Bay Area News Group high school football predictions: Week 10, 2023

Earlier this season, ESPN’s Bill Connelly named his best high school football teams of all time.

No. 1 on Connelly’s national list was De La Salle, circa 2001, an undefeated and dominant team that featured future NFL star running back Maurice Jones-Drew, now an assistant at the Concord school.

Our football expert Mike Lefkow, who has followed the local high school scene for many years, remembers that era of De La Salle football well.

But that didn’t stop Lefkow from dropping a bombshell during this week’s picks video.

Lefkow was asked about Serra’s ongoing ascent in the aftermath of the Padres’ 53-7 rout of Archbishop Riordan on Saturday, a result that improved the record of Northern California’s No. 1 team to 8-0.

“They’re a great football team,” Lefkow said. “In fact, they might be the best team in Bay Area high school history.”

“You believe that,” I asked.

“Really?” Joseph Dycus added.

“Well, you think about it, De La Salle has had some great teams, but I think football has progressed over the years and I am not sure any of those great De La Salle teams were better than this Serra team,” Lefkow said. “If nutrition is better, if players are bigger and faster, all the top schools play each other, I think you can make an argument they’re the best team in Bay Area history.”

Lefkow later added, “I would say if this Serra team played that (2001) De La Salle team, I’d be tempted to pick this Serra team and that’s not taking any respect away from De La Salle.”

For what it’s worth, calpreps.com has the capability to predict hypothetical matchups. Dycus typed in 2001 DLS vs. 2023 Serra. The computer says Serra wins, 42-14.

“I don’t think Serra would beat that De La Salle team 42-14,” Lefkow said, laughing. “I don’t care if Tom Brady was quarterbacking, they would not beat De La Salle 42-14.”

Back to the here and now, we pick 16 more games in Week 10, including Los Gatos at Wilcox, Acalanes at Las Lomas and Pittsburg at Liberty.

Lefkow and I each went 12-4 last week. Dycus was 10-6.

My lead in the season standings remains eight games over Lefkow and has widened to 19 over Dycus.

If you want just the predictions, keep scrolling.

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Enjoy the video.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJ7othCaxXY?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en-US&autohide=2&wmode=transparent&w=640&h=360]

WEEK 10 PICKS

Thursday

Del Mar (5-3) at Gunderson (4-4), 7:15 p.m.

Sabedra: Del Mar

Dycus: Del Mar 

Lefkow: Del Mar

Capuchino (7-1) at Aragon (7-1), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Aragon

Dycus: Capuchino

Lefkow: Aragon

Friday

Miramonte (6-1) at Campolindo (5-2-1), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Campolindo

Dycus: Campolindo 

Lefkow: Campolindo

Clayton Valley (4-4) at California (5-3), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: California

Dycus: California 

Lefkow: California

Bishop O’Dowd (5-3) at James Logan (4-4), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: James Logan

Dycus: James Logan 

Lefkow: James Logan

Lincoln (3-5) at Santa Teresa (3-5), 7:15 p.m.

Sabedra: Santa Teresa

Dycus: Santa Teresa 

Lefkow: Santa Teresa

Branham (6-2) at Silver Creek (6-2), 7:15 p.m.

Sabedra: Branham

Dycus: Branham 

Lefkow: Branham

Hillsdale (7-1) at The King’s Academy (4-3), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Hillsdale

Dycus:  Hillsdale

Lefkow: The King’s Academy

San Mateo (4-4) at Sequoia (3-5), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: San Mateo

Dycus: Sequoia

Lefkow: Sequoia

Fremont-Sunnyvale (6-2) at Carlmont (2-6), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Fremont-Sunnyvale

Dycus: Fremont-Sunnyvale 

Lefkow: Fremont-Sunnyvale

Woodside (6-2) at Los Altos (4-4), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Woodside

Dycus: Woodside 

Lefkow: Woodside

Mitty (5-3) at St. Ignatius (5-3), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Mitty

Dycus: St. Ignatius

Lefkow: St. Ignatius

Pittsburg (8-0) at Liberty (6-2), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Pittsburg

Dycus: Liberty

Lefkow: Pittsburg

Riordan (6-2) at St. Francis (5-3), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: St. Francis

Dycus: St. Francis 

Lefkow: St. Francis

Acalanes (5-3) at Las Lomas (8-0), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Acalanes

Dycus: Acalanes 

Lefkow: Acalanes

Los Gatos (6-2) at Wilcox (6-2), 7 p.m.

Sabedra: Wilcox

Dycus: Los Gatos

Lefkow: Wilcox

WEEK 9 RESULTS

Las Lomas 45, Campolindo 42

Sabedra: Campolindo (L)

Dycus: Campolindo (L)

Lefkow: Campolindo (L)

Clayton Valley 39, Monte Vista 35

Sabedra: Clayton Valley (W)

Dycus: Monte Vista (L)

Lefkow: Clayton Valley (W)

San Ramon Valley 14, California 0

Sabedra: San Ramon Valley (W)

Dycus: San Ramon Valley (W)

Lefkow: California (L)

Amador Valley 48, Granada 0

Sabedra: Amador Valley (W)

Dycus: Amador Valley (W)

Lefkow: Amador Valley (W)

Livermore 45, Dublin 34

Sabedra: Dublin (L)

Dycus: Dublin (L)

Lefkow: Dublin (L)