Below are the latest high school state football rankings, according to CalHiSports.com.
Things are starting to fall into place for Gilroy making a state bowl game appearance, assuming the Mustangs can continue to stay undefeated. Following a 60-14 win over Allisal, Gilroy (7-0) has moved up to the highest ranking in school history, 18. Gilroy was ranked 19 last week.
The climb came on the heels of fellow Central Coast Section member Bellarmine (No. 3 last week) being upset by Serra (23), following a Bells (now ranked 19) victory over Valley Christian (20) a week before.
Oak Grove (No. and Gilroy now have control over their fate. One of the two would be the clear-cut favorite to represent the North in the Open Division bowl game if Gilroy or Oak Grove went into the playoffs flawless and then ran the table in the three-round tournament.
(Previous ranking in parentheses)
1.    (1)  Poly (Long Beach) 7-0
2.    (2)  Centennial (Corona) 7-0
3.    (4)  De La Salle (Concord) 6-1
4.    (5)  Oceanside 7-0
5.    (6)  St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 6-1
6.    (7)  Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 7-0
7.    (8)  Los Alamitos 7-0
8.    (9)  Oak Grove (San Jose) 7-0
9.    (10)  Granite Bay 7-0
10.  (11)  Grant (Sacramento) 7-0
11.  (12)  Crespi (Encino) 6-1
12.  (13)  Oaks Christian (Westlaike Village) 7-0
13.  (15)  Bishop Amat (La Puente) 6-1
14.  (14)  Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 7-0
15.  (17)  Lutheran (Orange) 6-1
16.  (18)  Monte Vista (Danville) 7-0
17.  (21)  Tesoro (Las Flores) 7-0
18.  (19)  Gilroy 7-0
19.   (3)  Bellarmine (San Jose) 6-1
20.  (23) Valley Christian (San Jose) 6-1
21.  (24)  Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 7-0
22.  (20)  St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 6-1
23.   (nr)  Junipero Serra (San Mateo) 4-3
24.   (nr)  Chaparral (Temecula) 6-1
25.  (22)  Edison (Huntington Beach) 5-2
(more…)

Editor’s Note: Below is our weekly questions and answers column running each Tuesday called “Coach’s Corner.” Sports editor Josh Koehn and former Gavilan football coach Bob Garcia, father of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, will talk about all things football. Check in each Tuesday throughout the football season to read Garcia’s thoughts and feel free to comment or ask a question that can be answered in future articles.
Koehn: So, how you doing?
Garcia: Well, the darn Cowboys took it to us.
K: I saw just the end of the game. It looked like Tampa had a chance to win but just came up short.
G: You gotta give [Dallas] a lot of credit. Their defense put a lot of pressure on Jeff.
K: They were coming after him from what I read. They were blitzing heavy the whole game.
G: Yeah, they didn’t really give [Jeff] an opportunity to set up, but they had an opportunity to win, so what the heck. What can you say, you know? And that Roy Williams made a nice catch with, what, two seconds in the half. … That was the game.
You just gotta regroup and get ready for Kansas City next week. [The Bucs] played pretty well, but offensively, god, we haven’t been able to run the ball the last two games.
K: The numbers I saw were pretty poor.
G: Well they’ve been poor for quite a while, even against Denver. Jeff said, ‘Hey, they stayed in that Cover 2 and we tried to run the ball but we [couldn’t].’ There’s no openings. I’m watching other teams where, shit, the guy is just running through a hole into the secondary. But our guys have a tough time getting through the line of scrimmage. (more…)

