MaxPreps NorCal Top 25 high school football rankings

1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 7-0
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Foothill
Update: The top-ranked team by the Bay Area News Group and the San Francisco Chronicle, the Spartans rolled Monte Vista 55-0, leading 28-0 after the first quarter and 48-0 at the half as Shamar Garrett rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns and Dorian Hale passed for three scores. De La Salle last lost a league game in 1989 — and spent several years as a fully Independent team. The league winning streak is 91. De La Salle's unbeaten NorCal streak against teams north of Fresno is 295, dating back to 1991. The Spartans are a remarkable 378-5-2 against NorCal teams since 1984 and 448-25-3 overall since 1982 with 26 consecutive NCS titles and 30 since 1981 with a record 12 consecutive CIF State title-game appearances. Earlier wins this season include 27-21 over Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, 14-0 over Sac-Joaquin Section No. 1 Folsom and 33-15 over Central Coast Section No. 1 Saint Francis.

2. (2) Folsom, 6-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. Granite Bay
Update: The top-ranked team by The Sacramento Bee for all but one week since the start of the 2012 season, the Bulldogs beat Whitney 63-7 after leading 56-0 at the half as Kaiden Bennett passed for 269 yards and six scores in the first two quarters. The loss was 14-0 to De La Salle. Folsom is 119-10 this decade with six section and three CIF State title teams (and two 14-1 teams that lost to De La Salle in the 2012 and 2013 NorCal Open finals, since dropped).

3. (3) Liberty (Brentwood), 8-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Ryan Partridge
Next: vs. Pittsburg, Oct. 19
Update: The Lions beat Antioch 52-0 behind Jay Butterfield, Sione Vaki and Tyerell Sturges-Cofer. The showdown looming with Pittsburg is big. Liberty is coming off of its first NCS championship in program history.

4. (4) Del Oro (Loomis), 7-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Walters
Next: vs. Grant
Update: The Golden Eagles beat Oak Ridge 56-21 after storming to a 48-7 lead midway through the third quarter. Johnny Guzman returned kickoffs of 99 and 97 yards for touchdowns, giving him four returns of at least 94 yards this season. Del Oro reached a section final for the 18th time since 1989 last season, having won five since 2005. Eighteen starters returned for another run.

5. (5) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 5-1
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Riordan
Update: The Lancers beat Valley Christian 7-3 on an Opeti Fangupo touchdown that was set up by an interception return by Stanford-bound star Joshua Pakola. The loss was to De La Salle 33-15. This is the top team in the Central Coast Section, winners of 17 section titles. Saint Francis is the defending CIF State Division I-A champion.

6. (6) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 6-1
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. Miramonte
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat Campolindo 35-7 after it was 7-all at the half. Makhi Gervais rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns. The loss was early to Antioch 35-34. An early win was 38-31 over Pittsburg. The Ugly Eagles have emerged as a power of late, going 12-1 in 2008, 12-2 in 2012, 11-2 in 2013, 15-1 in 2015 and 13-2 in 2016.

7. (7) Pittsburg, 6-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Liberty, Oct. 19
Update: The Pirates beat Freedom 54-20 behind leaders Willie Harts III, Premier Murphy and Jerry Johnson. An earlier win was over Serra 44-35. One loss was to state power Centennial 35-7 and the other was in overtime to Clayton Valley Charter, 38-31. Pittsburg played for the CIF State Division I title last season and is the last NorCal team to beat De La Salle, in the 1991 NCS finals.

8. (8) Serra (San Mateo), 4-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: vs. Valley Christian
Update: The Padres beat Riordan 57-6 after leading 43-0 after the first quarter as Malakai Rango and Luke Bottari each scored three touchdowns. One loss was to Pittsburg, 44-35. Last season, Serra won the WCAL, CCS, NorCal and CIF State titles, and it takes a 13-game WCAL winning streak into league play.

9. (9) Monterey Trail (Elk Grove), 7-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Metropolitan
Coach: TJ Ewing
Next: vs. Burbank
Update: The Mustangs rolled Kennedy 50-0 as Jehiel Budgett rushed for 110 yards and two scores and he caught a 44-yard touchdown from Zach Larrier. Big wins include Sacramento Bee-ranked Sheldon 41-6 and Bay Area-ranked San Ramon Valley 27-7. Zach Larrier is the star. Monterey Trail has twice reached Section Division I title games.

10. (10) Placer (Auburn), 7-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Foothill Valley
Coach: Joey Montoya
Next: vs. Oakmont
Update: The Hillmen rolled Rio Linda 48-23 as the team rushed 51 times for 555 yards, averaging 10.9 yards a carry. Marshall Chapman ran for 165 yards and two scores and Hans Grassmann went for 239 and four. Seventeen starters are back from a CIF state finalist. This was a state-wide power in the 1970s.

11. (14) Central Catholic (Modesto), 7-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Oakdale, Oct. 19
Update: The top-ranked team by The Modesto Bee, the Raiders beat Weston Ranch 60-13 as Dawaiian McNeely and Sithri Price had big games. An earlier win was 33-20 over St. Mary's. The loss was to De La Salle 35-7 after trailing by just 14 in the third quarter. Coach Canepa won CIF state titles here in 2012, 2013 and 2015.

