MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 high school football rankings

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The regular season is over for the Central Section, the North Coast Section, the Northern Section and the Sac-Joaquin Section while the Central Coast Section slugs it out some more this week.

For the rest, the playoffs are here. Some have opening byes, including top-ranked De La Salle. Otherwise, it's game on.


1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord) (9-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: Bye, North Coast Section D-I playoffs
Update: The preseason national No. 1 Spartans beat California (San Ramon) 56-0 as Anthony Sweeney passed for three touchdowns and ran for one as the defense again dominated. De La Salle has an opening bye in
the North Coast Section Division I playoffs as it seeks its 25th consecutive title. The Spartans are unbeaten against NorCal competition since 1991, a streak of 266 games. The loss this season was to 10-0 Trinity of Euless, Texas as a potential game-winning catch in the closing seconds just missed.

2. (2) Folsom (10-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson/Troy Taylor
Next: vs. Kennedy (Sacramento), Friday
Update: Top ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Bulldogs clinched their fourth successive 10-0 regular season with a rout of Woodcreek (Roseville) and now set aim on four-peating as section champions, including a three-peat in D-I. The top seed in the SJS D-I playoffs, Folsom has two state-leading streaks going — 41 straight in regular-season play and 26 in a row over all. An earlier win was 27-26 over No. 3 Clayton Valley Charter with another 28-14 effort over ranked Rocklin.

3. (3) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord) (9-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: Bye in North Coast Section D-II playoffs
Update: The Ugly Eagles beat College Park (Pleasant Hill) 42-13 as Ray Jackson III rushed for 268 yards and two touchdowns and Akeal Lalaind had 118 and a score. CVC is the top seed in the NCS D-II playoffs and the only MaxPreps NorCal-ranked team in that bracket. The loss was 27-26 to No. 2 Folsom in an opening game that came down to the wire.

4. (4) Elk Grove (10-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. Sheldon (Sacramento), Friday
Update: Ranked second by The Sacramento Bee, the Thundering Herd bound into the SJS playoffs as the No. 2 seed, opposite of Folsom. Ryan Robards, the Hammerhead linemen and a strong defense are poised to roll on. An earlier win was 42-7 over No. 7 Grant.

5. (5) Foothill (Pleasanton) (10-0)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Matt Sweeney
Next: Bye in North Coast Section D-I playoffs
Update: The Falcons beat Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 35-7 as Isaiah Floyd rushed for 103 yards and four touchdowns and the defense dominated, allowing fewer than 100 yards. Foothill is the No. 3 seed in the D-I playoffs, where an opening victory would give coach Sweeney his 250th career win.

6. (6) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose) (8-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Janda
Next: vs. St. Ignatius (San Francisco), Friday
Update: The Bells, top-ranked by the San Jose Mercury News, beat previous No. 10 Valley Christian 24-21 in a thriller as Troy Martig led yet another late-drive victory. An earlier win was over ranked St. Francis, 28-26, with the loss to Mitty 35-28 when Martig sat with an injury. The regular season concludes this week.

7. (7) Grant (Sacramento) (9-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: vs. Jesuit (Carmichael), Friday
Update: The Pacers capped the regular season with a rout of Jesuit (Sacramento) and earned the top seed in the SJS D-II playoffs, having lost only to No. 4 Elk Grove. DeShawn Collins became the first Sacramento-area running back to rush for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Coach Mike Alberghini has 261 career victories, one shy of the area record held by since-retired Max Miller.

8. (8) Saint Francis (Mountain View) (8-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: at No. 14 Riordan (San Francisco), Saturday
Update: The Lancers beat once-ranked Mitty (San Jose) 14-13, scoring the final two touchdowns in a typical meat-grinder league game. The regular season concludes this week. An earlier win was over ranked Valley Christian and Palma.

9. (9) Central Catholic (Modesto) (10-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Roger Canepa
Next: vs. El Camino (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Raiders, top-ranked by The Modesto Bee, earned the top seed in the SJS D-III playoffs after beating rival Oakdale in a thriller to decide the VOL title. Central Catholic is the three-time defending CIF State Division IV champion, now playing up a division.

10. (11) Antioch (10-0)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: John Lucido
Next: Bye in North Coast Section D-I playoffs
Update: The Panthers beat decades-long rival and No. 13 Pittsburg, 44-42, in the 97th Big Little Game in front of an overflow of 6,000 fans for the program's first BVAL title, first league crown since 1984 and first 10-0 showing since 1977. Najee Harris, a national recruit junior headed to Alabama, rushed for 268 yards and four touchdowns. Antioch earned the No. 2 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs.

11. (13) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) (8-2)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Next: vs. Monterey Trail (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Trojans rightly earned the No. 3 seed in SJS D-I playoffs, losing only to 10-0 teams Folsom and Reed (Nevada). Ian Book is the leader for Oak Ridge — the Notre Dame-bound quarterback dazzling as a passer, runner and leader.

12. (10) Valley Christian (San Jose) (7-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: at Serra (San Mateo), Saturday
Update: The Warriors lost to No. 6 Bellarmine 24-21 in a thriller despite two touchdowns by Morian Walker Jr. The other loss was to No. 8 St. Francis 21-16. The regular season concludes this week.

