MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Top 25 high school football rankings

MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Top 25 Football Rankings

1. Franklin (Elk Grove) (1) 9-0
A week after topping then No. 1 Elk Grove 17-7, the Wildcats moved to 9-0 for the first time in the program's 10-year varsity history with a 66-8 rout over Laguna Creek (Elk Grove) in Delta Valley Conference action, with Christian Fonbuena kick-starting the fireworks with a 97-yard kickoff return for a score. This is a very balanced team on offense, and a unit that is fast and aggressive on defense. Still, coach Mike Johnson provides constant doses of reality, reminding the troops, "We haven't done anything yet." "Yet" would signify a first Section Division I championship. At Monterey Trail next.

2. Folsom (2) 9-0
Clinched at least a share of another Delta River League championship with a 42-25 victory over upset-minded Ponderosa, a physical team that lead 25-21 at the half. Sophomore quarterback Jake Browning overcame three first-half interceptions to fire four touchdown passes. He had 393 yards. Lucas Owan had 212 yards receiving. Browning now has 3,438 yards passing and 40 touchdowns and showed great poise in bouncing back from a rough half. Host Pleasant Grove on Friday, and then it's a sprint to the D-II section finals.

3. Elk Grove (3) 8-1
Bounced back from its 17-7 loss to Franklin to outscore Monterey Trail 54-40 in a wild shootout. Elk Grove welcomed the return of quarterback Tommy Arnold, who sat the Franklin game, and it unleashed its two-headed backfield of Robert Frazier and Wadus Parker, who went for a combined 400 yards and seven scores. The Thundering Herd closes the DVC schedule at Davis before a race to the D-II section finals, having lost to Folsom in the semifinals last season.

4. Burbank (Sacramento) (4) 9-0
Rolled McClatchy 50-0 in Metropolitan Conference action as a 10-0 regular season seems clear before a chance to win the program's first section title. The run game out of the triple-option is dominant and so is the defense. Yes, the Metro isn't the greatest league assembled, but talent is talent, and Burbank has it. Finish against winless Kennedy (Sacramento).

5. St. Mary's (Stockton) (5) 7-2
Beat Stagg (Stockton) 43-34 in a thriller to clinch at least a share of yet another Tri-City Athletic League championship. The Rams have won 29 in a row in league play and have not lost a TCAL game since 2006. St. Mary's junior Kaleb Parrish passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns, two to Jalen Ratliff. Losses are to Central Catholic (Modesto) 28-21 and De La Salle (Concord) 21-13. The D-II Rams fully expect to compete for a section title. At McNair (Stockton) on Friday.

6. Buhach Colony (Atwater) (6) 7-2
Rolled Turlock 61-27 to clinch at least a share of another Central California Conference title, thanks to more bruising running and defense under coach Kevin Swartwood. The Thunder have gone 24-2 in the previous two seasons combined but are more battle-tested now with a stronger nonleague schedule, making for another D-II title threat. BC has four straight impressive wins since the crushing 36-35 home loss to NorCal power Serra (San Mateo), which won it with a late two-point run. Play Atwater on Friday.

7. Granite Bay (7) 6-3
The wheels are back in place for the defending D-I section champions, starting with the double-overtime 41-34 win over Rocklin and a 21-7 triumph of Del Oro and then Friday's 48-13 rout of Woodcreek to clinch at least a share of the Sierra Foothill League title. Tony Ellison had four total scores - two rushing and two receiving - as the next terrific fly back under coach Ernie Cooper. Losses are to Westlake, Oaks Christian and Pittsburg (Antioch). At Nevada Union on Friday.

8. Placer (Auburn) (8) 9-0
Beat rival Colfax 24-7 to set up a Pioneer Valley League championship showdown in Auburn this Friday against Center (Antelope). The Hillmen had five interceptions, and received a monster effort from defensive end Stone Sander, who had two sacks and a pick. Isaiah Pineiro had two picks, including one he returned for a score. Isaac Brahce rushed for 172 yards. The coaches want better execution on offense and continue to rave about the D.

