While most Northern California HS teams have been getting one or two preseason games in, or are waiting for the Kickoff Tournament in Sacramento, Pleasanton has been very busy, playing and beating five teams so far.

In fact, those games haven’t really been close. Pleasanton has defeated Marin, Bishop O’Dowd, Bellarmine, Berkeley, and Clayton Valley, with Berkeley getting within 28 points at 38-10, and the rest beaten by larger margins.

Several players have already showed potential this winter. Inside center Jack Reynolds, in his third season as a starter, scored three tries against Berkeley and the next day scored three against Clayton Valley. 

But the future Cal Poly Mustang isn’t the only talent on the squad.

Christian Bucklin partners nicely with Reynolds in the midfield, and they benefit from some good work from the halfback combination of Alex MacDonald and Malik Hess. Wing Matteo Madrigal has also played well in the backs. Up front, Brandon Correa is outstanding at prop, and the back row/lock positions include captain Ryan McCool, Keegan Locher, and Tyler Nunnery.

Pleasanton is not in the NorCal Premier Division because the program isn’t big enough to field three sides on a weekend. But the Cavaliers is not big enough to do that, and will be in the Boys DI this year, playing in the Bay Conference alongside Los Gatos, North Bay, Oakland, Peninsula Green, and SFGG - all teams that have the potential to win the league.

This weekend, it won’t be so easy as Pleasanton faces off with GRR #4 and 2015 NorCal HS club runner-up Granite Bay.

This will be a massive test for the Cavaliers, who kick off their league season at home against North Bay on February 6 and will also tour Canada this spring.