High school football notes: Folsom loss clears way for new No. 1 Del Oro
For the first time in a little more than four seasons, The Sacramento Bee has a new No. 1-ranked high school football team.
With Folsom getting upset by Sacramento 32-27 on Friday, Del Oro (4-0) moved to the top spot for the first time since the end of the 2011 season, when the Golden Eagles were the only area team to reach a CIF State Bowl game.
Folsom (3-1) was The Bee’s No. 1 team for all of the 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 seasons and the first three weeks of the 2016 season. During that run, the Bulldogs went 61-3 with four consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section championships and a state-leading 48-game regular-season winning streak.
Folsom slipped to No. 6. Sacramento (2-1) rose eight spots to No. 5. The Dragons posted their biggest regular-season victory since perhaps the storied Bell Game rivalry against McClatchy that started in 1937 and drew crowds of 20,000 at Hughes Stadium in the 1940s and ’50s.
Del Oro has 17 starters back from last year’s CIF State Division II-AA title team, led by quarterback Stone Smartt and receiver/defensive back Mason Hurst. The Golden Eagles have beaten St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs 44-20, Northern Section No. 1 Pleasant Valley of Chico 29-9, Central Coast Section power Bellarmine of San Jose 16-14 and Capital Christian 64-13.
In Sierra Foothill League openers Friday, Del Oro visits rival Granite Bay, and Folsom hosts Woodcreek.
Cal-Hi rankings – Friday was not a good night for Northern California’s top-ranked team by Cal-Hi Sports.
De La Salle of Concord fell to Utah’s top-ranked team, East of Salt Lake City, 23-21 on a last-second, 39-yard field goal. Even if Folsom had beaten Sacramento, De La Salle (3-1) would have remained the top Northern California team because the Spartans have not lost to a NorCal opponent since 1991, an unbeaten streak of 272 games. De La Salle has won 99 consecutive games against California competition.
Cal-Hi now has St. Mary’s of Stockton ranked No. 1 in the Sac-Joaquin Section, followed by No. 2 Del Oro, No. 3 Elk Grove, No. 4 Grant, No. 5 Sacramento and No. 6 Folsom.
St. Mary’s (4-0) beat Cosumnes Oaks 42-20 on Friday. St. Mary’s, Del Oro and Folsom are expected to be in the Division I section playoffs, joining the winner of the Delta League, of which Elk Grove and Grant are members.
Breakthrough win – After an 0-9 record in its first season of varsity competition in 2015, Western Sierra Academy of Rocklin earned its first victory, 16-15 over Encina on Saturday. Adam Wright rushed for 53 yards and two touchdowns and made an interception for the Wolves.
Coach JP Dolliver, a former Sacramento High assistant, earned his first win. Defensive coordinator Zach Logue celebrated, too, after his unit gave up 132 points in losses to Riverbank, Biggs and California School for the Deaf of Fremont.
At Bear River in the 1990s, Logue was coached by his father, Terry, and was a standout linebacker. Terry Logue attended Saturday’s game.
Vikings upswing – Oakmont is 3-0 for the first time in 18 years after beating Casa Roble 29-3 on Friday. Kody Tagert returned an interception 14 yards for a touchdown, Raymond Meza returned a fumble 51 yards for a score, and Jake Knapp passed for a score and ran for one.
The Vikings, coached by alumnus Tim Moore, visit No. 19 Cosumnes Oaks in a Capital Valley Conference opener Friday.
Prideful start – Bradshaw Christian is 4-0 after beating Center 41-34 on Friday.
Pride coach Drew Rickert likes to run the ball, and his team rushed 59 times for 566 yards. Mateo Bromstead had 170 yards and three touchdowns, and Gerrett Robbins went for 177 yards and a score.
Bradshaw Christian opens Sierra Delta play against San Juan (0-3) and Encina (1-3).
Joe Davidson: 916-321-1280, @SacBee_JoeD
The Bee’s Top 20
With last week’s ranking
1. Del Oro (2) 4-0
2. Elk Grove (3) 3-0
3. Grant (4) 4-0
4. Rocklin (5) 3-1
5. Sacramento (13) 2-1
6. Folsom (1) 3-1
7. Jesuit (7) 2-1
8. Antelope (8) 3-0
9. Franklin (9) 3-0
10. Monterey Trail (10) 3-0
11. Oak Ridge (6) 3-1
12. Whitney (11) 2-1
13. Roseville (12) 3-0
14. Sheldon (14) 3-0
15. Del Campo (16) 2-1
16. Vista del Lago (17) 2-2
17. Granite Bay (15) 1-3
18. Inderkum (18) 1-2
19. Cosumnes Oaks (19) 2-1
20. El Dorado (20) 4-0
Dropped out: None
Joe Davidson
This week’s schedule
Kickoffs between 7-7:30 p.m. unless noted
Friday
TOP 20
No. 1 Del Oro at No. 17 Granite Bay
No. 2 Elk Grove at Davis
No. 9 Franklin at No. 3 Grant
No. 4 Rocklin at Nevada Union
No. 5 Sacramento at Kennedy
Woodcreek at No. 6 Folsom
No. 7 Jesuit vs. Pleasant Grove at Sheldon
Ponderosa at No. 8 Antelope
No. 14 Sheldon at No. 10 Monterey Trail
Bella Vista at No. 12 Whitney
No. 13 Roseville at No. 15 Del Campo
No. 16 Vista del Lago at Placer
No. 18 Inderkum at Pioneer
Oakmont at No. 19 Cosumnes Oaks
No. 20 El Dorado at Bear River
Byes: No. 11 Oak Ridge
OTHER GAMES
Bradshaw Christian at San Juan
Colfax at Wheatland
Cordova at Foothill
Delta at Esparto
El Camino at Rosemont
Foresthill at Incline-Nevada
Galt vs. Mira Loma at El Camino
Hughson vs. Liberty Ranch at Galt
Johnson at Burbank
Lincoln at Casa Roble
McClatchy vs. Florin at Hughes Stadium
Marysville at Capital Christian
Mesa Verde at Lindhurst
Natomas at Dixon
Rio Linda at River City
Ripon at Sutter
Vallejo at Center
West Campus at Western Sierra
Woodland at Yuba City
Vacaville Christian at Highlands
Valley vs. Laguna Creek at Cosumnes River College
Saturday
Encina vs. Golden Sierra at El Camino, 1 p.m.
Winters vs. Christian Brothers at Hughes Stadium, 2 p.m.
This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 4:18 PM with the headline "High school football notes: Folsom loss clears way for new No. 1 Del Oro."