The debate raged this season.

Which high school football league is better? The Sierra Foothill League or the Delta Valley Conference.

Friday's Sac-Joaquin Section semifinals will provide an answer.

In D-I, defending champion Granite Bay (9-3), the winner of the SFL, will face top-seeded Franklin (12-0), the champion of the DVC, at Cosumnes Oaks. Several miles away in D-II play, Elk Grove (11-1), the runner-up in the DVC, will host Del Oro (7-5), which finished second in the SFL.

Granite Bay is playing the part of champion, rolling over Napa and Downey of Modesto by a combined 108-20 score. The Grizzlies have relied on a dominant defense headed by defensive end-linebacker Beau Hershberger and a fly sweep offense keyed by quarterback Grant Carraway, who has eight touchdown passes in the postseason, and running backs John Cooley, Taft Partridge and Tony Ellison.

"What a football team," Franklin coach Mike Johnson said of Granite Bay. "They're very similar to us. We don't have a lot of superstars, but we have very good football teams."

Franklin beat Nevada Union of the SFL 35-14 in a postseason game, then crushed Lincoln of Stockton 42-6 behind runners Christian Fonbuena and Kyran Harris and a fast, attacking defense led by linebacker Joey Banks, cornerback Marcus Green and tackle William Vi.

Elk Grove and Del Oro took apart D-II foes with line play and an overwhelming run game. The Herd beat Del Campo 35-14 behind Robert Frazier (224 rushing yards, two scores) and Wadus Parker (90 rushing yards, three total scores). Del Oro downed St. Mary's of Stockton 21-10 behind 297 rushing yards and three touchdowns by Brandon Monroe and two first-half goal-line stands.

"It's fun to come full circle," Elk Grove coach Chris Nixon said of facing the team his program faced in a preseason scrimmage. "We know we have our work cut out for us."

Trojans vs. Titans – Burbank (12-0) will host Oak Ridge (11-1) in the other D-I semifinal on Saturday. Both teams have strong lines, including two of the top sack artists in the state.

Burbank features tackle Ngalu Tapa, who leads the state with 22 sacks. Oak Ridge defensive end Zack Claiborne ranks third with 21 sacks.

Thunder vs. Bulldogs – Folsom's spread offense headed by Jake Browning (55 touchdown passes) will match first downs against Buhach Colony's run-heavy scheme in D-II. Folsom's defense is led by lineman Quincy Capel, linebacker Derek Stiles and defensive back Phillip Carter.

Unbeatens fall – The D-IV field is minus three unbeaten teams after a night of upsets.

Placer fell to longtime small-school power Escalon 27-26 after managing just three offensive plays in the fourth quarter. Central Catholic, which owns a record 15 section titles, bounced Ripon, and Center took down Argonaut.

Center was led by quarterback Tyrel Anderson (109 passing yards, one touchdown) and tailback D'Juan Bellaire, who rushed for 140 yards and a score. Bellaire has rushed for a school-record 2,081 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Cougars, who will face Central Catholic.

Truckee time – For the fifth consecutive season, Truckee, a California team that competes in Nevada, faced Moapa Valley for the state Division I-A championship, and for the fourth straight time, the Wolverines won.

On Saturday in Las Vegas, a 34-10 victory behind a 255-yard, four-touchdown effort by quarterback Eric Holmer gave Wolverines coach Bob Shaffer his ninth state championship.

Truckee earlier this season had its 41-game winning streak halted, falling 7-0 to Fernley. Shaffer said the setback "really eliminated a lot of that pressure and allowed us to focus on the prize that we really set out for."

SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS

Games at 7 p.m., unless noted

DIVISION I

Friday's semifinal

• No. 5 Granite Bay vs. No. 1 Franklin at Cosumnes Oaks

Saturday's semifinal

• No. 3 Oak Ridge at No. 2 Burbank, 1 p.m.

DIVISION II

Friday's semifinals

• No. 15 Del Oro at No. 3 Elk Grove

• No. 5 Buhach Colony at No. 1 Folsom

DIVISION III

Friday's semifinal

• No. 4 American Canyon at No. 1 Oakdale

Saturday's semifinal

• No. 6 Inderkum vs. No. 2 Vista del Lago at Folsom

DIVISION IV

Friday's semifinals

• No. 8 Escalon at No. 5 Los Banos

• No. 10 Center at No. 6 Central Catholic-Modesto

DIVISION V

Championship

Saturday

At Lodi Grape Bowl

• No. 1 Waterford vs. No. 3 Le Grand, 6 p.m.

DIVISION VI

Championship

Saturday

At Lodi Grape Bowl

• No. 1 Foresthill vs. No. 2 Brookside Christian, 1 p.m.

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