MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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Three weeks in the books and there are very little changes, though top-ranked De La Salle narrowly won at a SoCal powerhouse to extend its winning streak against state competition to 99. Had De La Salle lost, it would have remained No. 1 here since the Spartans have not been defeated by a NorCal team since 1991, an unbeaten streak of 273 games.


1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 3-0
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. East-Utah, Friday
Update: Top-ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle and Bay Area News Group, the Spartans edged Servite (Anaheim) 28-27 with a late touchdown and two-point run by Kairee Robinson extended the winning streak against California competition to 99 games. The NorCal unbeaten streak - not challenged here - is 273, dating to 1991. The Spartans have won 24 consecutive North Coast Section titles and 32 since 1982, and they have won six CIF State titles in seven seasons.

2. (2) Folsom, 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. Sacramento, Friday
Update: Top-ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs routed Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 55-0 as Joe Curry, Drake Stallworth and friends extended the state's longest regular-season winning streak to 48 and Sac-Joaquin Section streak to 52. The Bulldogs have gone 61-3 since 2012, with two losses to De La Salle in the NorCal Open finals and to Bellarmine last season in the NorCal finals.

3. (3) Del Oro (Loomis), 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: at Capital Christian (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles beat No. 8 Bellarmine 16-14 behind Stone Smartt, Cam Davis and Mason Hurst, who caught a touchdown and accounted for both 2-point conversion attempts. It was a rematch of last season's regular-season thriller, won by Bellarmine. The defending CIF State Division II-AA champion Golden Eagles seek a 4th CIF Bowl bid since 2011.

4. (4) St. Mary's (Stockton), 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: Top ranked by the Stockton Record, the Rams beat previous No. 10 Central Catholic 49-0 as Jake Dunniway tossed 6 touchdown passes. The opener was a 63-35 win over then ranked Serra (San Mateo). St. Mary's pushed Folsom to the wire in the playoffs last season and could field its best team ever this fall.

5. (5) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 2-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Atascadero, Sept. 16
Update: The Lancers were idle. They muscled past Palma (Salinas) 8-7 in the last game as Reed Vettel hut Bennett Williams for the winning touchdown with 2:01 to play. St. Francis seeks a 17th Central Coast Section championship.

6. (7) Elk Grove, 2-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: at Alvarez (Salinas), Friday
Update: The Thundering Herd rolled Lincoln (Stockton) 65-12 as Jayden Machado passed for 238 yards and 4 touchdowns and Damario McLean scored on an interception return in honor of his late cousin. Elk Grove has reached the a section final three times since 2012.

7. (7) Valley Christian (San Jose), 3-0
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Serra (San Mateo), Sept. 23
Update: The Warriors beat No. 25 Pleasant Valley, the top-ranked team in the Northern Section 17-14 on a Bailey Schroeder 31-yard field goal. Valley Christian beat then No. 13 Campolindo 21-7 in an opener.

8. (8) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 2-1
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: at St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Sept. 24
Update: The young Bells found out a lot about themselves in a 16-14 loss to No. 3 Del Oro, specifically that they can rally after trailing 16-0 early. The defending Division I NorCal champions beat Del Oro in a last-minute thriller last season last season and later beat Folsom for the NorCal title after winning their fourth CCS championship under coach Janda, winner of a section-record 272 games.

9. (9) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 2-1
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: at Logan (Union City), Friday
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat Canyon Springs 35-7 as Junior Alatini rushed for 137 yards and a score. The loss was to state-ranked Helix (San Diego) 13-0. In an opener, the Ugly Eagles beat five-time defending Nevada state champion Reed 35-21. Clayton Valley Charter has reached a CIF Bowl the last two seasons.

10. (11) Grant (Sacramento), 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: vs. Franklin (Elk Grove), Sept. 23
Update: The Pacers beat Oregon powerhouse Clackamas 52-24, leading 17-0, then trailing 21-17 and then rolling. Tyree Marcelle rushed fro 282 yards and four touchdowns of 50 yards or more. Lawrence Hardy caught a touchdown and returned an interception for a touchdown. The field was dedicated to Coach Alberghini before the opener, his 25 consecutive playoff berths and seven section championships just a sliver of his impact.

11. (15) Pittsburg, 3-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: at Berkeley, Friday
Update: The Pirates beat previous No. 18 Serra 48-25 by running the ball, meaning a lot of Montaz Thompson. Pittsburg has been a Bay Area power for decades and is the last NorCal program to beat De La Salle, in 1991.

12. (13) Monte Vista (Danville), 2-0
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: vs. Dougherty Valley (San Ramon), Friday
Update: The Mustangs beat Foothill (Pleasanton) 35-16 as Jake Haener passed for 276 yards and 3 touchdowns, two to Isaiah Randle.

