Tarek’s Takes: Valencia defense impresses; Early losses help teams improve

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Tarek’s Takes is a weekly piece that revisits my high school football predictions from the week before. Where I was right and where I was wrong, and why.

I predicted the outcome of eight Week 2 games and went 7-1, which included a swing and miss for the Game of the Week (again) between Valencia and Notre Dame.

Right picks: Simi Valley over Royal (49-12); Millikan over St. Francis (54-28); Sierra Canyon over Nevada Green Valley (35-16); Oaks Christian over Regis Jesuit (34-28); Newbury Park over Crespi (63-6); Thousand Oaks over Westlake (32-22); Chaminade over Birmingham (35-0)

Wrong picks: Valencia over Notre Dame (30-21)

2022 pick record: 17-10 | Game of the Week: 0-3

Tarek’s Takes

Don’t let the picks fool you

The Week 2 matchups weren’t great. It’s probably why I was able to pick correctly on every game except one, and the one was the Game of the Week – so what does that tell you?

However, the Millikan-St. Francis and Sierra Canyon-Green Valley games could’ve gone either way, so maybe I earned my keep with those picks. There are more games I can get wrong in Week 3.

Valencia impresses in road victory

Leave it to Larry Muir. He always has the Vikings (2-1) prepared, and it showed in a nice road win over Notre Dame (2-1) thanks to a balanced offense that included 120 rushing yards from Daniel Hernandez, a clean game from senior quarterback Trey Erickson (scored three TDs), and a defense that stumped the Knights rushing game.

Notre Dame (2-1) finished the game with eight carries for -1 yard.

But there’s a problem for Valencia moving forward. Erickson left the game due to injury and could be out for an extended period of time. Freshman Brady Bretthauer was able to guide the team to victory the last quarter and a half, but will Valencia be able to do it for a full game? Let alone against Rancho Cucamonga this coming Friday.

Maybe, it won’t matter. If that defense shows up each Friday, the Vikings have a chance to win every game. Reid Farrell, Jake Pikor and Jack Gieser are leading the way.

Is Notre Dame in trouble?

Notre Dame beat Crespi 45-7, and I thought: good, a dominating win. Then Newbury Park beat the Celts 63-6 (it was 42-0 at halftime). The Knights’ two wins are against opponents that are still winless this season. In Notre Dame’s toughest test thus far (against Valencia), it couldn’t run the ball – that’s concerning for a team prepping for Mission League play.

Life doesn’t get easier for Notre Dame, which could be a good thing. It’s amazing how eye-opening a loss can be. Ask Valencia, they lost to Bishop Amat in Week 0 and haven’t dropped a game since. The Knights host St. Bonaventure (1-2) then travel to Orange Lutheran (2-1) before starting league play against Serra Gardena.

Wyatt Becker threw three touchdowns in Friday’s loss, but if there’s no running game, it won’t help the sophomore much.

Nate Bennett steps up for Oaks

Another team that used a loss to get better: Oaks Christian.

The Lions dropped its opener at Chaminade before winning two straight (Sierra Canyon, 38-21; Regis Jesuit, 34-28) and did it with a different quarterback this past week, which makes it even more impressive. Nate Bennett threw for 236 yards on 18 of 21 passing for two touchdowns in his debut start for Oaks Christian (2-1) since transferring from Village Christian.

Bennett was a stat-stuffing player for the Crusaders, but he was getting away with a lot of things, according to coach Charlie Collins. Clearly, Collins has been able to iron out the bad habits that Bennett won’t be able to get away with at Oaks Christian, especially against upcoming Serra Gardena and teams in the Marmonte League.

Keep your eye on junior wideout Justice Williams, son of former NFL tight end Roland Williams, who has tallied 257 yards on 18 receptions and three touchdowns.

“He’s going to be super special,” Collins said.