Northern California high school football rankings, notes: De La Salle looks to be Open Division representative

By Joe Davidson

The playoffs are in motion across the state, including the Northern California sections.

Some talking points as teams pursue section championships:



Top-ranked De La Salle (Concord) produced another 10-0 regular-season campaign, which has happened a ton since the Spartans rose to power in Contra Costa County in 1982.

De La Salle is the No. 1 seed in the North Coast Section Open/Division I field and could draw decades-long rival Pittsburg in a title game. The Sparants are led by speedy RB Jaden Jefferson, QB Brayden Knight and a superb defense, and the team has big wins this season over Lakeland (Florida), Serra, Saint Francis, Grant, St. Mary's and Cathedral Catholic.

Folsom is SJS top dog

Folsom won the Sierra Foothill League for the 11th time since entering the top league in the Sac-Joaquin Section before the start of the 2014 season.

Led by 5-star QB Ryder Lyons, the Bulldogs are the top seed in the SJS D-I playoffs as they seek a D-I five-peat. Other star players include receivers Rob Larson and Jameson Powell.
Riordan wins first WCAL in 25 years

Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) has a roster that includes 20 players with NCAA Division I scholarship offers, and the Crusaders have played the part of contender.

In beating rival Serra 42-35, Riordan clinched its first West Catholic Athletic League championship since 2000 and earned the top seed in the Central Coast Section Open Division bracket, where a rematch with Serra could happen.

Pitt pounds rival

Pittsburg rolled decades-long rival Antioch 56-3 in the annual Big Little Game to cap a 9-1 regular season (the loss was early to Riordan).

Pitt has beaten Antioch 11 consecutive times, and in the last meeting, quarterbacks Carlos Torres and Javale Jones each fired two touchdown passes. The Panthers are the No. 2 seed in the North Coast Section/Division I bracket.

Manteca rolls on

The Manteca Buffaloes stormed to a 10-0 regular season as Valley Oak League champions and earned the top seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs, opposite of No. 2 Granite Bay.

A big win early for Manteca was 40-7 over Cardinal Newman, which is 9-1 and the No. 3 seed in the North Coast Section Open/Division I bracket.

Manteca is led by RB Nikko Juarez (16 touchdowns), WR Quinn Martinez (13) and QB Owen Gully (25 TD passes).

Palma is 10-0

One of the storied programs on the coast, Palma (Salinas, Calif.) capped a 10-0 regular season with a 35-14 win over Hollister as Eli Dukes rushed for 200 yard and three touchdowns, giving him 2001 on the season to go with 27 scores.

The Chieftains are the No. 3 seed in the Central Coast Section Open/Division I bracket.

NorCal Top 20
1. De La Salle (Concord), 10-0
2. Folsom, 9-1
3. Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco), 10-0
4. Pittsburg, (9-1)
5. Manteca, (10-0)
6. Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 9-1
7. Grant (Sacramento), 6-4
8. Central East (Fresno), 10-1
9. Junipero Serra (San Mateo), 6-4
10. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 7-3
11. St. Mary's (Stockton), 8-2
12. Palma (Salinas), 10-0
13. Clovis, 9-2
14. Granite Bay (Granite Bay), (7-3)
15. Clovis West (Fresno), 8-3
16. Soquel, 9-1
17. Los Gatos, 7-3
18. Del Oro (Loomis), 7-3