Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings: No. 1 Saint Francis looks to keep momentum rolling against 9-2 Menlo-Atherton

1. (Last week 2) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 10-0
Last week: Beat Aptos, 56-28
Next: Menlo-Atherton, Friday
Update: The Lancers pulled away from a 28-28 game entering the fourth quarter against Aptos and scored the final four touchdowns in a Central Coast Section Division I opener in setting a school rushing record with 438 yards, including 257 and five scores from Viliami Teu. This came a week after Saint Francis beat previous NorCal No. 1 Serra 44-21 to win the powerhouse West Catholic Athletic League. Saint Francis earlier this season beat De La Salle 31-28 to halt DLS's 30-year unbeaten streak against NorCal teams.

2. (2) De La Salle (Concord), 9-2
Last week: Beat Logan (Union City), 49-13
Next: Pittsburg, Friday
Update: The Spartans cruised behind a rushing attack and strong defense to set up a showdown with Pittsburg for the North Coast Section Open Division championship. The loser faces either Clayton Valley Charter or California for the NCS D-I title. DLS seeks its 30th consecutive section crown. It has not lost to an NCS team since 1991, a streak of 257 games. The only state loss this season was 31-28 to Saint Francis to halt a 30-year, 318-game unbeaten streak to NorCal teams north of Fresno.

3. (3) Rocklin, 11-0
Last week: Beat Sheldon (Sacramento), 42-0
Next: St. Mary's (Stockton), Friday
Update: The Thunder rolled as Joey Roberts passed for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and the starting defense has allowed three touchdowns this season, which is interesting to know with prolific St. Mary's looming in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinals. A big earlier victory was the 40-7 effort over Folsom, halting that school's 11-year, 54-game league winning streak. The Sierra Foothill League MVP is Rocklin's all-purpose star Elias Mullican.



4. (4) Serra (San Mateo), 10-1
Last week: Beat Valley Christian (San Jose), 41-30
Next: Bellarmine (San Jose), Saturday
Update: The Padres eliminated a longtime West Catholic Athletic League rival in a Central Coast Section Division I opener after falling to Saint Francis in the league title game. Since 2017, Serra has won two CIF NorCal titles and a CIF State crown under coach Patrick Walsh.

5. (5) Buchanan (Clovis), 10-1
Last week: Beat Clovis North, 35-3
Next: Liberty (Bakersfield), Friday
Update: The Bears won their Central Section Division I opener after a bye as they used two quarterbacks in Colton O'Toole and Jayden Mandal. Buchanan beat Clovis North last month 33-14 in Tri-River Athletic Conference action. The loss was to state-ranked Los Alamitos 34-31.

6. (8) Jesuit (Carmichael), 10-1
Last week: Beat Del Oro (Loomis), 40-6
Next: Folsom, Saturday
Update: After an opening bye in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs, the No. 2-seeded Marauders blasted Del Oro behind strong line play and big plays from Garrett McGriff. This is Jesuit's best team in at least 20 years. The loss was an opener, big, to Folsom. Now it's rematch time.

7. (10) Folsom, 8-3
Last week: Beat Lincoln (Stockton), 38-14
Next: Jesuit, Saturday
Update: The Bulldogs are a complete unit again with star quarterback Tyler Tremain back after missing the final games of the regular season with a shoulder injury, including losses to Rocklin and Granite Bay. Now, Folsom seeks to win its 13th consecutive game against Jesuit, this time in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinals. Folsom beat Jesuit 56-7 in an opener. Folsom has won eight Section and four CIF State titles since 2010.

8. (6) Pittsburg, 8-1
Last week: Beat Amador Valley, 69-7
Next: De La Salle, Friday
Update: The Pirates blasted a solid team as Jaden Rashada tossed two touchdowns and the defense dominated in a North Coast Section Open Division contest. Now it's another shot at De La Salle in the NCS finals, though both teams will advance. Pittsburg is the last North Coast Section program to beat De La Salle, doing so in the 1991 NCS finals.

9. (7) Central (Fresno.), 8-1
Last week: Beat Hanford, 62-12
Next: Memorial (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Grizzlies rolled in a Central Section Division I opener after an opening bye as Dayton Tafoya had five first-half touchdown passes. The Loss was to Buchanan 24-17. Central won the 219 CIF State Division I-AA championship and seeks a section four-peat in D-I.



10. (15) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 8-3
Last week: Beat Los Gatos, 34-27
Next: Serra, Saturday
Update: The Bells are battle tested from the West Catholic Athletic League and backed it up with a 34-27 Central Coast Section Division I win over a Los Gatos group that came in 10-0. Depth is big here, including reserve back Gino Cresci, who had two touchdowns. Thomas Di Vittorio returned an interception 94 yards for the game-winning touchdown. Other big wins include Menlo-Atherton (56-41), Valley Christian (45-34) and Central Catholic (28-21). The losses were to Serra, Sacred Heart Prep and Saint Francis.

