MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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Show 2: MaxPreps Sacramento powered by SMUD, Sept. 15, 2015

Upsets were the theme as then-No. 25 Monte Vista (Danville) beat previous No. 7 Pittsburg 49-42, unranked Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) became ranked after toppling previous No. 10 Sacred Heart Prep
(Atherton) 48-21 and previous No. 22 Saint Francis (Mountain View) downed previous No. 14 Palma (Salinas) 28-14.

In a game expected to go to the wire, No. 4 Bellarmine (San Jose) rallied to beat No. 5 Del Oro (Loomis) 34-31. A lot of ranked teams have byes this week with league openers looming as the CIF allows 11 weeks to play 10 regular-season games.


1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord) (2-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Orange Lutheran, Saturday
Update: The Spartans are rolling again after opening with a close loss in Texas, beating Serra (San Mateo) 37-21 and Servite (Anaheim) 52-15 to extend their remarkable NorCal unbeaten streak to 262, dating back to 1991. Andrew Hernandez rushed for 141 yards and two touchdowns against Servite for De La Salle, which led 38-3 at the half.

2. (2) Folsom (3-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson/Troy Taylor
Next: at Burbank (Sacramento), Friday
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs extended their state-leading regular-season winning streak to 35 after racing past Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 54-14. Jake Jeffrey passed for 304 yards and five touchdowns and Roger Neal ran for two.

3. (3) Grant (Sacramento) (3-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: at Franklin (Elk Grove), Sept. 25
Update: The Pacers beat Fresno Bee No. 2 Bullard (Fresno) 21-14 after trailing 14-0 at the half. Deshawn Collins ran for 125 yards and a score, Michael Cook accounted for two touchdowns and Elijah Orr led the defense.

4. (4) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (2-0)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: at Aptos, Friday
Update: The Bells, top-ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, rallied late to beat No. 4 Del Oro (Loomis) 34-31 behind the terrific efforts of quarterback Troy Martig, who hit Devon Buenrostro for a late touchdown pass. Bellarmine earlier beat previously ranked Franklin (Elk Grove) 42-0.

5. (5) Del Oro (Loomis) (1-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: at Nevada Union (Grass Valley), Sept. 25
Update: The Golden Eagles lost 22-15 to four-time defending Hawaii Division I champion Punahou (Honolulu) at Cal on a last-second play, and then fell to No. 4 Bellarmine in the final seconds despite the gritty efforts of Dalton Gee and Stone Smartt.

6. (6) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (2-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Logan (Union City), Friday.
Update: After losing a 27-26 heartbreaker to No. 2 Folsom in the final seconds in an opener, the Ugly Eagles are back in cruise control, beating Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 28-0. Ray Jackson III had 201 yards and a score.

7. (8) Elk Grove (2-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: at Yuba City, Friday
Update: The Thundering Herd rolled Lincoln (Stockton) 41-14, as Ryan Robards rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns, caught a touchdown pass and boomed two field goals, including a school-record 51-yarder as time ran out in the first half. Robards credited his "Hammerhead" linemen for his yards.

8. (12) Serra (San Mateo) (1-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: at South San Francisco, Friday
Update: The Padres lost to No. 1 De La Salle 37-21, showing some fight after trailing 28-0 after the first quarter, and bounced back with a 35-29 win over Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks).

9. (11) Valley Christian (San Jose) (2-0)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: at Milpitas, Friday
Update: The Warriors posted another shutout, beating Oak Grove (San Jose) 24-0 as Miles Kendrick tossed three touchdowns. In an opener, Valley Christian beat Pioneer (San Jose) 54-0.

10. (13) Foothill (Pleasanton) (3-0)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: at Castro Valley, Friday
Update: The Falcons beat Stagg (Stockton) 55-34 in a shootout after beating previous No. 18 Freedom (Oakley) 28-14 the previous week.

11. (15) Central Catholic (Modesto) (2-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Beyer (Modesto), Friday
Update: The Raiders beat previous No. 16 St. Mary's (Stockton) 36-22 in the Holy Bowl, as Hunter Petlansky passed for 131 yards on three completions and a touchdown and Jared Rice and Montell Bland each ran for scores.

