Folsom is 2-0 since moving up to No. 1 in Northern California with showdowns looming Oct. 8 against No. 4 De La Salle and the following week against Sierra Foothill League rival and NorCal No. 6 Rocklin.
Second ranked Serra and No. 3 Saint Francis opened West Catholic Athletic League play with big wins last week, and No. 4 De La Salle had a bye as it prepares for a nationally televised game against a Maryland powerhouse.
Teams from the Central Section — heavy on Fresno — are included in these rankings due to being included in CIF Northern California Regional playoffs.
Hassan "The Missile" Mahasin caught two touchdowns and ran for two scores last week for No. 2 Serra.
File photo by Sam Stringer
Last week: Beat Grant 54-0
Next: Del Oro, Friday
Update: The Bulldogs scored on offense, defense and on special teams in pounding the Pacers in winning their 54th consecutive league game dating back to 2011 and 47th in succession in the rugged Sierra Foothill League.
Tyler Tremain had four touchdown passes giving him 25 on the season (watch his senior video highlights above). An earlier win was 34-17 over Pittsburg and a 56-7 effort over Jesuit. Folsom plays De La Salle on Oct. 8. The Bulldogs have won eight Sac-Joaquin Section and four CIF State titles since 2010.
2. (2) Serra (San Mateo), 3-0
Last week: Beat Mitty (San Jose) 38-0
Next: Bellarmine, Saturday
Update: The Padres are allowing an average of seven points a game and have run teams ragged with a power run game and a star in do-all
Hassan Mahasin, who had four touchdowns. The season opener against Pittsburg was canceled due to poor air. The West Catholic Athletic League includes fellow NorCal-ranked Saint Francis, Valley Christian and Bellarmine.
3. (3) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 3-0Last week: Beat St. Ignatius 33-0
Next: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Friday
Update: The Lancers started West Catholic Athletic League play with a bang as
Viliami Teu rushed for 238 yards and three scores. The big win was the 31-28 effort against De La Salle, the first NorCal loss by the Spartans north of Fresno since 1991. Saint Francis has won a record 17 Central Coast Section titles.
4. (4) De La Salle (Concord), 3-1Last week: Bye
Next: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), Friday
Outlook: The Spartans had the week off after downing San Diego Section power Cathedral Catholic (San Diego). The loss was to Saint Francis. DLS has not lost to a North Coast Section team since 1991, a streak of 253 games. It has gone a gaudy 403-6-2 against NorCal teams North of Fresno since 1984. De La Salle has won 28 consecutive section championships and has reached a record 14 successive CIF State finals. Friday's game will be broadcast live (7 p.m.) on ESPN2. SFA, a national power over the last five seasons, claims 11 of the Top 25 senior recruits in Maryland, according to 247Sports.
5. (5) Pittsburg, 2-1Last week: Bye
Next: McClymonds, Friday
Update: The Pirates had a week off. The loss was at Folsom. A season opener against Serra was canceled due to poor air. Pittsburg is the last North Coast Section program to beat De La Salle, doing so in the 1991 NCS finals.
6. (6) Rocklin, 5-0Last week: Beat Del Oro, 38-3
Next: Granite Bay, Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles rolled their rivals in Sierra Foothill League play but it came at a cost as star QB
Kenny Lueth suffered a strained knee. He may miss several weeks. This is Rocklin's best team since the 2009 group that reached the CIF State Division II finals.
7. (8) Central (Fresno), 4-0Last week: Bye
Next: Clovis, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies are the top-ranked team in the Central Section and prepare for Clovis in a Tri-River Athletic Conference opener.
8. (8) Buchanan (Clovis), 4-1Last week: Beat Edison (Fresno), 45-14
Next: Clovis West, Friday
Update: The Bears led 38-0 at the half in rolling Edison and open Tri-River Athletic Conference play against a familiar foe. The loss was to state-ranked Los Alamitos 34-31.
9. (9) Valley Christian (San Jose), 4-1Last week: Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral, 27-21
Next: St. Ignatius, Saturday
Update: The West Catholic Athletic League opener was a battle to the wire as
Jurrion Dickey saved the day with a late 65-yard score. The loss was to Pittsburg 48-20.
10. (10) Jesuit (Carmichael), 4-1Last week: Beat Inderkum (Sacramento), 45-0
Next: Franklin (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: The Marauders pounded a fast and skilled Inderkum team despite starting QB
Preston Vukovich sitting with an injury.
Trenton Dewar filled in nicely and had two touchdown passes. The loss was to No. 1 Folsom and other wins include 28-14 over Granite Bay.
