MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

Zero Week produced some rousing opening-night efforts for some, and others were bounced from the rankings such as Napa. Yet others slipped a bit in falling to ranked teams such as Rocklin and Logan (Union City).

The highlight of this week's matchups is No. 2 Folsom taking on No. 3 Granite Bay on the road on Friday.

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MaxPreps Top 25 Northern California High School Football Rankings

1. (1 last week) De La Salle (Concord), 1-0
The Spartans kicked off the Justin Alumbaugh coaching era with a 34-14 victory over defending North Coast Section Division II champion Clayton Valley Charter (Concord). And say hello to the next diminutive, yet dangerous back in John Velasco, a 5-foot-7, 197-pound ball of first downs. He rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Next: at No. 10 Serra (San Mateo), Saturday

2. (2) Folsom (Calif.), 1-0
A year ago, the Bulldogs of the Sac-Joaquin Section unleashed Jake Browning against Woodcreek (Roseville), and he tossed a modern-day national prep record-tying 10 touchdown passes en route to 63 on the season. This time, Browning had seven scoring strikes, two to Troy Knox, in a 56-21 victory. Browning completed 31 of 38 passes for 438 yards and was sacked once with one interception as the line played well, as did the the defense, headed by linebacker Eddie Flores. Folsom went 14-1 last season, losing to De La Salle in the NorCal Open Division Regional Bowl.
Next: at No. 3 Granite Bay, Friday

3. (3) Granite Bay, 0-0
The defending Sac-Joaquin Section Division I and CIF State Division I champion Grizzlies did not have a Zero Week game, but coaches and players soaked in the Folsom rout of Woodcreek. Granite Bay returns fly back Tony Ellison, an Arizona commit, linebackers Dylan Keeney and Cameron Smith and defensive back Luke Bussey. Each knows he has to get to Folsom quarterback Jake Browning to stall momentum.
Next: vs. No. 2 Folsom, Friday

4. (4) Palo Alto (0-0)
The Vikings are idle until Sept. 13. Palo Alto, home to Jim Harbaugh, had a banner State Bowl year in 2010 under coach Earl Hansen and they expect another this fall with returning QB and Stanford-bound Keller Chryst (2,165 yards, 28 TDs as a sophomore, 2,389 and 28 last season). WRs Malcolm Davis (675, 9 TDs) is the top target.
Opener: vs. San Benito (Hollister), Sept. 13

5. (5) Bellarmine (San Jose) (0-0)
The Bells of the West Catholic Athletic League went 11-2 last season and 7-0 in league play and reached the Central Coast Section Open title game, falling to rival St. Ignatius (San Francisco). QB K.J. Carta-Samuels is back, and he dazzled in summer workouts, including the Elite 11 Camp.
Next: at No. 6 El Cerrito, Saturday

6. (6) El Cerrito (1-0)
The Gauchos, eyeing a CIF State Bowl bid, beat longtime Northern Section power Sutter 34-14 in a meeting of teams that went 13-1 last season. El Cerrito shut out the Huskies in the second half. Keilan Benjamin hit Jalen Harvey for two touchdowns and hit brother Keith for a 71-yard strike. The next game is the real gauge test.
Next: vs. No. 5 Bellarmine, Saturday

7. (7) Elk Grove (1-0)
Beat previous No. 23 Lincoln (Stockton) 27-0 for the second successive season with the wing-T in high gear. Wadus Parker, a 1,300-yard runner a year ago in shared duty, rushed for 181 yards on 32 carries and three touchdowns, and Tommy Arnold hit Noah Letuligasenoa Ta'amu for a 49-yard touchdown. Spencer Sheff was strong on both sides of the ball.
Next: vs. Foothill (Palo Cedro), Friday.

8. (8) Del Oro (Loomis) (1-0)
The Golden Eagles beat previous No. 13 Logan (Union City) 27-14 in the Honor Bowl Wounded Warriors showcase in welcoming in a new tailback star. Tevon Rhyne ran for two touchdowns, including a highlight 51-yarder, and Dylan Kainrath powered in for a touchdown to beat the Colts for the second successive season. DE Tanner Woods had 10 tackles.
Next: vs. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) in Oceanside, Saturday

9. (9) St. Mary's (Stockton) (1-0)
The Rams, the southern power of the Sac-Joaquin Section, beat talented Stockdale (Bakersfield) on the road 34-27 despite five turnovers. Senior quarterback leader Kaleb Parrish scrambled to avoid the rush and scored on a 31-yard run with 2:30 to ply and then hit Jalen Ratliff for a 2-point conversion for the difference. One Rams fumble was inside the Stockdale 1 and another was returned 70 yards for a score.
Next: vs. No. 15 Central Catholic (Modesto), Friday.

10. (10) Serra (San Mateo) (0-0)
The Padres of the West Catholic Athletic League and Central CoastSection were idle. They could have as good a roster as they've ever had, and the De La Salle opener will be telling. DE Matthew Dickerson is a national recruit commit to Notre Dame and RB Hamilton Anoa'i is the top offensive threat. Two losses were by a hair to Bellarmine. Coach Patrick Walsh was the Cal-Hi State Player of the Year in 1992 for De La Salle.
Next: vs. No. 1 De La Salle, Saturday

11. (11) Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) (1-0)
The Eagles beat previous No. 13 Rocklin 28-14 behind the marvel that is Deaundre Terrell. The senior QB ran for scores of 60 and two yards and tossed scoring strikes of 54 yards to Esley Simmons and 24 yards to Wyatt Demps. Pleasant Grove had a clear speed element against a very good foe.
Next: vs. No. 16 Burbank, Friday.

