MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

Video: Dusty Frampton's highlights vs. Merrill West High School
Watch the Rams' running back go for 97 yards and four touchdowns.

There were no changes to the top 10 spots of the rankings but there may be in the coming weeks with league races looming. Big games this week include top-ranked De La Salle taking on No. 18 California and No. 8 Del Oro hosting No. 17 Oak Ridge. All four programs expect to win section championships.


1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 6-1
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: at No. 17 California (San Ramon), Friday
Update: Top-ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle and Bay Area News Group, the Spartans
flexed some championship grit with a 35-0 win over Foothill (Pleasanton) despite leading rusher Kairee Robinson sitting out with a sore back. Justice Peters stepped in and had 91 yards and a score, extending
the program's NorCal unbeaten streak to 276 games (against teams north of Fresno), dating back to 1992. The loss this season was 23-21 to the top-ranked team in Utah, East of Salt Lake City, on a late field goal. The Spartans have won 24 consecutive North Coast Section titles and 32 since 1982, and they have won six CIF State championships in seven seasons.

2. (2) St. Mary's (Stockton), 6-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: at Tracy, Friday.
Update: Top ranked by the Stockton Record, the Rams rolled West (Tracy) 55-0 as Dusty Frampton rushed for 97 yards and four touchdowns and Jake Dunniway passed for two scores. The loss was to state and national powerhouse St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 55-16 after leading 10-7 early. Earlier wins include once-ranked Serra (San Mateo), ranked Central Catholic and ranked Cardinal Newman.

3. (3) Valley Christian (San Jose), 7-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Friday
Update: The top-ranked team in the CCS, the Warriors impressively downed previous No. 11 Bellarmine 28-7 to remain unbeaten in league play with a showdown looming against ranked Saint Francis on Oct. 28. Isaiah Rodriguez rushed for 122 yards and Javon Sturns ran for 131.

4. (4) Monte Vista (Danville), 7-0
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: vs. Amador Valley (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: The Mustangs beat Livermore 37-0 with the second shutout of the season as Jake Haener passed for 241 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two. A big early win was over No. 18 California. De La Salle looms in Week 10.

5. (5) Pittsburg, 7-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Liberty (Brentwood), Friday
Update: The Pirates beat unbeaten Heritage (Brentwood) 63-22 despite being without injured quarterback Trey Turner and running back Montaz Thompson. Seu Kuka passed for 198 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 69 and a score. Jack Lacy rushed for two scores.Pittsburg has been a Bay Area power for decades and is the last NorCal program to beat De La Salle, in the 1991 North Coast Section Division I finals.

6. (6) Sacramento, 6-1
League: Metropolitan
Coach: Justin Reber
Next: vs. Valley (Sacramento), Saturday
Update: Top ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Dragons crushed Valley (Sacramento) 74-0 to remain unbeaten in league play. The big game looming is against Burbank (Sacramento). The big win of the season for the entire section was downing the No. 2 Folsom 32-27, leading 32-14 at one point. The Folsom win halted the Bulldogs' state-leading 48-game regular-season winning streak. The Dragons start only four seniors and lost an opener to state-ranked JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) despite accumulating 496 yards.

7. (7) Folsom, 7-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. Rocklin, Oct. 28
Update: The Bulldogs remained perfect in the SFL after beating Nevada Union (Grass Valley) 54-7 as Joe Curry passed for 238 yards and three touchdowns. The big win of late include downing then-NorCal No. 2 Del Oro 42-7. The loss was to new No. 6 Sacramento early 32-27, halting a state-leading 48-game regular-season winning streak. The Bulldogs seek a fifth successive section championship and a third state title since 2010.

8. (8) Del Oro (Loomis), 7-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. No. 17 Oak Ridge, Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles beat rival Rocklin 26-14 as Dalton Gee and Stone Smartt combined to score three touchdowns. The loss was a wake-up call, 42-7 to Folsom. An earlier win was over then-No. 7 Bellarmine 16-14. The defending CIF State Division II-AA champion Golden Eagles seek a fourth CIF Bowl bid since 2011.

9. (9) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 6-1
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Acalanes (Lafayette), Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat Concord 21-0 with a smothering defense that allowed fewer than 100 yards. Thomas Alatini rushed for 108 yards and a score and James Teofilo had 93. This is a powerhouse running team whose lone setback was to state-ranked Helix (San Diego) 13-0. In the opener, the Ugly Eagles beat five-time defending Nevada state champion Reed 35-21. Clayton Valley Charter has reached a CIF Bowl the last two seasons.

10. (10) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 6-1
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: at Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), Friday
Update: The Lancers rolled Mitty (San Jose) 42-0 in a major bounce-back effort. The loss came a week earlier, in overtime, to once-ranked Serra (San Mateo) 41-40. A recent big win was over ranked Bellarmine 21-12 to snap an 11-game losing streak to their chief rival. Beyond WCAL play, Saint Francis seeks its 17th Central Coast Section championships.

11. (12) Elk Grove, 6-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. Monterey Trail (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: The Thundering Herd beat Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 29-7 as Jayden Machado and Zion Thomas led the offensive charge. A big win was 24-17 over No. 12 Grant after a stunning late-field goal loss to Davis. The Herd has reached the a section final three times since 2012 and has been a power since the 1980s.