9. Central Catholic (Modesto) (9) 7-2
Beat Central Valley (Ceres) 38-6 to maintain control of the Western Football League standings with a Week 10 encounter against second-place Patterson. The run game of Rey Vega and Ray Lomas has been strong, as has the defense. Wins include St. Mary's (28-21) with losses to Placer and Downey.

10. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (10) 8-1
Beat defending Delta River League champion Pleasant Grove 38-19 to keep pace in the championship chase. Balance on offense and a dominating defensive line effort were key in rallying from an early 12-0 hole. Jason Samuels passed for 233 yards and a touchdown and the Trojans ran for 243 yards, with Blake Martin going for 115 and two scores and Tanner Hughes battering away for 59 and two. Zack Claiborne had four of his team's seven sacks and has a NorCal-leading 16.5 on the season, a year after having 11.5. He's 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds of unblockable fury at defensive end. Play Jesuit before talking on the D-I playoff field.

11. Oakdale (11) 8-1
Beat Manteca 28-7 to lock up the Valley Oak League yet again with more ground-and-pound offense and unyielding defense. Spencer Thomas is as steady as they come at quarterback, too. Loss was to San Diego-area No.1 Oceanside in SoCal showcase. Week 10 is Senior Night against Sonora, and then it's on to the D-III section race.

12. Merced (13) 6-3
Beat Atwater 17-7 in the 43rd Santa Fe Bowl after a scoreless first half in a Central California Conference game to secure the Bears' first playoff berth since 2008. Postseason droughts here are rare as this is a section power from the 1980s, '90s and last decade. Anthony Munoz returned a fumble for a score and the defense was strong yet again. Wins include Downey and losses were to Buhach Colony and playoff-bound Fresno teams Edison and Clovis North.

13. Downey (Modesto) (13) 8-1
Rolled Davis (Modesto) 71-7 in a Modesto Metro game. Aaron Zwahlen passed for 283 yards and five touchdowns to give him 38 touchdown passes. Mario Sanchez rushed for 116 yards and the defense was never threatened. Play Beyer (Modesto) before bounding into the playoff field. Loss was to Merced.

14. Del Campo (Fair Oaks) (15) 7-2
Beat Bella Vista 49-10 to remain unbeaten in Capital Valley Conference play. Austin Brown rushed for two scores and Derek Rodigo had two touchdown passes to set up a CVC title showdown at Rio Linda on Friday. Only local loss was 20-16 to then Section No. 1 Elk Grove. Big threat in D-III playoffs here.

15. Rocklin (14) 5-4
Beat Roseville 49-14 in the Sierra Foothill League as Logan Webb had four touchdown passes, including two to former starting quarterback Daniel Kniffin, who missed a chunk of the season with a shoulder injury. Last loss was a 41-34 double-overtime setback to Granite Bay. Webb, just a junior, has 14 touchdowns in his last three games. At Del Oro in Week 10 where the winner is in the playoffs and the loser is in agony. Suffered close early losses to Pleasant Grove (35-21), Oak Ridge (16-7) and Del Campo (21-20).

16. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) (12) 6-3
Lost to Oak Ridge 38-19 after storming to a 12-0 lead. The offensive line, a pillar of strength in recent years, allowed seven sacks. Quarterback Dre Terrell and tailback Isaiah Saunders vowed to bounce back strong for the defending Delta River League champions, who can tie for the crown with a win at Folsom on Friday before entering the D-I playoffs.

17. Yuba City (18) 8-1
Beat Natomas 55-7 in Tri-County League play in its quest to win a league title for the first time since 1987 with leaders Taylor Elkins and Nate Van Dusen leading the charge. Loss was to Placer 42-33. Wins include 49-42 over Inderkum (Sacramento), the five-time league champion. Play River Valley (Yuba City) before taking on the postseason field.

18. Whitney (Rocklin) (19) 8-1
The Wildcats belted Cordova 56-8 to maintain their unbeaten status in the Capital Athletic League with the CAL title showdown with Antelope coming this Friday. Sutter Choisser and Jordan Powell each had two rushing touchdowns as the line dominated, as did the D. Loss was 6-0 to Rocklin. Whitney is the defending CAL champion, beating Antelope for top honors.

