Video: Top 10 Games of the Week Zach Poff takes a look at the weekend's best matchups.
The top five teams held steady, representing powers from the North Coast, Sac-Joaquin and Central Coast sections. De La Salle has been challenged this season but remains unbeaten.
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Josiah Graham, Eureka
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North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Monte Vista, Oct. 5
Update: The top-ranked team by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle, the Spartans beat Central Section power Buchanan 31-24 as
James Coby took the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown and took leads of 14-0 and 28-13. Earlier wins include 27-21 over Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, 14-0 over Sac-Joaquin Section No. 1 Folsom and 33-15 over Central Coast Section No. 1 Saint Francis. De La Salle's unbeaten NorCal streak against teams north of Fresno is 294, dating back to 199. The Spartans are a remarkable 377-5-2 against NorCal teams since 1984 and 447-25-3 overall since 1982 with 26 consecutive NCS titles and 30 since 1981 with a record 12 consecutive CIF State title-game appearances.
2. (2) Folsom, 4-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. Rocklin
Update: The Bulldogs had a bye. The loss was 14-0 to De La Salle. Folsom is 117-10 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. (3) Liberty (Brentwood), 6-0Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Ryan Partridge
Next: vs. Freedom
Update: The Lions beat Deer Valley 61-12 as
Jay Butterfield tossed five touchdown passes, three to
Sione Vaki. Liberty is coming off of its first NCS championship in program history and is the favorite in the Bay Valley League.
4. (4) Del Oro (Loomis), 6-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Next: vs. Oak Ridge, Oct. 5
Update: The Golden Eagles rolled Whitney 47-0 as
Dawson Hurst returned a blocked field goal 87 yards for a score. Del Oro has outscored teams 292-72. Del Oro reached a section final for the 18th time last season, having won five since 2005. Eighteen starters returned for another run.
5. (5) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 3-1Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral
Update: The Lancers beat St. Ignatius 31-6 as
Nick Robinson rushed for two scores. The loss was to De La Salle 33-15. This is the top team in the Central Coast Section, winners of 17 section titles. Saint Francis is the defending CIF State Division I-A champion.
6. (8) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 4-1Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Acalanes
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat Canyon Springs 28-0 with a dominating run game led by
Carson Sumter and defensive effort. The loss was to Antioch 35-34 despite 299 yards rushing from
Makhi Gervais. An early win was 38-31 over Pittsburg. The Ugly Eagles have emerged as a power of late, going 12-1 in 2008, 12-2 in 2012, 11-2 in 2013, 15-1 in 2015 and 13-2 in 2016.
7. (9) Pittsburg, 4-2Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Deer Valley
Update: The Pirates beat Heritage 66-14, leading 52-0 at the half, as
Trey Turner had four touchdown passes, two to
Willie Harts III. An earlier win was over Serra 44-35 .One loss was to state power Centennial 35-7 and the other was in overtime to Clayton Valley Charter, 38-31. Pittsburg played for the CIF State Division I title last season and is the last NorCal team to beat De La Salle, in the 1991 NCS finals.
8. (10) Serra (San Mateo), 2-2Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: vs. Bellarmine
Update: The Padres beat Mitty 42-6 for their 10th consecutive time over their rivals, leading 35-0 at the half as
Nate Sanchez rushed for three scores. One loss was to Pittsburg 44-35. Last season, Serra won the WCAL, CCS, NorCal and CIF State titles, and it takes a 13-game WCAL winning streak into league play.
9. (11) Monterey Trail (Elk Grove), 5-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metropolitan
Coach: TJ Ewing
Next: vs. River City
Update: The Mustangs beat Paraclete of Lancaster as
Zach Larrier ran for 194 yards and scored two touchdowns of 90 or more yards. Other big wins include Sacramento Bee-ranked Sheldon 41-6 and Bay Area-ranked San Ramon Valley 27-7. Zach Larrier is the star. Monterey Trail has twice reached Section Division I title games.
10. (12) Placer (Auburn), 5-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Foothill Valley
Coach: Joey Montoya
Next: vs. Nevada Union
Update: The Hillmen were idle. They have scored 69, 70 and 70 points in each of their previous three games. Seventeen starters are back from a CIF state finalist. This was a state-wide power in the 1970s.
11. (13) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 4-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. Grant
Update: The Trojans bounced back from a crushing loss to Folsom with a big win over once-ranked Rocklin, 38-14, as
Matt Jenner led the way on offense. The Trojans won four section Division II titles since 1998 and reached the D-I finals twice since 2012.
