Cal’s varsity football team earned the No. 3 seed in the NCS playoffs and will host crosstown rival Dougherty Valley Friday at 7 p.m.  It is the first time in school history that Cal and Dougherty will meet in a football game.

The Grizzlies (8-2, 6-0 EBAL) are coming off their first outright EBAL title in school history. Dougherty (4-5) is in the Division I playoffs for the first time after competing in Division II in previous years.

The Grizzlies clinched the EBAL championship by beating Livermore 21-3 on Nov. 1. Cal previously shared league titles with San Ramon Valley in 2012 and 2007, but this is Cal’s first win to call its own in its 40 year history. Unfortunately, Cal ended its regular season on a sour note by losing at De La Salle 55-0 on Friday.

De La Salle (10-0) once again earned the top seed and Pittsburg (8-2) is seeded second after winning the BVAL title. The Grizzlies’ only two losses came to the two teams seeded ahead of them. After Cal, the top 10 seeds are rounded as follows: No. 4 Deer Valley (9-1), No. 5 James Logan (8-2), No. 6 San Ramon Valley (6-4), No. 7 Foothill (8-2), No. 8 Granada (6-4), No. 9 Amador Valley (5-5) and No. 10 Freedom (5-5).

If Cal defeats Dougherty Valley, it will play the winner of San Ramon Valley and No. 11 San Leandro (6-4) on Nov. 22 or Nov. 23.

In the Livermore game, senior CJ Cornwell scored the only touchdown in the first half on a 9-yard pass from senior quarterback Cameron Owen, giving Cal a 7-3 lead heading into the half. Cal went on to outscore the Cowboys 14-0 in the second half on touchdown runs of 78 and 1 yard by senior Blake Bierwith (16 rushes, 165 yards). Owen was injured in the game and missed the De La Salle game last week. It is not know if Owen will return for Friday’s NCS opener.