MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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Now everyone is in the playoff race. Every section will be in play this week after the Central Coast Section finished regular-season play.

In a new twist, each section champion will advance to a NorCal Regional Championship game, spanning 13 divisions. Before, section champions were thrown into a general pot, and a committee selected who advanced and who did not.


1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord) (9-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. California (San Ramon), Friday
Update: The preseason national No. 1 Spartans had an opening bye in the NCS D-I playoffs as the top seed and will play a California (San Ramon) program it recently rolled 56-0. De La Salle seeks its 24th consecutive section title and 31st since 1982, a stunning run of success with no one even close. The Spartans are unbeaten against NorCal competition since 1991, a streak of 266 games. The loss this season was to Texas powerhouse Trinity as a potential game-winning catch in the closing seconds just missed.

2. (2) Folsom (11-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson/Troy Taylor
Next: vs. Franklin (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: Top ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs rolled Kennedy (Sacramento) 63-0 in an SJS D-I opener of which the Bulldogs are the top seed. This was Folsom's 13th consecutive section playoff win and 19th out of 20. Overall, the Bulldogs have won a state-leading 27 consecutive games. An early win was 27-26 over No. 3 Clayton Valley Charter, in addition to wins over ranked Oak Ridge and ranked Rocklin.

3. (3) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (9-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Windsor, Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles had a bye as the top seed in the NCS D-II playoffs, the only MaxPreps NorCal-ranked team in that bracket. The loss was 27-26 to No. 2 Folsom in an opening game that came down to the wire. CVC was a CIF Bowl team last season.

4. (4) Elk Grove (11-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. Merced, Friday
Update: Ranked second by The Sacramento Bee, the Thundering Herd are seeded second behind Folsom in the SJS D-I field. They opened with a 55-0 rout of Gregori (Modesto) behind great line play, quarterback Jayden Machado and running back Ryan Robards. An earlier win was 42-7 over No. 7 Grant.

5. (5) Foothill (Pleasanton) (10-0)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: Freedom (Oakley), Friday
Update: The Falcons had an opening bye as the No. 3 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs. The next win will give coach Matt Sweeney his 250th career victory.

6. (6) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (9-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: vs. Piedmont Hills, Friday
Update: The Bells, top ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, beat St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 42-6 to earn the top seed in the CCS Open D-I bracket. The loss was to Mitty 35-28 when star quarterback Troy Martig sat with an injury.

7. (7) Grant (Sacramento) (10-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: vs. Granite Bay, Saturday
Update: The Pacers beat Beyer (Modesto) 35-0 on Monday night to cap an emotional weekend after the stunning shooting death of cornerback Jaulon Clavo, who died hours before the originally scheduled Friday kickoff. Coach Alberghini won his 262nd game, the most in regional history, passing since-retired Max Miller. Alberghini is a galvanizing force for the Pacers.

8. (8) Saint Francis (Mountain View) (9-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Pioneer (San Jose), Friday
Update: The Lancers beat ranked Riordan (San Francisco) 36-27 to win a share of the program's first league title in 12 years. Earlier wins include Valley Christian and Palma, both ranked. The Lancers won a section title last season, the program's 16th.

9. (9) Central Catholic (Modesto) (11-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Christian Brothers (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Raiders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee, earned the top seed in the SJS D-III playoffs and backed it up with a 42-0 win over El Camino (Sacramento). Central Catholic is the three-time defending CIF State Division IV champion, now playing up a division.

10. (10) Antioch (10-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: vs. Amador Valley (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: The Panthers had a bye as the No. 2 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs. They beat decades-long rival and No. 12 Pittsburg, 44-42, in the 97th Big Little Game in front of an overflow of 6,000 fans for the program's first BVAL title, first league crown since 1984 and first 10-0 showing since 1977.

11. (12) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (9-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Next: vs. Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: The Trojans rightly earned the No. 3 seed in SJS D-I playoffs, losing only to 10-0 teams Folsom and Reed (Nevada), and then beat Monterey Trail (Sacramento) 35-14 behind Ian Book and a strong defense. Oak Ridge has won section titles in other divisions but not D-I.

12. (13) Pittsburg (9-2)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. No. 22 Monte Vista (Danville), Saturday
Update: The Pirates opened NCS D-I playoff action with a 56-20 win over Dougherty Valley (San Ramon) after storming to a quick 28-0 lead. The losses were to No. 10 Antioch 44-42 and to No. 22 Monte Vista, thus a nice rematch.