12. (20) Freedom (Oakley), 5-1Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Andrew Coakley
Next: vs. Liberty
Update: The Falcons beat Antioch 14-7 to hold the Panthers to a season-low total in what was expected to be a terrific league game. Another big win was 37-24 over San Ramon Valley. The Falcons went 10-2 in 2011, 11-2 in 2016 and 9-3 in 2017.
13. (7) Antioch, 5-1Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: John Lucido
Next: vs. Heritage
Update: The Panthers lost to Freedom 14-7 as the offense stalled. An earlier win was 35-34 over Clayton Valley Charter. The Panthers have had roller coaster runs, going 1-19 from 2004 and 2005, 1-9 in 2010 and 2013 and 11-1 in 2015.
14. (16) Wilcox (Santa Clara), 5-0Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Paul Rosa
Next: vs. Palo Alto
Update: The Chargers beat Fremont 59-7 in winning each game by at least 40 points as unbeaten Palo Alto looms. An earlier win was 10-6 over Valley Christian. Wilcox has made the playoffs nine of the last 10 seasons.
15. (17) Valley Christian (San Jose), 3-1Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. St. Ignatius
Update: The Warriors beat Sacred Heart Cathedral 45-7 as
Isaiah McElvane rushed for 131 yards and two scores. The loss was 10-6 to Wilcox. Valley Christian went 12-1 in 2004, 12-1 in 2005, 11-2 in 2010 and 13-2 in 2016.
16. (18) Central Catholic (Modesto), 5-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. East Union
Update: The top-ranked team by The Modesto Bee, the Raiders beat Sierra 55-7 as
Dawaiian McNeely carried just five times for 116 yards and three scores. An earlier win was 33-20 over St. Mary's. The loss was to De La Salle 35-7 after trailing by just 14 in the third quarter. Coach Canepa won CIF state titles here in 2012, 2013 and 2015.
17. (19) Inderkum (Sacramento), 5-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Valley
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: vs. Woodcreek
Update: The Tigers crushed Lincoln of Stockton 56-7 as
Raymond Brown rushed for 232 yards and three scores and
Aaron Espero went for 96 and three. This has been a section power under coach Stark since 2006, winning 10 or more games 12 successive seasons with seasons of 12-2, 12-1, 11-3 and 11-1 of late, relying on the old-school wing-T run scheme.
18. (26) Palo Alto, 5-0Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Nelson Gifford
Next: vs. Wilcox
Update: The Vikings beat Milpitas 41-13 as
Jackson Chryst passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns, all to
Jamir Shepard, to set up a meeting of unbeatens against Wilcox. The Vikings have won five section titles since 2004 and a state title in 2010 with a 14-0 team.
19. (28) Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park), 5-0Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Gehrig Hotalling
Next: vs. Cardinal Newman
Update: The Cougars downed Northern Section power Pleasant Valley 35-27 as
Rasheed Rankin rushed for 123 yards and three scores to set up a showdown against unbeaten Cardinal Newman.
20. (27) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 4-1Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Rancho Cotate
Update: The Cardinals beat Galena 44-0 as Jackson Pavitt passed for two touchdowns and ran for one and Shaen Moran rushed for two scores. The loss was to Liberty 31-14. This has been a power since the 1970s, winning 11 or more games nine times since 2006.
21. (24) California (San Ramon), 4-1Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Monte Vista
Update: The Grizzlies beat Granada 24-21 to win their third consecutive game since a loss to Antioch. This program has been legit for years, going 11-2 in 2007, 12-2 in 2010 and 11-3 in 2013.
22. (NR) Capital Christian (Sacramento), 6-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Athletic
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. Del Campo
Update: The Cougars are rising fast under second-year coach Taylor, who had a 15-year championship run at Del Oro. Capital is now in Division III and has a college tailback recruit in
D'Marcus Ross, a fourth-year starter who has 91 career touchdowns.
23. (22) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), 3-2Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda
Coach: Napolean Kaufman
Next: vs. Berkeley
Update: The Dragons lost to St. Mary's of Stockton 44-20 after beating Monte Vista 17-16. The Dragons have been a power of late with record success.
24. (23) Monte Vista (Danville), 4-1Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Matt Russi
Next: vs. California
Update: The Mustangs beat Livermore after falling to Bishop O'Dowd. An earlier win was over Granite Bay 9-3. Monte Vista went 11-1 in 2005 and 12-1 in 2016.
25. (34) Eureka, 6-0Section: North Coast
League: Humboldt Del Norte
Coach: Jason White
Next: vs. Livermore
Update: The Loggers are a power from the northern part of the state, having gone 12-2 in 2009 and 11-1 last season.
Cruz Montana has passed for 1,444 yards and 14 touchdowns.
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