MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football teams

Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Folsom
Update: The Spartans have towered over Northern California, going a staggering 373-5-2 since 1984 (and 441-25-3 overall since 1982 with 21 unbeaten seasons). DLS has a 290-game unbeaten streak against NorCal teams (north of Fresno) since 1991 and has won 26 consecutive NCS titles and 30 since 1981. In a word: Wow. The Spartans have perhaps their best defense in 10 years, fast and ferocious, led by All-American candidate and national recruit Henry To'oto'o. Other recruits include DE Isaiah Foskey, DT Beau Tagaloa and LB Jhasi Wilson. The quarterback depth includes Dorian Hale and Jack Fulp.

2. Folsom, 16-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. De La Salle
Update: Fifteen starters return from a 16-0 CIF State Division I-AA title team, none more electrifying than WR Joe Ngata, headed to Clemson, and QB Kaiden Bennett, who passed for 4,431 yards and 57 touchdowns and ran for 1,218 and 16 in 2017. The DL includes Tyler Hardeman, Deshawn Lynch and Chandon Pierre. Folsom is 113-9 this decade with six section and three CIF State title teams (and two 14-1 teams that lost to De La Salle in the 2012 and 2013 NorCal Open finals, since dropped).

3. Pittsburg, 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Clayton Valley Charter
Update: The Pirates lost to De La Salle in the NCS finals, beat Granite Bay in a NorCal final and nearly won the CIF State Division I title, losing a 21-point lead in a 28-21 loss to Narbonne. So there's motivation for perhaps the school's most talented team perhaps ever. QB Trey Turner is back from a knee injury, and the defense is led by LBs Jack Lacy and Jaden Tauanu'u.

4. Jesuit (Carmichael), 10-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: vs. Folsom, Aug. 24
Update: The school opened in 1963 and never have the storied Marauders fielded such a remarkable 1-2 national recruit punch with RB/CB Isaiah Rutherford and LB/TE Laiatu Latu. They head 13 returning starters, including QB Hank Harvego, RB Jackson Canaan and LB/DE Cade Brownholtz. Two losses last season were to Folsom, including the playoffs.

5. Serra (San Mateo), 13-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: vs. Serra (Gardena), Aug. 25
Update: The Padres won the WCAL, CCS, NorCal and CIF State titles last season and return QB Luke Bottari, who passed for 2,850 yards and 26 touchdowns. RB David Coker (701 yards rushing, seven scores) also returns. A showdown at Pittsburg looms on Sept. 8.

6. Liberty (Brentwood), 11-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Ryan Partridge
Next: vs. Vacaville
Update: The Lions won their first NCS championship, rolling Freedom 37-0. Back for more is QB Jay Butterfield, WR Sione Vaki and RB Tyerell Sturges-Cofer, who ran for 1,128 yards in 2017.



7. St. Mary's (Stockton), 11-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. Pittsburg, Aug. 24
Update: QB Noah May is back, as are speedy receivers Joe Fontes, Jamar Marshall and Asar-Alim Moore for a team that lost to Folsom in the Section Division I finals under a coach who has led a powerhouse.

8. Saint Francis (Mountain View), 12-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), Aug. 24
Update: After winning the CIF State Division I-A title, the Lancers return a lot on defense, including DE Joshua Pakola and DB Evan Williams. But not in the mix, reportedly, is star running back in senior Darrell Page, who rushed 2,294 yards and 23 touchdowns in earning Bay Area New Group Offensive Player of the Year honors.

9. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 11-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. Lincoln
Update: The Trojans have won four section Division II titles since 1998 and reached the D-I finals twice since 2012, so they naturally target another championship run. The next QB star is Matt Jenner, who came off the bench to sparkle in the playoffs last season. OL Zachary Welch is headed to Nevada.

10. Del Oro (Loomis), 8-6
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Next: vs. Amador Valley
Update: The Golden Eagles reached a section final for the 18th time last season, having won five since 2005. Eighteen starters return for another run, led by three-year starting WR/DB Dawson Hurst and LBs Tatuo Martinson and Charlie Rogers.

11. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 8-3
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Pittsburg
Update: The Ugly Eagles had banner seasons end in the last two NCS Open Division playoffs to De La Salle, and now CVC opens against powerhouse Pittsburg. The strength on defense is with LBs Cade Carter and Dusty Mitchell.

