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Many of the area’s high school games are being played Thursday night to avoid playing on Good Friday. Here are the top games on Thursday night:
THURSDAY GAMES
Paraclete (2-1) at Damien (2-1), 7 p.m.: This game, though it doesn’t include two local teams, provides the most intriguing matchup of the week. Paraclete and Damien are each riding two-game winning streaks and have many similarities in their offenses.
Damien rotates quarterbacks Donovan Smith and Dylan Gutierrez, while feeding running back Steven Munoz.
“Should be a good game,” Paraclete coach Dean Herrington said. “Damien has good size, they’re aggressive on defense. They play two different quarterbacks. It’s a short week (to prepare), but they’re in the same boat.”
Paraclete has a new quarterback, Hunter Edwards, a 6-foot-7 baseball player, but also puts running back Amir Bankhead at quarterback, too.
“We have to give different looks,” Herrington said.
Two weeks ago, Bankhead rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown out of various formations in a win over Aquinas. Last week, Bankhead tallied 313 yards on the ground, but he also passed four times, completing three. Paraclete goes as Bankhead goes.
But Edwards is getting better at quarterback, even though sometimes he has to miss practice to pitch.
“It’s an even shorter week for Hunter. He missed practice Monday because he pitched,” Herrington said. “Good thing about him is I never know if he won or lost (when he pitches). He’s great about that when he comes to football.”
The Spirits beat Aquinas 24-13 earlier this season. Damien is coming off a 37-27 win over Aquinas last week, but was up 34-0 at halftime.
Herrington said Paraclete’s defense has been impressive. Defensive back Gavin DePedro leads the team in tackles and secured the Aquinas win with an interception. Cornerback Jalen Williams, a Fresno State commit, is shutting down one side of the field, according to Herrington.
“Teams won’t even throw to his side,” he said of Williams.
Pick: Paraclete
Golden Valley (1-0-1) vs. Saugus (2-0), at Canyon High, 7 p.m.: Golden Valley has the running game and Saugus has the passing game. Golden Valley running back Jared Giles had 24 carries for 174 yards in a win over West Ranch last week. Saugus quarterback Colton Fitzgerald has passed for 644 yards and eight touchdowns in two games.
Saugus wideouts Sebastian Desliare and senior Hunter Girch have been on the receiving end of seven of Fitzgerald’s eight touchdown tosses. But it might not be anything Golden Valley hasn’t seen before after holding West Ranch’s offense to just 15 points last week. The Wildcats are led by San Jose State commit Walker Eget, so if the Grizzlies can bottle up Eget, they might have the tools to give Fitzgerald a hard time.
The Grizzlies also have talent at quarterback, too. Jaxson Miner tallied 261 yards passing and two touchdowns last week.
Pick: Golden Valley
Serra (2-1) at Notre Dame (0-2), 7 p.m.: Notre Dame’s two losses have not been as bad as they look on the scoreboard. The Knights are experiencing growing pains.
Sophomore quarterback Javance Johnson started each of the first two weeks with turnovers on the opening drive. He has five turnovers in two games, three fumbles and two interceptions. If Johnson, who has all the physical tools to be a great quarterback, can limit the mistakes, Notre Dame has a bright future.
The Knights are hoping that mistake-free football begins Thursday night.
Pick: Serra
Bishop Diego (2-0) at Simi Valley (2-0), 7 p.m.: This game will likely be Simi Valley’s greatest test this spring season, at least on paper. Bishop Diego is unbeaten after letting up just one touchdown in each of its first two games. The Cardinals have scored 55 points combined in their victories over St. Bonaventure and Camarillo.
Simi Valley tallied 91 points in its two wins thanks to the play of quarterback Travis Throckmorton, whose top targets include Cooper Wallace and Jonah Burton – each with two receiving touchdowns this season. Rising star sophomore running back Caleb Alvary has five touchdowns and 179 yards on just 11 carries.
Pick: Simi Valley
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