11. (11) Granite Bay, 5-1Last week: Beat Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 21-20
Next: Rocklin, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies edged a Sierra Foothill League rival with a strong defensive effort and prepares for another. The loss was 28-14 to Jesuit.
12. (12) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 4-0Last week: Beat Riordan (San Francisco), 36-8
Next: Riordan (San Francisco), Friday
Update: The Bells rolled in a West Catholic Athletic League opener and have wins over NorCal-ranked Menlo-Atherton (56-41) and Central Catholic (28-21).
13. (13) Los Gatos, 5-0Last week: Beat Wilcox, 41-18
Next: Santa Clara, Friday
Update: The Wildcats roll on with defense and an offense that scores nearly 38 a game.
14. (14) Central Catholic (Modesto), 4-1Last week: Beat Weston Ranch, 51-0
Next: Oakdale, Friday
Update: The Raiders led 35-0 in the first quarter and rolled into a Valley Oak League showdown with rival Oakdale. Earlier big wins were over San Ramon Valley 21-14 and St. Mary's (Stockton), 41-27. The loss was to Bellarmine 28-21
15. (27) Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 2-2Last week: Beat McClymonds, 30-27, OT
Next: Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), Friday
Update: The Bears are back in business with the inspired effort over McClymonds as
Matt Macleod tossed two touchdown passes. The losses were to Bellarmine 56-41 and to Oregon power Tualatin, 44-33.
16. (15) McClymonds (Oakland), 3-1Last week: Lost to Menlo-Atherton, 30-27
Next: Pittsburg, Friday
Update: A 27-13 lead in the fourth quarter faded and led to overtime and a loss for Mack. An earlier big win was over Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 32-22.
17. (17) San Ramon Valley (Danville), 3-1Last week: Beat Las Lomas, 29-24
Next: Foothill (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: The Wolves rallied to beat Las Lomas, the mark of any title contender. The loss was to Central Catholic, 21-14.
18. (18) Edison (Stockton), 4-1Last week: Bye
Next: Chavez (Stockton), Friday
Update: The Vikings may be the best team in Stockton, if not St. Mary's from across town. The loss was to Central Section No. 1 Central (Fresno) 17-10. The Vikings loom as a threat in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I race.
19. (19) Clovis, 4-1Last week: Bye
Next: Central (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Cougars had a bye, all the more time to reflect on the loss to Bullard, 35-12. Next is the top team in the Central Section.
20. (16) Del Oro (Loomis), 4-2Last week: Lost to Rocklin, 38-3
Next: Folsom, Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles lost to a Sierra Foothill League rival and lost to a Sierra Foothill League rival and face another in top-ranked Folsom. An early big win was over Clayton Valley Charter. The other loss was to Granite Bay, 28-14.
21. (22) Salinas, 3-0Last week: Did not play
Next: San Benito, Thursday
Update: The Cowboys were scheduled to play Alisal but the game was scrapped. The signature win was a 42-14 rout of previously unbeaten Aptos.
22. (24) St. Mary's (Stockton), 3-2Last week: Beat Cardinal Newman, 34-14
Next: Tracy, Friday
Update: The Rams started 0-2 with setbacks to NorCal heavies De La Salle and Central Catholic but the winning streak is three with offensive balance the key.
23. (20) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 3-2
Last week: Lost to St. Mary's, 34-14
Next: Ukiah, Oct. 8
Update: The Cardinals have scheduled tough, including a loss to San Leandro, 20-17, and a 20-13 win over Vacaville.
24. (21) Vacaville, 3-2Last week: Bye
Next: Fairfield, Friday
Update: The Bulldogs had a week off. An early win was 17-10 over Oak Ridge. The losses were 20-13 in overtime to Cardinal Newman and 14-9 to Granite Bay.
25. (24) Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 4-1Last week: Beat Antioch 56-16
Next: San Rafael, Oct. 8
Update: The Wildcats are defensive tyrants in victory, allowing just over three total touchdowns in winning efforts. The loss was to McClymonds, 33-22
The next 1026.
Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 4-1
27.
Manteca, 5-0
28.
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills, 2-3
29.
California (San Ramon), 4-0
30.
Aptos, (4-1)
31.
Kimball (Tracy), 5-0
32.
Monte Vista (Danville), 3-0
33.
San Benito (Hollister), 5-0
34.
Oakdale, (4-0)
35.
Inderkum (Sacramento), 3-1
Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. He was named a CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Distinguished Award winner in April. Follow him on Twitter: SacBee_JoeD and through sacbee.com.
