8/31/2016

North Salinas-Piedmont Hills football

Friday's game
North Salinas (1-0) at Piedmont Hills (0-0), 7:30 p.m.
 The Pirates have been to the playoffs in each of the last three seasons, although they ended last year on a seven-game losing streak in the Mount Hamilton Division.
 Piedmont Hills averaged 49.8 points a game in its four wins last year, but allowed 50.2 points in its losses, including two games in which it gave up 70 or more points.
 In other words, it hopes to get into shootouts and outscore you. Two years ago it beat Salinas 60-38 in the playoffs before falling in a postseason rematch 54-14 in 2014.
 North Salinas made a habit out of shutting down teams in the third quarter last year, outscoring them 88-28. It blanked Alisal 14-0 in the third quarter last week.
 Piedmont Hills is going to put the ball in the air, having thrown for over 3,100 yards and 28 scoring strikes last season. In 2013, it threw 40 touchdown passes.
 Tim Burkhardt is a physical quarterback with deceptive speed for the Vikings, rushing for 45 yards on his first five carries last week. He is lethal throwing the ball when given protection.
 Moving Arturo Garcia to tailback paid immediate dividends as he racked up 113 rushing yards for North Salinas. Grinding the ball slows the tempo and keeps the Pirates offense off the field.

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