Bee’s Best: No. 11 Placer High football team hopes to extend league title streak
The Sacramento Bee will unveil our Top 25 football rankings from No. 25 to No. 1, at least a team a day, right up to the Aug. 20 kickoff.
No. 11 Placer Hillmen
City: Auburn
School opened: 1897
League: Foothill Valley League
Division: lll
Enrollment: 1,357
2021 spring record: 2-1
Coach: Joey Montoya
There aren’t many football teams from the Sac-Joaquin Section with Placer High School’s record of success.
The Hillmen have won eight league titles in a row, which includes six in the Pioneer Valley League and two in the Foothill Valley League. Placer last won a section title in 2017 and has appeared in every section championship game since.
Some of that recent success can be attributed to the stability of the program. Placer’s coaching staff has remained the same for the last 10 years. Multiple coaches on staff are also on-campus teachers.
“I’ve been fortunate to have the same coaching staff for over 10 years now, that includes the lower levels,” Montoya said. “All of the coaches are on-campus teachers, with the expectation of one who’s a pastor. We have been doing this for a long time. There’s a level of familiarity and comfort with each other… We get home grown kids and we develop them every year. The system has worked and we are very proud of what we have done. That (success) was in the past and we just want to build on it.”
Placer went 2-1 in the shortened spring football season and finished behind Lincoln, who finished 3-0. Because of the shortened spring football season, a league champion wasn’t crowned in the FVL.
There is good reason to believe in Auburn that Placer can repeat as league champions because of the talent they bring back. The Hillmen return a dozen starters, seven on offense and five on defense. Notables include running back/linebacker Lavelle Davis, lineman Zander Esty, tight end Marshall Alcorn and safety Gauge Herrera.
Placer’s quarterback will be senior Andy Hall, who started his team’s final game last spring season. His coach Joey Montoya said Hall has “probably the strongest arm we have ever had at quarterback which is saying something because we have had some guys over the years.”
Placer opens the season on Aug. 20 against Casa Roble. The Hillmen also play Roseville on Aug. 27, Salinas on Sept. 3, Vista del Lago on Sept. 10 and Menlo-Atherton on Sept. 18. The Hillmen open up league play with rival Lincoln on Oct. 1.
“Relatively speaking (our preseason schedule) has got to be one of the most challenging around,” Montoya said. “We are the smallest school in our league. … We have always been up for a challenge.”
He added, “We are never concerned about August or September at Placer. Those are building blocks for us. Games played in August and September are in preparation for what’s to come in October and November. The main priority will always be the games that are played in October, November and December.
This story was originally published August 13, 2021 at 7:38 AM.