Bold or Just Bald? With 8 straight losses to RC, 'Cats hope for more in ninth life

Some believe the Waterford High football team is the runaway favorite in the Southern League, playing with generational talent, and they may be right.

But here's a hard truth to chew on: It's been about that long since the Wildcats (5-0, 2-0) have topped Friday's opponent, the Ripon Christian Knights.

Title implications at the Corral

Regional Power Rankings

American Chevrolet Athlete of the Week

Ripon Christian (4-1, 1-0) has won eight straight contests with the Wildcats and only one of those games -- just one! -- have been decided by less than a score, a 28-27 decision in 2014. Since then, it's been a rush of Ripon Christian routs, games remembered as much for the defense as the awesome offensive onslaught. In the last six meetings, Ripon Christian has yielded a total of 26 points and has three shutouts.

After splitting last week's return to "Bold or Just Bald?" -- Cortez and I were in lockstep, 17-7 with our picks -- Friday's small-school Game of the Week looks to be the difference-maker. It's the one of only two games on the slate that we stand opposed. Coincidentally, both games are in the Southern League.

Here's a closer look at those picks:

2021 WEEKLY PREDICTIONS

Last Week -- Burns: 17-7. Cortez: 17-7

FRIDAY, OCT. 1

Central California Athletic League

Enochs at Gregori, 7 p.m. Burns: Enochs Cortez: Enochs

Modesto at Downey, 7 p.m. Burns: Downey Cortez: Downey

Pitman at Turlock, 7 p.m. Burns: Turlock Cortez: Turlock

Central California Conference

Atwater at Patterson, 7 p.m. Burns: Patterson Cortez: Patterson

El Capitan at Merced (Golden Valley H.S.), 7 p.m. Burns: Merced Cortez: Merced

Western Athletic Conference

Johansen at Ceres, 7 p.m. Burns: Ceres Cortez: Ceres

Mountain House at Los Banos, 7 p.m. Burns: Los Banos Cortez: Los Banos

Pacheco at Davis (MJC), 7 p.m. Burns: Davis Cortez: Davis

Valley Oak League

Central Catholic at Oakdale, 7 p.m. Burns: Central Catholic Cortez: Central Catholic

East Union at Manteca, 7 p.m. Burns: Manteca Cortez: Manteca

Sierra at Weston Ranch, 7 p.m. Burns: Weston Ranch Cortez: Weston Ranch

Trans-Valley League

Hilmar at Escalon, 7 p.m. Burns: Escalon Cortez: Escalon

Modesto Christian at Hughson, 7 p.m. Burns: Hughson Cortez: Hughson

Riverbank at Ripon, 7 p.m. Burns: Ripon Cortez: Ripon

Mother Lode League

Amador at Sonora, 7 p.m. Burns: Sonora Cortez: Sonora

Calaveras at Argonaut, 7 p.m. Burns: Argonaut Cortez: Argonaut

Southern League

Delhi at Gustine, 7:15 p.m. Burns: Delhi Cortez: Gustine

Denair at Le Grand, 7:15 p.m. Burns: Le Grand Cortez: Le Grand

Mariposa at Orestimba, 7:15 p.m. Burns: Orestimba Cortez: Orestimba

Waterford at Ripon Christian, 7:15 p.m. Burns: Ripon Christian Cortez: Waterford

Non-League

Ygnacio Valley at Stone Ridge Christian, 7 p.m. Burns: Ygnacio Valley Cortez: Ygnacio Valley

Big Valley Christian at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m. Burns: Hamilton Cortez: Hamilton