Video: Highlight of matchup - De La Salle vs. Serra 2016Watch as NorCal No. 1 De La Salle prepares for No. 18 Serra.Football is back, and all sections got under way on Friday or Saturday with some expected results and some upsets and surprises. Intersectional play continues with some big matchups.
Northern California Top 25 football rankings
1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 1-0Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. No. 18 Serra (San Mateo), Friday
Update: Top-ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle and Bay Area News Group, the Spartans routed Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 42-7 as
Tre White reached the end zone on a 95yard kickoff return,
Kairee Robinson rushed for 134 yards and quarterback
Abel Ordaz ran for two scores. The Spartans have won 24 consecutive North Coast Section titles and 32 since 1982, and they have won six CIF State titles in seven seasons. De La Salle's NorCal unbeaten streak is at 272, dating back to 1991.
2. (2) Folsom, 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. No. 25 Jesuit, Friday
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs beat Idaho powerhouse Couer d'Alene 55-36 after leading 41-16 at the half, as
Joe Curry completed 35 of 42 passes for 564 yards and six first-half touchdowns, four to
Drake Stallworth. Folsom has a 46-game regular season winning streak and is .500 against section opposition since 2012. The Bulldogs have gone .593 since 2012, with two losses to De La Salle in the NorCal Open finals and to Bellarmine last season in the NorCal finals.
3. (3) Del Oro (Loomis), 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. No. 23 Pleasant Valley (Chico), Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles beat St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) 44-20 after leading 38-0 as
Stone Smartt,
Cam Davis,
Bryce Edwards and
Mason Hurst led the way. Israel Luna scored a defensive touchdown for the defending CIF State Division I-AA champions. Coach Taylor has won five section titles in eight title-game appearances and has led three teams to CIF Bowl games since 2011.
4. (4) Antioch, 1-0Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: at Milpitas, Friday
Update: The Panthers rolled Lincoln (Stockton) 67-38 as the nation's No. 1 recruit
Najee Harris rushed for 173 yards and three touchdowns and caught a scoring pass in the first half and had 219 yards rushing total on 10 carries. Quarterback
Willem Karnthong passed for three touchdowns. Antioch posted its first 10-0 regular season last fall since 1977.
5. (5) St. Mary's (Stockton), 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. No. 22 Cardinal Newman, Friday
Update: Top ranked by the Stockton Record, the Rams raced past previous No. 6 Serra 63-35 on the road as
Dusty Frampton rushed for 265 yards on 21 carries and six touchdowns and
Jake Dunniway passed for 231 yards and two scores. St. Mary's pushed Folsom to the wire in the playoffs last season and could field its best team ever this fall.
6. (7) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 1-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: at Palma, Friday
Update: The Lancers beat Oak Grove (San Jose) 24-7, the same team that beat them 27-21 in the final moments of the CCS Open Division II title game last season, denying them their 17th section title.
Cyrus Habibi-Likio and
Brandon Bains ran for touchdowns and
Bennett Williams led the defense.
7. (8) Elk Grove, 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. Lincoln (Stockton), Sept. 9
Update: The Thundering Herd rolled previously ranked Inderkum (Sacramento) 37-6 as
Jalen Brown and
Zion Thomas combined for three rushing touchdowns and
Jayden Machado found
Gavin Reinwald for two scoring passes. The defense had six sacks and allowed fewer than 20 yards rushing. Elk Grove has reached the a section final three times since 2012.
8. (11) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 1-0Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Helix (San Diego), Saturday
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat five-time defending Nevada state champion Reed 35-21 in rushing 50 times, including 32 carries by
Akeal Lalaind, who had 173 yards and two scores and caught a touchdown. Clayton Valley Charter has reached a CIF Bowl the last two seasons.
9. (11) Central Catholic (Modesto), 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), Thursday
Update: The Raiders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee, beat Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 42-16 as
Jared Ricerushed for 272 yards and three touchdowns and
Montell Bland went for 71 and two as the Raiders raced for 381 yards on 43 carries, an average of 9 yards a carry. Central Catholic is a four-time defending CIF state champion. The Raiders have won a record 19 Sac-Joaquin Section titles.
10. (12) Valley Christian (San Jose), 1-0Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Wilcox (Santa Clara), Friday
Update: The Warriors defeated previous No. 13 Campolindo 21-7 as
Miles Kendrick passed for a score and
Javon Sturns and
Trent Laubach each ran for one as the team rushed 54 times for 319 yards.
11. (14) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 1-0Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: vs. Clovis North, Friday
Update: The Bells reached the end zone on the first play of a 34-20 win over Menlo (Atherton) as
Brendan Manigo scored on a 65-yarder.
Austin Ajiake rushed for 121 yards and Manigo 109 for the defending NorCal Division I champions who won their fourth CCS title last season under coach Janda, winner of a section-record 271 games.
