The Northern California Varsity Premier will have its playoffs, but you get the feeling how everything shakes out will be decided in the next couple of weeks.

For the Solo Falcons, two huge tests remain in Granite Bay and Jesuit. The Grizzlies and the Marauders also, of course, have the Falcons to face. But Danville is in a different situation, having already faced all three, beating Jesuit and Granite Bay by razor-thin margins, and losing to the Falcons by six.

“We feel like we’re in limbo,” said Danville program director Jon Straka. “I think we could be great, but we have not always played very well. If we could be consistent and play well for a full 70 minutes, we could be scary.”

Saturday’s 35-33 win over Jesuit could be the game that brings the Oaks together, said Staka.

“We haven’t had a game like that, where we were losing the whole time, and down two scores most of the game,” said Straka. “But we won the last 20 minutes against a team that practices four or five days a week. For that, I was really happy. We had never played them before, and we finished that way.”

Danville has been known for playing a hard-nosed, forward-oriented game, but this year’s team can spin it wide. Straka said the team is just taking what’s offered. When their forwards can make ground, that’s what they do.

“But we play off 10 and 12, and we use our backline a lot,” said Straka. “A few years ago at the NIT our flyhalf never touched the ball. We play a totally different style now.”

That might be due to personnel, as the Danville backline, with Christian Toetuu at flyhalf and Kevin Saunders playing well at center. Toetuu may not be a natural flyhalf, but he is a good runner and a smart player, and Straka said he needed to get more touches of the ball.

Meanwhile, there’s also the Justin Lego factor. The Danville goalkicker, who was also a soccer player and the kicker on the Danville football team, has been excellent.

“We don’t win those games against Jesuit to Granite Bay without Lego,” said Straka. 

So with Lego it all fits together, and maybe well enough to win a hugely competitive NorCal Premier league.

How competitive we will see in the coming weeks. Danville is idle this weekend, with only Archbishop Riordan left on the schedule. Solo plays at Granite Bay Saturday, while Jesuit faces Mother Lode and Lamorinda takes on Riordan.

March 26 it’s Danville v Riordan, Lamorinda v Mother Lode, and Solo v Jesuit.

Any number of scenarios can happy with regard to where these teams end up, but it’s likely that Danville will be no worse than 2nd. Jesuit can certainly vault from 4th up to the top two, but they have to beat Solo to accomplish that. Same goes for Granite Bay this weekend.

Notes: Granite Bay has been enjoying the assistance of a visiting coach this week, as HS All American Coach Salty Thompson has been in town to work with the Grizzlies.