MaxPreps 2017 preseason Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

Video: Xcellent 25 High School Football Rankings
See Zack Poff break down the national Xcellent 25, which includes NorCal No. 1 De La Salle.

The season starts this week in Northern California, and it is one of great promise for those competing in the Central Coast, North Coast, Northern and Sac-Joaquin sections.

The typical heavyweight programs stand to win some more with the ultimate goal of reaching CIF State championship games, including upper-division finales at Sacramento State.

1. De La Salle (Concord), 11-2 in 2016
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Amador Valley (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: Top ranked by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle, the Spartans are formidable again and always with 17 returning starters from a team that faced St. John Bosco in the CIF State Open Division finals. De La Salle needs state-bowl games and regular-season opponents against out-of-state foes to be tested, as it has not lost to a NorCal team (north of Fresno) since 1991, an unbeaten streak of 281 games. The Spartans seek to extend their on-going record of state-bowl appearances to 12 — every single season since the bowl format started. De La Salle has won 25 consecutive section titles and 32 since 1982, and it has gone a stunning 442-26-3 since 1980. Key players include RB Kairee Robinson, who rushed for 2,012 yards and 25 touchdowns, and USC-bound lineman Tuli Letuligasenoa.

2. Pittsburg, 9-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: at Centennial (Corona), Friday
Update: What a way to open a season, at national power Centennial. The Pirates return 12 starters and are fast across the board, including linebackers Willie Harts III and Jack Lacy III. Losing dual-threat quarterback Trey Turner to a season-ending injury hurts, however. Pittsburg is the last NorCal program to beat De La Salle (in 1991). It lost twice to Freedom last season, including in the NCS Open Division playoffs.

3. St. Mary's (Stockton), 14-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. No. 4 Serra (San Mateo), Saturday
Update: Top ranked by the Stockton Record, the Rams rolled to a Section championship, taking out four-time defending champion Folsom. They defeated Freedom in the NorCal Regional Division I-AA title game as Dusty Frampton rushed for 349 yards and five scores and fell 38-35 to 15-0 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) in the state finals. Frampton is back, having rushed for 2,345 yards and 42 scores, as are versatile stars Marcus Aponte and Aaron Jenkins.

4. Serra (San Mateo), 10-5
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: at No. 3 St. Mary's, Saturday
Update: The Padres had a 10-game winning streak halted by two points in the CIF State Division 2-A finals to Sierra Canyon after an 0-4 start that included setbacks to heavies De La Salle, St. Mary's, Valley Christian and Pittsburg. Luke Bottari returns after passing for 1,110 yards and 14 touchdowns, as does Isiah Kendrick, who rushed for 1,200 yards and 13 scores.

5. Folsom, 12-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. Couer d'Alene (Idaho), Friday
Update: Top ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs have quite a resume this decade: five section titles, two CIF State titles, two losses to No. 1 De La Salle to end 14-0 seasons in NorCal Open final games (since dropped) and two losses within the section, including to St. Mary's in the Division I section finals last season. Folsom will unleash new starting quarterback Kaiden Bennett, a dual-threat talent, and he will look to receiver Joe Ngata.

6. Jesuit (Carmichael), 9-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: at No. 7 Granite Bay, Friday
Update: Ten starters return and the junior varsity team went a dominating 9-1 to make for what could be one of the program's greatest teams. The early schedule will be revealing as Jesuit plays No. 7 Granite Bay and No. 5 Folsom. The backfield of quarterback Josh Farr and runners Isaiah Rutherford and Lorenzo Burkes is one of the best in NorCal. The lines are big and talented. The defense is led by Jason Gallagher and Joseph Hagopian.

7. Granite Bay, 4-7
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Evans
Next: vs. No. 6 Jesuit, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies seek their 18th consecutive playoff berth and have Cal-bound lineman Will Craig and Cal-bound linebacker Evan Tattersall to lead the way. The Sierra Foothill League includes Folsom and Oak Ridge.

8. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 10-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. Vista del Lago (Folsom), Friday
Update: The Trojans have won section titles over the decades in Division III and II and reached the D-I finals twice this decade. Now they may have a team ready to win it in D-I though the path could include St. Mary's and Folsom, both of whom beat Oak Ridge last season. Marco Baldacchino is one of the state's most electrifying dual-threat quarterbacks, having passed for 1,841 yards and rushing for 991 and scoring 39 total times. Davin Simmons will run the ball and UNLV-commit Bryan Catchings will block.

9. San Ramon Valley (Danville), 6-5
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Aaron Becker
Next: at Tracy, Friday
Update: A program that lost to De La Salle by a point last season comes back hungry with 11 returning defensive starters. The offense is led by Clark Baker, who passed for 2,736 yards and 32 touchdowns, receiver Robbie Funkhouser (862 yards, eight scores) and UCLA-bound lineman Blake McDonald. This could be the program's best team since its 12-1-1 bunch in 2007 or the 11-2 crew from 2004, both of which won section titles.

10. Saint Francis (Mountain View), 10-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Oak Grove (San Jose), Friday
Update: The Lancers lost to league rival Serra in the CCC Division III playoffs last season, denying the program its 17th section title after tying Valley Christian and Serra for the league crown. Reed Vettel passed for 1,330 yards last season, and defenders Tyler Manoa and Joshua Pakola return for Saint Francis, which plays De La Salle again for the first time since the 1980s.

11. Valley Christian (San Jose), 13-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: at No. 12 Manteca, Friday
Update: The defending NorCal Regional Division 2-AA champions were stout on defense last season, not allowing more than two touchdowns in a game through the season's first 14 contests. Defensive end Ron Stone had 13.5 sacks last season, and defensive back D'Angelo McKenzie is a national recruit.

12. Manteca, 12-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Eric Reis
Next: vs. No. 11 Valley Christian, Friday
Update: The Buffaloes rumbled to their fourth section title since 2005 and fell to Menlo-Atherton in the NorCal Regional Division 3-AA title game. The VOL race is again stacked with rivals Oakdale and Central Catholic (Modesto). Gino Campiotti passed for 2,100 yards and 24 touchdowns and ran for 402 and eight. The defense is led by linebacker Ferrin Manuleleua, who had 116 stops in 2016, and lineman Justin Kakala.

13. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 9-2
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: at Reed (Sparks, Nev.), Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles fell to De La Salle 28-0 in the NCS Open Division playoffs and earlier to state power Helix (San Diego), but return enough talent to make a run for the program's third CIF state final in four years. Runners Thomas Alatini and James Teofilo will work behind linemen Jacob Faleafine and Brandon Mello. The junior varsity team went 9-1 in 2016.

14. Del Oro (Loomis), 13-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Next: vs. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles have won five section titles this decade with four CIF bowl teams, two NorCal titles and a 2015 CIF State championship. Now the program introduces new coach Walters, who played sports at Del Oro and got his coaching start there. Linebacker Andrew Birch and all-purpose Dawson Hurst lead the team, which will be quarterbacked by Josh Gazzaniga, son of line coach Dan Gazzaniga. The schedule is brutal early, starting with a team that went 15-0 last season.

15. Milpitas, 10-4
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: vs. American (Fremont), Friday
Update: The Trojans stormed to the CCS Open Division I finals, falling to Menlo-Atherton. Twins TyRee Bracy (2,600 yards passing, 24 scores) and Tariq Bracy (1,177 yards rushing 11 touchdowns) lead the charge. Milpitas has won 11, 12, 10 and 10 games in each of the past four seasons and has made the playoffs 11 consecutive seasons.

16. Freedom (Oakley), 11-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: at Turlock, Friday
Update: The Falcons finished No. 3 in last season's final MaxPreps NorCal rankings after falling to De La Salle 42-7 in the NCS Open finals and then to St. Mary's in the NorCal Regional Division I-AA title game after an 11-0 start. Receivers Baylei Coston and Giles Jackson are back after combining for 28 scores, and Tyler Dixon had 13.5 sacks last season. Freedom handed Pittsburg its only two losses again, and the teams could battle it out for league honors again.

