Video: MaxPreps Sacramento powered by SMUDNow it gets really fun. League play starts for nearly every program in Northern California, if it hasn't already, though some teams will use this week for a bye to rest, recover and prepare. That includes top-ranked De La Salle, which has feasted on NorCal foes since 1991, an unbeaten streak of 261 games.
Northern California Top 25 Football Rankings
Granite Bay's defense has spurred the Grizzlies into the Top 25.
Photo by Ernie Abrea
North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. Granite Bay, Oct. 2
Update: The Spartans beat Orange Lutheran (Orange) 41-3 behind dominant defense and the running back duo of
Antoine Custer and
Andrew Hernandez. The Spartans have gone unbeaten against NorCal competition since 1991, a streak of 261 games, and are primed for another race toward the CIF State Bowl games in Sacramento.
2. (2) Folsom (4-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson/Troy Taylor
Next: at No. 15 Granite Bay, Friday
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs extended their state-leading regular-season winning streak to 36 by beating Burbank (Sacramento) 56-20, as
Jake Jeffrey,
Tre Green,
Christian Huber,
Drake Stallworth and others led the way. Jeffrey passed for 276 yards and five scores, three to Huber.
3. (3) Grant (Sacramento) (3-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: vs. Franklin (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: The Pacers were idle. The defense has been led by
Elijah Orr and
David Moala, and the offensive line has been a key for runners
Mike Green and
Deshawn Collins.
4. (4) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (3-0)Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: vs. No. 8 Serra (San Mateo), Oct. 2
Update: The Bells, top-ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, beat Aptos 35-7 behind three rushing touchdowns from
Vincent Fernandez and another by
Devon Buenrostro. An earlier win was 34-31 over No. 5 Del Oro.
5. (5) Del Oro (Loomis) (1-2)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. Nevada Union (Grass Valley), Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles were idle. They have losses to four-time defending Hawaii Division I state champion Punahou (Honolulu), 22-15, and 34-31 to No. 4 Bellarmine.
6. (6) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (3-1)Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. No. 13 Monte Vista, Oct. 2
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat previously ranked Logan (Union City) 42-13, as
Luis Ramos passed for two scores and
Ray Jackson III had 170 yards and a touchdown. The loss was 27-26 to No. 2 Folsom in an opener.
7. (7) Elk Grove (2-1)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. Davis, Friday
Update: The Thundering Herd beat Yuba City 48-14, as
Ryan Robards rushed for 186 yards and three scores and returned an interception for a touchdown.
8. (8) Serra (San Mateo) (2-1)Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: vs. No. 4 Bellarmine, Oct. 2
Update: The Padres beat South San Francisco 40-0, leading by that total at the half. The loss was to No. 1 De La Salle, 37-21. The Padres were relieved to learn that a two-year playoff ban for electing not to compete in a playoff consolation game was reduced to one year.
9. (9) Valley Christian (San Jose) (3-0)Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco), Oct. 3
Update: The Warriors rallied late to beat once-ranked Milpitas 22-21 on a
Miles Kendrick 81-yard touchdown to
Morian Walker jr. Next is WCAL play, where the games are similarly intense.
10. (10) Foothill (Pleasanton) (4-0)Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: vs. Granada (Livermore), Friday
Update: The Falcons beat Castro Valley 42-19 behind the efforts of
Matt Gates,
Zach Walsh and
Ruben Mercado. Defense has been a staple for the program.
11. (11) Central Catholic (Modesto) (3-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Weston Ranch (Stockton), Friday
Update: The Raiders beat Beyer (Modesto) 52-6, as
Hunter Petlansky passed for two touchdowns and
Montell Bland rushed for three. An earlier win was over No. 23 St. Mary's (Stockton) in the Holy Bowl.
12. (14) Antioch (4-0)Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: at Pinole Valley (Pinole), Friday
Update: The Panthers rolled Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) 54-14, as
Najee Harris rushed for 224 yards and two scores and his team ran for 380 and five, averaging 9.5 yards a carry.
Numan Najib had a touchdown pass.
13. (15) Monte Vista (Danville) (3-0)Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: at Livermore, Friday
Update: The Mustangs beat Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 41-6, as
Jake Haener passed for 143 yards and two touchdowns and
Shane Perry and
Albert Smith combined to rush for four scores. An earlier win was over then-No. 7 Pittsburg, 49-42.
