Honor Bowl 2014: Cross-state matchups highlight NorCal high school football event

LOOMIS, Calif. — The draw has always been football, but the message is to honor the country's service men and women.

So the motto makes perfect sense: "The Honor Bowl is more than just a football game."

That bigger-picture view is extended outwardly for the fifth annual Honor Bowl event, as the five Northern California games will feature out-of-state teams.

Those contests will be played Friday and Saturday at Del Oro (Loomis, Calif.), followed by five more games next week in Southern California at Oceanside.

Among the teams showcased over the two weekends are perennial national powers Bellevue (Wash.), Serra (Gardena, Calif.), Centennial (Corona, Calif.), Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.) and Mission Viejo (Calif.), along with previous California State Bowl winners and finalists Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), Del Oro, Oceanside and Orange Lutheran.

Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), Clovis North (Fresno), Elk Grove, Helix (La Mesa) and Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) are all state contenders this year.

This year five Nevada teams will make appearances — including defending state 4A runner-up Reed (Sparks) — and Kamehameha (Hawaii), from Honolulu, will be making its initial showing at the Honor Bowl.

Founder and chairman Mark Soto said while this might be the best and most interesting set of matchups since the event's inception, the focus is still about soldiers past and present.

"It's 100 percent why I started this and why all the hundreds of volunteers are dedicated to what they do," Soto said. "They've been dedicated to educating students and communities around the state — and now Nevada, Hawaii and Washington — about what our veterans do for this country."

Here are capsule looks at the five Northern California games.

Look for Southern California capsules next week, which will feature the national showdown between Bellevue and Serra, currently ranked No. 16 and No. 19, respectively, in the Xcellent 25 National Rankings.

Honor Bowl Northern California at Loomis High School

Friday

Elk Grove vs. Damonte Ranch (Reno, Nev.), 5:30 p.m.

MaxPreps correspondent and longtime Sacramento Bee writer Joe Davidson has ranked Elk Grove (12-2 a year ago) the No. 2 team in the Sac Joaquin Section thanks largely to standouts running back Spencer Sheff (791 yards, 11 TDs), defensive back Shaunard Harts, quarterback Tyler Vander Waal, and defensive tackle Sai Ta'amu. Elk Grove has rattled off three straight 12-win seasons. Damonte Ranch was 7-4 last season and under coach Shawn Dupris are ranked 22nd in Nevada. The Mustangs scored 361 points last season.

Del Oro vs. Kamehameha, 8 p.m.

Davidson ranked Del Oro (13-3) third in the SJS a year after it reached a state Bowl game for the second time in three seasons. Receiver Trey Udoffia (nine TDs receiving), defensive back Justin Burrage (seven interceptions) and quarterback Logan Hurst lead the charge. Kamehameha (9-2) is ranked third in Hawaii coming into the season under coach Kevin O'Brien and have made trips to the mainland three times. This is its first trip to Northern California. Last year the Warriors outscored foes 359-156.

Saturday

Reed vs. Clovis North, 2 p.m.

Reed, which opened the season with a 66-13 loss to the nation's No. 25 team Mountain Pointe (Phoenix), has two superb quarterbacks in dual threat Jackson Gilmore (6-3, 205) and Matt Denn, who rushed for 107 yards on just four carries last week including a 46-yard touchdown. Reed, under coach Ernie Howren, has won 34 games over the last three years and at least eight games in nine of the last 10 seasons. Cody DeHaan (6-3, 255) and Cody Carr (6-2, 300) are standout interior lineman. Clovis North is ranked 20th in the state after going 11-3 last year, losing in the Central Section final to eventual state champion Bakersfield, 60-21. Under coach Cory Hall, the Broncos have gone a combined 33-8 the last three years with a section title in 2012.

Cardinal Newman vs. Churchill County (Fallon, Nev.), 5 p.m.

Under coach Paul Cronin, Newman has reached the State Bowl game twice, including the very first game, a 27-20 loss to nationally ranked Oaks Christian. The Cardinals have gone 103-25-2 since 2004 and were 8-4 last season. Churchill County, under Brooke Hill, is ranked 20th in Nevada after going 10-2 last season, while outscoring foes 494-165. Balance was key for the Greenwave which threw for 2,356 yards and rushed for 2,005, including 204 by then-junior Nathan Heck. Junior Cameron Matzen (43 catches, 1,030 yards, 15 touchdowns) and senior Tyler Bagby (30-875) are two key receivers back.

Clayton Valley Charter vs. Carson (Carson City, Nev.), 8 p.m

Clayton Valley (11-2 last year) should make a state Bowl charge thanks largely to three returners: running back Miles Harrison, lineman/linebacker Jax Carterr (6-3, 235) and offensive linemen/defensive end Grifin Bentley (6-4, 230). The Eagles also have one of the nation's top recruits Kahlil Mckenzie (6-4, 340) on their roster — he transferred from De La Salle — but the Tennessee-bound defensive lineman's eligibility is in question and he might not play. Carson, coached by Blair Roman, is ranked 17th in Nevada after going 9-3 last season, losing in the state semifinals to Reed, 47-39. The team returns starting quarterback Nolan Shine, leading rusher Seamus Burns and receiver Tyler Rogers.