13. (15) Clovis (9-1)
Section: Central
League: Tri-River
Coach: Rich Hammond
Next: vs. Edison (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Cougars had an opening playoff bye as the top seed in the Central Section D-I playoffs. The loss was to Central (Fresno) 21-20, a game in which Clovis faced 13 defenders — not the allowed 11 — during a late drive. That happened on five plays, and there were 12 defenders on another.

14. (16) Inderkum (Sacramento) (11-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: vs. Manteca, Friday
Update: The Tigers are the No. 3 seed in the SJS D-III playoffs — behind ranked Central Catholic and Oakdale — and opened with an 83-32 rout of Lincoln. Jimmie Johnson and Raekwon Turner have led a punishing and quick ground attack, and both play defense.

15. (17) Napa (11-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Troy Mott
Next: vs. St. Mary's (Stockton), Friday
Update: The Indians capped their first 10-0 regular season since 1995 and opened SJS D-I play with a 26-0 win over Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove). Napa is the No. 4 seed in the SJS D-I playoffs, a field that includes No. 2 Folsom, No. 4 Elk Grove and No. 11 Oak Ridge. An earlier win was over ranked Wood 38-2 and 21-14 over ranked Campolindo.

16. (18) Rocklin (8-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: vs. Del Campo (Fair Oaks), Friday
Update: The Thunder raced past Burbank (Sacramento) 34-14 in an SJS D-II opener as Evyn Holtz rushed for nearly 300 yards and accounted for four touchdowns. Rocklin beat Del Campo handily in an early season nonleague meeting.

17. (19) Wood (Vacaville) (10-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Carlos Meraz
Next: vs. Del Oro (Loomis), Friday
Update: The Wildcats opened SJS D-II play with a 59-33 win over American Canyon as Marcus Howard tossed six touchdown passes. The loss was to No. 15 Napa in league play, 38-21.

18. (20) Campolindo (Moraga) (10-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Acalanes (Lafayette), Friday
Update: The Cougars beat Ygnacio Valley (Concord) in NCS D-III play, 70-44, in scoring 42 in the first quarter and then gradually emptying the bench. Campolindo is the top seed and plays an Acalanes team it beat in Week 10 49-19. The loss was 21-14 to No. 15 Napa.

19. (21) Oakdale (10-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: vs. Benicia, Friday
Update: The Mustangs, defending SJS section Division III champions and ranked second by The Modesto Bee, are the No. 2 seed this season and opened with a 63-33 rout of El Dorado behind a dominant running game. The loss was to top-seeded Central Catholic in a thriller.

20. (22) Palma (Salinas) (9-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: vs. Aragon (San Mateo), Friday
Update: The Chieftains clinched the league title with a 38-22 win over Alvarez (Salinas) and are now threat in the CCS playoffs as a high seed. The loss was 28-14 to No. 8 Saint Francis.

21. (12) Valley Christian (San Jose) (7-3)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Los Gatos, Saturday
Update: The Warriors lost to Serra (San Mateo) 42-21 though is still considered a serious threat in the CCS D-II playoffs. How teams respond is always they key. An earlier win was over No. 23 Milpitas.

22. (23) Monte Vista (Danville) (7-3)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: vs. No. 12 Pittsburg, Saturday
Update: The Mustangs as the No. 4 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs had an opening bye. Now they have a chance to back up an earlier win over Pittsburg. The losses included No. 5 Foothill (35-27) and No. 3 Clayton Valley Charter (21-17).

23. (24) Milpitas (8-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: vs. Alvarez (Salinas), Friday
Update: The Trojans beat Homestead (Cupertino) 59-6 and earned the No. 2 seed in the CCS Open D-I playoffs. The losses were to No. 10 Antioch and to No. 21 Valley Christian, 22-21.

24. (25) Pleasant Valley (Chico) (10-0)
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Mark Cooley
Next: vs. Foothill (Palo Cedro), Friday
Update: The top-ranked team in the Northern Section, the Vikings rolled to a 10-0 season — their first since 1979 — and earned the top seed in the Northern Section D-II playoffs.

25. (14). Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (7-3)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Kevin Fordon
Next: at Burlingame, Friday
Update: The Crusaders lost to Saint Francis 36-27 but earned a high seed in the CCS Open D-III playoffs. Earlier losses were to ranked Valley Christian and Bellarmine.

The Sacramento Bee on how Grant High School overcame the shooting death of a popular player ... click here

The Sacramento Bee on high-scoring opening-round playoff games... click here

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