MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football teams

1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Central Catholic
Update: The Spartans played tremendous defense, right back through the safeties, in beating No. 2 Folsom 14-0 in a hugely anticipated opener of the top two teams in these rankings since 2012. Dorian Hale played big at quarterback in the second half with a touchdown pass and scoring run as De La Salle extended its unbeaten streak against Northern California teams north of Fresno to 291, dating back to 1992. The Spartans are a remarkable 374-5-2 against NorCal teams since 1984 and 442-25-3 overall since 1982 with 26 consecutive NCS titles and 30 since 1981.

2. (2) Folsom, 0-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. No. 3 Jesuit
Update: The Bulldogs were uncharacteristically off at De La Salle, but that often happens against the Spartans. Folsom lost 14-0, its first shutout since 2004, and it's a great wake-up call for a team expecting to repeat as CIF state champions. Folsom is 113-10 this decade with six section and three CIF State title teams (and two 14-1 teams that lost to De La Salle in the 2012 and 2013 NorCal Open finals, since dropped).

3. (4) Jesuit (Carmichael), 0-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: vs. Folsom
Update: The Marauders did not play but they did study Folsom's game at De La Salle. Jesuit is led by national recruits in RB/CB Isaiah Rutherford and LB/TE Laiatu Latu. Two losses last season were to Folsom, including the playoffs.

4. (5) Serra (San Mateo), 0-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: vs. Serra (Gardena)
Update: The idle Padres won the WCAL, CCS, NorCal and CIF State titles last season and return QB Luke Bottari, who passed for 2,850 yards and 26 touchdowns. RB David Coker (701 yards rushing, seven scores) also returns.

5. (11) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Stellar Prep
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat previous No. 3 Pittsburg 38-31 in double overtime, relying on the run, including Makhi Gervais, who rushed for 104 yards. Logan Sumter hit Cade Carter for two touchdown passes.

6. (7) Liberty (Brentwood,), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Ryan Partridge
Next: vs. Saint Francis
Update: The Lions beat storied Vacaville 35-10 as Jay Butterfield passed for 292 yards and three touchdowns, and the defense had 13 tackles for losses. Liberty is coming off of its first NCS championship, rolling Freedom 37-0.

7. (3) Pittsburg, 0-1
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. St. Mary's
Update: The Pirates lost to No. 5 Clayton Valley Charter 38-31 in double overtime in what coach Galli expects to be a sobering wake-up call. Pittsburg lost to De La Salle in the NCS finals last season, beat Granite Bay in a NorCal final and nearly won the CIF State Division I title, losing a 21-point lead in a 28-21 loss to Narbonne.

8. (7) St. Mary's (Stockton), 0-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. Pittsburg
Update: The Rams were idle. QB Noah May is back, as are speedy receivers Joseph Fontes, Jamar Marshall and Asar-Alim Moore for a team that lost to Folsom in the Section Division I finals under a coach who has led a powerhouse.

9. (8) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 0-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)
Update: The Lancers were idle. After winning the CIF State Division I-A title, the Saint Francis returns a lot on defense, including DE Joshua Pakola and DB Evan Williams. But not in the mix is star running back in senior Darrell Page, who rushed 2,294 yards and 23 touchdowns in earning Bay Area New Group Offensive Player of the Year honors.

10. (9) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. Vacaville
Update: The Trojans beat Lincoln 56-20 after leading 42-7 at the half. Matt Jenner passed for 268 yards and three touchdowns, two to Sawyer Merrill. The Trojans have won four section Division II titles since 1998 and reached the D-I finals twice since 2012.

11. (10) Del Oro (Loomis), 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Next: vs. Oak Grove
Update: The Golden Eagles beat Amador Valley 49-27 as Carson Jarratt tossed five touchdowns, four to Dawson Hurst, in unveiling a new offensive look. Del Oro reached a section final for the 18th time last season, having won five since 2005. Eighteen starters return for another run.

12. Valley Christian (San Jose), 0-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Wilcox (Santa Clara)
Update: The Warriors were idle. Two losses last season were to Serra, which went on to win a state title. The size and talent comes especially from LB Judaea Moon, OL Zack Gieg and TE Skylar Loving-Black.

