MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Top 25 Football Rankings

Upsets highlighted the second round of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs with upstart Tracy bouncing previous No. 3 Jesuit (Carmichael) from the Division I field and Rio Linda eliminating previous No. 14 Sierra (Manteca) in D-III play.

Defending D-II champion Del Oro is out after falling to Vacaville. Top seeds held strong with Folsom in D-1, Grant in D-II, Inderkum in D-III, Central Catholic in D-IV and newcomers to these rankings Capital Christian and Modesto Christian in D-6.

See the complete Sac-Joaquin Section football playoff brackets


1. Folsom (last week: 1) 12-0
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: Beat previous No. 18 Franklin (Elk Grove) 56-13 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division I second-round game as Jake Browning passed for 354 yards and six touchdowns, hitting five different receivers for scores, with two going to Cole Thompson. Browning has 4,300 yards this season and 70 touchdowns. The state single-season mark is 75, by Browning last season. He has 202 career touchdowns, second on the all-time national prep list (219). The last two losses were to NorCal No. 1 De La Salle to cap 14-1 seasons in 2012 and 2013.
Next: vs. No. 6 Monterey Trail (Elk Grove), Friday.

2. Grant (Sacramento) (2) 12-0
League: Delta
Result: The Pacers beat previous No. 17 Downey (Modesto) 63-21 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II second-round game as Donovan Brown passed for 285 yards and five touchdowns, three to Ariyon Huff. Grant had 12 sacks, four by Carl Granderson.
Next: vs. No. 7 Vacaville, Friday.

3. Elk Grove (4) 10-2
League: Delta
Result: The Thundering Herd beat previous No. 24 Wood (Vacaville) 59-34 as the three-headed backfield of Eltoro Allen, Spencer Sheff and Manny Scott-Anderson combined for 454 yards rushing and eight touchdowns. The losses were to No. 2 Grant 26-19 and to previous No. 3 Jesuit 42-38.
Next: vs. No. 4 St. Mary's, Friday.

4. St. Mary's (Stockton) (5) 11-1
League: Tri-City
Result: The Rams beat previous No. 12 Rocklin 56-14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II game as Noah Righetti accounted for five touchdowns and state tackles leader Khalil Hodge led the way on defense. Earlier wins include NorCal-ranked Los Gatos and No. 13 Central Catholic.
Next: at No. 3 Elk Grove, Friday.

5. Inderkum (Sacramento) (7) 11-1
League: Tri-County
Result: The Tigers beat previous No. 25 Benicia 49-14 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division III play as Larry Hardy ran for two scores and caught two touchdowns from Jonathan Henry. Tyrique Carter returned an interception 75 yards for a score. The loss was to then higher-ranked Monterey Trail when a last-play field goal missed.
Next: vs. No. 11 Sacramento, Friday.

6. Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) (19) 8-4
League: Delta
Result: The Mustangs beat previous No. 6 Merced 51-45 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play as Trey Nahhas rushed for 407 yards and five touchdowns. The losses were to No. 2 Grant, previous No. 3 Jesuit (28-21) and No. 3 Elk Grove (34-27).
Next: At No. 1 Folsom, Friday.

7. Vacaville (9) 10-2
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Bulldogs beat defending champion Del Oro, 35-28, in Sac-Joaquin Section Division II play in making a late goal-line stand. An earlier win was 13-7 over No. 9 Granite Bay.
Next: at No. 2 Grant, Friday.

8. Granite Bay (11) 9-3
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Grizzlies beat previous No. 8 Napa, 28-13, in Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play as Justin Yeaton, Ben Smith and Cameron Smith led the way. The losses included No. 1 Folsom and No. 8 Vacaville.
Next: vs. No. 9 Tracy, Friday.

9. Tracy (21) 9-3
League: Tri-City Athletic
Result: The Bulldogs beat previous No. 3 Jesuit 48-38 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play for the program's first semifinal berth in more than 20 years. Michael Brown passed for three touchdowns and Nate Jones rushed for 135 yards and two scores. The losses were to No. 5 St. Mary's and Bay Area powers Freedom (Oakley) 14-6 and Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) 14-7.
Next: at No. 8 Granite Bay, Friday.

10. Oakdale (13) 11-1
League: Valley Oak
Result: The Mustangs rolled previous No. 22 Vista del Lago (Folsom) 42-14 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division III play as Darus Nelson rushed for 150 yards and Frank Trent plowed for the hard yardage.
Next: vs. No. 13 Rio Linda, Friday.

