MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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It's championship time for the Central Section, Central Coast Section, North Coast Section and Sac-Joaquin Section, with the Northern Section already crowning champions.

This week's showdowns include top-ranked De La Salle playing No. 5 Foothill in NCS Division I play, No. 2 Folsom challenging No. 3 Elk Grove in SJS D-I action and No. 8 Central Catholic against No. 10 Oakdale in SJS D-III fun.

Every section champion will advance to a CIF NorCal Regional title game, a first.

Click here to see all the MaxPreps California playoff brackets.


1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord) (11-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. No. 5 Foothill, Saturday
Update: The preseason national No. 1 Spartans rolled a very talented Pittsburg team 70-14 in a NCS Division I semifinal, leading 42-0 after the first quarter behind a crushing run game and defense. Antoine Custer scored on a punt return and an interception. Pittsburg is the last NorCal program to beat De La Salle, way back in the pre-Internet era of 1991. Since then, De La Salle has been unbeaten against NorCal foes, a streak of 270 games. The Spartans seek their 24th consecutive section title and, if they are successful, they will secure the program's sixth CIF State bowl in seven years and seventh overall. The starting defense has not allowed a touchdown since the second game. The loss this season was to Texas powerhouse Trinity as a potential game-winning catch in the closing seconds just missed.

2. (2) Folsom (13-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson/Troy Taylor
Next: vs. No. 3 Elk Grove, Saturday
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs rallied and held off St Mary's (Stockton) 56-49 in an SJS D-I semifinal for the program's state-leading 29th consecutive victory. It also marked the 15th consecutive section playoff win for Folsom, second all-time in the section for larger schools behind Cordova's 17 in the late 1970s. Jake Jeffrey passed for 352 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 208 and two. Folsom seeks a section-title four-peat, including three in a row in D-I. An early win was 27-26 over No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter, in addition to wins over ranked Oak Ridge and ranked Rocklin.

3. (4) Elk Grove (13-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. 2 Folsom, Friday
Update: Ranked second by The Sacramento Bee, the Thundering Herd won their third SJS D-I playoff game, downing ranked Oak Ridge 30-18, with power running and strong defense. Ryan Robards has rushed for 2,723 yards and has scored a total of 50 touchdowns. Elk Grove is in a section title game for the third time since 2012. This is one of the section's storied programs.

4. (3) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord, Calif.) (11-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Concord, Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles are the top seed in the NCS D-II field and have backed it up strong, though a season-ending knee injury to quarterback Luis Ramos is a serious blow, the real downer of a 34-6 victory over Granada (Livermore) in a semifinal. The loss was 27-26 to No. 2 Folsom in an opening game that came down to the wire. CVC was a CIF Bowl team last season.

5. (5) Foothill (Pleasanton) (12-0)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: vs. No. 1 De La Salle, Saturday
Update: The Falcons beat unbeaten Antioch 55-54 in a wild NCS D-I semifinal thriller behind Isaiah Floyd, who rushed for 214 yards and four scores. The ultimate challenge looms against De Salle. The last time Foothill was unbeaten at this stage was in 2006, leading to a playoff showdown against De La Salle.

6. (7) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (11-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: vs. No. 20 Milpitas, Friday
Update: The Bells, top ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, have played like the top seed in the CCS Open D-I field, including blasting San Benito (Hollister) 40-7 in a semifinal. Antonio Garcia led the way with three touchdowns. The loss was to Mitty (San Jose) 35-28 when star quarterback Troy Martig was out with an injury.

7. (8) Saint Francis (Mountain View) (11-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: at No. 13 Oak Grove, Saturday
Update: The Lancers beat Wilcox (Santa Clara) 41-21 in a CCS D-I semifinal as Cyrus Habibi-Likio ran for 250 yards and four scores. Saint Francis won a section title last season, the program's 16th in its storied history.

8. (9) Central Catholic (Modesto) (13-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. No. 10 Oakdale, Friday
Update: The Raiders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee, earned the top seed in the SJS D-III playoffs and backed it up with a 42-0 win over El Camino (Sacramento), a 63-0 shelling of Christian Brothers (Sacramento) and 48-14 in the semifinals over previous No. 25 Placer (Auburn). Justin Rice rumbled for 304 yards and five touchdowns to set up a showdown rematch with Valley Oak League rival Oakdale. How good is this team, beyond having won 18 section championships and the last three CIF State D-IV title games? The Raiders beat St. Mary's 36-22 in nonleague play, the same St. Mary's team that lost to No. 2 Folsom 59-49 in an SJS D-I semifinal.

9. (12) Clovis (11-1)
Section: Central
League: Tri-River
Coach: Rich Hammond
Next: vs. Liberty (Bakersfield), Friday
Update: The Cougars are the top seed in the Central Section D-I playoffs and beat Clovis North 28-14 in a semifinal after losing at this stage in four of the previous five seasons. Clovis was led by quarterback Sean Kuenzinger, who keyed two fourth-quarter scoring drives. The next game is against second-seeded Liberty in a long-anticipated showdown. The lone loss for Clovis to Central (Fresno) 21-20, a game in which Clovis faced 13 defenders — not the allowed 11 — during a late drive. That happened on five plays, and there were 12 defenders on another, but the referees never caught it.

10. (15) Oakdale (12-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: vs. 8 Central Catholic, Friday
Update: The Mustangs, defending SJS Division III champions and ranked second by The Modesto Bee, are the No. 2 seed this season. They beat ranked Inderkum (Sacramento) 51-38 as Brad Aquino rushed for five touchdowns. The loss was to top-seeded Central Catholic in a Week 10 thriller, 42-37. Oakdale beat Inderkum 27-23 for the section title last season.