19. Stagg (Stockton) (20) 8-1
There's no shame losing to St. Mary's 43-34, considering the absolute beat downs the Rams have inflicted on teams in this city for a good long while. Stagg is for real and a serious threat in the D-I playoff mix behind quarterback Wayne Brooks, who passed for 364 yards and three touchdowns and had a 74-yard scoring run. Lester Williams also had an 84-yard kickoff return for the Delta Kings, who haven't been in a game of this magnitude since the late 1990s.

20. Del Oro (Loomis) (21) 4-5
The Golden Eagles have won four of five games and looked all-world in the first half in storming to a 42-15 lead over Nevada Union and prevailing 45-35 to keep those playoff hopes alive. As it stands now, Del Oro is tied for second place with Rocklin in the Sierra Foothill League behind Granite Bay, and Del Oro plays host to Rocklin on Friday for a winner take-a-playoff scenario. Zach Labar passed for 274 yards and three touchdowns, Brandon Monroe ran for 192 yards and caught 119 yards worth of passes for four total scores in showcasing his outrageous ability. Losses include Westlake (16-13 in overtime), Burbank (28-23) and Grant (31-30) before beating then NorCal No. 3 Logan (Union City) 20-13 in overtime.

21. Center (Antelope) (21) 8-1
The Cougars beat Foothill (Sacramento) 68-7 as D'Juan Bellaire ran for 316 yards and five touchdowns and Joe Swen went for 110 and two to continue the school's best-ever start. Next is the ultimate test for a team that has won eight straight: at Placer for the Pioneer Valley League crown. Center has a win over Rio Linda and beat 6-1 Bear River
(Lake of the Pines) 36-0 a week after Bear River fell at Placer 14-7.

22. Lincoln (Stockton) (23) 6-3
Rolled Franklin (Stockton) 52-20 in maintaining hold on San Joaquin AA race. Justin Davis and Zack Greenlee continue to lead the way for a program that was preseason ranked No. 1 in the section and No. 2 in NorCal. Losses are to Elk Grove, St. Mary's and Granite Bay. This is very much a D-I playoff threat.

23. Vacaville (24) 6-3
Routed Rodriguez 70-31 after leading 42-17 at the half in clinching at least a share of the Monticello Empire League title. Nic Ardave passed for 112 yards and two scores and the Bulldogs rushed for 415 yards behind 11 ball carriers. Curtis Goins had three total scores. Play rival Wood (Vacaville) before embarking on D-II section title repeat run. Losses were to Granite Bay, Oak Ridge and Deer Valley.

24. Nevada Union (Grass Valley) (17) 5-4
The Miners trailed Del Oro 42-15 at the half in a Sierra Foothill League contest then made a game of it before falling 45-35 despite some superb passing by Kyle Cota, who went for 448 yards and three touchdowns. Tanner Vallejo had 12 tackles. NU needs a win at home on Friday over first-place Granite Bay in order to secure a playoff berth, or get a lot of help elsewhere in the D-I field to sneak in with a loss as an at-large entry. The Miners prefer a win, of course.

(TIE) 25. Vista del Lago (Folsom) (NR) 8-1
The Eagles are soaring, having won eight straight since opening with a 42-6 loss to Oak Ridge in a game that was 14-6 at the half. This is a relatively new program led by a veteran coach in Chris Jones who won three Sac-Joaquin Section D-II titles at Oak Ridge. Vista was idle but still buzzing after clinching at least a share of the Sierra Valley Conference title by beating Cosumnes Oaks 35-34 in a thriller as sophomore quarterback Matt Jimison passed for 355 yards and four touchdowns, two to Brad Rittenhouse. Next is Union Mine (El Dorado).

(TIE) 25. Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove) (25) 7-2
Beat Liberty Ranch (Galt) 51-21 as Kaelin Willhite rushed for 211 yards and four touchdowns in a Sierra Valley Conference game. The Wolfpack responded from their home setback to Vista del Lago, 35-34. Host River City on Friday.

