MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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The playoffs are heating up just as the temperatures are starting to really cool.

Upsets included 10-0 Napa falling to newly ranked St. Mary's (Stockton) and Granite Bay stunning top-seeded Grant (Sacramento) of the Sac-Joaquin Section. Showdowns this week include No. 10 Oak Ridge at No. 4 Elk Grove, No. 11 Pittsburg at No. 1 De La Salle and No. 5 Foothill at No. 6 Antioch.

Click here to see all the MaxPreps California playoff brackets.




1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord) (10-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. No. 11 Pittsburg, Friday
Update: The preseason national No. 1 Spartans rolled California (San Ramon) 47-0 in NCS Division I play after DLS stormed to a 40-0 halftime lead. Quarterback Anthony Sweeney and Andrew Hernandez combined for five rushing touchdowns. The defense has been dominant of late, not allowing any offensive touchdowns in seven of the last eight games. De La Salle seeks its 24th-consecutive section title and 31st since 1982, a stunning run of success with no one even close. The Spartans are unbeaten against NorCal competition since 1991, a streak of 267 games. The loss this season was to Texas powerhouse Trinity as a potential game-winning catch in the closing seconds just missed.

2. (2) Folsom (12-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson/Troy Taylor
Next: vs. No. 16 St. Mary's (Stockton), Friday
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs beat Franklin (Elk Grove) 49-21 after leading 42-0 at the half as Jake Jeffrey passed for five touchdowns, two to Eric Davis, and caught one. This was Folsom's 14th-consecutive section playoff win and 20th out of 21. Overall, the Bulldogs have won a state-leading 28 consecutive games. An early win was 27-26 over No. 3 Clayton Valley Charter, in addition to wins over ranked Oak Ridge and ranked Rocklin.

3. (3) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (10-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Granada (Livermore), Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles are the top seed in the NCS D-II field and rolled Windsor 52-6 in piling up 498 yards in the first half. Akeal Lalaind rushed for 211 yards and four scores and the defense allowed negative rushing yards in the first half. The loss was 27-26 to No. 2 Folsom in an opening game that came down to the wire. CVC was a CIF Bowl team last season.

4. (4) Elk Grove (12-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. No. 10 Oak Ridge, Friday
Update: Ranked second by The Sacramento Bee, the Thundering Herd are seeded second behind Folsom in the SJS D-I field. They opened with a 55-0 rout of Gregori (Modesto) and then belted Merced 58-16 as Ryan Robards rushed for a school-record 378 yards and five touchdowns, giving him a school-record 2,501 on the season to go with a school-record 45 scores.

5. (5) Foothill (Pleasanton) (11-0)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: at No. 10 Antioch, Friday
Update: The Falcons had an opening bye as the No. 3 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs and then beat Freedom (Oakley) 45-14, as Isaiah Floyd scored five times. The next win will give coach Matt Sweeney his 250th career victory.

6. (10) Antioch (11-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: vs. No. 5 Foothill, Friday
Update: The Panthers had a bye as the No. 2 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs and then beat Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 58-21 after taking a 36-0 halftime lead. Antioch, with its first 10-0 start since 1977, climbed in these rankings just behind Foothill to add spice to that playoff showdown of unbeatens. Antioch is led by Alabama-bound junior running back Najee Harris.



7. (6) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (10-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: San Benito (Hollister), Friday
Update: The Bells, top ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, are the top seed in the CCS Open D-I field and beat Piedmont Hills 39-0, with all of the scoring coming in the first half. Devon Buenrostro opened with a 70-yard kickoff return for a score and Kyle Macauley had a 60-yard punt return touchdown. The loss was to Mitty 35-28 when star quarterback Troy Martig sat with an injury.

8. (8) Saint Francis (Mountain View) (10-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Wilcox (Santa Clara), Friday
Update: The Lancers beat Pioneer 52-28 in the CCS D-I Open playoffs, as Cyrus Habibi-likio scored three times. Earlier wins include ranked Valley Christian and Palma.

9. (9) Central Catholic (Modesto) (12-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. No. 25 Placer (Auburn), Friday
Update: The Raiders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee, earned the top seed in the SJS D-III playoffs and backed it up with a 42-0 win over El Camino (Sacramento) and then a 63-0 shelling of Christian Brothers (Sacramento), as the run game and defense dominated. Central Catholic is the three-time defending CIF State Division IV champion, now playing up a division. The Raiders have won 18 section titles.

10. (11) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (10-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: at No. 4 Elk Grove, Friday
Update: The Trojans rightly earned the No. 3 seed in SJS D-I playoffs, losing only to 10-0 teams Folsom and Reed (Nevada), and then beat Monterey Trail (Sacramento) 35-14 and Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove) 30-7 with a shot to bounce a third successive program from the Elk Grove Unified School District. Ian Book is the star, surrounded by a fleet of backs, good receivers and a defense that has been amazing in the postseason.

11. (12) Pittsburg (10-2)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: at No. 1 De La Salle, Friday
Update: The Pirates opened NCS D-I playoff action with a 56-20 win over Dougherty Valley (San Ramon) and then beat Monte Vista (Danville) 48-28 to avenge an earlier loss. Christian Young passed for 280 yards and four scores and Montaz Thompson ran for 152 and two. The other loss was by two points to No. 6 Antioch in Week 10.