11. (14) Rocklin (10-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: vs. No. 24 Del Oro, Friday
Update: The Thunder beat 12-0 Antelope 55-35 in SJS D-II play as William Floyd passed for 287 yards and four scores, two to Wesley Preece, and Evyn Holtz rushed for 80 yards and two scores in the first half. Rocklin beat Del Oro 28-3 in Sierra Foothill League play in October, and the teams meet for the third time in 10 seasons for section honors, each winning once.

12. (6) Antioch (11-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: Season complete
Update: The Panthers had their magical season end 55-54 to No. 5 Foothill in the NCS D-I playoffs, despite Najee Harris rushing for 392 yards and six scores on 42 carries. Antioch enjoyed its first 10-0 regular season since 1977.

13. (NR) Oak Grove (San Jose) (10-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: Mount Hamilton
Coach: Jay Braun
Next: vs. No. 7 Saint Francis, Saturday
Update: The Eagles bound into these rankings, hungry for more, after eliminating previously ranked Valley Christian (San Jose) 42-23 in a CCS Open D-II semifinal. Oak Grove lost to Valley Christian 24-0 earlier in the season. Rashaan Fontenette has rushed for 2,277 yards and 28 touchdowns.

14. (17) Campolindo (Moraga) (12-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. No. 23 Analy, Friday
Update: The top-seeded team in the NCS D-III field beat Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 25-13 in a semifinal as Niki Moore rushed for 121 yards and Jack Cassidy passed for two scores. Campolindo seeks a section repeat and a return to the CIF State Bowl fun. The loss was 21-14 to then-ranked Napa.

15. (16) St. Mary's (Stockton) (10-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: Season complete
Update: The Rams pushed powerhouse No. 2 Folsom right down to the wire, a credit to the coaching of Tony Franks and the skill and will of the players, many of whom will return next season. St. Mary's beat 11-0 Napa in a quarterfinal.

16. (10) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (10-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: Season complete
Update: The Trojans lost to No. 3 Elk Grove 30-18 in SJS D-I semifinal action, closing out the marvelous career of Notre Dame-bound quarterback Ian Book. The other losses were to unbeaten teams Folsom and Reed (Nevada).

17. (17) Grant (Sacramento) (10-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: Season complete
Update: The Pacers led Granite Bay 21-3 entering the fourth quarter as the top seed in the SJS D-II field, and then lost 24-21, a credit to the Grizzlies but also an example of how the Pacers had nothing emotionally left. The stunning shooting death of popular cornerback Jaulon Clavo a week earlier rocked the team and the community.

18. (13) Inderkum (Sacramento) (12-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: Season complete
Update: The Tigers lost to No. 10 Oakdale 51-38 in an SJS D-III semifinal, falling to the Mustangs for the second straight season. Quarterback Trajon Cotton will return for one of the top programs in Sacramento.

19. (11) Pittsburg (10-3)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: Season complete
Update: The Pirates were impressive in earlier playoff games and then had the wheels fall out against top-ranked De La Salle, 70-14, in a NCS D-I semifinal.

20. (21) Milpitas (10-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: vs. No. 6 Bellarmine, Friday
Update: The Trojans, seeded second, beat Palo Alto 42-0 in CCS Open D-I semifinal play as Dejaun Crummie rushed for three scores. Now it's a shot against Bellarmine, the very team that eliminated Milpitas in a playoff thriller last season.

21. (22) Pleasant Valley (Chico) (12-0)
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Mark Cooley
Next: TBD
Update: The top-seeded Vikings beat second-seeded Shasta 49-7 to win the NCS D-II championship as Brandt Hughes tossed seven touchdowns in a remarkable showing. He tied a section single-game record as PV won the program's first title since 1998. Brandt hit Max Andersen three times and Eric Ricketts and Payton Williams twice each. The Vikings earned a NorCal playoff game and will find out against whom on Sunday.

22. (23) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (9-3)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Kevin Fordon
Next: vs. Sacred Heart Prep (San Francisco), Saturday
Update: The Crusaders beat previously ranked Palma (Salinas) 17-14 in a defensive showcase in a CCS Open D-III semifinal. This came a week after slipping past Burlingame 30-28.

23. (NR) Analy (Sebastopol) (13-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Sonoma County
Coach: Daniel Bourdon
Next: vs. No. 14 Campolindo, Friday
Update: The Tigers have raced through the NCS D-III playoffs, beating Albany 70-27, El Cerrito 38-22 and Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) 45-27. Jack Newman, just a junior, has passed for 3,275 yards and 50 touchdowns.

24. (NR) Del Oro (Loomis) (7-6)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. No. 11 Rocklin, Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles started the season in these rankings, then dropped out after tough losses and blowout losses. Now they're 3-0 in the SJS D-II playoffs after beating Whitney (Rocklin) (34-28), Wood (Vacaville) (59-49) and once-ranked Granite Bay (25-17) to earn a rematch with Rocklin, which rolled the Thunder 28-3 in October.

25. (18) Palma (Salinas) (10-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: Season complete
Update: The Chieftains lost to ranked Riordan 17-14, despite leading 14-0 in the first quarter on two Emilio Martinez scoring runs in a CCS Open D-III semifinal. The other loss was 28-14 to No. 7 Saint Francis.

The Sacramento Bee on the humble beginnings of one of the great winning streaks in NorCal history, and it's not De La Salle ... click here

The Sacramento Bee on a retired college coach speaking from the gut on the value and magnitude of high school football ... click here

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