MaxPreps NorCal Top 25 high school football rankings

1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 4-1
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Update: The Spartans led 28-0 and won 35-0 over Central Section power Buchanan as Dorian Hale scored twice while the defense allowed 23 yards rushing. The unbeaten streak against NorCal teams north of Fresno is 302 (with two ties). De La Salle is 387-5-2 against NorCal opponents since 1984. The Spartans have won 27 consecutive North Coast Section crowns and have been to 12 successive CIF State finals (those games started in 2006) and 10 in succession in the Open Division.
Next: vs. St. Mary's, Friday

2. (2) Folsom, (3-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Paul Doherty
Update: The two-time defending CIF State Division I-AA champion Bulldogs and the top-ranked team by The Sacramento Bee, beat rival Oak Ridge 36-33 to open Sierra Foothill League play, extending their SFL winning streak to 37 and overall league streak to 42, dating back to 2011. Dylan Richard had a late sack to help ice it. The loss was to De La Salle, 42-27. Folsom is 129-11 this decade with four CIF State banners, seven section titles and two 14-0 teams that lost to De La Salle in the since-dropped NorCal Open Division finals in 2012 and 2013.
Next: vs. Menlo-Atherton, Friday
3. (3) Serra (San Mateo), 3-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Update: Two time CIF Northern California winners in recent years were idle. They have big wins this season over St. Mary's, (56-28), Pittsburg (58-21) and Menlo-Atherton (38-13). For now, this is the best team in the Central Coast Section with rival Valley Christian looming.
Next: vs. Riordan, Friday

4. (4) Valley Christian (San Jose), 3-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Update: The defending CCS Open Division II champions were idle. A big win was 23-13 over Wilcox. Rival Serra is the team to look for in the WCAL scramble.
Next: vs. Saint Francis, Friday

5. (5) Liberty (Brentwood), 5-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Ryan Partridge
Update: The defending CIF State 1-A champion Lions beat Cardinal Newman 17-13, running out the final 8 minutes. Darrion Bartley rushed for 184 yards. Earlier wins were over Clayton Valley Charter, Vacaville and Oakdale.
Next: vs. Freedom, Friday

6. (6) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 3-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Update: The Trojans lost to rival Folsom 36-33 in a thrilling SFL opener, undone by a last-second missed field goal. A rematch in the section Division I finals seems possible. Justin Lamson passed for 296 yards and two scores.
Next: vs. Rocklin, Friday

7. (7) Inderkum (Sacramento), 4-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Valley
Coach: Terry Stark
Update: The Tigers opened league play with a 55-20 win over Bella Vista as JJ Ray tossed four touchdowns and Dino Watson ran for 157 yards and scored twice. A big early win was 37-10 at Del Oro.
Next: vs. Woodcreek, Friday

8. (8) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 3-1
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Tim Murphy
Update: The Ugly Eagles rolled Canyon Springs of North Las Vegas 35-6 after enduring a 13-hour bus ride, relying on a third-string quarterback (injuries) as Tyson Vida ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns. The loss was 28-27 in overtime to Liberty. CVC has had seasons of 12-2, 11-2, 15-1, 13-2 and two 9-2 seasons this decade.
Next: vs. Berkeley, Friday

9. (9) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 4-1
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Update: The Cardinals lost to Liberty 17-13, unable to get the ball back the final 8 minutes. Earlier wins were over Placer and Sutter. The lone loss a year ago was to Liberty. This program in the 1970s had the state record for consecutive wins at 47.
Next: vs. Rancho Cotate, Oct. 4

10. (10) Monte Vista (Danville), 3-1
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Matt Russi
Update: The Mustangs beat Bishop O'Dowd 27-3 as Jack Stewardson hit Jacob Oliphant with two touchdown passes. The loss was to Liberty 24-21, undone by a tying field-goal attempt that hit the upright. An early big win was over Granite Bay.
Next: vs. Livermore, Friday

11. (11) Pittsburg, 4-1
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Update: The Pirates rallied from 17 down in the fourth quarter to beat Wilcox 35-31. Jerry Johnson passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns and led the winning drive. The loss was to Serra. An early big win was over St. Mary's, 42-35. Pittsburg is the last NorCal program to defeat De La Salle, doing so in the 1991 North Coast Section finals.
Next: vs. Deer Valley, Friday

12. (12) Wilcox (Santa Clara), 2-2
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Paul Rosa
Update: The defending CIF State 3-A champion Chargers led Pittsburg by 17 in the fourth quarter but ran out of steam, falling 35-31 while competing without its two top running backs (injuries). The loss was to Valley Christian 23-13.
Next: vs. Palo Alto, Friday

13. (13) Menlo-Atherton (Atherton), 1-2
Section: Central Coast
League: Peninsula Bay
Coach: Steve Papin
Update: The defending CIF 3-AA state champions were idle. One loss was to Utah power East 49-20 after being up 20-7. The other loss was to Serra 38-13 at Levi's Stadium. It doesn't get easier this week.
Next: vs. Folsom, Friday

