Northern California high school football rankings: De La Salle, Folsom, WCAL teams expect to win section crowns

By Joe Davidson

The season started in the heat of July and August with the start of fall camp and then scrimmages and games.

1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), (10-0)
Section: North Coast
Last week: Beat Clayton Valley Charter, 49-3
Next: Nov. 15 vs. San Marin
The top-ranked team by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle and the NCS champion for 31 successive seasons in remaining unbeaten against NCS foes since 1991, the Spartans won the East Bay League and earned the No. 1 seed in NCS Open/D-I playoffs. DLS capped its 28th unbeaten season in school history, according to Cal-Hi Sports. Earlier wins were over Grant, Serra, Saint Francis and St. Mary's.

2. (2) Pittsburg, (9-1)
Section: North Coast
Last week: Beat Antioch, 57-16
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Clayton Valley Charter
The Pirates win the Little Big Game behind big nights from Makari Kenion and Marley Alcantara. Pitt is the No. 2 seed in the NCS Open/D-I field. This is the last NCS program to defeat De La Salle, way back in 1991. The loss this season was to national power St. John Bosco.

3. (3) Folsom, (9-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
Last week: Bye
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Downey (Modesto)
The top-ranked team by The Sacramento Bee and a nine-time section champion since 2010, including three in a row, the Bulldogs are the top seed in the SJS D-I bracket. The Bulldogs are led by 2023 Bee Player of the Year Ryder Lyons, a 5-star quarterback who tossed five touchdowns in each of his last four games. The loss was early, by a point to Serra early in non-league play.

4. (4) Clovis East (Clovis), (11-0)
Section: Central
Last week: Beat Tulare, 48-20
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Clovis
The Timberwolves backed up their Tri-River Athletic Conference championship with the top seed in the Division I-AA playoffs and rolled last week behind Tyus Miller, who found Blake Mathieu for three touchdown strikes, and Taemell Horton rushed for 217 yards and two scores.
An earlier win was over Grant.

5. (8) St. Mary's (Stockton), (8-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
Last week: Bye
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Vacaville
The Rams won the Tri-City Athletic League championship and earned the No. 2 seed in the SJS D-I playoffs behind Rocklin. St. Mary's is in the playoffs for the 22nd consecutive season. The in-state loss was 38-35 to De La Salle.

6. (9) San Ramon Valley (Danville), (9-1)
Section: North Coast
Last week: Beat Monte Vista, 38-7
Next: Nov. 15 vs. California
The Wolves won the East Bay Athletic League Mountain Division crown behind Rhett Thompson, who had four touchdown passes against Monte Vista and earned the No. 3 seed in the Open/D-I bracket. The projections have San Ramon Valley likely taking on the loser of the De La Salle-Pitt Open final to decide the NCS D-I champion. An early big win was over St. Ignatius, and the loss was to De La Salle.

7. (11) St. Ignatius College Preparatory (San Francisco), 8-2
Section: Central Coast
Last week: Beat Mitty, 24-19
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Salinas
The Wildcats are co-champions of the West Catholic Athletic League and earned the No. 1 seed in the CCS Open Division. A rematch with Saint Francis could happen to decide the section champion.

8. (5) Saint Francis (Mountain View), (8-2)
Section: Central Coast
Last week: Lost to Riordan, 34-24
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Valley Christian
The Lancers, an 18-time CCS champion, are co-champions of the WCAL and earned the No. 2 seed in the CCS Open Division. One loss was to De La Salle.

9. (6) Clovis North (Fresno), (8-3)
Section: Central
Last week: Beat Sanger, 24-6
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Central
The defending Central Section Division I champions opened Division I-AA playoff action with a rout of Sanger as McKay Madsen accounted for three scores, two passing. Two losses were to state-ranked JSerra and Los Alamitos.

10. (10) Grant (Sacramento), (7-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
Last week: Bye
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Jesuit
Ranked third by The Sacramento Bee and seeking a section three-peat and a third successive trip to a CIF state final, the Pacers earned the No. 3 seed in the SJS D-II bracket behind Rocklin and St. Mary's. The losses were to De La Salle, Clovis East and San Diego No. 1-ranked Lincoln.

