MaxPreps Sac-Joaquin Section Top 25 Football Rankings

The Sac-Joaquin Section championships are here for the larger-school levels in Division I, II and III, with those champions also being thrown into the selection ring of possibilities for NorCal Regional games.

See the complete Sac-Joaquin Section football playoff brackets


1. Folsom (last week: 1) 13-0
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: Beat previous No. 6 Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 56-14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division I semifinal as Jake Browning accounted for seven touchdowns, six passing, as he broke his own state single-season record for scoring tosses with 76. With 214 career touchdown passes, Browning is five touchdowns away from tying the national career touchdown record of 219 set by Maty Mauk of Kenton-Ohio in 2011. Cole Thompson had four TD catches against Monterey Trail, giving him a state-leading 29 for the season. The last two losses were to NorCal No. 1 De La Salle to cap 14-1 seasons in 2012 and 2013.
Next: vs. No. 4 Tracy, Saturday.

2. Grant (Sacramento) (2) 13-0
League: Delta
Result: The Pacers beat previous No. 7 Vacaville 49-26 in a Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinal as Mike Green II rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns, DeShawn Collins went for 141 and one and Deondre' Whittington-Grays rumbled for 80 and two as the Pacers ran for 383 yards. Donovan Brown passed fro 147 yards and two scores.
Next: vs. No. 3 St. Mary's, Friday.

3. St. Mary's (Stockton) (4) 12-1
League: Tri-City
Result: The Rams beat previous No. 3 Elk Grove 23-15 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-II semifinal as Noah Righetti passed for 208 yards and two touchdowns, and the defense stalled a prolific running game. An earlier win includes NorCal-ranked Los Gatos and No. 11 Central Catholic.
Next: vs. No. 2 Grant, Friday.

4. Tracy (9) 10-3
League: Tri-City Athletic
Result: A week after beating 3-seed Jesuit 48-38, the Bulldogs topped No. 2 Granite Bay 27-21 in overtime to reach the program's first Sac-Joaquin Section D-I title game since winning it in 1987. Michael Brown and Nate Jones have led the way. The losses were to No. 3 St. Mary's and Bay Area powers Freedom (Oakley) 14-6 and Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) 14-7.
Next: vs. No. 1 Folsom, Saturday.

5. Inderkum (Sacramento) (5) 12-1
League: Tri-County
Result: The Tigers beat No. 17 Sacramento 51-34 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-III semifinal as Larry Hardy returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and raced in for scores of 60 and 5 yards, and Jonathan Henry accounted for two scores. Inderkum is in the finals for the third time since 2008.
Next: vs. No. 6 Oakdale, Saturday.

6. Oakdale (10) 12-1
League: Valley Oak
Result: The Mustangs rolled No. 13 Rio Linda 41-14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-III semifinal in rushing 77 times for nearly 550 yards to reach a section final for the 12th time. Darus Nelson and Frankie Trent lead the wing-T attack.
Next: vs. No. 5 Inderkum, Saturday.

7. Elk Grove (4) 10-3
League: Delta
Result: The Thundering Herd lost to No. 3 St. Mary's 23-15 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-II semifinal, closing out strong careers for team leaders Sai Ta'amu and Spencer Sheff. Another loss was to No. 2 Grant 26-19.
Next: season complete.

8. Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) (7) 8-5
League: Delta
Result: The Mustangs lost to No. 1 Folsom 56-14 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I semifinal, closing out a terrific career for running back Trey Nahhas, who rushed for 2,599 yards and 34 touchdowns.
Next: season complete.

9. Vacaville (7) 10-3
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Bulldogs lost to Grant 49-26 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-II semifinal, closing out the career of quarterback Chad Hekking. An earlier playoff win was over defending champion Del Oro 35-28. A nonleague win was 13-7 over Granite Bay.
Next: season complete.

10. Granite Bay (8) 9-4
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Grizzlies lost to No. 5 Tracy 27-21 in overtime in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I semifinal, ending the remarkable career of linebacker Cameron Smith.
Next: season complete.

