Bulldogs Dominate All-Bay 6 Picks, Tulloch Coach Of Year; CSM Opens State Title Defense, Host Modesto Sat. Noon

College of San Mateo will bring the offensive and defensive Bay 6 League players of the year into a state football playoff opener against century-old foe Modesto JC on Saturday (Nov. 25), with a 12:05 p.m. kickoff.

CSM coach Tim Tulloch, the repeating Bay 6 Coach of the Year, has his Northern California top-ranked Bulldogs (9-1) set to defend their state championship in a first round 12:05 p.m. game with the Valley League champion Pirates (7-3). San Mateo has already defeated the three other teams in the NorCal bracket this season, including 37-20 at Modesto in September (to retain the annual Jum Morris Trophy). CSM leads the series, 31-21-3.

San Mateo freshman quarterback Anthony Grigsby was selected Bay 6 offensive player of the year. The 5-11, 188-pound freshman has a season collegiate efficiency rating of 179.0, to lead the north's National (state championship) Division. His rating for Bay 6 League games was a phenomenal 246.7. Grigsby also has region-leading marks of 2,660 passing yards and 26 touchdowns, despite being needed to play only in the first half during most league games.

CSM cornerback Ja'ir Smith received Bay 6 defensive player of the year honors. He had three pass interceptions and six pass breakups. The Bulldogs defense limited foes to 243.8 yards per game (just 74.6 rushing).

The Bulldogs dominated league and specialist honors.

Unanimous selections on offense included freshman lineman (tackle) David Fononga (6-2, 295) out of Aragon High and running back Nate Sanchez (5-10, 200) from Serra High. CSM had three first team receivers: sophomores Terrence Loville (6-0, 187, Serra), and Jeremiah Patterson (5-10, 178, James Logan), plus freshman tight end Corey Le'aupepe (6-5, 240) from New Zealand.

In addition to Smith, San Mateo had unanimous defensive selections in lineman Soane Kolokihakaufisi (6-3, 285) out of San Mateo High and linebacker Alo Mata'u (5-11, 230, St. Francis). Additional first team picks on defense were soph lineman Max Dixson (6-0, 265, St. Francis), linebacker Fynn Williams (6-0, 220, Serra), and DB's Sione Laulea (6-4, 190, Serra), and Malini Ti'a (6-0, 205 Granada-Livermore). All are sophomores.

Recognized as the top specialists were soph placekicker Caleb Ojeda (Noral leader with 83 points), freshman punter Tashi Dorje (state leading 41.7 average -- although CSM did not punt enough to officially qualify), and frosh returner Anthony Freeman (who averaged 110.3 all-purpose yards per game). The De Anza (Richmond) product also had seven TD catches.

--Sanchez led CSM rushers with a 59.4 yards per game average, scoring six touchdowns, also averaging 83.0 all-purpose yards.

Patterson co-led the Bay 6 with nine touchdown catches and was second in the league in both pass receptions (47 for 656 yards) and in all-purpose running (101.5 yard average). Loville averaged 61.9 yards per game (on 30 receptions) and scored six TDs.

San Mateo is the highest scoring National Division team in Northern California (No 2 in the state), tallying 46.9 points per game, while playing one of the toughest schedules. The Bulldogs offense averages 454.4 yards per game.

--Saturday's foes have two of the oldest JC programs in the country. Modesto JC started football in 1921 and San Mateo JC in 2022. They have played each other 55 times since their first meeting in 1925 – won by San Mateo, 18-0. They had played regularly in the old Big 8 Conference, through 1961, when separated by league realignments. They resumed non-league meetings in 2012.

--Saturday's game will be live streamed by baosn.tv

CSM NO. 1 USA JC/CC FOOTBALL TEAM IN MASSEY RATINGS; IN BAY AREA: NO. 2 BEHIND CAL, AHEAD OF SJS & STANFORD: The highly respected Massey (computer) ratings have College of San Mateo as No. 1 among 128 two-year college teams and No. 73 overall among all 908 college teams in the USA (all levels). That ranking is led by No. 1 Ohio State and No 2 Georgia and includes No. 50 California, No. 58 Fresno St., No. 83 San Jose State, and No. 92 Stanford.

--As the No. 1 seed, CSM would be in line to host the NorCal title game on Dec. 2 vs. the winner of Saturday's other semifinal, featuring No. 3 seed City College of San Francisco (9-1) at No. 2 American River (9-1). The Southern California champion is slated to host the 2023 state championship game Dec. 9.