Postponed NCS playoff games delayed again

Unhealthy air disrupts North Coast Section football playoff schedule|

The smoke from the deadly Camp Fire that ravaged Paradise and threatened Chico has played havoc with the North Coast Section football playoffs.

Many section quarterfinal games, originally scheduled for last weekend, were initially postponed and rescheduled for Monday. When the air didn’t clear by then, games were again postponed, and are now planned for Saturday.

Included in games scheduled for the second round is the locally anticipated Division 2 contest between Rancho Cotate and American Canyon, now slated for the Rancho home field in Rohnert Park at 7 p.m. Saturday night.

Rancho Cotate defeated Casa Grande, 55-7, in a first-round game, while American Canyon beat both Casa Grande and Petaluma during the regular season.

De La Salle and Pittsburg managed to get their first-round game in the Open Division played last week, with De La Salle winning, 38-0. Its opponent in the championship game will be determined Saturday when Clayton Valley Charter School plays at Liberty.

In Division 1 second-round games, Monte Vista at San Ramon Valley, San Leandro at California and Amador Valley at Freedom will all be played Saturday.

In addition to American Canyon at Rancho Cotate, Marin Catholic at Granada and Benicia at Bishop O’Dowd Division 2 games will be played Saturday.

Division 3, top seed Cardinal Newman, whose players know all too well the destruction of wild fires after having part of their school destroyed last year, will play its quarterfinal game at home Saturday against Encinal, the team that eliminated Petaluma, 49-0, two weeks ago.

Also in Division 3 on Saturday, Miramonte will play at El Cerrito and Terra Linda at Las Lomas.

Division 4 Saturday games include St. Patrick-St. Vincent at Moreau Catholic, St. Bernard’s Academy at San Marin and Fortuna at JF Kennedy.

In Division 5, St. Helena will be at Salesian, Berean Christian at Stellar Prep and Cloverdale at Kelseyville.

One Division 5 game was played Monday, with Middletown defeating Fort Bragg, 29-22.

Tomales will play at Branson in an 8-person semifinal game Saturday for the right to take on South Fork in the championship game next weekend. South Fork defeated Rincon Valley Christian, 56-22.

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