12. Valley Christian (San Jose), 9-3
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Wilcox (Santa Clara)
Update: Two losses last season were to Serra, which went on to win a state title. The size and talent comes especially from LB Judaea Moon, OL Zack Gieg and TE Skylar Loving-Black.



13. Freedom (Oakley), 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Andrew Coakley
Next: vs. Turlock
Update: The league includes ranked Pittsburg and Liberty for first-year coach Coakley, who replaced Kevin Hartwig. RB Giles Jackson ran for 1,586 yards last season and QB Joey Aguilar (2,501 yards passing) also returns.

14. Granite Bay, 12-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Evans
Next: vs. Monte Vista
Update: The Grizzlies are aiming for their 20th consecutive playoff berth since opening in Placer County in 1996, and they won their sixth section title in 2017, beating Del Oro. RB/LB Jacob Ellis and linemen Bryce Van Order and Joseph Young lead the way.

15. Placer (Auburn), 13-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Foothill Valley
Coach: Joey Montoya
Next: vs. Pleasant Grove
Update: The Hillmen have been winning since the 1930s. Coach Montoya returns 17 starters from a CIF state finalist. The line is strong with tackles Joey Capra (headed to Oregon) and Blake Baughman (Nevada).

16. Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 7-5
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula
Coach: Adhir Ravipati
Next: vs. Bellarmine Prep
Update: Two years after reaching the CIF 3-AA title game, here come the Bears again. They are led by national recruits in LB Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu, who has committed to Washington.

17. Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 12-1
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Coach: Mazi Moayed
Next: vs. Campolindo (Moraga)
Update: The Wildcats are defending section champions in Division III and reached another NorCal title game. The next quarterback star is Gaven Cooke, and the top lineman is Jamar Sekona.

18. Central Catholic (Modesto), 10-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Clovis West
Update: Superbly coached and tradition rich with CIF state titles in 2012, 2013 and 2015, the Raiders are poised for more. The leaders include RB/LB D'Angelo Bellamy, QB Dalton Durossette and RB/DB Dawaiian McNeely. An early game against De La Salle will be telling.



19. Manteca, 12-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Mark Varnum
Next: Lathrop
Update: The Buffaloes have the talent and tradition to three-peat as section champions under first-year coach Varnum.

20. Vacaville, 7-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Mike Papadopoulos
Next: vs. Liberty
Update: The Bulldogs are one of the storied programs in this section, starting with late, great Tom Zunino, a 200-game winner whose son-in-law has been in charge since 2005. The Bulldogs live to run and schedule tough.

21. Oakdale, 12-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: Sonora
Update: The Mustangs were top ranked by The Modesto Bee for all of the 2017 season until falling to Manteca in the section finals. Graduation cleared out a lot of starters but this is a storied program, having won the CIF State Division III-A title in 2016.

22. Shasta (Redding), 12-2
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: JC Hunsaker
Next: at Corning, Aug. 24
Update: The Wolves in 2017 won their first section title since 19839 and third overall, and then it reached the CIF State 3-AA finals. Devastating fires have rallied the region, and high school football helps soothe, much like the fires that ravaged the Napa Valley regions last fall. The offensive line returns Blake Blomquist and Kupono Kealiinohomoku with David Rivera as an up-and-comer. A handful of backs must fill the void left by Seth Park and Vinnie Smith.

23. Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 10-3
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Fortuna
Update: The next star QB could be Jackson Pavitt, who will look for WR Jake Woods, in an effort to reach a section final for the fourth consecutive season. This has been a powerhouse program since the 1970s, when the Cardinals once held the state record for consecutive wins.

24. McClymonds (Oakland), 14-0
Section: Oakland
League: OAL
Coach: Michael Peters
Next: vs. Marin Catholic, Aug. 24
Update: The Warriors have won back-to-back CIF State 5-AA championships and boast a 25-game winning streak in making for one heck of a small-school powerhouse. The leader is RB/LB Jarmar Julien and LB Javanz Dornners.



25. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda
Coach: Napolean Kaufman
Next: vs. Kennedy (Fremont), Aug. 23
Update: The Dragons include Stanford commit and four-year starting RB Austin Jones. He ran for 1,560 yards and 23 scores last season and has 4,897 yards and 62 scores in his prep career.

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and on Facebook: sacbeepreps and on Instagram: JoeDavidsonMedia