11. (12) Central Catholic (Modesto), 10-1
Last week: Beat Lodi, 38-34
Next: Antelope, Friday
Update: The Raiders won the stacked Valley Oak League to earn the top seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II field and then squeezed out a tight one against Lodi as Julian Lopez rushed for 183 yards and two scores to set up a meeting with 10-0 Antelope. Earlier big wins were over San Ramon Valley, 21-14, and St. Mary's (Stockton), 41-27. The loss was to Bellarmine, 28-21

12. (13) St. Mary's (Stockton), 10-2
Last week: Beat Edison (Stockton), 29-23
Next: Rocklin, Friday
Update: The Rams have won 10 consecutive games after opening with losses to De La Salle and Central Catholic and are 2-0 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs with a shot to really rattle the field with a win at 11-0 Rocklin, which has allowed three touchdowns by its starting defense all season.

13. (16) San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno) , 9-0
Last week: Beat Carces Memorial (Bakersfield), 35-10
Next: Central (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Panthers rolled in a Central Section Division I contest as Brandon Ramirez rushed for 95 yards and a score and had 16 tackles on defense. This sets up a showdown with 2019 CIF State champion Central. Memorial has won three section crowns in recent seasons in D-II and D-III.

14. (17) Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 9-2
Last week: Beat Salinas, 35-31
Next: Saint Francis, Friday
Update: The Bears, winners of nine straight, edged a good Salinas team as Matt MacLeod passed for 390 yards and four touchdowns, two to Jeremiah Earby, in Central Coast Section Division I action. The losses were to Bellarmine 56-41 and to Oregon power Tualatin, 44-33.

15. (18) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 8-3
Last week: Beat Antioch, 42-21
Next: California (San Ramon), Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles led 28-0 in the North Coast Section Division I playoff and cruised as Brenden Bush scored four rushing touchdowns and passed for two. This sets up a rematch with California, which beat CVC 19-18 last month. CVC won the 2019 CIF Division I-AA state championship.

16. (19) San Ramon Valley (Danville), 8-3
Last week: Beat Livermore, 35-7
Next: Campolindo (Moraga), Friday
Update: The top-seeded team in the North Coast Section Division II field looked the part as Jack Quigley passed for three touchdowns, two of them to Tanner Salisbury. The losses were to De La Salle 48-14, Clayton Valley Charter 28-21 and Central Catholic 21-14, each of them ranked.

17. (14) Los Gatos, 10-1
Last week: Lost to Bellarmine, 34-27
Next: Season complete
Update: The best public school football team in the Central Coast Section had its dream season end in a thriller, though top players Jake Boyd and Emiliano Mejia return.

18. (NR) Monterey Trail (Elk Grove), 7-5
Last week: Beat Granite Bay 35-24
Next: Elk Grove, Friday
Update: A longtime power in the Sac-Joaquin Section, Monterey Trail started 0-5 with losses to De La Salle, Folsom, Clayton Valley Charter and Los Gatos and hasn't lost since, including a Division I win over Granite Bay as Ali Collier rushed for two scores and Tanaki Tonga had 22 tackles.



19. (NR) Elk Grove, 8-3
Last week: Beat Vacaville, 52-48
Next: Monterey Trail
Update: The Thundering Herd have been a power in the Sac-Joaquin Section since the 1980s, and here they come again with a run-heavy offense behind a big line and fast backs in Ethan Archuleta and Zeke Burnett, both of whom had big games in eliminating Vacaville in a Division II contest in the fog.

20. (22) McClymonds (Oakland), 8-1
Last week: Beat Oakland Tech, 53-0
Next: TBA
Update: Mack has gone for 50 or more points six times in the Oakland Athletic League and 61 or more twice. The Warriors outscored league foes 299-28 in five games. The loss was to Menlo-Atherton. A big win was over Marin Catholic, 32-22.

21. (9) Granite Bay, 8-3
Last week: Lost to Monterey Trail, 35-24
Next: Season complete
Update: The Grizzlies earned the No. 2 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs, had a bye and then fell to Monterey Trail. The program was in the playoffs for the 23rd consecutive season.

22. (11) Edison (Stockton), 9-2
Last week: Lost to St. Mary's (Stockton), 29-23
Next: Season complete
Update: The Vikings were the No. 4 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-I field and fell to St. Mary's in a battle for the 209 area code. The other loss was to then-Central Section No. 1 Central (Fresno) 17-10.

23. (22) Valley Christian (San Jose), 6-5
Last week: Lost to Serra, 41-30
Next: Season complete
Update: The Warriors of the West Catholic Athletic League lost to league rival Serra in the Central Coast Section Division I field.

24. (23) Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park), 10-1
Last week: Beat Granada (Livermore), 37-0
Next: Foothill (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: The No. 2-seeded team in the North Coast Section Division II field backed it up with a rout RC has had recent seasons of 11-4, 11-2, 10-2 and 9-4.

25. (24) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 7-3
Last week: Newark Memorial, 55-6
Next: Tennyson, Friday
Update: The Cardinals as the No. 2 seed in the North Coast Section Division IV field rolled as Lucas Knechtle tossed two touchdowns and Santino Acevedo ran for two.

The Next 10
26. Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 10-1
27. Antelope, 10-0
28. Kimball (Tracy), 10-1
29. Windsor, 9-1
30. California (San Ramon, 8-3
31. Oakdale, 8-2
32. Vacaville, 8-3
33. Salinas, 8-1
34. Aptos, 8-2
35. San Benito (Hollister), 9-1



Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. He was named a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Distinguished Award winner in April. Follow him on Twitter: SacBee_JoeD and through sacbee.com.