12. (13) Clovis (10-1)
Section: Central
League: Tri-River
Coach: Rich Hammond
Next: vs. Clovis North (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Cougars had an opening playoff bye as the top seed in the Central Section D-I playoffs and then beat Edison (Fresno) 28-6 as Sean Kuenzinger passed for a touchdown and Josh Hokit and Nash Vidmar ran for scores. The loss was to Central (Fresno) 21-20, a game in which Clovis faced 13 defenders — not the allowed 11 — during a late drive. That happened on five plays, and there were 12 defenders on another.



13. (14) Inderkum (Sacramento) (12-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: at No. 15 Oakdale, Friday
Update: The Tigers are the No. 3 seed in the SJS D-III playoffs — behind ranked Central Catholic and Oakdale — and opened with an 83-32 rout of Lincoln and a 43-13 win over Manteca. The stars have been Trajon Cotton, Jimmie Johnson and Raekwon Turner. Oakdale beat Inderkum 27-23 for the D-III title last season, a game in which Inderkum led 20-0 at the half.

14. (16) Rocklin (9-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: at No. 24 Antelope, Friday
Update: The Thunder raced past Burbank (Sacramento) 34-14 in an SJS D-II opener as Evyn Holtz rushed for nearly 300 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. Rocklin beat Del Campo handily in an early-season nonleague meeting.

15. (19) Oakdale (11-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: vs. No. 13 Inderkum, Friday
Update: The Mustangs, defending SJS Division III champions and ranked second by The Modesto Bee, are the No. 2 seed this season and opened with a 63-33 rout of El Dorado and a 42-14 win over Benicia as fullback Brad Aquino rushed for 150 yards and four scores. It was 42-0 at the half. The loss was to top-seeded Central Catholic in a thriller. Oakdale beat Inderkum 27-23 for the section title last season.

16. (NR) St. Mary's (Stockton) (10-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: at No. 2 Folsom, Friday
Update: The Rams have been a powerhouse for years under coach Tony Franks, with two D-I section titles, a CIF Bowl bid and also a D-II section finals showing last season. St. Mary's beat previously unbeaten Napa 28-14 in a quarterfinal to earn a shot at top-seeded Folsom.

17. (7) Grant (Sacramento) (10-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: Season complete
Update: The Pacers led Granite Bay 21-3 entering the fourth quarter as the top seed in the SJS D-II field, and then lost 24-21, a credit to the Grizzlies but also an example of how the Pacers had nothing emotionally left. The stunning shooting death of popular cornerback JJ Clavo a week earlier rocked the team and the community.

18. (20) Palma (Salinas) (10-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: vs. No. 23 Archbishop Riordan, Friday
Update: The Chieftains beat Aragon (San Mateo) 45-24 as Jack Richardson passed for 262 yards and three touchdowns in CCS Open D-III play. The loss was 28-14 to No. 8 Saint Francis.



19. (21) Valley Christian (San Jose) (8-3)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: at Oak Grove (San Jose), Friday
Update: The Warriors beat Los Gatos 34-15 as Miles Kendrick tossed three touchdowns in CCS Open D-II play. It was a big bounce-back effort after losing to Serra (San Mateo) 42-21 to conclude league play.

20. (17) Campolindo (Moraga) (12-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), Friday
Update: The top-seeded team in the NCS D-III field beat Acalanes (Lafayette) 42-7 in leading 35-0 at the half. Jacob matthew Westphal passed for 210 yards and three scores. The loss was 21-14 to ranked Napa.

21. (23) Milpitas (9-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: vs. Alvarez (Salinas), Friday
Update: The Trojans beat Homestead (Cupertino) 59-6 and earned the No. 2 seed in the CCS Open D-I playoffs. The losses were to No. 10 Antioch and to No. 21 Valley Christian, 22-21.

22. (24) Pleasant Valley (Chico) (11-0)
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Mark Cooley
Next: vs. Shasta (Redding), Saturday
Update: The top-seeded Vikings beat Foothill (Palo Cedro), 56-14, to reach the Division 2 section final. They will face Shasta, a team they beat in the regular season, for the crown.

23. (25) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (8-3)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Kevin Fordon
Next: at No. 18 Palma, Friday
Update: The Crusaders beat Burlingame 30-28, as Jason Greene ran for 123 yards and three scores and played well late to seal it in a CCS Open D-III thriller.

24. (NR) Antelope (12-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Valley
Coach: Matt Ray
Next: vs. No. 14 Rocklin, Friday
Update: The Titans are new to all of this, and excited. The No. 2 seed in the SJS D-II playoffs, Antelope beat Sacramento 31-24 to reach its first semifinal. The key players include Temple-bound quarterback Montel Aaron.



25. (NR) Placer (Auburn) (12-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Pioneer Valley
Coach: Joey Montoya
Next: at No. 9 Central Catholic, Friday
Update: The Hillmen, one of the storied programs in section history, are rolling with a powerful wing-T ground game that includes leading rusher Owen Scott and Oregon-bound lineman Jacob Capra. Placer beat previously unbeaten Patterson 65-52 in a quarterfinal.

The Sacramento Bee on how a playoff upstart had its star player return from a blown knee this season ... click here

The Sacramento Bee on how strong the Sierra Foothill League is by going 10-0 in two playoff rounds ... click here

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