14. (16) Pittsburg (2-1)Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Vacaville, Friday
Update: The Pirates were idle. In its last game, Pittsburg lost 49-42 to No. 13 Monte Vista, spoiling the efforts of
Christian Young (407 yards passing, four touchdowns) and
Montaz Thompson (166 rushing yards, two scores).
15. (NR) Granite Bay (3-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Jeff Evans
Next: vs. No. 2 Folsom, Friday
Update: The Grizzlies are off to a hot start under first-year coach Jeff Evans, thanks to the defensive efforts of leaders such as
Sam Cusano and emerging quarterback
Kyle Kraft. A showdown against Folsom is the ultimate gauge game.
16. (18) Saint Francis (Mountain View) (4-0)Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: at St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Oct. 3
Update: The Lancers beat Atascadero 20-0 after beating previous No. 14 Palma (Salinas), 28-14. Defense continues to be the strength.
17. (17) Rocklin (3-1)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: at No. 18 Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), Oct. 2.
Update: The Thunder beat Sacramento 28-17, as
Evyn Holtz ran for 175 yards and two scores and the defense came up with four turnovers. The loss was to Whitney (Rocklin) 28-20, a game in which Rocklin offensive stars Holtz and
William Floyd did not play.
18. (12) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (3-1)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: at Woodcreek (Roseville), Friday
Update: The Trojans lost to Nevada power Reed (Sparks) 54-42 despite 419 yards passing and five touchdowns from
Ian Book, who hit
Tommy Dunnigan 10 times for 217 yards and four scores. Reed is 4-0.
19. (19) Wood (Vacaville) (4-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Carlos Meraz
Next: vs. No. 21 Freedom (Oakley), Friday.
Update: The Wildcats beat American Canyon 79-33, setting scores of scoring records, as
Marcus Howard passed for 267 yards and two scores and
Damon Lewis ran for two touchdowns.
20. (20) Inderkum (Sacramento) (4-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: vs. Yuba City, Friday
Update: The Tigers beat Oakland Tech 57-12 in a game in which they led 50-6 at the half.
Raekwon Turner and
Derrick Henderson led the way as the wing-T continued to roll.
21. (21) Freedom (Oakley) (3-1)Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: at No. 19 Wood (Vacaville), Friday
Update: The Falcons beat San Leandro 49-19, as
Joseph Sweeney passed for 296 yards and two scores and
Ronnie Rivers ran for 153 yards and four touchdowns. Freedom lost to No. 10 Foothill (Pleasanton) earlier this year, 28-14.
22. (22) Palma (Salinas) (2-1)Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: vs. Aptos, Friday
Update: The Chieftains beat Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 31-28, as
Jack Richardson passed for 175 yards and a score and
Emilio Martinez ran for 213 yards. The loss was to No. 16 Saint Francis 28-14. Palma opened the season with a 42-14 rout of then-No. 24 Sutter.
23. (16) St. Mary's (Stockton) (2-1)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City Athletic
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: at Los Gatos, Friday
Update: Top-ranked by the Stockton Record, the Rams beat St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 47-23, bouncing back big from a loss to No. 11 Central Catholic (Modesto) in another thrilling Holy Bowl, 36-22.
Jake Dunniway passed for 307 yards and five touchdowns, three to
Dewey Cotton, and he ran for a score.
24. (24) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (2-0)Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Kevin Fordon
Next: at Saint Mary's (Albany), Saturday
Update: The Crusaders beat Menlo-Atherton (Atherton) 26-9 after opening with a 49-21 win over then-No. 10 Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton). In the last game,
Jacky Luavasa passed for 102 yards and scored a rushing touchdown, and
Jason Greene and
Raymone Sanders each ran for touchdowns.
TIE 25. (NR) Napa (4-0)Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Troy Mott
Next: vs. Vanden, Oct. 2
Update: The Indians, a longtime playoff regular under coach Troy Mott, stunned previous No. 13 Campolindo (Moraga) 21-14, thanks to a late defensive stand to halt the 19-game winning streak for the defending CIF State Division III champions. The offensive leaders are
Nathan Toma and
Cal Bard.
TIE 25. (15) Campolindo (Moraga) (3-1)Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Dublin, Friday
Update: The Cougars lost to newly ranked Napa 21-14, their last drive thwarted late. That snapped a 19-game winning streak for the defending CIF State Division III champions.
Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and through The Bee: sacbee.com and through Facebook: sacbeeprepsThe Sacramento Bee on the sons of former area greats leading a new charge...Click hereThe Sacramento Bee on one of the most versatile players in the state...click here
