Picking the preps: Playoff showdowns loom in Sacramento, El Dorado Hills, Placer County
The opening week of the Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs offered only a few mild surprises, based on seedings. This was especially true in Division III, where upstart Yuba City raced past Vista del Lago, 48-6, and Roseville topped storied Oakdale, 28-21.
Anything goes, anything can happen, and we’re just warming up.
Our Bee coverage crew of Chris Biderman, Jim Patrick, Cameron Salerno and yours truly give it another go here. This will be Patrick’s final guess week as he bows out for a new professional challenge, perhaps unspeakably irked that he couldn’t close the gap on Salerno on these picks.
A peek at showdowns, with seedings:
Division I
No. 8 Sheldon (8-3) at No. 1 Folsom (9-1)
JoeD: Sheldon has the terrific 1-2 punch of QB Jesiah Machado to WR Scott Nixon and a healthy RB in Devin Green, but Folsom has rolling momentum with QB Austin Mack and his fleet of receiver stars, and the secondary will be the toughest the Huskies have faced all season. Folsom wins a good one, 30-24.
Biderman: It’s awfully hard to pick against the top team in the area coming off a bye and playing on its home field. Sheldon took care of Lincoln last week, but this is an entirely different test. Give me the Bulldogs over the Huskies, 34-24.
Patrick: Deep sigh. Well, I did better than last year in the picks. Please don’t fact-check that. It takes a while to get up to speed in these picks. I love Sheldon. I’m a Huskies homer, but Folsom is simply too much on both sides of the ball. Folsom screams to a 42-14 win.
Salerno: Sheldon has had a really good season. It’s unfortunate the Huskies have to play the best program in Sacramento over the last decade. Folsom 42-21.
No. 5 Central Catholic (7-4) at No. 4 Monterey Trail (8-2)
JoeD: Central Catholic of Modesto beat MT in a thrilling Division II section championship last season, moved up a division and is battle-tested, with losses to powers such as Bosco, Serra of San Mateo and St. Mary’s. This will be a track meet. MT has the better anchor leg and wins, 40-38.
Biderman: Monterey Trail is well coached, disciplined, physical and has a host of different running backs that excel in the veer offense. I saw the Mustangs beat Grant in a hostile environment, 49-42, with a touchdown with 13 seconds remaining in a game where they barely passed the ball. Keep an eye on Fatafehi Puloka, MT’s talented tight end/defensive end, who’s expected to play at the next level. Mustangs win, 38-27.
Patrick: Central Catholic has a bunch of losses to great teams, but just one quality win: A 56-49 brawl over Manteca, the top seed in Division II. I was looking for a way to pick the team from Modesto, but just can’t find it. MT wins, 42-28.
Salerno: This is a rematch of that section championship game Joe mentioned. The Mustangs want revenge, but Central Catholic is a historic program. This is an upset pick for the week. Central Catholic wins on the road, 35-34.
No. 6 Elk Grove (8-3) at No. 3 Oak Ridge (8-2)
JoeD: What a showdown of powerhouse programs since the 1980s. OR stopped EG on a game-winning two-point attempt in a nonleague game last season, and it may be similarly intense this time as the Herd’s massive line and bevy of speed backs take on the physical Trojans. When it’s this close, go with the home team. OR wins, 30-27.
Biderman: Oak Ridge’s defense has allowed 11.7 points per game this season while playing five of its games in the area’s top conference. The Trojans are also at home, which means I’m picking them to win a close one, like Joe (sigh), 24-20.
Patrick: This story is going to be a million words so I’m going short: Elk Grove plows through Oak Ridge, 34-24.
Salerno: Is this the best second-round matchup? You could make the argument. Oak Ridge 35-27.
Division II
No. 10 Antelope (8-3) at No. 2 Del Oro (8-2)
JoeD: Antelope has a wide-open passing attack with QB Jasiah Bateman, and DO counters with a superb corner in Thomas Graham II and a defensive line featuring the relentless Akio Martinson. DO wins, 35-21.
Biderman: Del Oro was one of the best teams in the area not named Folsom all season. I’d be stunned if DO came out with anything but intensity off their opening-round bye. Give me the Golden Eagles, while I regretfully agree with Joe, again, 30-17.
Patrick: It’s great that we’re all grudgingly making picks. Ugh, Joe took DO. Ugh. Fine. DO wins, 42-21.
Salerno: Antelope’s run (after a magical win last week) ends in Loomis. Del Oro 35-21.
No. 5 Jesuit (9-2) at No. 4 Rocklin (7-3)
JoeD: This figures to be a physical game in the trenches with both teams featuring skilled quarterbacks and tough runners. Rocklin is battle tested from the rigors of the Sierra Foothill League and Jesuit hails from the not-as-deep Delta League. Go with the home team. Thunder wins, 20-17.
Biderman: My head tells me to pick Rocklin after recently watching the Thunder hang with Folsom on the road, although that regular-season finale didn’t have nearly as much on the line. Instead, I’m going to go with my heart and take Jesuit, mostly because I can’t agree with Joe on every pick here. Marauders in barn-burning upset, 33-31.
Patrick: I’ve been riding Jesuit all year, but Rocklin has really impressed me this season. I thought everybody graduating last year was going to kill them, but they are a resilient bunch. Thunder rolls, 28-21.
Salerno: This is going to be a great game. I put my hair on the line last time I covered a Jesuit football game. I’m going with the home team, Rocklin, to get the job done, 28-17.
No. 6 Granite Bay (7-4) at No. 3 Downey (10-0)
JoeD: Downey is irked that it didn’t draw a higher seed, but the talented Knights can do something about it. GB has a tough-to-stop run game, a steady QB in McCade Long and a proven defense. GB takes this one, 21-14.