12. (17) Grant (Sacramento), 1-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: vs. Burbank (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Pacers rallied late to beat Rocklin 21-20 as
Cam Davis hit
Larry Hardy for the winning score and
Tyree Marcelle had 202 yards and two touchdowns. The field was dedicated to longtime coach Alberghini before the game. He is 263-51-1 at Grant since 1991 with 26 consecutive playoff teams and seven section titles.
13. (19) Monte Vista (Danville), 1-0Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: at Foothill (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: The Mustangs beat Deer Valley (Antioch) 49-7 as
Jake Haener passed for 221 yards and four touchdowns and
Shane Perry rushed for 106 and three scores. Monte Vista has a healthy sporting culture on campus, including a state-championship basketball program.
14. (NR) Pittsburg, 1-0Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Logan (Union City), Friday
Update: The Pirates beat Mitty (San Jose) 41-14 by rushing 41 times for 410 yards, including 28 carries for 307 yards and three scores for
Montaz Thompson. Pittsburg has been a Bay Area power for decades and is the last NorCal program to beat De La Salle, in 1991.
15. (NR) San Leandro, 1-0Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda County
Coach: Brad Bowers
Next: vs. Liberty (Brentwood), Friday
Update: The Pirates beat previous No. 10 Foothill 38-24 as
Omari Land rushed for two scores. It was Foothill's first regular-season loss since 2014.
16. (10) Foothill (Pleasanton), 0-1Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: vs. No. 25 California (San Ramon), Friday
Update: The Falcons lost to new No. 15 San Leandro 38-24, suffering their first regular-season loss since 2014. Foothill surged last season with its best team since 2006, upending Antioch 55-54 in the NCS Division I playoffs.
17. (13) Campolindo (Moraga), 0-1Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: at St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Saturday
Update: Cougars lost to new No. 10 Valley Christian 21-7. Campolindo won the NCS Division III title last season and played for a CIF Bowl game for the second successive season.
18. (6) Serra (San Mateo), 0-1Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: at No. 1 De La Salle, Friday
Update: The Padres fell hard to No. 5 St. Mary's 63-35 and were hurt by the second-half loss of star quarterback
Leki Nunn with cramps, who expects to play Friday. It doesn't get easier with De La Salle looming as coach Walsh has challenged his defense to step up against his alma mater, and beyond.
19. (16) Oak Grove (San Jose), 0-1Section: Central Coast
League: Mount Hamilton
Coach: Jay Braun
Next: vs. Granite Bay, Friday
Update: The Eagles lost to No. 6 Saint Francis 24-7 after beating that team in the Central Coast Section playoffs.
Tyler McGovern had a touchdown pass for a program that has won three section titles since 2004.
20. (18) Rocklin (Rocklin), 0-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: vs. Napa, Friday
Update: The Thunder lost in the final moments to No. 12 Grant but they did find a new quarterback in
Michael Nolan, who passed for 249 yards and three touchdowns, two to
Kier Gibson-Adams. Rocklin reached the section finals last season.
21. (20) Vacaville, 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Mike Papadopoulos
Next: at Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), Friday
Update: The Bulldogs beat Liberty (Brentwood) 37-26 as Daniel Wright rushed for 145 yards and three scores and the team went for 300 on 49 carries, attempting just four passes. Vacaville is the last Sac Joaquin Section team to beat Folsom, in the 2011 section finals.
22. (22) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 1-0Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: at No. 5 St. Mary's, Friday
Update: The top team in the Redwood Empire area beat Fortuna 45-12 as
Jordon Brookshire had four first-half touchdown passes in scoring 35 first-half points. Cardinal Newman, once the state-record holder with the longest winning streak at 47, is a regular to the section playoffs.
23. (21) Pleasant Valley (Chico), 1-0Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Mark Cooley
Next: at No. 3 Del Oro, Friday
Update: The top-ranked team by the the Chico Enterprise-Record beat Yuba City 21-0 behind a 43-yard fumble return by
Michael Urena and a 60-yard touchdown catch from
Kyle Lindquist. The Vikings last season won their first section title since 1998 and now brace for defending CIF State Division II-AA champion Del Oro.
24. (NR) Freedom (Oakley), 1-0Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: at Tracy, Friday
Update: The Falcons beat a good Turlock team 41-6 as
Ronnie Rivers rushed for 183 yards and three touchdowns and
Baylei Coston had two scores.
(TIE) 25. (NR) California (San Ramon), 1-0Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Eric Billeci
Next: at No. 16 Foothill, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies routed Logan (Union City) 43-6 as
Carlos Gomez rushed fro 147 yards and three scores and
Pavin Virde had 10 tackles.
(TIE) 25. (NR) Jesuit (Carmichael), 1-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: at No. 2 Folsom, Friday
Update: The Marauders beat previously ranked Granite Bay 28-10 behind a strong running game, a solid offensive line and the ever-steady passing and game direction of senior quarterback
Calvin Brownholtz. Next is a chance to snap Folsom's 46-game regular-season winning streak and .500 run against Sac Joaquin Section competition.
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