11. Central Catholic (Modesto) (12) 10-3
League: Valley Oak
Result: The two-time defending CIF State Division IV champion Raiders beat No. 23 Sonora 42-35 for the program's ongoing record 18th Sac-Joaquin Section title, this one in D-IV. A NorCal D-IV bowl invite seems inevitable.
Next: TBA.

12. Del Oro (Loomis, Calif.) (14) 6-6
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The defending champion Golden Eagles lost to Vacaville 35-28 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-II play. Del Oro placed second in the Sierra Foothill League.
Next: season complete.

13. Rio Linda (13) 10-3
League: Tri-County
Result: The Knights lost to No. 6 Oakdale in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-III semifinal, ending the career of all-time program leading rusher Marcel Brown.
Next: season complete.

14. Jesuit (Carmichael) (15) 9-3
League: Delta
Result: The Marauders lost to Tracy 48-38 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-I play, closing out the strong careers of Cole Brownholtz, Isaiah Bailey and a host of other seniors.
Next: season complete.

15. Merced (16) 9-3
League: Central California
Result: The Bears lost to then-No. 6 Monterey Trail 51-45 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-I play. The Bears entered the playoffs as The Modesto Bee's top-ranked team.
Next: season complete.

16. Napa (17) 9-3
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Indians lost to No. 8 Granite Bay 28-13 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division I play. An earlier win was over Vacaville 26-14.
Next: season complete.

17. Sacramento (11) 10-3
League: Metropolitan
Result: The Dragons lost to top-seeded Inderkum 51-34 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-III semifinal, closing out the careers of program greats Kyron Basped and Lonny Powell.
Next: season complete.

18. Manteca (18) 9-3
League: Valley Oak
Result: The defending champion Buffaloes lost to No. 17 Sacramento 34-28 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-III play. The other losses were to Oakdale and Central Catholic.
Next: season complete.

19. Rocklin (19) 9-3
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: The Thunder lost to No. 4 St. Mary's 56-14 in Sac-Joaquin Section Division II play. The other losses were to Folsom and Granite Bay.
Next: season complete.

20. Sierra (Manteca) (20) 10-2
League: Valley Oak
Result: The Timberwolves lost to Rio Linda 49-46 in Sac-Joaquin Section D-III play to close out perhaps the best season in program history. The loss was to No. 18 Manteca, 34-20. An earlier win was over No. 6 Oakdale.
Next: season complete.

21. Downey (Modesto) (21) 10-2
League: Modesto Metro
Result: The Knights lost to No. 2 Grant 63-21 in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-II second-round game despite another gritty effort by Paul Wilson.
Next: season complete.

22. Franklin (Elk Grove) (19) 7-5
League: Delta
Result: The Wildcats lost to No. 1 Folsom, 56-13, in a Sac-Joaquin Section D-I quarterfinal to close out some good careers, including quarterback Jacob Lopez, receiver Brandon Johnson and versatile twins Bryce and Reid Abshear.
Next: season complete.

23. Sonora (24) 11-2
League: Mother Lode
Result: Lost to No. 11 Central Catholic 42-35 in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-IV title game, ending a strong bounce-back season.
Next: season complete.

24. Capital Christian (Sacramento) (24) 13-0
League: Golden Empire
Result: Beat No. 25 Modesto Christian 35-28 in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-VI championship behind another big game by Justice Shelton-Mosley. The support crew includes Jacob Norville and Luis Gomez. Capital Christian may be selected to play Central Catholic in the NorCal D-IV game.
Next: TBA.

25. Modesto Christian (25) 11-2
League: Trans Valley
Result: The Crusaders lost to No. 24 Capital Christian 35-28 in the Sac-Joaquin Section D-VI championship in a remarkable rise back to form with coach Mike Parsons. The other loss was also to Capital Christian.
Next: season complete.

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The Sacramento Bee Preps TV Show with football highlights, insights, reviews, previews and profiles

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through www.sacbee.com/preps. He co-hosts with Mike Finnerty The Bee Preps Show that runs throughout the week on Comcast SportsNet California.