17. Elk Grove, 11-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: John Heffernan
Next: vs. No. 18 Inderkum (Sacramento), Friday
Update: Coach Heffernan takes over a storied program after boosting Burbank (Sacramento) into a regional power with his triple-option running attack which will include Zion Thomas and Jake Jordan this season. George Spithorst is a powerhouse two-way player at tight end/H-back and linebacker.

18. Inderkum (Sacramento), 11-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: at No. 17 Elk Grove
Update: The Tigers started last season 1-2 then peeled off 10 consecutive victories, pulling road upset wins over higher-seeded Sacramento and Jesuit before falling to Del Oro in the section Division II finals. Perhaps the fastest player in the section is back in receiver Isaah Crocker, whose offers include Alabama.

19. Oakdale, 14-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: at Sonora, Friday
Update: Trent Merzon quarterbacked this school to section title games in the 1980s and he's won multiple titles as a coach, none sweeter than the CIF State Division III-A title over 14-0 Bishops (La Jolla) last season, 47-0, after downing Sutter in the NorCal Regional finals. The Mustangs host Folsom this season in a classic clash of contrasting styles. Marc Dickson is back at quarterback as are a host of defenders, including linebacker Jace Krick.

20. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), 15-1
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Coach: Napolean Kaufman
Next: vs. Kennedy (Fremont), Sept. 1
Update: The Dragons won the CIF State Division 5-AA title to muscle into the picture on campus, where the basketball teams often take center stage. Thirteen starters return from a team that last lost to Freedom, including Austin Jones, who rushed for 1,967 yards and 27 touchdowns, and Miles Owens, who towers at 6-7 and 320 pounds in the trenches. O'Dowd plays Freedom and De La Salle early.

21. Campolindo (Moraga), 12-3
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Marin Catholic (Kentfield), Saturday
Update: The Cougars won the CIF Division 4-AA title in their third successive trip to the state finals, including a 16-0 season in 2014. Campolindo also produced a 14-1 season in 2011 and an 11-1 campaign in 2013. Shun Ishida is back at running back and John Torchio moves over from receiver to lead the section four-peat quest.

22. Foothill (Pleasanton), 6-5
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: vs. San Leandro, Friday
Update: The Falcons produced 12-1 teams in 2015 and 2006 and expect a similar run this season with Fresno State-bound quarterback Ben Wooldridge, whose blockers include Zach Walsh. Sweeney is one of the winningest coaches in NorCal history.

23. Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 12-3
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula Bay
Coach: Adhir Ravipatsi
Next: vs. Bellarmine (San Jose), Friday
Update: The Bears fell to Paraclete (Lancaster) 39-21 in the CIF State 4-AA finals after beating Manteca for NorCal honors. Last season was Menlo-Atherton's best since the back-to-back 11-2 campaigns in 2007 and 2008. The offense lost its leading rushers and passer though 2015 quarterback starter Miles Conrad is back, and the defense expects to be stout with Daniel Heimuli back after recording 82 tackles.

24. Monte Vista (Danville), 12-1
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Matt Russi
Next: vs. Deer Valley (Antioch), Friday
Update: The Mustangs had their season halted despite ending with a 42-18 win over Antioch to win its first NCS title since 2002 and fifth overall. This section elected to send its two Open Division finalists — De La Salle and Freedom — to the NorCal rounds. The lone loss was to De La Salle in Week 10, 45-17, in a game that was close early in the fourth. 

25. Sutter, 13-1
Section: Northern
League: Butte View
Coach: Ryan Reynolds
Next: vs. Orem (Utah), Saturday
Update: The top-ranked team in the Northern Section last season, the Huskies fell to Oakdale 27-10 in the NorCal Regional Division 3-A finals. Sutter produced 12-0 seasons in 2004 and 2007 and 13-1 seasons in 2012 and 2014. Tyler Reynolds, son of the coach, returns after passing for 2,426 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushing for 780 and 12, as does Trever Facey, who rushed for 1,602 and scored 22 times.

The Sacramento Bee on how the cell phone images of an uninvited and disgruntled visitor to practice led to a one-year playoff ban and the removal of a popular coach ... click here

The Sacramento Bee on five story lines sure to shape the season ... click here

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and on Facebook: sacbeepreps and on Instagram: JoeDavidsonMedia