Pittsburg routs Antioch in 105th Big Little Game, takes BVAL title outright
This one was largely over before it even started.
Pittsburg, the overwhelming favorite heading into the 105th Big Little Game, benefitted by four Antioch player suspensions, including its starting quarterback.
The Pirates didn't rest. They planted their figurative foot to the floorboard and didn't let up for about a quarter and a half. But that time their starting quarterback Marley Alcantara was all out of the game, Pittsburg had leads of 28-0 and 41-6 after the first two quarters en route to a 55-6 home triump.
Elijah Bow rushed for three touchdowns — two in the first eight minutes — Noah Quesada returned a punt for a touchdowns and Alcantara threw a pair of touchdown passes as the Pirates finished the regular season 10-0 and 5-0 in Bay Valley Athletic League.
They'll be seed among the top three in next week's North Coast Section Open Division playoffs, which will be announced Sunday.
It's been a magical first season as head coach for Charlie Ramirez, the program's former defensive coordinator who took over for Vic Galli, who retired after 21 seasons last season. That 2022 squad was stacked with at least six players now at Division I college programs and it reach the state Division 1-A finals, only to be defeated by Liberty-Bakersfield.
Alcantara has replaced 4-star quarterback Jaden Rashada and done a fantastic job as has a tremendous junior class that includes, four-star recruits Jayden Hudson and Jewelous Walls, along with Bow.
Walls, recruited as a defensive lineman, caught a touchdown pass Saturday from backup quarterback Tristan Berena, making it 41-6 right before halftime.
Antioch (7-3) hopes to earn an at-large berth into the NCS Division I playoffs.
If the Pirates needed more motivation, the school announced its 2024 Hall of Fame football class before the game. SEE STORY.
