What's been going on with the Grant Pacers?

[RedZone]

I see the Pacer will be playing Eastside Catholic, WA this year...

Grant appears to have slipped down the ladder

2018: 5-6 with some ugly ugly losses..

2017: 4-6 

2016: 8-4

 

[RedZone]

Looking at 247sports it appears the Pacer may NOT be getting the talent they once did...

 

 

[Extremely Humble]

Some of the Grant faithful blame the coaching but plain and simple they haven’t been getting the athletes they used to. They always have huge lines but their skill positions aren’t even close to what they used be in their heyday. Hoping to see Grant relevant again someday. Always respected that program and they helped put NorCal on the map. 

Regarding the game against Eastside, that was ambitious scheduling to say the least.

[Nolebull813]

Isn’t Grant the team who had a 3 year quality team stretch a few years ago and could have broke the NorCal streak had they been able to play DLS? 

Why does it always seem like when a NorCal team has their best team or teams in the history of their school they never play DLS?

[Nolebull813]

Found it. 

In 2008 they go undefeated and win state. No DLS on the Sked. 

2009 no DLS. Go 12-1. Maybe the end of a 2 year cycle. Beat state champ Bellevue. Let’s get it on!!

2010 here we go. 2 game series, one at Sac State, and the other at the 49ers stadium. It’s time to break the streak!!! 

 

[Extremely Humble]

2 hours ago, Nolebull813 said:

Isn’t Grant the team who had a 3 year quality team stretch a few years ago and could have broke the NorCal streak had they been able to play DLS? 

Why does it always seem like when a NorCal team has their best team or teams in the history of their school they never play DLS?

Lets just say Grant tried to schedule DLS during their best years and for one reason or another it never transpired 🤷🏻‍♂️

[Nolebull813]

3 minutes ago, Extremely Humble said:

Lets just say Grant tried to schedule DLS during their best years and for one reason or another it never transpired 🤷🏻‍♂️

Damn. DLS must be scared shitless to lose that streak. 

Funny they never played Folsom their best years either. 

DLS must know how to scout teams in the preseason. Lol. 

[Extremely Humble]

24 minutes ago, Nolebull813 said:

Damn. DLS must be scared shitless to lose that streak. 

Funny they never played Folsom their best years either. 

DLS must know how to scout teams in the preseason. Lol. 

Careful, you’re about to start another war thread. 

[Rippers]

2 hours ago, Nolebull813 said:

Why does it always seem like when a NorCal team has their best team or teams in the history of their school they never play DLS?

Its because they did not lose to DLS that this question is asked.  

Look at the Dennis Dixon San Leandro teams that had 4 year record of 43-4 or so.  They are not talked about as great because the 4 losses were to DLS.  There are probably other examples out there.  Some people say the 2014 Folsom team was their best ever.  Why? Cause unlike 2012, 2013 and 2018, they did not lose to DLS.

Not saying that 2008 or 2009 Grant, or 2014 Folsom for that matter, would have lost to De La Salle.  Just that because they did not play, they have that mystic that perpetuates the above question.

[Pops]

2 hours ago, Nolebull813 said:

Isn’t Grant the team who had a 3 year quality team stretch a few years ago and could have broke the NorCal streak had they been able to play DLS? 

Why does it always seem like when a NorCal team has their best team or teams in the history of their school they never play DLS?

CA has 10 separate hs athletic associations that each have a governing body — of those, 7 are in Norcal and 3 are in socal.  

Of those, for relevant teams for national discussion, I’d say the rank is something like this:

Southern section (has 60% of all hs’s And about 80% of nationally relevant (ie trinity league, CC, MV, Serra, LBP)

sac joquin section is probably norcal’s top, but a big drop off from SS (Folsom, Grant, granite bay, etc)

NCS is DLS’s section.  DLS has won 27 years in a row, but section has good depth and balance for smaller schools 

central coast section — norcal’s 3rd section may be states 4th (has WCAC schools like Serra, bellarmine, and st Francis)

central section — the big schools in this section were moved to Norcal a few years ago — they do have 2 wins (‘04/‘05) over DLS during Norcal streak 

