:30pm)
17 A legend in his own mind // Nov 28, 2009 at 8:20 am
Mr. Montana, it’s been simply great having you grace our blog this season. Best of luck to you as you take your eventual beating from our Central Coast St. Joseph. Do your stretching exercises, you will be holding your ankles quite a bit.
18 Quit Chirpin' // Nov 28, 2009 at 9:44 am
Montana – professional help bud.
19 Mr Montana // Nov 28, 2009 at 9:57 am
Awwwhhhhh. Poor Quit Chirpin’ Got crunched did ya? Can’t wait to finish the task. This has been a fun experience. Nothing like crack backing on the Central Coast Snobs. You deserve it! HaHaHaHa!!!!!!!
20 Serra Is Coming To Town // Nov 30, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Talk is very cheap on this blog. Just know this… Serra is coming to town and will play it best. I will be at the game and hope it will not be another in a series of blow-outs! I would prefer a closer game as it is more interesting to watch. Please St. Joseph’s make the trip worth the price of the gas to get there!
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