For the first time in what feels like forever, De La Salle is not the No. 1 in Northern California after the Spartans were defeated by Saint Francis 31-28 on Friday in a nonleague game in Mountain View. The victory broke an improbable unbeaten streak of 318 games (316 wins, two ties) against Northern California teams.
The last loss for the Spartans against teams North of the Fresno region was 35-27 to Pittsburg in the 1991 North Coast Section 3A championship game at the Oakland Coliseum.
Game balls go to all of the Lancers, a storied program with a record 17 Central Section championships, and some competitive efforts against De La Salle in the past. This was no fluke. This was an earned victory. Folsom is now No. 1.
Saint Francis senior running back Viliami Teu rushed for 184 yards and a touchdown in last week's stunning 31-28 upset of De La Salle.
File photo by Dennis Putian
1 (Last week: 2) Folsom, 3-0Last week: Bye
Next: Oak Ridge, Friday
Update: The Bulldogs move to No. 1 in Northern California for the first time since 1962 with a ton of No. 2 finishes behind De La Salle in the last 10 or so seasons. Folsom plays De La Salle on Oct. 8 but has a whopper of a Sierra Foothill League opener first. Folsom has won eight section and four CIF State titles since 2010 and has not lost in league play since 2011.
2. (3) Serra (San Mateo), 2-0Last week: Beat Half Moon Bay 47-7
Next: Mitty (San Jose), Sept. 25
Update: In two games, the Padres have allowed one touchdown while scoring 88 points. The opener against Pittsburg was canceled due to poor air. The West Catholic Athletic League includes fellow NorCal-ranked Saint Francis, Valley Christian and Bellarmine.
3. (25) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 2-0Last week: Beat De La Salle 31-28
Next: St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Sept. 25
Update: The Lancers make a quantum leap in these rankings because of the magnitude of their victory over De La Salle. The win matters all the more if Saint Francis keeps winning.
Matthew Dougherty hit
Nicolas Andrighetto for the game-winning touchdown with less than a minute to go, and
Viliami Teu rushed for 184 yards and a score.
4. (1) De La Salle (Concord.), 2-1Last week: Lost to Saint Francis 31-28
Next: Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), Friday
Outlook: The Spartans handled defeat with class, especially coach Justin Alumbaugh, and it's how DLS responds from here that matters most. DLS trailed 24-7 to Saint Francis and took the lead late. DLS still has not lost to a NCS team since 1991, a streak of 253 games. It still has gone a gaudy 403-6-2 against NorCal teams North of Fresno since 1984. De La Salle has won 28 consecutive section championships and has reached a record 14 successive CIF State finals.
5. (4) Pittsburg, 1-1Last week: Beat Valley Christian (San Jose) 42-20
Next: Wilcox (Santa Clara), Friday
Update: Jaden Rashada had three touchdown passes and
Khai Taylor led the defense with three interceptions a week after the D was taken to task by Folsom in a 31-17 setback. Pittsburg is the last North Coast Section program to beat De La Salle, doing so in the 1991 NCS finals.
6. (9) Rocklin, 3-0Last week: Beat Capital Christian 43-14
Next: Whitney (Rocklin), Friday
Update: Kenny Lueth had five total touchdowns a week after doing the same, and the defense set a physical tone. Rocklin is the second-ranked team in the Sac-Joaquin Section behind Sierra Foothill League rival Folsom.
7. (6) Clovis, 4-0Last week: Beat Whitney (Rocklin) 27-7
Next: Bullard (Fresno), Friday
Update: Tristan Risley had a rushing touchdown and set career scoring marks that stood for 35 years. The Central Section includes Central and Buchanan.
8. (7) Central (Fresno), 3-0Last week: Beat Edison (Stockton) 17-10
Next: Ridgeview, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies got past one of the top teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section with more defense, the theme of the season.
9. (7) Buchanan (Clovis), 3-1Last week: Lost to Los Alamitos 34-31
Next: Edison (Fresno), Sept. 24
Update: The Bears lost to a higher state-ranked team. The defense had allowed one score in the first three games.
10. (18) Jesuit (Carmichael), 2-1Last week: Beat Christian Brothers 44-0
Next: Pleasant Grove, Saturday
Update: The Marauders were floored in their opener at Folsom and have since defeated Granite Bay 28-14 and rival Christian Brothers behind
Kai Santos,
Kai Wallin,
Jackson Hagopian and a host of others.
