Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings: No. 2 Folsom pulls away from Pittsburg in second half of 38-17 win

1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 2-0
Last week: Beat Monterey Trail 68-6
Next: vs. Saint Francis, Friday
Outlook: The Spartans took charge on the first play, a 69-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Charles Greer, to overwhelm a Sacramento powerhouse that also runs the veer. De La Salle's unbeaten streak against Northern California teams north of Fresno since 1992 is 316-0-2. The football program has gone a remarkable 403-5-2 against NorCal teams north of Fresno since 1984. De La Salle has won 28 consecutive section championships and has reached a record 12 successive CIF State finals.

2. (2) Folsom, 3-0
Last week: Beat Pittsburg 38-17
Next: vs. Oak Ridge, Sept. 17
Update: The Bulldogs impressed in pitching a second-half shutout. Tyler Tremain passed for 388 yards and five touchdowns, and a defense headed by Justin Eklund made stops to prevent the Pirates from getting back into it. Folsom has won eight section and four CIF State titles since 2010 and has not lost in league play since 2011.

3. (3) Serra (San Mateo), 1-0
Last week: Beat Palo Alto 41-14
Next: vs. Half Moon Bay, Saturday
Update: The Padres stormed to a 41-0 lead at the half as Hassan Mahasin scored three times. The opener against Pittsburg was canceled due to poor air.



4. (4) Pittsburg, 0-1
Last week: Lost to Folsom 38-17
Next: vs. Valley Christian, Friday
Update: The Pirates were within 21-17 of Folsom at the half but got no closer. Charles Brown — fast and fun — rushed for 108 yards and two scores. Pittsburg is the last NorCal team to beat De La Salle, in the 1991 NCS finals.

5. (9) Valley Christian (San Jose), 2-0
Last week: Beat Capital Christian 40-19
Next: vs. Pittsburg, Friday
Update: Jakson Berman passed for two scores and ran for two, and Andrew Beldi rushed for 124 yards.

6. (5) Clovis, 3-0
Last week: Beat Ridgeview 40-0
Next: vs. Whitney (Rocklin), Friday
Update: Despite 12 starters sitting due to COVID testing results, the Cougars rolled as Jackson Kloster passed for three touchdowns and Tristan Risley ran for 155 yards and a score.

7. (6) Central (Fresno), 2-0
Last week: Beat Bakersfield 59-20
Next: vs. Edison (Stokton), Friday
Update: The Grizzlies rolled behind Dayton Tafoya's three touchdown passes and 136 yards rushing from Ah'marion Gaines-Smith.

8. (7) Buchanan (Clovis), 3-0
Last week: Beat Paso Robles 48-0
Next: vs. Los Alamitos, Friday
Update: The Bears were led by Caden Rodgers, who scored four touchdowns, and a defense that has allowed one touchdown this season.

9. (9) Rocklin, 2-0
Last week: Beat Davis 69-8
Next: vs. Capital Christian, Friday
Update: Kenny Lueth had five touchdown passes and the defense dominated as the Thunder led 62-0 at the half. Davis scored in the game's final seconds.



10. (11) San Ramon Valley (Danville), 1-0
Last week: Beat Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 34-7
Next: vs. Central Catholic (Modesto), Thursday
Update: Jack Quigley had two touchdown strikes to Tanner Salisbury and Tyler Hoffman had four sacks to set up a showdown at Central Catholic.

11. Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 1-1
Last week: Beat Vacaville 20-13 in overtime
Next: vs. Vintage, Friday
Update: Santino Acevedo rushed for 115 yards and three scores for the big win over Sac-Joaquin Section power Vacaville.

12. (12) Vacaville, 2-1
Last week: Lost to Cardinal Newman 20-13 in overtime
Next: vs. Granite Bay, Friday
Update: Ryan Vaughan and Cameron Malone hooked up for an 80-yard score.

13. (13) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 1-1
Last week: Did not play
Next: vs. Elk Grove, Friday
Update: The Trojans were scheduled to play Lincoln (Stockton) but Lincoln's district did not allow the team to travel to El Dorado Hills out of concern for air quality, though the game would have kicked off well below the 150 air cutoff.

14. (16) McClymonds (Oakland), 1-0
Last week: Did not play
Next: vs. De Anza, Friday
Update: Mack gears up for its second game after a bye week following an opening rout of Tamalpais.

15. (17) Edison (Stockton), 3-0
Last week: Beat Grant 27-17
Next: vs. Central (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Vikings were again led by a strong defense in holding down the storied Pacers of Sacramento.



16. (18) Inderkum (Sacramento), 2-0
Last week: Did not play
Next: vs. Cosumnes Oaks, Friday
Update: The Tigers had a bye and earned it after opening wins over Elk Grove (15-6) and Grant (17-6).

17. (19) Los Gatos, 2-0
Last week: Beat Liberty (Brentwood) 38-17
Next: vs. Live Oak (Morgan Hill), Friday
Update: The Wildcats trailed by 10 at the half and then rolled Liberty as Jake Boyd tossed three touchdown passes.

18. (20) Jesuit (Carmichael), 1-1
Last week: Beat Granite Bay 28-14
Next: vs. Christian Brothers, Friday
Update: The Marauders bounced back from an opening 56-7 loss to Folsom with a solid effort against Granite Bay as Preston Vukovich tossed two touchdown passes and Kai Wallin recorded two sacks. He also had a TD catch.

19. (14) Granite Bay, (2-1)
Last week: Lost to Jesuit 28-14
Next: vs. Vacaville, Friday
Update: Grizzlies opened with wins over Davis and Vista del Lago (Folsom) before falling against Jesuit.

20. (35) Central Catholic (Modesto), 2-0
Last week: Beat St. Mary's (Stockton) 41-27
Next: vs. San Ramon Valley, Thursday
Update: The Raiders beat St. Mary's 41-27 in the annual Holy Bowl as Aiden Taylor rushed for 131 yards and four touchdowns.

21. (22) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 1-0
Last week: Did not play
Next: San Leandro, Friday
Update: The Bells had a bye after opening with a rout of Menlo-Atherton.



22. (NR) Aptos, 2-0
Last week: Beat Campolindo (Moraga) 49-0
Next: vs. Palma, Friday
Update: Lawrence Ingram rushed for three scores and the defense forced eight turnovers against a team that normally does not do such things.

23. (8) St. Mary's (Stockton), 0-2
Last week: Lost 41-27 to Central Catholic
Next: vs. St. Ignatius, Saturday
Update: The Rams were without star QB Cruz Herrera due to injury. He had two touchdowns in an opener against De La Salle.

24. (24) Elk Grove, (0-1)
Last week: Did not play
Next: vs. Oak Ridge, Friday
Outlook: The Thundering Herd had a bye after not playing a week due to COVID-testing issues. The loss was 15-6 to Inderkum.

25. (tie) (25) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 1-0
Last week: Beat Oak Grove (San Jose) 55-0
Next: vs. De La Salle, Friday
Update: The Lancers blew it open in the second quarter with five touchdowns and prepare for De La Salle.

25. (tie) (25) Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 2-0
Last week: Beat Concord 62-0
Next: vs. Casa Grande (Santa Rosa), Friday
Update: The defense stands tall here with another shutout.

The next 10
26. Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 0-1
27. Del Oro (Loomis), 3-0
28. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 1-1
29. Lincoln (Stockton), 0-1
30. Benicia, 2-0
31. California (San Ramon), 2-0
32. Palma (Salinas), 2-0
33. Manteca, 3-0
34. San Benito (Hollister), 2-0
35. Liberty (Brentwood), 0-1



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.