7 Friday Night Podcast | Ep. 17: “Open” To Discussion

De La Salle Coach Justin Alumbaugh Joins The Show To Talk Spartans, Playoff Models, And Facing Longtime Foe Pittsburg In The NCS Open Final This Week •

With long time foes De La Salle and Pittsburg meeting this week to decide the North Coast Section Open Division final, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos welcome DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh to the program. Together they chat about this year’s Spartans team and its evolution after becoming the program’s first team in 30 years to lose to a NorCal opponent. They also discuss the pros and cons of the coaching staff turnover of the past few years, and of course, the big matchup scheduled for this Saturday. They even work in some good chatter about Coach Terry Eidson.

Eidson makes his regular appearance as well and returns the favor. He shares what led to Alumbaugh being Coach Bob Ladouceur’s successor, why he himself didn’t necessarily want the role, and the differences between coaching with Alumbaugh and with Lad. 

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Finally, the hosts themselves share discussion about this week’s big games, and weigh in on the recent debate over the best method of creating fair and competitive playoff brackets. All of that, plus tons of predictions and analysis on this week’s biggest playoff games. 

GAMES DISCUSSED
Ranks below are from the most recent SportStars NorCal Top 20. 

#5 Pittsburg @ #2 De La Salle-Concord 
#9 St. Mary’s-Stockton @ #3 Rocklin
#7 Bellarmine-San Jose @ #4 Serra-San Mateo
#19 Antelope @ #8 Central Catholic-Modesto
Monterey Trail-Elk Grove @ Elk Grove
California-San Ramon @ #15 Clayton Valley-Concord
St. Ignatius-S.F. @ Wilcox-Santa Clara
Campolindo @ #18 San Ramon Valley-Danville
Ripon @ Escalon
Manteca @ Lincoln
Foothill-Palo Cedro @ Pleasant Valley-Chico

7 Friday Night will release each Wednesday through the end of the high school football season. Listening platforms include Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Breaker, Pocket Casts and Radio Public. If you listen to us on any of those platforms, please consider rating and subscribing. Also, feel free to look up SportStars’ other podcast, SportStories on any of those same platforms. Season 2 of SportStories will begin in early 2022.

EPISODE EXTRAS

FEATURES

“Frenzy In The Fog” | Chace’s Game Feature From Elk Grove’s SJS Div. II Quarterfinal Win Over Vacaville

“Resilience On The Hill” | Ben’s Game Feature On Campolindo’s NCS Division II Quarterfinal Win Over Dublin

PREDICTION SCOREBOARD

Through Nov. 13
CHACE
PRIMARY PICKS: 29-11
LOCKS: 8-3
RAPID FIRE: 23-12

BEN
PRIMARY PICKS: 25-14
LOCKS: 8-3
RAPID FIRE: 19-16

COACH EIDSON
OVERALL: 18-14