Serra quarterback Maealiuaki Smith (7) joins the pile for the trophy photo after the Padres defeated Archbishop Mitty 41-14 in the Central Coast Section Division I championship football game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at San Jose City College. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
We’ve reached the finish line, the 16th and final weekend of the 2022 high school football season.
The outcome of this all-in-fun picks Bay Area News Group competition has been decided.
Yours truly will finish first, Mike Lefkow second and The Kid — aka Joseph Dycus — will take third.
But we aren’t done with the picks. We predict winners in seven California Interscholastic Federation state championship games this weekend that include teams from our coverage area.
The Bay Area filled all five Northern California slots in the upper divisions. Those teams — Serra, De La Salle, Pittsburg, McClymonds and San Ramon Valley — will play championship games at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.
Two others — Bellarmine and Santa Teresa — will play title games in San Jose on Saturday night.
In our video podcast, we hit on all the talking points going into the finals: Serra’s daunting task against St. John Bosco-Bellflower, De La Salle’s turnaround, Victor Galli’s last game as Pittsburg’s coach, McClymonds going back to Southern California, SRV quarterback Luke Baker’s lucky sandwich and more.
If you want just this week’s predictions, keep scrolling.
And, if you haven’t done so, please subscribe here for digital access all school year long. Our high school coverage does not stop when football season ends.
Enjoy the video.
WEEK 16 PICKS
Division 6-AA: Classical Academy-Escondido (11-3) at Santa Teresa (9-5), Saturday, 6 p.m.
Sabedra: Santa Teresa
Dycus: Santa Teresa
Lefkow: Santa Teresa
Division 3-A: Laguna Hills (14-1) vs. Bellarmine (8-6) at San Jose City College, Saturday, 6 p.m.
Sabedra: Bellarmine
Dycus: Bellarmine
Lefkow: Bellarmine
Division 2-A: San Ramon Valley (12-2) vs. Granite Hills-El Cajon (12-2) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Saturday, 12 p.m.
Sabedra: San Ramon Valley
Dycus: San Ramon Valley
Lefkow: Granite Hills
Division 2-AA: McClymonds (12-1) vs. Mater Dei Catholic-Chula Vista (10-4) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Friday, 4 p.m.
Sabedra: Mater Dei Catholic
Dycus: McClymonds
Lefkow: McClymonds
Division 1-A: Pittsburg (12-2) vs. Liberty-Bakersfield (12-2) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Saturday, 4 p.m.
Sabedra: Pittsburg
Dycus: Pittsburg
Lefkow: Pittsburg
Division 1-AA: De La Salle (10-3) vs. Lincoln-San Diego (12-1) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Friday, 8 p.m.
Sabedra: De La Salle
Dycus: De La Salle
Lefkow: De La Salle
Open Division: Serra (13-0) vs. St. John Bosco-Bellflower (12-1) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, Saturday, 8 p.m.
Sabedra: St. John Bosco
Dycus: Serra
Lefkow: St. John Bosco
WEEK 15 PICKS
Division 7-AA state championship: Pinole Valley 34, Mendota 21
Sabedra: Pinole Valley (W)
Dycus: Pinole Valley (W)
Lefkow: Pinole Valley (W)
Division 6-AA regional: Santa Teresa 30, Palo Alto 20
Sabedra: Santa Teresa (W)
Dycus: Santa Teresa (W)
Lefkow: Palo Alto (L)
Division 4-A regional: San Marin 29, Menlo School 21
Sabedra: Menlo School (L)
Dycus: Menlo School (L)
Lefkow: Menlo School (L)
Division 3-A regional: Bellarmine 35, Vanden-Fairfield 21
Sabedra: Bellarmine (W)
Dycus: Bellarmine (W)
Lefkow: Bellarmine (W)
Division 3-AA regional: Grant-Sacramento 36, El Cerrito 7
Sabedra: El Cerrito (L)
Dycus: El Cerrito (L)
Lefkow: El Cerrito (L)
Division 2-A regional: San Ramon Valley 19, Marin Catholic 17
Sabedra: San Ramon Valley (W)
Dycus: San Ramon Valley (W)
Lefkow: San Ramon Valley (W)
Division 2-AA regional: McClymonds 49, Lemoore 35
Sabedra: Lemoore (L)
Dycus: McClymonds (W)
Lefkow: McClymonds (W)
Division 1-A regional: Pittsburg 35, Manteca 14
Sabedra: Pittsburg (W)
Dycus: Pittsburg (W)
Lefkow: Pittsburg (W)
Division 1-AA regional: De La Salle 17, Folsom 14
Sabedra: De La Salle (W)
Dycus: De La Salle (W)
Lefkow: De La Salle (W)
WEEK 15 STANDINGS
Dycus: 7-2
Lefkow: 6-3
Sabedra: 6-3
SEASON STANDINGS
Sabedra: 150-68
Lefkow: 146-72
Dycus: 142-76
Originally published at Darren Sabedra