Editor’s Note: Below is our weekly questions and answers column running each Tuesday called “Coach’s Corner.” Sports editor Josh Koehn and former Gavilan football coach Bob Garcia, father of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, will talk about all things football. Check in each Tuesday throughout the football season to read Garcia’s thoughts and feel free to comment or ask a question that can be answered in future articles.
Koehn: Man, did Jeff have a ballgame against Seattle last night or what?
Garcia: Well, I tell you, he looked sharp. He was just on top of the world. The reps (in practice), and when those things happen — [the offensive line] gives you protection and stuff, you’re going to complete your passes.
K: Being on a nationally televised game, I would think it’s gotta be even more gratifying when millions more people are watching you play, and play well?
G: Yeah. Maybe that’s a good thing because you never know, if he continues on he could have a good shot at another Pro Bowl.
K: I think Gruden would be looking a little silly if tried to bench him any more after that game
G: Oh, I think so. You ought to see the papers over here, what they’re saying, wondering how he was benched in the first place.
K: You were at the game, so I don’t know if you saw this, but during the player introductions, when they say their name and where they’re from, Jeff actually gave a shoutout to Gavilan College instead of San Jose State.
G: Oh, really! How about that. I didn’t hear that. That’s great. Hahaha. (more…)

Below are the latest high school state football rankings, according to CalHiSports.com.
Following a 45-2 win over Salinas, Gilroy has moved up another spot from last week to 22, the highest ranking in school history. Fellow Central Coast Section member Bellarmine (No. 3) stayed still, while Valley Christian (8) moved up one by beating Archbishop Mitty 28-0. Oak Grove makes its debut appearance in the Top 10 following a 42-0 win over Live Oak last week.
1. (1) Poly (Long Beach) 5-0
2. (2) Centennial (Corona) 5-0
3. (3) Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 5-0
4. (4) De La Salle (Concord) 4-1
5. (6) Oceanside 5-0
6. (5) St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 4-1
7. (8) Mission Viejo 5-0
8. (9) Valley Christian (San Jose) 5-0
9. (10) Los Alamitos 5-0
10. (11) Oak Grove (San Jose) 5-0
11. (12) Granite Bay 5-0
12. (13) Grant (Sacramento) 6-0
13. (17) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 5-0
14. (14) Crespi (Encino) 4-1
15. (16) Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 5-0
16. (18) Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 5-0
17. (15) Servite (Anaheim) 4-2
18. (19) San Ramon Valley (Danville) 5-0
19. (20) Monte Vista (Danville) 5-0
20. (21) Bishop Amat (La Puente) 4-1
21. (22) Lutheran (Orange) 4-1
22. (23) Gilroy 5-0
23. (24) St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 5-0
24. (25) Edison (Huntington Beach) 4-1
25. (nr) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 5-0
(more…)

Below is a questions and answers column running each Tuesday called “Coach’s Corner.” Sports editor Josh Koehn and former Gavilan football coach Bob Garcia, father of Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, will talk about all things football. Check in each Tuesday throughout the football season to read Garcia’s thoughts and feel free to comment or ask a question that can be answered in future articles.
Koehn: I saw Jeff did pretty well Sunday, you gotta be proud of that?
Garcia: Well, I though he did pretty well myself.
K: What are some of the things you thought he did especially well?
G: Well he was quick in the pocket, made the right reads … and the main thing is he got all the reps in practice this week. The week before he hadn’t gotten many reps. … If you haven’t been working with the guys it’s tough to get in sync with them.
K: Now that he’s got that win, (coach Jon) Gruden has guaranteed that he’s going to start the next game. If he wins this next one, do you think he’s back as the full-time starter?
G: No doubt in anybody’s mind. The guy [Brian Griese] throws eight interceptions or 10 interceptions in three games, how the hell … c’mon. Hey, I kept waiting for the damn thing to backfire on [Gruden] because he was going to teach Jeff a lesson or whatever the case was, not that it didn’t come down to the Denver game, but they didnt move the ball much those first three quarters. But it haunts you if you’re just saying, ‘I’m gonna do what’s best for the team (by sitting Jeff).’ Well you know what? Jeff is what’s best for that team because he has more talent, he understands the offense and he doesn’t turn the ball over.
K: Talk about turnovers, what about the Niners? (more…)