San Diego section — socal’s #2 section normally has 1-2 state top 25 teams

LA section — socal’s #3 section usually has 1 top 25 team (ie narbonne, used to be Crenshaw)

the San Francisco, Oakland, and northern sections don’t have any teams relevant to national hsfb discussion 

outside of ‘12 and ‘13 when there was a Norcal championship game DLS has never played a non-NCS Norcal team in playoffs and until 2011 had only played one section champ in regular season — there were efforts to do so but the scheduled team never won their sections — now DLS usually plays 1-2 Norcal section champs per year in regular season 

regarding grant, I think they wanted to play DLS early during their peak (which was about ‘06 to ‘10) but DLS declined (I know in ‘06 they played elder in herbie and then ‘08/‘09 played great DBP teams so it’s not as if they were ducking).  Then grant got selected for the Open game in ‘08 (it was only year DLS didn’t rep north in Open and they weren't happy).  They tried to schedule grant in 2010 (grant started #1 in some polls that year) and grant had commitments suddenly.   The game wouldn’t likely be very good since 2010.

[Pops]

42 minutes ago, Extremely Humble said:

Lets just say Grant tried to schedule DLS during their best years and for one reason or another it never transpired 🤷🏻‍♂️

DLS ignored Grant at first but then begged for a game 

when grant realized they didn’t need DLS to get attention, they didn’t return calls very fast 

[Pops]

3 minutes ago, Rippers said:

Its because they did not lose to DLS that this question is asked.  

Look at the Dennis Dixon San Leandro teams that had 4 year record of 43-4 or so.  They are not talked about as great because the 4 losses were to DLS.  There are probably other examples out there.  Some people say the 2014 Folsom team was their best ever.  Why? Cause unlike 2012, 2013 and 2018, they did not lose to DLS.

Not saying that 2008 or 2009 Grant, or 2014 Folsom for that matter, would have lost to De La Salle.  Just that because they did not play, they have that mystic that perpetuates the above question.

IMHO the Norcal teams that had the best chance to beat DLS are ‘06 Grant and ‘14 Folsom 

‘06 Grant could have caught DLS at end of an ebb period where they lost 7 games in 3 years.  ‘08 Grant would have played a better DLS team and ‘10 Grant was a M*A*S*H unit by playoffs (and DLS wasn’t losing to anybody by then)

’14 Folsom would have faced a very good DLS team but they’re the best non-DLS Norcal team probably ever and it would have been a great game 

dls easily could have taken a couple of other losses had there been “Norcal” playoffs/ championships in place the whole time just by playing more risk games 

[Extremely Humble]

6 minutes ago, Rippers said:

Some people say the 2014 Folsom team was their best ever.  Why? Cause unlike 2012, 2013 and 2018, they did not lose to DLS.

That’s not why. 

Multiple NFL players.

12 D1 players.

Best two-way lineman in the country (Jonah Williams).

Running clocked everyone. 

DLS also had a great team in 2014 so we’ll never know but make no mistake 2014 Folsom was 100% their best team top to bottom. 

[Pops]

2 hours ago, Nolebull813 said:

Found it. 

In 2008 they go undefeated and win state. No DLS on the Sked. 

2009 no DLS. Go 12-1. Maybe the end of a 2 year cycle. Beat state champ Bellevue. Let’s get it on!!

2010 here we go. 2 game series, one at Sac State, and the other at the 49ers stadium. It’s time to break the streak!!! 

 

Grant list to rocklin in ‘09 while knocking out their star QB — that rocklin team (with a WR playing emergency QB) took servite to the limit in the D2 SBG 

grant has NEVER won consecutive section championships — DLS working on #28 in a row — you’re trying to create a mountain out of a mole hill (although everyone wishes that game would have happened THEN — too late now — would be like STA playing Miami Hs 

[Pops]

2 minutes ago, Extremely Humble said:

That’s not why. 

Multiple NFL players.

12 D1 players.

Best two-way lineman in the country (Jonah Williams).

Running clocked everyone. 

DLS also had a great team in 2014 so we’ll never know but make no mistake 2014 Folsom was 100% their best team top to bottom. 