13. Freedom (Oakley), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Andrew Coakley
Next: vs. Windsor
Update: The Falcons rallied from 14-0 down to beat Turlock 42-35 as Giles JacksonGiles Jackson scored three times and Joey Aguilar had two touchdown passes.

14. (15) Placer (Auburn), 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Foothill Valley
Coach: Joey Montoya
Next: vs. Whitney
Update: The Hillmen beat Pleasant Grove 48-21 as Marshall Chapman rushed for 163 yards and two scores and Hans Grassman had 92 and three. Seventeen starters are back from a CIF state finalist.

15 (16) Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 0-0
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula
Coach: Adhir Ravipati
Next: vs. Bellarmine Prep
Update: The Bears were idle. They reached the CIF 3-AA title game two years ago and are led this season by national recruits in LB Daniel Heimuli and Noa Ngalu, who has committed to Washington.

16. (18) Central Catholic (Modesto), 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. De La Salle
Update: The Raiders beat Clovis West 21-0 as Dawaiian McNeely rushed for 145 yards and Kyle Jacklich had two rushing scores. Coach Canepa won CIF state titles here in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

17. (19) Manteca, 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Mark Varnum
Next: vs. Downey
Update: The Buffaloes rolled Lathrop 64-14 in coach Varnum's debut, leading 48-0 at the half as the defense allowed 95 yards rushing on 43 carries.

18. (21) Oakdale, 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: Mitty
Update: The Mustangs replaced 21 starters and still got off to a rousing great start with a 49-0 rout of Sonora. Oakdale won the CIF State Division III-A title in 2016.

19. (22) Shasta (Redding), 0-0
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: JC Hunsaker
Next: at Corning
Update: The Wolves were idle. Last season, they won their first section title since 1989 and third overall, and then reached the CIF State 3-AA finals.

20. (23) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Sutter
Update: The Cardinals rolled Fortuna 35-6 as Jackson Pavitt passed for 280 yards and four touchdowns, hitting Jake Woods for two of those scoring strikes. This has been a powerhouse program since the 1970s, when the Cardinals once held the state record for consecutive wins at 47.

21. (NR) Campolindo (Moraga), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. St. Ignatius
Update: The Cougars beat previously ranked Marin Catholic 35-21 with a new defense. Grant Harper passed for 366 yards and five touchdowns, four to Max Schoenberger.

22. (NR) San Ramon Valley (Danville), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Aaron Becker
Next: vs. Monterey Trail
Update: The Wolves rolled Heritage 56-7 as Brandon Cammisa passed for four touchdowns as seven total players found the end zone.

23 (NR) Monte Vista (Danville), 1-0
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Matt Russi
Next: San Leandro
Update: The Mustangs beat storied Granite Bay 9-3 despite not scoring any offensive points, but that was a championship defensive effort. Monte Vista went 11-1 in 2005 and 12-1 in 2016.

24. (14) Granite Bay, 0-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Evans
Next: vs. Damonte Ranch
Update: The Grizzlies lost to Monte Vista 9-3, though the defense allowed no points. Granite Bay is aiming for its 20th consecutive playoff berth since opening in Placer County in 1996, and they won their sixth section title in 2017.

25. (tie) (24) McClymonds (Oakland), 0-0
Section: Oakland
League: OAL
Coach: Michael Peters
Next: vs. Marin Catholic
Update: The Warriors were idle. They have won back-to-back CIF State 5-AA championships and boast a 25-game winning streak in making for one heck of a small-school powerhouse. The leader is RB/LB Jarmar Julien and LB Javanz Dornners.

25. (tie) (25) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland, Calif., 0-0
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda
Coach: Napolean Kaufman
Next: vs. Kennedy (Fremont)
Update: The Dragons were idle. The roster includes Stanford commit and four-year starting RB Austin Jones. He ran for 1,560 yards and 23 scores last season and has 4,897 yards and 62 scores in his prep career.

The Next 10
26. Inderkum (Sacramento) — 1-0
27. Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) — 1-0
28. Vacaville — 0-1
29. Salinas — 0-0
30. El Cerrito — 0-0
31. Antioch — 1-0
32. San Leandro — 1-0
33. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) — 0-0
34. East Nicolaus (Nicolaus) — 0-0
35. Milpitas — 0-0