14. (14) Monterey Trail (Elk Grove), 3-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metro
Coach: TJ Ewing
Update: The Mustangs were idle. They are coming off their first regular-season loss since 2017, a 36-35 setback to upstart Cosumnes Oaks. Monterey Trail is still the overwhelming favorite to repeat as Metro League champions. The Mustangs lost to Folsom in the section Division I finals in 2018.
Next: vs. Paraclete, Friday

15. (16) McClymonds (Oakland), 4-0
Section: Oakland
League: OAL
Coach: Michael Peters
Update: The Warriors of the East Bay beat Downey 55-6 as Dreyan Paul hit Daveonne Sanders for three touchdowns, including a 99-yarder, and they had three special teams scores. An earlier win was 19-7 over Marin Catholic. McClymonds has won two CIF State titles since 2016 with a 12-0 team in 2010, a 12-1 team in 2015 and going 12-2 a year ago.
Next: vs. San Leandro, Friday

16. (17) Marin Catholic (Kentfield), 4-1
Section: North Coast
League: Marin County
Coach: Mazi Moayed
Update: The Wildcats beat Antioch 34-7 as Matteo Perez ran for three touchdowns. The loss was 19-7 to McClymonds. Marin Catholic teams have had teams go 12-1, 14-1, 14-2, 13-1, 12-2 and 12-1 this decade.
Next: vs. Pitman, Friday

17. (19) Buhach Colony (Atwater), 5-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Central California
Coach: Kevin Navarra
Update: The Thunder beat Patterson 37-21 as Oscar Smallwood tossed two touchdown passes and the team rushed for 182 yards. Buhach Colony's best teams were the 12-1 outfits in 2010 and 2011, though this one is getting into that best-yet argument.
Next: vs. El Capitan, Oct. 3

18. (20) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 1-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Update: The Lancers, CIF state winners in 2017, were idle. Saint Francis has lost to state-ranked Corona del Mar and to NorCal No. 1 De La Salle in a brutal start to open the season.
Next: vs. Valley Christian, Friday

19. (21) Del Oro (Loomis), 4-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Update: The Golden Eagles beat Granite Bay 28-10 to open SFL play as Sheldon Conde rushed for 152 yards and three touchdowns. The loss was to Inderkum. Del Oro won section and NorCal titles last season and reached its sixth CIF State final this decade.
Next: vs. Whitney, Friday

20. (22) Las Lomas (Walnut Creek), 4-0
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo
Coach: Doug Longero
Update: The Knights were idle. Early wins include Bishop O'Dowd (27-14) and Milpitas (35-7). Las Lomas went 1-19 during the 2015 and 2016 seasons and went 12-1 last season.
Next: vs. Vanden, Friday

21. (24) Rocklin, 4-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jason Adams
Update: The Thunder beat rival Whitney 27-14 to open SFL play as Tanner Gomes, Richie Watts and Cole Standberg each scored touchdowns. First-year head coach Adams was the longtime defensive coordinator and has the Thunder booming after a 2-8 season in 2018.
Next: vs. Oak Ridge, Friday

22. (25) Capital Christian (Sacramento), 3-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Athletic
Coach: Casey Taylor
Update: The Cougars beat Christian Brothers 56-17 to open league play as Austin Amador tossed two touchdown passes and Zeke Burnett ran for 152 yards and three scores and had a 99-yard kickoff return. The big win was 32-7 over Cosumnes Oaks, which just upset ranked Monterey Trail, 36-35. The losses are to state and national powers Vista Murrieta and Chandler (Ariz).
Next: vs. El Camino, Thursday

23. (15) St. Mary's (Stockton), 1-3
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City
Coach: Tony Franks
Update: Few teams in the state have endured this sort of schedule. The Rams lost to Mission Viejo after falling to Serra and Pittsburg with De La Salle next.
Next: vs. De La Salle, Friday

24. (18) Turlock, 3-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Central California
Coach: James Peterson
Update: The Bulldogs lost to Central Section No. 1 Central 41-13. The other setback was to Clayton Valley Charter, 21-7.
Next: vs. Downey, Oct. 4

25. (29) Elk Grove, 3-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: John Heffernan
Update: The Thundering Herd have lost only a thriller in the final seconds to Inderkum. Elk Grove beat Davis 42-35 in a league opener behind backs Carter Harris and Damian Allen.

The next 10
26. Davis — 4-1
27. Los Gatos — 4-0
28. California (San Ramon) — 4-0
29. Paradise — 5-0
30. Vacaville — 3-2
31. Campolindo (Moraga) — 4-1
32. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) — 2-1
33. Palma (Salinas — 2-1
34. Oakdale — 3-2
35. Half Moon Bay — 4-0

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