12. (17) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (3-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: at Sparks (Nev.), Friday
Update: The Trojans beat Burbank (Sacramento) 56-28, as Ian Book passed for 174 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 67 and one. Nate Otto rushed for two scores and Michael Pittman and Gage Webb each ran for touchdowns.

13. (18) Campolindo (Moraga) (3-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: at Napa, Friday
Update: The Cougars beat Deer Valley (Antioch) 42-29, as Jacob Westphal passed for 167 yards and four touchdowns, three to Max Flower.

14. (19) Antioch (3-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: vs. Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park), Friday
Update: The Panthers beat San Leandro 26-3, as Alabama-bound running back Najee Harris ran for 156 yards and a score and Numan Najib passed for 104 and three scores.

15. (25) Monte Vista (Danville) (2-0)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), Friday
Update: The Mustangs edged previous No. 7 Pittsburg 49-42, as Jake Haener passed for 326 yards and six touchdowns.

16. (7) Pittsburg (2-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Vacaville, Friday
Update: The Pirates lost 49-42 to No. 15 Monte Vista, spoiling the efforts of Christian Young (407 yards passing, four touchdowns) and Montaz Thompson (166 running, two scores).

17. (9) Rocklin (2-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: at Sacramento, Saturday
Update: The Thunder lost to Whitney (Rocklin) 28-20, a game in which Rocklin offensive stars William Floyd and Evyn Holtz did not play.

18. (21) Saint Francis (Mountain View) (3-0)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Atascadero, Friday
Update: The Lancers beat previous No. 14 Palma (Salinas) 28-14, thanks to a defense that came up with three interceptions and another strong game from offensive leaders such as Lutoviko Ahoia.

19. (19) Wood (Vacaville) (3-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Carlos Meraz
Next: at American Canyon, Friday
Update: The Wildcats beat Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 49-45 as Marcus Howard passed for 375 yards and five touchdowns, hitting Arthur Jackson for a short play with six seconds left. Jackson had a school-record four touchdown receptions.

20. (20) Inderkum (Sacramento) (3-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: vs. Oakland Tech, Friday
Update: The Tigers beat American Canyon 43-6 as Raekwon Turner rushed for 212 yards and two scores, Derrick Henderson 79 and two and Trajon Cotton 56 and one, all after Jimmie Johnson returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a score.

21. (23) Freedom (Oakley) (2-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: at San Leandro Friday
Update: The Falcons beat Amador Valley 31-28 on a trick play as Joseph Sweeney passed to Baylei Coston across the middle, who then lateralled to a trailing Dominic Dominguez for a 62-yard score with nine seconds to play. Sweeney passed for 255 yards and two scores. Freedom lost to No. 10 Foothill (Pleasanton) earlier this year, 28-14.

22. (14) Palma (Salinas) (1-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: at Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton), Saturday
Update: The Chieftains lost to No. 18 Saint Francis 28-14 despite two touchdown passes from Jack Richardson. Palma opened the season with a 42-14 rout of then-No. 24 Sutter.

23. (16) St. Mary's (Stockton) (1-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City Athletic
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. St.Ignatius (San Francisco), Friday
Update: The Rams lost to No. 11 Central Catholic (Modesto) 36-22 in another thrilling Holy Bowl.

24. (NR) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (1-0)
Section: North Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Kevin Fordon
Update: The Crusaders made a statement in throttling previous No. 10 Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 48-21, a credit to first-year coach Kevin Fordon. Riordan was 4-16 the previous two seasons and a combined 7-43-1 the five combined seasons before that. Fordon played at De La Salle.

25. (NR) James Logan (Union City) (3-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Freelance
Coach: George Zuber
Next: at No. 6 Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), Friday
Update: The Colts have been a power for years, and have been ranked in NorCal before. Here they are again, fast and fun, and relying on a run game and defense.

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

The Sacramento Bee on a NorCal team that snapped an 8-year skid ... Click here

The Sacramento Bee on a Stanford-bound running back, big on effort and in heart ... Click here

The Sacramento Bee on significance of Bellarmine beating Del Oro ... Click here

The Sacramento Bee on the benefits of inter-sectional play ... Click here