Tonight’s Games

St. Vincent (2-7, 1-2 NCL I South)

at St. Helena (6-3, 3-0 NCL I South)

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Place: Patterson Memorial Field

• Last week: St. Helena blasted Cloverdale 57-7 while St. Vincent lost to Clear Lake 26-7. The Mustangs defeated St. Helena last season 20-0 in the regular season finale.

• Playoff ramifications: The Saints can accomplish two things tonight by winning. For starters, a win assures St. Helena a CIF North Coast Section Class A playoff spot by virtue of winning the NCL I South title.

The last time St. Helena won a league title in the sport of varsity football came in 1978 under head coach Charley Toogood.

• It’s about matchups: St. Helena head coach Ian MacMillan cautioned not to be deceived by the Mustangs’ 2-7 record.

St. Vincent is an adept passing team on offense, which is an area St. Helena has at times struggled with. The Mustangs are also solid against the run, which is the Saints’ strength.

“They’re probably the best team we’ve faced when it comes to throwing the ball,” MacMillan said. “We have to focus on stopping the pass.”

Anderson Valley (3-5, 2-3 NCL II)

at Calistoga (5-4, 3-2 NCL II)

Time: 7 p.m.

Place: Napa County Fairgrounds

• Last week: Calistoga defeated Potter Valley 39-22 while Tomales blasted Anderson Valley 54-6. The last time the two teams played was in 2004 in the season opener, which Calistoga won 34-8.

• Who knows: On the surface, the Wildcats are favored to win tonight’s game. Calistoga head coach Mike Ervin, however, has cautioned throughout the season that Anderson Valley is a talented team. When a team underachieves it can mean one of two things — the team has the ability to put together a quality game, or it will find a way to lose.

• Playoff ramifications: With a win here, the Wildcats have a chance to do something very few people thought was possible before the season started — achieve a CIF North Coast Section Class B playoff spot for the first time since the championship season of 1999.

Calistoga can also assure itself its first winning season since going 5-4 in 2000. Figuring out the NCS playoff selection format can at times be guesswork but this much is certain — league champions get an automatic bid while nonleague champions apply for an at-large bid.

For Calistoga, a 6-4 record would be an easier sell than 5-5.