11. (19) Granite Bay, 3-1Last week: Beat Vacaville 14-9
Next: Del Oro (Loomis), Friday
Update: The Grizzlies did not allow a touchdown against Vacaville and have lost only 28-14 to Jesuit. The Sierra Foothill League includes fellow-NorCal ranked teams in Del Oro, Folsom and Oak Ridge
12. Del Oro (Loomis), 4-0Last week: Bear River Valley (Yuba City) 41-7
Next: Granite Bay, Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles have a defensive stopper in
Jimmy Brear and a QB leader in
Ryan Lewis. The Sierra Foothill League opener is against a rival.
13. (9) Valley Christian (San Jose), 2-1Last week: Lost to Pittsburg 42-20
Next: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Sept. 24
Update: Despite two touchdown passes from
Jakson Berman to
Jurrion Dickey, it wasn't enough against Pittsburg.
14. (17) Los Gatos, 3-0Last week: Beat Live Oak (Morgan Hill) 35-7
Next: Half Moon Bay, Friday
Update: The Wildcats rolled with
Emiliano Mejia and
Jake Ripp and a stout defense.
15. (20) Central Catholic (Modesto), 3-0Last week: Beat San Ramon Valley (Danville), 21-14
Next: Bellarmine (San Jose), Friday
Update: The Raiders are in the midst of taking on Bay Area powers, having gotten past San Ramon Valley and now gearing up for Bellarmine. CC rushed for 275 yards on 35 carries against the Wolves. An earlier win was over St. Mary's (Stockton).
16. (21) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) 2-0Last week: Beat San Leandro 41-6
Next: Central Catholic, Friday
Update: The Bells had a bye after opening with a rout of Menlo-Atherton. Central Catholic is a great challenge.
17. (10) San Ramon Valley (Danville), 1-1Last week: lost Central Catholic (Modesto) 21-14
Next: Antioch, Friday
Update: Jack Quigley had two touchdown strikes for the second week in a row, and there is no shame in losing to Sac-Joaquin Section power Central Catholic.
18. (17) McClymonds (Oakland), 2-0Last week: Beat De Anza (Richmond) 22-8
Next: Marin Catholic, Friday
Update: Mack, with 18 returning starters, has been fueled by its defense and prepares for a prolific Marin Catholic team.
19. (NR) San Leandro, 2-1Last week: Lost to Bellarmine 41-6
Next: Campolindo (Moraga), Friday
Update: Early big wins over Cardinal Newman and Freedom lost momentum with a setback to storied Bellarmine.
20. (12) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 2-1Last week: Beat Vintage (Napa) 32-29
Next: De Anza, Friday
Update: Santino Acevedo rushed for 159 yards and three scores against Vintage. Another big win was over Vacvaille.
21. (12) Vacaville, 2-2Last week: Lost to Granite Bay 14-9
Next: vs. Tracy, Friday
Update: The Bulldogs managed just three field goals against Granite Bay. An early win was 17-10 over Oak Ridge. The other loss was 20-13 in overtime to Cardinal Newman.
22. (15) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 2-1Last week: Beat Elk Grove 28-27
Next: Folsom, Friday
Update: The Trojans stopped Elk Grove's two-point conversion attempt as time ran out. The loss was 17-10 to Vacaville. Oak Ridge plays Folsom to open Sierra Foothill League play, having last beaten its rivals in 2006.
23. (15) Edison (Stockton), 3-1Last week: Lost to Central (Fresno) 17-10
Next: Pitman (Turlock), Friday
Update: The Vikings pushed a Central Section powerhouse to the wire and looms as a threat again in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I race.
24. (25) Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 3-0Last week: Beat Casa Grande (Santa Rosa) 28-7
Next: McClymonds, Friday
Update: The Wildcats have allowed seven points in three games but faces a big, fast and experienced team in three-time state champion McClymonds.
25. (tie) (25) Aptos, 3-0Last week: Beat Palma (Salinas) 47-42
Next: Salinas, Friday
Update: The Mariners and longtime coach Randy Blakenship won a thriller as
Nick Forbes passed for a touchdown and ran for two.
25. (tie) (25) St. Mary's (Stockton), 1-2Last week: Beat St. Ignatius 38-10
Next: Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), Friday
Update: The Rams broke open a close game after halftime as Jadyn Marshall ran for two scores for a team that rushed for 312 on the day. The losses were to De La Salle and Central Catholic.
The next 1026.
Inderkum (Sacramento), 2-0
27.
Benicia, 2-0
28.
Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 1-2
29.
Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 2-1
30.
Lincoln (Stockton), 1-1
31.
California (San Ramon), 3-0
32.
Manteca, 4-0
33.
Palma (Salinas) 2-1
34.
San Benito (Hollister), 2-0
35.
Liberty (Brentwood), 1-1
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.
