7 Friday Night

After covering the big No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown between De La Salle and Serra-San Mateo, SportStars editor Chace Bryson left town for a long weekend in Las Vegas — which left co-host Ben Enos slightly reeling as he attempted to keep the 7 Friday Night ship on course. However, Chace returned in time for the two hosts to have their weekly chat about all things NorCal football. 

Serra bet on itself during the first two weeks of the season, and it has paid off with NorCal's No. 1 ranking. Their comeback win over De La Salle is discussed, and the hosts also talk about some of the key themes from Week 3 (where a handful of gambles didn't pay off for ranked teams). Also, to keep the theme going, Sheldon-Sacramento scores points like a slot machine that hit the 5x multiplier on the pay line. Huskies coach Chris Nixon joins the program to chat about the team's fast start and its intersectional showdown against Acalanes-Lafayette this week. 

Finally, Coach Terry Eidson makes his weekly drop-in and shares his own thoughts on the De La Salle/Serra game and where each team may go from here. He also gives us all an update on the fantasy football team he shares with Pittsburg coach Victor Galli.

While the first week of full NorCal action delivered plenty of excitement on the field, there was less enthusiasm in Picksville. Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos were a combined 5-5, and Coach Terry Eidson went winless. The trio looks to change its fortunes this week, but the matchups don't get any easier. 

Chace and Ben each make three primary picks from a selection of games, while once again closing with a spirited Challenge Round (where you may learn which big cat would win in a fight: Jaguar or Cougar). Coach Eidson squirms his way through picking the No. 1 De La Salle-Concord vs. No. 2 Serra-San Mateo game, and takes a stab at a few other big games. 

GAMES PICKED INCLUDE: No. 2 Serra @ No. 1 De La Salle • Liberty-Henderson (Nev.) vs. No. 4 Pittsburg (in San Diego) • Monterey Trail-Elk Grove @ No. 5 St. Francis-Mountain View • No. 7 St. Mary's-Stockton @ No. 6 Central Catholic-Modesto • No. 16 Bellarmine-San Jose @ No. 8 McClymonds-Oakland • Campolindo-Moraga @ Aptos • Windsor @ Escalon • Salesian-Richmond @ Tennyson-Hayward • Jesuit-Carmichael @ St. Ignatius-S.F.  

Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos have a ton of talk about after a thrilling first week of football across all of NorCal. A primary focus is placed on Serra-San Mateo which traveled to No. 2 Folsom and gutted out a 17-12 win. Now, the Padres are the No. 2 ranked team and take to the road again Friday — to No. 1 De La Salle for a nationally-televised game on ESPNU. No big deal. 

Actually, yes big deal! The show welcomes its fist player guest of the season, Serra senior Ryan Silver. The San Diego State-bound two-way lineman talked about what it took to earn the win at Folsom, and how the team is approaching its new challenge this week. (By the way, after this week, Serra faces current No. 6 Central Catholic-Modesto and then No. 5 St. Francis-Mountain View).

Coach Terry Eidson also makes his weekly stop to share his thoughts on last week, as well as his memories of coaching against Serra coach Patrick Walsh (his former player at De La Salle) and what he liked about playing in TV games. 

Our Thursday prediction show hits top gear this week as high school football officially opens across all of Northern California. Everybody — hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos as well as Coach Terry Eidson — is feeling confident after hitting on most of their picks during last week's Sac-Joaquin Section openers. 

Chace and Ben highlight six of the week's top matchups and select three to pick (both settled on the same game as their "Lock"), plus each host chooses two random games to serve the other in the new "Challenge Round." Finally, Coach Eidson gives his predictions for three games, and includes a relatively thorough analysis of NorCal's game of the week: No. 3 Serra-San Mateo at No. 2 Folsom.  

Games discussed include: No. 3 Serra @ No. 2 Folsom • No. 7 Bellarmine-San Jose @ Menlo-Atherton • No. 14 Salinas @ No. 9 Clayton Valley-Concord • Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park @ Las Lomas-Walnut Creek • Granada-Livermore @ Riordan-S.F. • Amador Valley-Pleasanton @ El Cerrito • Downey-Modesto @ East Union-Manteca • Chico @ Sutter • San Marin-Novato @ Acalanes-Lafayette.  