12. (12) Wilcox (Santa Clara, Calif.), 7-0
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Paul Rosa
Next: vs. Homestead
Update: The Chargers beat Los Gatos 25-19 as Paul Rosa accounted for three scores. With Saint Francis and Serra likely slotted for the Central Coast Section Open Division II playoffs, Wilcox could emerge as the No. 1 CCS Division I Open seed. An earlier win was 10-6 over Valley Christian. Wilcox has made the playoffs nine of the last 10 seasons.

13. (13) Valley Christian (San Jose), 4-2
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Serra
Update: The Warriors lost to Saint Francis 7-3 in a defensive slug fest. The other loss was 10-6 to Wilcox. Valley Christian went 12-1 in 2004, 12-1 in 2005, 11-2 in 2010 and 13-2 in 2016.

14. (15) Inderkum (Sacramento), 7-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Valley
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: vs. Antelope
Update: The Tigers beat River Valley 43-0 as Raymond Brown rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns. This has been a section power under coach Stark since 2006, winning 10 or more games 12 successive seasons with seasons of 12-2, 12-1, 11-3 and 11-1 of late, relying on the old-school wing-T run scheme.

15. (19) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 6-1
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Windsor
Update: The Cardinals beat Ukiah 45-14 as Chauncey Leberthon caught two touchdowns. The loss was to No. 3 Liberty 31-14. This has been a power since the 1970s, and Cardinal Newman has won 11 or more games nine times since 2006.

16. (11) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 5-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. Whitney
Update: The Trojans lost to Del Oro 56-21, the team's second SFL setback, the first one coming to Folsom. The Trojans won four section Division II titles since 1998 and reached the D-I finals twice since 2012.

17. (18) Palo Alto, 6-1
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Nelson Gifford
Next: vs. Fremont
Update: The Vikings beat Cupertino 49-0 as Jackson Chryst tossed four touchdown passes, two each to Jamir Shepard and Paul Thie. The loss was to Wilcox, 35-21. The Vikings have won five section titles since 2004 and a state title in 2010 with a 14-0 team.

18. (20) Capital Christian (Sacramento), 8-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Athletic
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. Rio Americano, Oct. 19
Update: The Cougars beat Sacramento 34-20 as Cooper Crick tossed three touchdown passes, two to Trey Jones, and D'Marcus Ross rushed for 167 yards and a score. Capital Christian has been a small-school power and is now in Division III. A statement win early was 43-12 over storied Grant.

19. (16) Freedom (Oakley), 5-3
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Andrew Coakley
Next: vs. Heritage, Oct. 19
Update: The Falcons lost to Pittsburg 54-20 after falling to Liberty, 55-21. An earlier win was 14-7 over Antioch and 37-24 over San Ramon Valley. The Falcons went 10-2 in 2011, 11-2 in 2016 and 9-3 in 2017.

20. (17) Antioch, 6-2
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: John Lucido
Next: vs. Deer Valley, Oct. 19
Update: The Panthers lost to No. 3 Liberty 52-0. The other loss was 14-7 to Freedom. An earlier win was 35-34 over Clayton Valley Charter. The Panthers have had roller coaster runs, going 1-19 from 2004 and 2005, 1-9 in 2010 and 2013 and 11-1 in 2015.

21. (21) Eureka, 7-0
Section: North Coast
League: Humboldt Del Norte
Coach: Jason White
Next: vs. St. Bernard's
Update: The Loggers were idle. This has been a power from the northern part of the state, having gone 12-2 in 2009 and 11-1 last season.

22. (NR) St. Mary's (Stockton), 3-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City Athletic
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. Tracy
Update: The young Rams are a storied program that took on its most ambitious schedule this season, falling to Pittsburg and Mater Dei but also showing promise with a 44-20 win over Bishop O'Dowd. St. Mary's went 13-1 in 2004, 12-2 in 2007, 12-3 in 2008, 11-1 in 2009, 11-2 in 2010, 12-2 in 2014 and 14-2 in 2016.

23. (23) Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland), 5-2
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda
Coach: Napolean Kaufman
Next: vs. Piedmont
Update: The Dragons beat San Leandro 25-22 behind another big game from running back Austin Jones. One loss was to St. Mary's of Stockton 44-20. The Dragons have been a power of late with record success.

24. (24) Monte Vista (Danville), 5-2
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Matt Russi
Next: vs. Granada
Update: The Mustangs lost to De La Salle 55-0 after beating California 23-13. An earlier win was over Granite Bay 9-3. Monte Vista went 11-1 in 2005 and 12-1 in 2016.

25. (24) California (San Ramon), 5-2
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. San Ramon Valley
Update: The Grizzlies beat Foothill 14-3 as Jahmal Cornwell returned an interception 55 yards for a touchdown as beloved retired coach Matt Sweeney was honored before the game. One loss was 23-13 to Monte Vista and the other was 37-27 to Antioch. This program has been strong for years, going 11-2 in 2007, 12-2 in 2010 and 11-3 in 2013.

The Next 10
26. Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) — 6-1
27. Granite Bay — 3-4
28. Jesuit (Carmichael) — 5-2
29. Campolindo (Moraga) — 5-2
30. Palma (Salinas) — 5-1
31. Menlo-Atherton (Atherton) — 4-2
32. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) — 4-2
33. San Ramon Valley (Danville) — 5-2
34. Las Lomas (Walnut Creek) — 8-0
35. McClymonds (Oakland) — 4-2


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