I agreed with his point but agree with you that ‘14 Folsom was an exception — they didn’t need DLS to vette themselves but would have been a great game (and likely for consensus MNC)

[Nolebull813]

 Well let’s email the DLS coaches and make them pinky swear that they will schedule the next Norcal team who feels like they have the best team in their school history  😂

[Pops]

1 hour ago, Nolebull813 said:

 Well let’s email the DLS coaches and make them pinky swear that they will schedule the next Norcal team who feels like they have the best team in their school history  😂

Btw, full disclosure, Folsom ‘14 requested a game with DLS.  I heard that DLS coaches smiled and said, “we’ll see you in December”

the ‘14 Norcal/ socal championship games weren’t cancelled until mid August or they, for certain, would have met 

DLS finished #1 in computers and folsom was #2 at CP with 16 running clock wins and much more physicality than the previous versions — the ‘14 team were sophomore starters in the first game and then add Jonah Williams to the mix 

would think the winner of that game (bearing CC by 21 the following week in SBG) could have captured one or all of the human polls as well (am not looking up, but think BG and allen split most that year)

[Nolebull813]

33 minutes ago, Pops said:

Btw, full disclosure, Folsom ‘14 requested a game with DLS.  I heard that DLS coaches smiled and said, “we’ll see you in December”

the ‘14 Norcal/ socal championship games weren’t cancelled until mid August or they, for certain, would have met 

DLS finished #1 in computers and folsom was #2 at CP with 16 running clock wins and much more physicality than the previous versions — the ‘14 team were sophomore starters in the first game and then add Jonah Williams to the mix 

would think the winner of that game (bearing CC by 21 the following week in SBG) could have captured one or all of the human polls as well (am not looking up, but think BG and allen split most that year)

Gotta be one of the most “what if games in history” 

2014 DLS vs Folsom. 

Another what if game while I’m thinking about it was 2006 Lakeland vs Southlake Carroll. 

In 2005, Lakeland and SLC both finish undefeated and split the national title. 

No game is scheduled in 2006, and both teams proceed to repeat as undefeated co-national champs. 

Why the fuck wasn’t that game scheduled? 

[BUFORDGAWOLVES]

6 minutes ago, Nolebull813 said:

Gotta be one of the most “what if games in history” 

2014 DLS vs Folsom. 

Another what if game while I’m thinking about it was 2006 Lakeland vs Southlake Carroll. 

In 2005, Lakeland and SLC both finish undefeated and split the national title. 

No game is scheduled in 2006, and both teams proceed to repeat as undefeated co-national champs. 

Why the fuck wasn’t that game scheduled? 

Because the word “fuck” wasn’t in vogue at the time. 

BGW

[ThunderRam]

23 hours ago, Nolebull813 said:

Isn’t Grant the team who had a 3 year quality team stretch a few years ago and could have broke the NorCal streak had they been able to play DLS?

 

Grant Union had much more than a 3 year quality stretch. They were dominant in the SJS and NorCal from around 1992 - 2010. Easily the SJS's best program over that stretch and arguably 2nd to DLS in all of NorCal.

They produced a lot of D1 talent and at least a half dozen NFL'ers during that span.

Their 1996, 1997, 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2010 teams were all capable of competing at a high level against a team like DLS.

Their biggest out of area wins were over Alta and POLY in 2008 then a 14-0 shutout of WA State Champ Bellevue up in Seattle in 2009.

They were actually quite good prior to 1992, too. All-time they are closing in on 600 wins with a win percentage of near .650.  In 2017, they had an all-time section record run of 26 consecutive playoff appearances snapped.

They have taken a down turn since 2011, but had a pretty decent season in 2014 albeit not near the level of their 90's and 2000's teams.

 

23 hours ago, Nolebull813 said:

Why does it always seem like when a NorCal team has their best team or teams in the history of their school they never play DLS?

 

That's always been my pet peeve. Though, I can't blame DLS for a lot of it.

Prior to 2012, there never was a Regional game. So no chance or guarantee to face the next best team out there in a given season. Prior to 2006 there wasn't a State game either so DLS rarely faced SoCal heavies. Not until the famed 1998 Mater Dei game anyway.

Even when DLS scheduled top programs outside the NCS, the match ups often suffered from bad timing. For example, they faced Nevada Union (who was one of the top programs in NorCal for most of about 20 years) during the only poor seasons they had over that long stretch. NU went 6-5 in 1997 and 5-4-1 in 1998. But in the season before they played DLS, they were 9-1 and 10-1-1 in the season after the 2-year series concluded.

Things like that happened quite a bit.