It's a big week on the show as hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos revisit results and key takeaways from the first week of play in the Sac-Joaquin Section, before moving on to preview the rest of NorCal football getting underway. 

As part of that preview, the hosts welcome Las Lomas coach Doug Longero to the podcast. The Knights of Walnut Creek are expected to be among the favorites in the Diablo Athletic League-Foothill Division race this fall, and they open up by hosting Rancho Cotate-Rohnert Park in what should be a strong nonleague showdown. Coach Longero talks about all of that, and plays the good sport as more than a few painful Las Lomas losses are revisited. 

Coach Terry Eidson also makes his weekly appearance. He shares some of his most memorable season openers with De La Salle and also talks a little about the art of play calling on both sides of the ball. 

As the Sac-Joaquin Schedule gets set to bring a soft-open to the 2022 NorCal football season, it's as good a time as any for the show to debut the first of its Thursday Pick 'Em Series. Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos begin their season of predictions, choosing from a slate of six notable SJS matchups. 

Ike Dodson, the show's guest from Aug. 16, returns to make a few picks. Finally, Coach Eidson begins his season of vengeance upon the Gods of Prognostication. He even follows through on an early-season vow to not take it easy on programs coached by former De La Salle players or friends. 

GAMES DISCUSSED INCLUDE: No. 6 Central Catholic-Modesto @ Merced • No. 14 Vanden-Fairfield @ Yuba City • Vista del Lago-Folsom @ No. 16 Manteca • No. 18 Granite Bay @ Elk Grove • Inderkum-Sacramento @ Del Oro-Loomis • Whitney-Rocklin @ Antelope.

With real, live football action set to begin in the Sac-Joaquin Section, hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos welcome fellow SportStars writer/photographer Ike Dodson for a primer discussion on all things SJS. 

Dodson speaks about some key themes he came across during his reporting for a variety of NorCal Football Preview content. The trio also highlights some of the top storylines worth following as the SJS season progresses. 

And speaking of SportStars' NorCal Football Preview content, Chace and Ben discuss several of the stories that will be released in the exclusive digital issue on Wednesday, Aug. 17. Finally, Coach Terry Eidson makes his weekly stop. He recounts the hassles of building preseason schedules for De La Salle, and also talked about the SJS programs which elevated the section and eventually caught the attention of the Spartans. 

We made it through the void! High school football is nearly back, and hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos open Season 2 of 7 Friday Night with a discussion on who should top SportStars Magazine's preseason rankings along with what they've learned from there early reporting. 

The hosts also share some soundbites from their Aug. 9 visit to Pittsburg High's practice, including remarks from Miami-bound QB Jaden Rashada and Oregon State-committed receiver Zach Card. 

Finally, distinguished weekly guest Terry Eidson returns for Season 2. The retired De La Salle coaching legend shares some insight on the 2022 Spartans and recalls the annual frustration he felt during the first week of padded practices.  

Turn on the lights! High school football in Northern California is nearly back, and SportStars Magazine is thrilled to be reviving its weekly football podcast for another season. Hosts Chace Bryson and Ben Enos are back to steer the always-wobbly-yet-ever-formidable ship with analysis, guest interviews, game predictions and more. 

Retired De La Salle coaching legend Terry Eidson has also signed on to once again return as a weekly contributor.

The show has lots planned for its second season, which will officially begin on Aug. 11. Make sure you're following or subscribed wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. 

In the final episode of our first season, hosts Chace and Ben wrap up the 2021 Northern California high school football season with an in-depth discussion on SportStars' just-released postseason honors and awards. 

Joining the hosts for the entire episode is fellow SportStars reporter and photographer, Ike Dodson. As the primary trio responsible for selecting the magazine's All-NorCal Team and players of the year, the three talked about the process while giving a glimpse behind the curtain on how they came to certain decisions. 

They also share several thoughts on the final All-NorCal Team roster. Who was each writers' lock for the team? Who did they lament not getting onto the roster? Which player would they take No. 1 overall in a fantasy draft? And, which of the players has them most excited for the 2022 season? All that, plus the show's first ever musical guest! How can you not listen?