12. (12) California (San Ramon) (1-0)
The Grizzlies will score a ton this season if the 46-20 rout of Washington (Fremont) is any indication. Blake Bierwith rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns and Cameron Owen tossed two touchdowns.
Next: vs. No. 25 Pittsburg at Los Medanos College, Friday

13. (15) Marin Catholic (Kentfield) (1-0)
Not bad for a debut. Morgan Mahaiak, taking over for Jared Goff, now starting at Cal, passed for 170 yards, and Andrew Celis dazzled on a punt-return score in a 45-14 rout of Miramonte (Orinda).
Next: at St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Saturday

14. (16) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (1-0)
The Trojans of the Sac-Joaquin Section Section ushered in a new QB in sophomore Ian Book, and he dazzled in his debut, completing 14 of 16 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. He had an 81-yard strike to Justin Priest, who had two scores. Josh Wellman had 75 yards rushing and a score and Thomas Mahlman had 12 tackles.
Next: vs. No. 17 Rocklin, Friday

15. (NR) Central Catholic (Modesto) (1-0)
The Raiders are a decades-long small-school power within the Sac-Joaquin Section with 16 championships and a CIF State title last season. CC steamed Placer (Auburn) 49-13, rushing for 375 yards on 10.4 yards an carry. Matt Ringer rushed for 187 yards and four touchdowns.
Next: at No. 4 St. Mary's (Stockton), Friday.

16. (17) Burbank (Sacramento) (1-0)
The Titans are as fast as any team in the Sac-Joaquin Section, and they raced past previous No. 19 Napa 35-9 behind QB Ernest Jenkins and runners Calvin Green, Harrison Anderson, Benjamin Jones and lineman leader Printess Johnson. DL Ngalu Tapa and Gerald Pliman had two sacks each.
Next: vs. No. 11 Pleasant Grove, Friday

17. (13) Rocklin (0-1)
The Thunder of Placer County lost to No. 11 Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 28-14 as it struggled to handle the speed in the open field. But the line play on both sides was encouraging. QB Logan Webb and RB Joshua Gurnaby are leaders for a program that reached the CIF State D-II bowl in 2009.
Next: At No. 14 Oak Ridge, Friday

18. (NR) Grant (Sacramento) (1-0)
The Pacers start 17 underclassmen but they grew in a hurry, rallying from two touchdowns down to beat longtime Northern Section power and previous No. 25 Paradise 33-14. Donovan Brown sparkled in his varsity quarterbacking debut, tossing four touchdowns, three to Ariyon Huff, and the defense forced six turnovers.
Next: at Nevada Union (Grass Valley), Friday

19. (NR) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) 0-1
If there's a team primed to soar in these rankings, it's this one. Falling to top-ranked De La Salle 34-14 in an opener that was a great deal more competitive than the final score indicated is proof. Miles Harrison rushed for 175 yards and a score and QB Gabe Taylor is also a threat.
Next: vs. Castlemont (Oakland), Sept. 13

20. (NR) Valley Christian (San Jose) (0-0)
Another member of the muscle-bound West Catholic Athletic League, coach Mike Machado has a talented RB in Kirk Johnson. The opener is a great one.
Next: at No. 21 Vacaville, Friday.

21. (NR) Vacaville (0-0)
The Bulldogs were idle. This has been a powerhouse since the 1970s, first under famed/late coach Tom Zunino and in recent years under his son-in-law Mike Papadopulos, who will usher in a 10-0 JV team with returners in WR/DB David Mewborn and DL Jeramy Sweany.
Next: vs. No. 20 Valley Christian (San Jose), Friday

22. (21) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) (1-0)
Keaton Dunsford passed for 289 yards and three touchdowns, including htiting Ryan O'Leary for strikes of 18 and 41 yards. Dunsford also powered in for two 1-yard scoring runs in a game that was 28-0 at the half.
Next: vs. Novato, Friday

23. (22) Merced (1-0)
The Bears, a Sac-Joaquin Section super power in the late 1980s, held on in a thriller 40-39 over Clovis West (Fresno), rejoicing when an extra-point attempt with no time left hooked left. Kris Turner-Jackson scored on a two-yard run with 1:26 left to make it 40-33, and QB Tyrone Williams passed for 206 yards and three touchdowns in his varsity debut.
Next: at Downey (Modesto), Friday

24. (NR) San Ramon Valley (Danville) (1-0)
The Wolves rolled previous No. 24 Buhach Colony (Atwater) 67-30 behind a prolific running game that piled up 320 yards of total offense in the first half. Marcus De La Pena rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns and Matt Winaker accounted for three touchdowns and completed 13 of 16 passes for 171 yards.
Next: vs. Logan (Union City), Sept. 13

25. (TIE) (NR) Analy (Sebastopol) (1-0)
The Tigers scored one for all their alumni in beating Pittsburg 37-21 with Jacob Royer tossing four touchdowns, two to Kerr Johnson Jr., and the defense recording five sacks. Analy went 12-1 last season, falling to El Cerrito in the North Coast Section D-III playoffs.
Next: at Maria Carrillo (Santa Rosa), Friday

25. (TIE) (13) Pittsburg (0-1)
The Pirates were stunned by Analy 37-21 in what Tigers coach Daniel Bourdon called the most monumental win in school history. Pittsburg remains in these rankings as it can save face with a game against California (San Ramon) looming.
Next: vs. No. 12 California (San Ramon), Friday

Here's a look at The Bee's Preps Plus Insiders breaking down Zero Week and some top quarterback play

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