The New Face of MCAL?

[oldsalami]

With the departure of the big kids at MC, the seeming continued decline at Novato and the turnaround underway at San Marin, is the MCAL primed for a shift in gravity or is it still a 2 team race before spring ball is even complete?

[Ben Herrington]

Great coaching and tradition should keep both Marin Catholic and Novato at the top. I thought it was great how well San Marin played but I'm not sure if they can sustain a solid winning season especially after losing a lot of their key players to graduation.

Should be a great season but San Rafael is going to be in for a rude awakening. They graduated nearly all their starters and once again will be the undersized big hearted team that finishes 2-8. I wouldnt be so quick to drop a team from a two loss season to a two win season but given the demographics, recent history, and especially considering 20 starters will graduate, its hard not to.

[bella]

And San Rafael won't have the luxury of not playing the top 2 teams based on their finish last year. I don't think Novato and MC will have any problems for the same points Ben made.

[gregbrady]

i think the landscape has shifted a bit...no doubt MC is still the team to beat, but the Novato / San Marin should be a real rivalry again...SM has turned the corner and should be a good matchup between them. Novato returns their 2 year starter at QB so figure they should be square there, SM has a GREAT defensive end and returns both starting running backs, so figure them to be solid at least and contend for the #2 spot in MCAL w/ NHS and Redwood.

[scobserver]

It would be great for the MCAL if that were the case....but Marin Catholic is a team that reloads, never rebuilds, so it's hard to imagine them not being at the top or second place in the league 9 years out of every 10. But agree it seems stronger quality race among the teams vying for second place than in a lot of previous years.