11. (20) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), (6-4)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
Last week: Bye
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Monterey Trail
Ranked second by The Sacramento Bee, the Trojans earned the No. 2 seed in the SJS D-I bracket after beating Rocklin, 17-6, to finish second to Folsom in the Sierra Foothill League. Three losses were to out-of-section powers and the other to Folsom.

12. (7) Rocklin, (8-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
Last week: Bye
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Elk Grove
The Thunder are the top seed in the SJS D-II bracket and aim to repeat behind returning starters such as QB Reeve Slone and RB/LB Derek Keeley. The losses were in Sierra Foothill League play, to Folsom and Oak Ridge.

13. (13) Central (Fresno), (9-2)
Section: Central
Last week: Beat Liberty, 35-14
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Clovis North
The Grizzlies rolled in a DI-AA quarterfinal as Jelani Dippel hit Daylon Scott for three touchdown passes, and he ran for a score. This sets up a rematch with rival and defending champion Clovis North in a semifinal. Clovis North won the first meeting 26-21. The other loss was 34-26 to unbeaten Clovis East.

14. (NR) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco), (6-4)
Section: Central Coast
Last week: Beat Saint Francis, 34-24
Next: Nov. 16 vs. Soquel
The Crusaders are battle tested from the rigors of the WCAL and have picked up steam after beating defending league and CCS Open champion Serra, and then topping Saint Francis behind QB leader Michael Mitchell Jr. Early non-league losses were to Pittsburg, St. Bonaventure.

15. (NR) Clovis, (8-3)
Section: Central
Last week: Beat Hanford, 49-31
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Clovis East
The Cougars started the season 6-0 and lost to Clovis North 35-14, Clovis East 52-33 and to Central 41-20, all teams ranked higher here. But beating previously unbeaten Hanford in a D-1AA playoff opener sets up a rematch with unbeaten Clovis East.

16. (16) Marin Catholic (Kentfield), (8-2)
Section: North Coast
Last week: Beat Windsor, 24-21
Next: Nov. 16. vs. Cardinal Newman
The Wildcats won the Redwood Empire Adobe Division with a perfect record. The new playoff wrinkle has Marin Catholic in the NCS Open/D1 bracket as the No. 4 seed. MC beat Cardinal Newman 13-3 earlier in league play.

17. (12) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), (9-1)
Section: North Coast
Last week: Beat Vintage, 33-0
Next: Nov. 16 at Marin Catholic
The Cardinals lost a tough 13-3 league game to Marin Catholic on Nov. 2 and got a rematch as the No. 5 seed in the NCS Open/D1 bracket.

18. (18) Junipero Serra (San Mateo), (5-5)
Section: Central Coast
Last week: Beat Valley Christian, 29-3
Next: Nov. 16 vs. Los Gatos
The Padres have hung tough after graduating the house from one of the greatest teams in CCS history and loom as a threat in the CCS D-I field. The team's WCAL losses were to Riordan, Saint Francis and St. Ignatius with non-league losses to De La Salle and Bosco with an early win by one at Folsom.

19 (18) Soquel, (8-2)
Section: Central Coast
Last week: Beat Aptos, 44-0
Next: Nov. 16 at Riordan
The Pacific Coast Gabilan League champions are in the CCS D-I field and have a shot to rock the bracket with a win over Riordan. The winning streak is eight. The losses were in the opening weeks of the season to Los Gatos (14-7) and San Ramon Valley (14-7).

20. (18) Manteca, (9-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
Last week: Bye
Next: Nov. 15 vs. Rodrigues (Fairfield)
A nine-time section champion since 2001, the Buffaloes are the No. 4 seed in the SJS D-II bracket, below Rocklin, St. Mary's and Grant in a stacked field. The loss was 29-28 early to Marin Catholic.

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports in Northern California since 1984, including at The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow his work on sacbee.com, on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and on Instagram: JoeDavidsonMedia