13. (14) Milpitas, 3-0
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: vs. Salinas, Friday
Update: The Trojans, a powerhouse in recent seasons, beat North Salinas 50-9 as Tyree Bracy hit twin brother Tariq Bracy for two touchdown passes. An earlier win was 49-28 over Antioch.

14.(15) Antioch, 2-1
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: at Rancho Cotate, Friday
Update: The Panthers beat San Leandro 48-14 as national No. 1 recruit Najee Harris rushed for 255 yards and three touchdowns, all in the first half, and Willem Karnthong tossed three touchdowns, two to Jamir Wilson. The loss was 49-28 to No. 13 Milpitas. Antioch last season posted its first 10-0 regular season last fall since 1977.

15. (16) Campolindo (Moraga), 2-1
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Oakdale, Friday
Update: The Cougars beat Deer Valley (Antioch) 27-7 as Jacob Westphal passed for 277 yards and 2 touchdowns, one to Vincent Mossotti. The loss was 21-7 to No. 7 Valley Christian. Campolindo won the NCS Division III title last season and played for a CIF Bowl game for the second successive season.

16. (17) Rocklin, 2-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: vs. Clovis West (Fresno), Friday
Update: The Thunder beat rival Whitney (Rocklin) 18-17 in the 7th Quarry Bowl as Cade Wyant came off the bench in injury relief to lead the winning drive. Rocklin lost its opener in the final moment to ranked No. 10 Grant. The Thunder reached the section finals last season.

17. (10) Central Catholic (Modesto), 1-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. Weston Ranch (Stockton), Sept. 23
Update: The Raiders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee the better part of three years, fell hard to No. 4 St. Mary's 49-0 after coach Canepa benched 19 players for the first half for a violation of team rules. The other loss was to state-ranked Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 28-25 after trailing by 18. Central Catholic is a four-time defending CIF state champion. The Raiders have won a record 19 Sac-Joaquin Section titles.

18. (20) Freedom (Oakley), 3-0
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: vs. San Leandro, Friday
Update: The Falcons beat Logan (Union City) 55-8, scoring on their first 8 possessions. Ronnie Rivers rushed for 3 touchdowns and Jonathan Pierce passed for 4 scores.

19. (21) California (San Ramon), 3-0
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Eric Billeci
Next: vs. Amador Valley (Pleasanton), Friday
Update: The Grizzlies beat Livermore 56-7 after leading 49-0 after 3. Carlos Gomez rushed for 163 yards and 4 touchdowns.

20. (22) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: at Reed-Nevada, Friday
Update: The Trojans, a power since the 1980s, beat Burbank (Sacramento) 49-14 as Marco Baldacchino passed for 176 yards and 4 touchdowns, and the Trojans ran for 167 yards and 3 scores.

21. (23) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 2-1
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: vs. Casa Grande (Petaluma), Sept. 23
Update: The Cardinals beat Analy 42-26 behind Jordon Brookshire, who passed for 327 yards and 5 touchdowns and Wyatt Darien had 3 sacks. The loss was to No. 4 St. Mary's 49-32. Cardinal Newman once held the state-record for the longest winning streak of 47 in the 1970s.

22. (25) Jesuit (Carmichael, Calif.), 2-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: vs. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove), Sept. 23
Update: The Marauders beat rival Christian Brothers (Sacramento) in the 46th Holy Bowl in front of 16,000 at Hughes Stadium. Calvin Brownholtz hit Jonathon Amadi for 2 touchdown passes and Amadi retunred an interception for a score. The loss was to No. 2 Folsom 42-28.

23. (22) Pleasant Valley (Chico), 1-2
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Mark Cooley
Next: vs. River Valley (Yuba City), Friday
Update: The top-ranked team in the Northern Section lost to No. 10 Valley Christian 17-14, rallying after trailing 14-0. The other loss was to defending CIF State Division II-AA champion Del Oro 29-9, a respectable showing against a team that returned 17 starters and is ranked third here. PV beat Yuba City 21-0 in an opener and last season won its first section title since 1998.

24. (NR) Manteca (Manteca), 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Eric Reis
Next: at Kimball (Tracy), Sept. 23
Update: The Buffaloes, a power off and on over the decades, like to grind teams with power football and have done so with wins over Buhach Colony (Atwater) 37-13, Christian Brothers (Sacramento) 39-6 and Enocs (Modesto) 59-0. A showdown looms against Central Catholic on Oct. 14.

25. (NR) Pitman (Turlock), 3-0
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Central
Coach: Tom Tyler
Next: vs. Deer Valley (Antioch), Friday
Update: Top ranked by The Modesto Bee, the Pride used a goal-line stand to beat Napa 7-5 after beating Lincoln (Stockton) 29-26 and Downey (Modesto) 33-22.

The Sacramento Bee on a son-father coaching combo with Bay Area roots now working wonders in Placer County.... click here

The Sacramento Bee on the benefits of cross-sectional football play....click here

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