MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

The section championships are here with more than just the results spicing up the intrigue.

Should Folsom and Grant win out in Sac-Joaquin Section play, in Divisions I and II, respectively, the storied programs will likely be chosen by CIF section commissioners on Sunday to meet for D-I honors.

Sac-Joaquin Section teams move up in division in NorCal D-I play, much like Del Oro (Loomis) did last season after winning section D-II honors, beating Serra (San Mateo) in the D-I game.

See Northern California football playoff brackets


1. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) (Last week 1) 12-0
Section: North Coast
League: Freelance
Result: The Spartans beat California (San Ramon) 45-17 in a North Coast Section Division I semifinal in using a third-string quarterback for most of the action due to injury — nothing serious. That third stringer? A 6-foot-4, 230-pound lineman named Devin Asiasi, who tossed a 60-yard touchdown pass. Running backs Antoine Custer and Andrew Hernandez again had big games. The unbeaten streak against NorCal teams is 260 games since 1992. De La Salle seeks is 23rd consecutive NCS title and 29th overall since 1982. This team is a lock to reach another CIF Open Division game should it win out here.
Next: vs. No. 14 Pittsburg, Saturday.

2. Folsom (2) 13-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Result: Beat 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 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 No. 1 De La Salle to cap 14-1 seasons in 2012 and 2013.
Next: vs. No. 8 Tracy, Saturday.

3. Grant (Sacramento) (3) 13-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Result: The Pacers beat 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. 7 St. Mary's, Friday.

4. Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (5) 12-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Result: The top-ranked NorCal Division II Ugly Eagles beat Casa Grande (Petaluma) 55-3 in a North Coast Section D-II semifinal. An early big win was over No. 8 Tracy.
Next: vs. No. 24 Concord, Friday.

5. Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) (9) 12-0
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula Bay
Result: Beat previous No. 8 Los Gatos 28-21 in the Central Coast Section Open Division semifinals as the remarkable run continues with Mason Randall and Ben Burr-Kirven.
Next: vs. No. 6 Bellarmine, Friday.

6. Bellarmine (San Jose) (10) 10-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Result: Beat previous No. 6 Valley Christian 21-18 in a Central Coast Section Open Division semifinal on a late Troy Martig 57-yard touchdown run to avenge a loss to this same team in league play.
Next: vs. No. 5 Sacred Heart Prep, Friday.

7. St. Mary's (Stockton) (7) 12-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City
Result: The Rams beat No. 11 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 No. 10 Los Gatos.
Next: vs. No. 3 Grant, Friday.

8. Tracy (24) 10-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
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. 7 St. Mary's and No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) 14-7.
Next: vs. No. 2 Folsom, Saturday.

9. Valley Christian (San Jose) (6) 10-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic
Result: The Warriors lost to No. 6 Bellarmine 21-18 despite gritty efforts from Michael Machado and Mark Quinby.
Next: vs. No. 10 Los Gatos in season-ending consolation play.

10. Los Gatos (10) 9-3
Section: Central Coast
League: Santa Clara Valley Athletic
Result: Lost to No. 5 Sacred Heart Prep 28-21 in Central Coast Section Open Division play a week after stunning then No. 7 Serra 28-0. An earlier loss was 35-32 to No. 7 St. Mary's.
Next: vs. No. 9 Valley Christian in season-ending consolation play.

11. Elk Grove (5) 10-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Result: The Thundering Herd lost to No. 7 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. 3 Grant 26-19.
Next: season complete.

12. Inderkum (Sacramento) (5) 12-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Result: The Tigers beat 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. 18 Oakdale, Saturday.

13. Milpitas (11) 11-1
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Result: The Trojans lost to new No. 6 Bellarmine 9-6 in overtime in Central Coast Section Open Division play. Milpitas beat Oak Grove (San Jose) 35-15 in a consolation game that has no bearing for NorCal selection committee members.
Next: vs. Serra in season-ending consolation game, Friday.

14. Pittsburg (20) 10-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Result: Beat previous No. 12 Foothill 10-7 in North Coast Section D-I play to set up a showdown with De La Salle. Pittsburg is the last program to beat De La Salle in NorCal play, in the 1991 section finals.
Next: vs. No. 1 De La Salle, Friday.

15. Foothill (Pleasanton) (12) 9-3
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Result: The 2-seed in the North Coast Section Division I playoffs behind No. 1 De La Salle lost to No. 14 Pittsburg 10-7 in a semifinal, capping the best season in years for the program.
Next: season complete.

16. Campolindo (Moraga) (17) 13-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Result: The top-ranked Division III team in NorCal beat Analy 61-46 in a semifinal.
Next: vs. Marin Catholic (Kentfield), Friday.

17. Saint Francis (Mountain View) (18) 8-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Result: The No. 1 seed in the Central Coast Section D-II playoffs beat Leland (San Jose) 42-14 to set up a league-rival showdown for the title.
Next: vs. No. 18 Mitty, Friday.

18. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) (19) 7-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Result: The second-seeded Monarchs beat Wilcox (Santa Clara) 59-21 in a Central Coast Section D-II semifinal to set up a rematch with league rival Saint Francis, which beat Mitty the first time.
Next: vs. No. 17 St. Francis, Friday.

19. Oakdale (21) 12-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Result: The Mustangs rolled 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 Frank Trent lead the wing-T attack.
Next: vs. No. 12 Inderkum, Saturday.

20. Vacaville (13) 10-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Result: The Bulldogs lost to No. 3 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. Another earlier win was 13-7 over Granite Bay.
Next: season complete.

21. Granite Bay (21) 9-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
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.

22. Enterprise (Redding) (21) 11-1
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Result: The top seed in the Northern Section D-I playoffs repeated as champion in rolling Pleasant Valley (Chico) 31-0. It appears to be a long shot for Enterprise to return to a CIF Bowl game with so many other teams in the mix. The loss was 44-22 at No. 20 Vacaville.
Next: TBA.

23. Serra (San Mateo) (22) 8-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Result: The Padres lost to Los Gatos 28-0 in Central Coast Section Open Division play and rebounded with a 28-14 consolation win over Palma (Salinas).
Next: vs. No. 13 Milpitas in season-ending consolation game, Friday.

24. Concord (25) 12-1
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Result: Beat Pinole Valley (Pinole) 56-28 in North Coast Section Division II play behind quarterback Mitch Daniels, who has dominated in the playoffs.
Next: vs. No. 4 Clayton Valley Charter, Saturday.

25. Aptos (NR) 10-1
Section: Central Coast
League: Santa Cruz Coast
Result: The Mariners beat Burlingame 29-6 in a Central Coast Section D-III semifinal. The loss was to Sac-Joaquin Section large-school power Granite Bay, 28-12, in nonleague play.
Next: St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Saturday.

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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.