The only team I remember DLS facing from the SJS that advanced as far as the section final was Merced in 1992.

DLS never faced Cordova (who was DLS in NorCal before DLS) who was still good up through 1991. They never faced Elk Grove, Grant Union or Palo Alto. And it's a shame.

All of the above is why the majority are complaining about the Open Regional going away. Because it sets the stage for history to repeat itself.

[ThunderRam]

20 hours ago, Pops said:

regarding grant, I think they wanted to play DLS early during their peak (which was about ‘06 to ‘10) but DLS declined (I know in ‘06 they played elder in herbie and then ‘08/‘09 played great DBP teams so it’s not as if they were ducking).  Then grant got selected for the Open game in ‘08 (it was only year DLS didn’t rep north in Open and they weren't happy).  They tried to schedule grant in 2010 (grant started #1 in some polls that year) and grant had commitments suddenly.   The game wouldn’t likely be very good since 2010.

 

We've discussed this before, so I know I'm repeated myself. Anyway, it went like this:

Coach AL of Grant Union was trying hard to schedule DLS. They even got close a few times. I found a Sacramento Bee article that stated they had a tentative agreement for 2008/09. But it fell through for various reasons.

Early on, the Grant Union contingent claimed they couldn't agree on gate (whether true or untrue). The Pacers said that DLS wanted some portion of the gate from the game played in Del Paso Heights, but that they couldn't agree to that because, as a public school in a low income area, they depended upon 100% of the revenue from home games.

Supposedly, that was one of the main reasons a deal never got done prior to 2008.

Once Grant Union beat POLY for the Open title in 2008 and also amassed several other benchmark wins over OOS opponents, DLS came knocking again but Coach AL refused to play them. The tone of the quotes I read from Coach AL were that he was still bitter that they couldn't make a game happen before and that the Pacers didn't need to play the game now.

Something along those lines.

 

[Rippers]

21 hours ago, Extremely Humble said:

That’s not why. 

 

You missed my point, which was a moot one to begin with.  Had 2014 Folsom played and lost to DLS, would they still be considered Folsom's best ever?  

[Extremely Humble]

1 hour ago, Rippers said:

You missed my point, which was a moot one to begin with.  Had 2014 Folsom played and lost to DLS, would they still be considered Folsom's best ever?  

I suppose that would depend on the fashion in which they lost. 

[Cal 14]

4 hours ago, ThunderRam said:

Once Grant Union beat POLY for the Open title in 2008 and also amassed several other benchmark wins over OOS opponents, DLS came knocking again but Coach AL refused to play them. The tone of the quotes I read from Coach AL were that he was still bitter that they couldn't make a game happen before and that the Pacers didn't need to play the game now.

Something along those lines.

 

From what I recall, DLS called them for a game in 2009, but Grant had already scheduled a visit to San Diego for an out-of-state game (sort of like the Honor Bowl, I guess).  So, DLS scheduled someone else.  About a month later, the San Diego game fell through, but it was too late to get DLS.

[Cal 14]

On 7/7/2019 at 2:32 PM, Nolebull813 said:

 Well let’s email the DLS coaches and make them pinky swear that they will schedule the next Norcal team who feels like they have the best team in their school history  😂

People outside of the region like to laugh and say that DLS completely dominates the region, but the Spartans haven't actually dominated every single game.

A few examples:

2004:  Tied both Palma (CCS) and Clayton Valley (NCS)

2005:  Needed to recover an onside kick to put away Palma by 7.

2008:  Scored late in the 4th to pull within 1 point of Serra (CCS), supposedly fumbled the PAT snap (probably a fake by the holder) and ran it in for a 1-point win.  Only beat California (NCS) by 7.

2009:  Only beat Serra (who finished 6-6) and Monte Vista (NCS) by 7.

2011:  Taken to double-OT by Bellarmine, who missed a PAT in the first OT that would have secured the win.

There are others, but the point is that they do get challenges.

Also, keep this in mind, many of us from NorCal aren't even convinced that the 2008 Grant team should have even been chosen for a state bowl game.  Bellarmine may have very well been better.  The Bells clobbered the eventual state D-II runner up (St. Mary's) 35-6 in a non-league game.  The Rams had won the Sac-Joaquin D-I title that year.  Grant was actually in D-II.