11. Sacramento (20) 10-2
League: Metropolitan
Result: The Dragons beat previous No. 16 Manteca 34-28 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division III play as Caden Voges passed for 320 yards and four touchdowns, including hitting Talik Ellis for an 89-yard strike for the go-ahead score. It was the first road playoff victory in program history.
Next: at No. 6 Inderkum, Friday.

12. Central Catholic (Modesto) (15) 9-3
League: Valley Oak
Result: The two-time defending CIF State Division IV champion Raiders beat Escalon 35-14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-IV semifinal as Justin Rice rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns. The losses were to No. 4 St. Mary's 18-13, Sierra 17-14 and to No. 10 Oakdale 48-28.
Next: vs. No. 23 Sonora, Friday.

13. Rio Linda (23) 10-2
League: Tri-County
Result: Beat previous No. 14 Sierra (Manteca) 49-46 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-III play as Zak Burden accounted for five touchdowns and Marcel Brown rushed for 190 yards.
Next: at No. 10 Oakdale, Friday.

14. Del Oro (Loomis) (10) 6-6
Result: The defending champion Golden Eagles lost to No. 8 Vacaville 35-28 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-II play. Del Oro placed second in the Sierra Foothill League.
Next: Season complete.

15. Jesuit (Carmichael) (3) 9-3
League: Delta
Result: The Marauders lost to new No. 9 Tracy 48-38 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-I play, closing out the strong careers of Cole Brownholtz, Isaiah Bailey and a host of other seniors.
Next: Season complete.

16. Merced (6) 9-3
League: Central California
Result: The Bears lost to new No. 6 Monterey Trail 51-45 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-I play. The Bears entered the playoffs as The Modesto Bee's top-ranked team.
Next: Season complete.

17. Napa (8) 9-3
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Indians lost to No. 8 Granite Bay 28-13 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play. An earlier win was over new No. 7 Vacaville 26-14.
Next: Season complete.

18. Manteca (16) 9-3
League: Valley Oak
Result: The defending champion Buffaloes lost to No. 11 Sacramento 34-28 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-III play. The other losses were to Oakdale and Central Catholic.
Next: Season complete.

19. Rocklin (12) 9-3
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Thunder lost to No. 4 St. Mary's 56-14 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division II play. The other losses were to Folsom and Granite Bay.
Next: Season complete.

20. Sierra (Manteca) (14) 10-2
League: Valley Oak
Result: The Timberwolves lost to No. 13 Rio Linda 49-46 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-III play to close out perhaps the best season in program history. The loss was to No. 15 Manteca 34-20. An earlier win was over No. 13 Oakdale.
Next: Season complete.

21. Downey (Modesto) (17) 10-2
League: Modesto Metro
Result: The Knights lost to No. 2 Grant 63-21 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-II play despite another gritty effort by Paul Wilson.
Next: Season complete.

22. Franklin (Elk Grove) (19) 7-5
League: Delta
Result: The Wildcats lost to No. 1 Folsom 56-13 to close out some good careers, including quarterback Jacob Lopez, receiver Brandon Johnson and versatile twins Bryce and Reid Abshear.
Next: Season complete.

23. Sonora (NR) 11-1
League: Mother Lode
Result: Beat Los Banos 28-14 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-IV play as Billy Kiriluk rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns.
Next: vs. No. 12 Central Catholic, Friday.

24. Capital Christian (Sacramento) (NR) 12-0
League: Golden Empire
Result: Beat Ripon Christian 56-13 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-IV semifinal as Justice Shelton-Mosley rushed for 191 yards and five touchdowns and caught a touchdown from Jacob Norville. Luis Gomez rushed for 134 yards and a score.
Next: vs. No. 25 Modesto Christian, Saturday.

25. Modesto Christian (NR) 11-1
League: Trans Valley
Result: The Crusaders beat Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) 42-14 as Chris Brown rushed for 119 yards and four touchdowns and Zack Schott ran for 137 yards. The loss was 23-22 to No. 24 Capital Christian in a season opener.
Next: vs. No. 24 Capital Christian, Saturday.

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Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through www.sacbee.com/preps. He co-hosts with Mike Finnerty The Bee Preps Show that runs throughout the week on Comcast SportsNet California.