13. (12) Pittsburg (8-2)
Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley Athletic
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. Dougherty Valley (San Ramon), Friday
Update: The Pirates lost a heartbreaker to rival No. 10 Antioch, 44-42, in the 97th Little Big Game in front of an overflow of 6,000 fans. Montaz Thompson rushed for 218 yards and three scores. The other loss was to then-No. 16 Monte Vista in a shootout. Monte Vista has since lost to California (San Ramon).

14. (14) Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) (7-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Kevin Fordon
Next: vs. No. 8 St. Francis, Saturday
Update: The Crusaders beat Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 42-7 as Aidan Verba-Hamilton had two sizzling touchdown returns. The losses were competitive to ranked Valley Christian and Bellarmine.

15. (15) Clovis (9-1)
Section: Central
League: Tri-River
Coach: Rich Hammond
Next: Bye, Central Section Division I playoffs
Update: The Cougars beat Clovis West 20-12 and earned the top seed in the Central Section D-I playoffs. The loss was to Central (Fresno) 21-20, a game in which Clovis faced 13 defenders — not the allowed 11 — during a late drive. That happened on five plays, and there were 12 defenders on another.

16. (16) Inderkum (Sacramento) (10-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Terry Stark
Next: vs. Lincoln, Friday
Update: The Tigers won the Tri-County for the eighth time in nine seasons, the sixth time unbeaten, and head in the SJS D-III playoffs as the third seed. Inderkum seeks its first section title after reaching the finals three times.

17. (17) Napa (10-0)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Troy Mott
Next: vs. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: The Indians capped their first 10-0 regular season since 1995, and this could be the program's best team since the SJS D-I title team of 2007. Napa is the No. 4 seed in the SJS D-I playoffs, a field that includes No. 2 Folsom, No. 4 Elk Grove and No. 11 Oak Ridge. An earlier win was over ranked Wood 38-2 and 21-14 over ranked Campolindo.

18. (18) Rocklin (7-3)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Greg Benzel
Next: vs. Burbank (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Thunder finished third in the loaded SFL behind No. 2 Folsom and No. 11 Oak Ridge and rightly earned the No. 3 seed in the SJS D-II playoffs. William Floyd, Evyn Holtz, Chase Hatada and Jonah Wehrli make for a formidable foursome.

19. (20) Wood (Vacaville) (9-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Carlos Meraz
Next: vs. American Canyon, Friday
Update: The Wildcats finished 9-1, losing only to No. 17 Napa, 38-21, and head into the SJS D-II playoffs as the No. 4 seed. Marcus Howard is the leader at quarterback.

20. (21) Campolindo (Moraga) (9-1)
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Kevin Macy
Next: vs. Ygnacio Valley (Concord), Saturday
Update: The Cougars beat Acalanes (Lafayette) 49-19 to extend their league winning streak to 30. Jacob Westphal passed for three touchdowns and Niki Moore ran for three as Campolindo earned the top seed in the NCS D-III playoffs. The loss was 21-14 to No. 17 Napa.

21. (22) Oakdale (9-1)
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Trent Merzon
Next: vs. El Dorado, Friday
Update: The Mustangs, defending section Division III champions and ranked second by The Modesto Bee, lost a thriller to ranked rival Central Catholic 42-37 to decide the VOL title. The teams could meet again for the SJS D-III title as Central Catholic is the top seed and Oakdale the second seed.

22. (19) Palma (Salinas) (8-1)
Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: at Alvarez (Salinas), Friday
Update: The Chieftains needed overtime to beat San Benito (Hollister) 33-32 and can win the league title outright this week in a regular-season finale. The loss was 28-14 to No. 8 St. Francis.

23. (23) Monte Vista (Danville) (7-3)
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: Bye, North Coast Section D-I playoffs
Update: The Mustangs beat San Ramon Valley (Danville) 42-27, rallying from 20-0 down, and earned the No. 4 seed in the NCS D-I playoffs. An earlier win was over No. 13 Pittsburg and losses were to No. 5 Foothill (35-27) and No. 3 Clayton Valley Charter (21-17).

24. (24) Milpitas (7-2)
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Kelly King
Next: at Homestead (Cupertino), Friday
Update: The Trojans routed Saratoga 54-7 to clinch at least a share of the league title with a chance to win it outright as regular-season play concludes this week. The losses were to ranked Antioch 47-22 and ranked Valley Christian 22-21.

25. (25) Pleasant Valley (Chico) (10-0)
Section: Northern
League: Eastern
Coach: Mark Cooley
Next: Bye, North Coast Section D-II playoffs
Update: The top-ranked team in the Northern Section, the Vikings rolled to a 10-0 season, their first since 1979. Pleasant Valley earned the top seed in the Northern Section D-II playoffs.

The Sacramento Bee on how playoff brackets are decided and how they are not standings ... click here

The Sacramento Bee on the danger signs and grave concern of high school football in this state and nationally ... click here

The Sacramento Bee on themes, trends, rankings and top players heading into the playoffs ... click here

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: sacbeepreps