Roundup: Elk Grove barely survives; a Top 20 upset; Folsom and Placer keep rolling

Nothing is a given in the highly competitive Delta League this season as No. 13 Elk Grove learned Friday night against winless Pleasant Grove at Sheldon High School.

Elk Grove (3-3, 2-1) built a 20-point lead midway into the fourth quarter, but then had to hold off the Eagles (0-7, 0-3) in posting a 41-34 victory.

Elk Grove needed Brandon Grant’s 17-yard touchdown run with a minute to play to counteract 20 points scored by the Eagles in the final four minutes.

Grant also recovered a fumble that set up a Tre’von Frazier 14-yard touchdown run and Carter Harris, Matthew Horne and Matthew Kendall added rushing touchdowns for the Thundering Herd.

No. 1 Folsom 48, Rocklin 0 in Rocklin – Kaiden Bennett threw three touchdown passes, including an 80-yarder to 6-foot-4, 265-pound tight end DeShawn Lynch; backup quarterback Jacob Reithmeier threw two touchdowns and C.J. Hutton had an interception and touchdown catch as the Bulldogs (5-1, 2-0) ruined homecoming night for the Thunder (2-5, 1-2) in the Sierra Foothill League.

No. 3 Monterey Trail 76, River City 0 in West Sacramento – Zach Larrier threw 35- and 25-yard touchdown passes to Andre Crump and ran for a 41-yard score; Prophet Brown and Jehiel Budgett each rushed for two touchdowns; and the Mustangs (6-0, 1-0) returned two fumbles for touchdowns to crush the Raiders (0-6, 0-1) in their Metro Conference debut.

No. 4 Placer 63, Nevada Union 12 in Auburn – Marshall Chapman rushed for five touchdowns and Jacob Mason added a 46-yard touchdown burst as the Hillmen (6-0, 1-0) defeated the Miners (3-3, 0-1) in the Foothill Valley League opener. Dawson Fay rushed for a 75-yard touchdown for Nevada Union. The win avenged a loss last season to Nevada Union, the only team to beat CIF state runner-up Placer during the regular season.

No. 6 Oak Ridge 33, No. 9 Grant 6 in El Dorado Hills – Matt Jenner threw three touchdown passes; Evan Robinson caught three touchdown passes; and Sam Sanders returned a fumble 20 yards for a touchdown to lift the Trojans (5-1, 2-1) over the Pacers (3-3, 1-1).

No. 7 Capital Christian 40, Del Campo 20 in Rosemont – Capital Christian (7-0, 3-0) led 17-7 at the half, then jumped ahead 40-7 in the third quarter in beating the Cougars (0-6, 0-3) in the Capital Athletic League.

No. 8 Sheldon 28, Davis 21 in Davis – Ladon Johnson rushed for 45- and 3-yard touchdowns; Francisco Salinas threw a 75-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Pierce; and the Huskies (6-1, 3-0) had a critical late fourth-quarter interception to hold off the Blue Devils (3-3, 0-2) and Payne Barksdale (three rushing touchdowns) in the Delta League.

No. 10 Granite Bay 24, Whitney 10 in Rocklin – The Grizzlies (3-4, 1-2) scored a touchdown with 36 seconds left in the first half to break a 7-7 tie, then added 10 second-half points before the Wildcats (0-6, 0-3) tallied a late field goal in the Sierra Foothill League battle.

No. 11 Jesuit 37, Cosumnes Oaks 0 in Elk Grove – Hank Harvego rushed for a 3-yard touchdown and threw a 35-yard touchdown pass to Kendric Bailey and a 30-yarder to Connor McIntee; Isaiah Rutherford ran for a 58-yard touchdown; and linebacker Cade Brownholtz anchored a Marauders (4-2, 2-0) defense that stymied the Wolfpack (3-4, 1-2) in the Delta League.

No. 20 Rio Linda 42, No. 14 Ponderosa 34 in Shingle Springs – Cameron Skattebo’s 64-yard touchdown late in the second quarter put the Knights (5-1, 1-0) up 21-12, and they held off the Bruins (5-1, 0-1) in the Foothill Valley League opener.

No. 15 Antelope 55, Bella Vista 0 in Antelope – Nathan Lucero threw touchdown passes to Carter Sullivan, Savaughn Bradley and Sylvester Toby, and Quincy Gallon had two first-half rushing touchdowns as the Titans (4-3, 3-0) led the Broncos (0-6, 0-3) 41-0 after the first quarter in the Capital Valley Conference game.

No. 17 Casa Roble 63, Mira Loma 0 in Orangevale – The Rams (5-1, 1-0) burst out with 41 first-quarter points en route to beating the Matadors (0-6, 0-1) in the Golden Empire League opener.

No. 19 Colfax 38, Foothill 21 in Foothill Farms – Troy Little rushed for two touchdowns and Alex Weir threw touchdown passes of 25 yards and 9 yards to Jake Green and Peter O’Brien as the Falcons (6-0, 1-0) beat the Mustangs (4-2, 0-1) in the Pioneer Valley League opener.

Vista del Lago 28, Rio Americano 17 at Del Campo HS – Grant Patterson threw three touchdown passes, including an 80-yard backbreaking score to Chad Wilson in the fourth quarter, and Ethan Menezes had some critical runs, including a 5-yard touchdown, as the Eagles (4-3, 3-0) defeated the Raiders (1-5, 0-2) in the Capital Athletic League. Patterson came into the game ranked fourth in the state by Maxpreps.com with 1,707 passing yards.

Dixon 22, Woodland 14 in Woodland – Tyler Boston had two rushing touchdowns as the Rams (3-3, 1-0) held off the Wolves (1-5, 0-1) in the Golden Empire League opener.

Sacramento 50, El Camino 2 at Hughes Stadium – Javon Felton rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns; Amir Robertson had five catches for 146 yards and a score and Mychel Williams returned an interception 94 yards for a touchdown as the Dragons (2-4, 2-0) walloped the Eagles (1-6, 0-3) in the Capital Athletic League.

River Valley 55, Roseville 13 in Roseville – Evan Strickland rushed for 61- and 22-yard touchdowns and Dawson McPeak threw two touchdown passes as the Falcons (4-2, 1-1) beat the Tigers (2-5, 0-3) in the Capital Valley Conference.

Kennedy 20, McClatchy 6 in Greenhaven – Nick McDonald rushed for a 9-yard touchdown and caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from Jacob Modellas; Pita Vi had an interception and a fumble recovery; and Marcel Calvin rushed for a 5-yard fourth-quarter touchdown as the Cougars (3-3, 1-0) defeated the Lions (1-5, 0-1) in the Metro League opener.

Burbank 65, Laguna Creek 0 at Cosumnes River College – Levelle Bailey rushed for a 74-yard touchdown and threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Maliqu Trice and Darius Daniel returned an interception for a touchdown in helping the Titans (3-3, 1-0) build a 45-0 first half lead against the Cardinals (1-5, 0-1) in the Metro League.

Bradshaw Christian 50, Liberty Ranch 22 in Galt – Jeremiah Bonner Hayes rushed for five touchdowns, including a 63-yard burst, to lead the Pride (4-2, 1-0) over the Hawks (2-4, 0-1) in the Sierra Valley Conference. Gabriel Nino returned 99-yard and 62-yard kickoffs for touchdowns for Liberty Ranch.

This story was originally published September 28, 2018 at 11:44 PM.