Biderman: I have no idea what to make of this game, mostly because my faith in Granite Bay all season was rewarded with a 1-4 record in league games. So, instead of thinking critically about this one, I’ll pander to the Modesto crowd and take Downey. The Knights outscored opponents 452-134 while going undefeated in the regular season and are also coming off a bye. Knights are the pick, 24-21.
Patrick: Typical Biderman, pandering to Modesto. He’s a salted nut himself if you ask me. Can I just make fun of you guys instead of providing analysis? I can! I’m the boss, still! Downey wins 34-14.
Salerno: I have to go with Granite Bay. Who has Downey beat? Not the Grizzlies. GB wins, 28-24.
Division III
No. 8 Woodcreek (8-3) at No. 1 Placer (10-0)
JoeD: Fireworks. That’s what this one will be, with touchdowns right and left. Placer’s wing-T rushing attack and underrated defense will be tested, big time, but the Hillmen prevail, 45-42.
Biderman: I think this one will be closer than the seedings might indicate, but give me Placer, 38-34, because I can’t see the Hillmen’s perfect season ending this early.
Patrick: The fewest points Placer scored this year was 21. The team averages about 40 points per game. Woodcreek played in a tougher league, but Placer is simply too much. Hillmen 42-28.
Salerno: Am I a homer if I pick Woodcreek? This will be a fun, high-scoring affair in Placer County. Give me Woodcreek in the upset of the season, 35-31.
No. 11 Yuba City (5-6) at No. 3 Grant (7-2)
JoeD: Biderman will love this: These two programs have playoff history, including YC edging Bee No. 1 Grant in a Division I semifinal in 1987. How do I know this? It’s my job to know this. YC impressed in rolling Vista del Lago, but Grant will have too much defensive clout and speed on the edge. Pacers win, 38-35.
Biderman: I dunno, Joe. Is 1987 the best you got? Yuba City’s been around for almost 100 years! I kid, of course, because I was actually alive during that Division I semifinal you mentioned. Grant’s “rebirth” has gotten a lot of pub in this paper, including from yours truly, so I’ll stick with the Pacers even though I’m grossed out by how aligned my picks are with Joe’s. The drum line will be electric as Grant wins, 44-32.
Patrick: How about those Honkers? They completed two passes last week and still steamrolled the No. 6 seed, Vista del Lago, 48-6. They ran the ball 58 times, with five different guys getting at least eight touches. Yuba City will play tough defense, but I think Grant figures out a way to eke out a 21-14 win.
Salerno: Yuba Tough is what Yuba City’s slogan is. Grant has been a historic program and they’re back in the playoffs. What gives? Give me Grant, 35-30.
Division IV
No. 7 Capital Christian (5-5) at No. 2 Casa Roble (9-1)
JoeD: This will be the fastest, most-skilled team the host Rams have faced, and Capital Christian’s overall record is misleading, given the strength of schedule. Two of the area’s top receivers are in this one: Cole Owens of Casa and Kanye Clark of CC. The more experienced Rams prevail, 28-21.
Biderman: Clark jogs around 22 miles an hour, and so does running back Malakai Taione Tauataina. Capital Christian is tested, having played so many elite programs early in the season, so I’m going against Joe here and taking the Cougars in the upset, 30-27. I have to pick an upset somewhere, right?
Patrick: No, you don’t have to pick an upset. Casa rolls, 34-21.
Salerno: No upset will be happening here. Casa Roble wins 45-31.
Division V
No. 6 Dixon (9-2) at No. 3 Liberty Ranch (10-0)
JoeD: The visiting Rams are a handful with QB star Jett Harris, but the Hawks win here because no one has had an answer for RB star Arthur Draeger, who has 1,733 yards and 28 touchdowns. LR wins 35-24.
Biderman: Happy for Cody Smith, the senior defensive end/tight end from Liberty Ranch who needed a big season to solidify himself as a top recruit. An ankle injury and the pandemic wiped out his last two years. This season, he had 10.5 sacks while the Hawks from Galt won the Sierra Valley Conference. Give me the home team, 30-22.
Patrick: Nope, still not picking an upset. Liberty Ranch is legit, 42-21.
Salerno: Arthur Draeger is one of the best running backs in the section and a Player of the Year candidate. Give me Liberty Ranch at home, 45-28.
Division VI
No. 7 Twelve Bridges (7-4) at No. 2 Hughson (8-2)
JoeD: Have we mentioned this enough? First-year varsity programs just aren’t supposed to be winning in the playoffs. Bridges never got the memo. Hughson opened in 1911, which means nothing here, but it’s cool to know. Go with the program that’s been around for decades. Hughson 28-20.
Biderman: I’m looking forward to Joe circling back to this game 36 years from now, talking about Twelve Bridges’ historic first season before becoming a powerhouse. Give me the Raging Rhinos, because mild-mannered Rhinos simply won’t do, 23-18. And I’d like to point out I turned my picks in before Jim and Cam this time. *bows*
Patrick: I want to find a reason to pick Twelve Bridges. With not a single senior on the roster, I’m convinced the Raging Rhinos have more talent than any team in Division VI. But seniors are bigger and stronger and more tested. Hughson wins, 34-21, and I’m so sorry to my Rhino fans.
Salerno: I love an underdog. Give me the Rhinos because their students stormed the field when they won their first playoff game last week. Twelve Bridges 28-27.
Season totals:
JoeD: 66-21
Biderman: 56-31
Patrick: 62-25
Salerno: 67-20
This story was originally published November 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.