Bee’s Best: No. 17 Sacramento football is young, athletic and prepping to make noise

The Sacramento Bee will unveil our Top 25 football rankings from No. 25 to No. 1, a team a day, right up to the Aug. 20 kickoff.

No. 17 Sacramento

City: Sacramento

School opened: 1856

League: Capital Athletic

Division: III

Enrollment: 418

2021 spring record: 2-2

Coach: Justin Reber

Why is Sacramento High School, which went 2-2 in spring football, ranked in The Bee’s preseason Top 25?

There’s one reason. One as in the number of kids that graduated in June. Almost everybody’s back from a team that hauled in 13 interceptions, the most in the state in the abbreviated spring season.

Sure, they were mauled by Christian Brothers and lost on a huge late rally to Del Campo, but Sacramento is older, wiser, bigger and stronger.

“Yeah, we got our teeth kicked in but guess what: Those kids are motivated and they kicked ass in the summertime,” coach Justin Reber said.

There’s plenty to be amped up about, and it starts with the Dragons’ high-flying defense, which is anchored by senior cornerback Lamont Burrell, who has an offer from Cal Poly. Burrell had two interceptions in spring, one of eight Sacramento players who hauled in a pickoff.

Demarion Taylor, a freshman, will anchor the other corner spot after a strong summer, Reber said.

“We’re hoping he’ll develop into a dude,” Reber said. “He’s super athletic.”

Senior Elijah Hardiman will play strong safety and junior Rasheem Perry will play free safety.

Sacramento is also bringing back linebacker Corie Radcliffe, who led the league in tackles and was named All-Metro League First Team. Lamar Radcliffe, a potential Division I player, Keimari Benjamin and T.J. Williams are the other returning linebackers.

Senior noseguard Malaki Merrill and sophomore tackle Niles Overall are expected to anchor the line.

But the offense will need to improve if Sacramento is going to make noise in the rankings this year.

Dragons quarterback Naaman Branyan is back for his junior year. He tossed for 286 yards and four touchdowns in the spring finale against Del Campo.

Radcliffe was the top rusher as a freshman with 257 yards.

And while the Dragons are happy to be ranked to start the year, you can practically hear Reber licking his chops for what’s to come. The team was ranked in the top five in the area during Reber’s first stint as head coach, which ended in 2016. He thinks they can get back to that level.

“(The) kids had a great summer, I think we’re gonna be much better than last year, and then again, we only graduate three or four guys, so we’re looking good down the road,” he said. “We’re loaded with athleticism. ... Two or three years, we’re gonna be back to what we were.”

This story was originally published August 5, 2021 at 7:49 AM.