(TIE) 25. Los Banos (25) 8-1
Beat Livingston 28-18 to stay within a game of Central Catholic in the Western League. Delvonte Moore filled in for hobbled starter James Sams at tailback and ran for 151 yards in the second half for a total of 196 and two scores. Livingston led 10-7 at the half behind three first-half interceptions. Loss was 35-14 to Central Catholic after it was tied 14-14 at the half.

On the bubble: Inderkum (Sacramento) (7-2), Rio Linda (8-1), Antelope (8-1), Grant (Sacramento) (4-5), Ripon (10-0), Argonaut (Jackson) (9-0), Amador (Sutter Creek) (7-1), Sierra (Manteca) (8-1), Dixon (8-1), Napa (6-3), American Canyon (8-1), Ponderosa (Shingle Springs) (5-4), Capital Christian (Sacramento) (8-1), Calaveras (San Andreas) (7-2), Benicia (6-2), Pitman (Turlock) (6-2), Escalon (7-2), Atwater (6-3), Bear River (Grass Valley) (7-2)

Sac-Joaquin Section news and notes...

* Kaelin Willhite had 211 yards and four touchdowns for Cosumnes Oaks in a rout of Liberty Ranch, and the intrigue carried right into the late evening. Willhite is the son of famed regional runner Kevin Willhite, the National Player of the Year from Cordova in 1981 when he was the nation's No. 1 tailback recruit. Young Willhite had a 95-yard touchdown run, something the old man never did. Old Willhite said he is glad his emerging senior son does not have to endure the recruiting madness and expectations of greatness that soured his experiences. Here's a Sacramento Bee link to a follow-up column.

* The Placer-Colfax game included a shirtless spectator who wandered onto the field. He picked up the football and was then tackled by Troy Minton-Sander, a 1988 Placer player and law enforcement officer in the region. He is the father of Placer player Stone Sander. Placer national recruit lineman Eddie Vanderdoes to the Auburn Journal, "Hit of the year." Here is the video link from the Auburn Journal.

* Folsom receiver Phillip Carter has given a verbal commitment to play at San Jose State, where he will join Del Oro senior tailback Brandon Monroe.

Big area games Friday include:

* Antelope at Whitney to decide the Capital Athletic League for the third successive season. Antelope won in 2010 and Whitney last season.

* Center at Placer to crown the Pioneer Valley League champion. Center has speed on offense and Placer fields a physical, unyielding defense.

* Del Campo at Rio Linda for the Capital Valley Conference title. Both teams live to run and hit.

* Pleasant Grove at Folsom in a Delta River League finale. If Folsom prevails, it takes the title outright. If Pleasant Grove wins, it forces a three-way tie for the title with Oak Ridge, if the Trojans can topple Jesuit. Pleasant Grove has won or shared four league titles in recent years and Folsom three, including 2010 when the Bulldogs stormed to the State Division II championship.

* Rocklin at Del Oro boils down to this: the winner is in the playoffs and the loser is likely out. These clubs are tied for second place in the Sierra Foothill League behind Granite Bay. The top two teams in every division in the section reach the playoffs, and then it comes down to wins and other criteria.

* Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) needs to beat top-ranked Franklin in a Delta Valley Conference finale to secure a playoff berth. The Mustangs are coming off tough losses to Grant (14-7) and No. 3 Elk Grove (54-40).

* Grant needs a victory over 2-7 Laguna Creek to lock down the program's 22nd consecutive playoff streak, the longest in the section. Grant (4-5) has close losses to Burbank (36-27) and Franklin (34-26), when a game-winning field goal attempt was blocked and returned for a score on the final play. Grant has a 31-30 win over Del Oro and also crushing losses to Nevada Union (37-7) and Oak Ridge (42-14).

Joe Davidson has covered high schools with The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD; on Facebook: sacbeepreps; and online: sacbee.com/preps; and radio podcasts: ESPN1320.net.