12. (13) Grant (Sacramento), 6-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: at Sheldon (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Pacers beat Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 29-23 as Tyree Marcelle scored the game's final two touchdowns and the defense staged two fourth-quarter goal-line stops. The loss was to No. 11 Elk Grove 24-17. The home field was dedicated to Coach Alberghini before the opener, his 25 consecutive playoff berths and seven section championships just a sliver of his impact.

13. (14) Freedom (Oakley), 7-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: vs. Heritage (Brentwood), Friday
Update: The Falcons beat Deer Valley (Antioch) 42-0 to continue an impressive start to the season as Ronnie Rivers rushed for 159 yards and two scores. Ranked Pittsburg looms. Coach Hartwig seeks an eighth playoff appearance in nine years.

14. (15) Milpitas, 6-1
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: at Wilcox (Santa Clara), Friday
Update: The Trojans were idle. They beat Palo Alto 42-0 in the last outing to make up for a loss to Los Gatos. The big win early was over then No. 4 Antioch 49-28. Big lines and powerful backs and linebackers are the foundation to this team's success.

15. (16) Central Catholic (Modesto), 5-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: at Sierra (Manteca), Friday
Update: The Raiders beat unbeaten Manteca 32-14 behind the power run game and defense in a game expected to go to the wire. The losses were to No. 2 St. Mary's and to state-ranked Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 28-25 after trailing by 18. Central Catholic is a four-time defending CIF state champion that has won a record 19 Sac-Joaquin Section titles.

16. (17) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 6-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: at No. 8 Del Oro, Friday
Update: The Trojans beat once-ranked Granite Bay 28-0 as Michael Pittman and Marco Baldacchino led the way. An earlier win was over then-No. 14 Rocklin 27-15. The loss was to 5-time Nevada state champion Reed of Nevada 55-34. Reed lost earlier to ranked Clayton Valley Charter.

17. (18) California (San Ramon), 6-1
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Eric Billeci
Next: vs. No. 1 De La Salle, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies beat Dougherty Valley 42-0 as Ryan Wright passed for 258 yards and four touchdowns. Next is the ultimate test, against De La Salle. The loss was to No. 4 Monte Vista 27-24 on a last-play field goal.

18. (25) Pitman (Turlock), 7-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Central California
Coach: Tom Tyler
Next: at El Capitan (Merced), Friday
Update: Top ranked by The Modesto Bee, the Pride beat Buhach Colony (Atwater) 47-7 as Devan Bass rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns and the team churned out 309 yards on 49 carries and six scores to remain unbeaten in league play with fellow league unbeaten Turlock looming.

19. (11) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 4-3
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: at Riordan (San Francisco), Saturday
Update: The Bells lost to No. 3 Valley Christian 28-7 and are out of the league-title race. Another loss was to then-No. 4 Saint Francis 21-12 despite allowing just one offensive touchdown. The other setback was 16-14 to then-No. 2 Del Oro. Bellarmine is the defending Division I NorCal champions, and they seek a fifth section title under famed coach Janda, winner of a section-record 274 games.

20. (21) Antioch, 4-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: at Deer Valley (Antioch), Friday
Update: The Panthers beat Liberty (Brentwood) 62-55 as Najee Harris rushed for 268 yards and two scores, much to the delight of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, who hammed it up with all comers throughout the game. Antioch pushed top-ranked De La Salle to the wire, losing 28-21. The other loss was to No. 15 Milpitas. Antioch last season posted its first 10-0 regular season last fall since 1977.

21. (22) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 6-1
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: at Windsor, Friday
Update: The Cardinals beat beat Montgomery (Santa Rosa) 50-7 as Jordon Brookshire accounted for 311 yards and five touchdowns, hitting Kyle Carinalli for two long touchdown strikes as the North Bay domination continues. The loss was to No. 2 St. Mary's 49-32. Cardinal Newman once held the state-record for the longest winning streak of 47 in the 1970s.

22. (24) San Benito (Hollister), 8-0
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Bryan Smith
Next: at North Salinas, Friday
Update: There are four unbeaten teams in this section and one of them is the Haybalers, a section champion from 2012 that has already surpassed last season's win total. The latest effort was an 18-7 win over Salinas.

23. (19) Manteca, 6-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Eric Reis
Next: at Lathrop, Friday
Update: There's no shame losing to a four-time defending CIF State Champion powerhouse, which happened to the Buffaleos as they fell to No. 15 Central Catholic 32-14. The key is how to respond. This is the class of the section D-III field.

24. (NR) Paradise, 8-0
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Rick Prinz
Next: at Foothill (Palo Cedro), Friday
Update: The top-ranked team in the Northern Section for larger schools owns a 15-14 victory over previously ranked Pleasant Valley (Chico). The latest win was a 40-13 rout over Shasta (Redding). Austin Garber has rushed for 1,306 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 186.6 a game.

25. (NR) Campolindo (Moraga), 5-2
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Concord, Friday
Update: The Cougars won their 32nd consecutive league game with a 37-25 triumph of Miramonte (Orinda). Noah Loeliger rushed for 187 yards and two scores and Jacob Westphal passed for 167 yards. The Cougars lost to No. 3 Valley Christian 21-7 in an opener and 28-21 to Oakdale, a power in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

The Sacramento Bee on a record-breaking back from the valley...click here

The Sacramento Bee on all-time 99-yard touchdown runners...click here

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