Previewing 10 prep football games: COVID-19 cancellations, Jesuit aims to topple Folsom in rescheduled game at Jesuit
This isn’t just the space to size up high school football showdowns dotting the Sacramento region.
It’s also the place to go for COVID-cancellation updates, and blah and boo to that. COVID-19 remains an issue, leading to more lost games before they even kick off.
The Ponderosa at Vista del Lago game is off, leaving Ponderosa without a game for the first two weeks of this season due to quarantine. Vista was able to schedule Foothill of Palo Cedro for Friday.
The Sheldon-Nevada Union game is off due to NU’s COVID-19 issues. Same with Casa Roble and Wood of Vacaville, as well as Highlands against El Camino, though coaches quickly set up a matchup: Wood vs. El Camino.
Sheldon, Highlands and Casa Roble have the week off, amid long faces and frowns, but with coaches who remain optimistic that things will be just fine. The East Nicolaus at Ripon Christian contest is also off, a shame since it would have been a terrific small-school duel with coaches from both programs going back years to their Capital Christian days.
Ripon Christian on Wednesday afternoon was able to schedule a Friday home game against Sacramento, which initially had a bye. Connections paid off here. Ripon Christian coach Phil Grams and Sacramento coach Justin Reber are longtime friends. Also Wednesday, Franklin of the Elk Grove Unified School District had to cancel its Friday game at Vanden due to positive tests within the program. Because River Valley had to cancel its game at River City, River City was able to grab Vanden.
Also Wednesday: Antelope’s game at Elk Grove was scratched due to Antelope quarantine. On Thursday afternoon, Elk Grove stopped communicating with other schools to schedule a game as the Elk Grove Unified School District told the program that any Thundering Herd varsity players who have not vaccinated must quarantine until Sept. 6.
Also Thursday afternoon, the Christian Brothers-Pleasant Grove game was scratched after positive tests from PG. Christian Brothers ran out of time to schedule someone in the 11th hour and will not play. On Friday morning, the Bella Vista at Cordova game was scratched as Bella Vista awaited COVID testing results, and the Broncos did not practice all week.
And this also late morning Friday: Due to poor air quality from wild fires, top-ranked Folsom will play at Jesuit today at 4:30 p.m., following the 2 p.m. varsity game. The school does not have football stadium lights.
Sac-Joaquin Section teams have 11 weeks to play 10 regular-season games. Regular season games cannot be pushed to the end of the season due to the playoffs, so a good many of these canceled games will not be replaced.
Ten games of note:
No. 1 Folsom (1-0) at No. 7 Jesuit (0-0)
When: Friday, 4:30 p.m.
Outlook: This game was originally for Folsom on Friday night but has been moved to Jesuit with a 4:30 varsity kickoff due to poor air quality. Jesuit coaches observed Folsom’s 56-14 rout of Monterey Trail, and some picked up their jaws at the skill and speed of the Bulldogs. Nothing new. Jesuit has a senior-heavy lineup that includes RB Kai Santos and a veteran secondary that will have its hands full with WR Rico Flores, TE Walker Lyons, and do-all grinders Lucas Wolfe and Justin Arnaz, not to mention QB Tyler Tremain, who accounted for six scores against Monterey Trail.
No. 2 Rocklin (1-0) at 10 Capital Christian (1-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
Outlook: Ace QBs face off, or against strong defenses, to be more clear as Anthony Garcua leads Capital Chrsitian and Kenny Lueth heads the Rocklin charge. Both tossed four touchdowns in opening efforts. Who protects the passer best here wins.
No. 4 Oak Ridge (1-0) at No. 3 Vacaville (1-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
Outlook: Both teams impressed in openers, Vacaville rolling Davis 45-8 and Oak Ridge taking out Cosumnes Oaks 42-0. And both prevailed behind a balanced offensive attack. Both clubs feature terrific runners: Reese Catchings for the Trojans and Darian Leon-Guerrero for the host Bulldogs, and both can catch the ball.
No. 6 Monterey Trail (0-1) at No. 20 Cosumnes Oaks (0-1)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
Outlook: These are talented, explosive teams eager to get on track offensively after running into buzzsaws on Friday, MT falling to Folsom 56-14 and CO to Oak Ridge 42-0. This has become a terrific rivalry within the Elk Grove Unified School District, and the coaches here go way back to their Bay Area roots: T.J. Ewing of MT and Martin Billings of CO.
No. 8 Grant (0-0) at No. 9 Inderkum (1-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
Outlook: This is a showdown years in the making, and it has a lot of sentiment to it as Carl Reed works his first game as head Pacers coach in going against a familiar face in Reggie Harris, the one-time Grant assistant coach. Inderkum played tremendous defense in beating Elk Grove 15-6 last week while Grant’s game with Lodi was pushed back to September due to Lodi’s COVID-19 issues. This is the Access Sacramento TV Hometown Game of the Week.
No. 17 Placer (0-1) at No. 24 Roseville (1-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: Both teams can score in bunches. Placer is fueled by stong-armed QB Andy Hall and RB Lavelle Davis, who rumbled for 176 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-33 setback to Casa Roble. Roseville has two brothers to fear in QB Ryan Graydon, who passed for 256 yards and three TDs in a 42-7 win over Oakmont, and RB Brandon Graydon, who went for 175 and three in that game. Kanyon Smith had two sacks for Roseville.
No. 21 Del Oro (1-0) at Del Campo (1-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
Outlook: As the QBs go, so do the teams. That’s Ryan Lewis, he of the fast feet and playmaking ability for Del Oro, and Terrenace Ballard of DC. Ballard is long, lanky and effective.
McClatchy (1-0) at Rosemont (1-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Outlook: McClatchy ran wild in a 44-0 victory over Mesa Verde as Hector Espinoza rushed for 205 yards and three touchdowns and Frankie Treadway scooted for two rushing scores. Rosemont beat Cordova 23-8 by coming up with four interceptions and rushing for 230 yards for a 7.9-yards per carry average, including 110 for Michael Cherry and TD runs by Kegan Hill and Wayshawn Parker.
Valley (1-0) vs. Laguna Creek (1-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m. at Cosumnes River College
Outlook: One-time rivals from the Elk Grove Unified, now in different leagues, meet in what should be another festive night at CRC, the home venue for both programs. Valley beat Highlands 32-26 with Joseph Bermudez-Mitchell and Mathias Chatman combining for 226 yards rushing, and they are both a threat on kickoff returns. In Laguna Creek’s 38-6 win over Foothill, Hayden Johnson passed for 276 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Adam Gunning and Jadiah Shockley, and Titus Novak rushed for 103 and a score. The bonus of this game is the background view and sound of Laguna Creek’s exceptional 125-piece marching band.
This week’s games
All games kickoff between 7-7:30 p.m., unless noted
Thursday
River Valley at River City
Friday
Mesa Verde at Johnson, 5 p.m.
Folsom at Jesuit, 4:30 p.m.
Monterey Trail at Cosumnes Oaks
Grant at Inderkum
Oak Ridge at Vacaville
McClatchy at Rosemont
Rocklin at Capital Christian
Delta at Los Molinos
Douglas at Center
Delta Charter at Woodland Christian
Oakmont at Foothill
El Camino vs Wood
Sacramento at Ripon Christian
Liberty Ranch at Natomas
Western Sierra at San Juan
Del Oro at Del Campo
Chico at Whitney
Placer at Roseville
Rio Americano at Downey
Wheatland at Marysville
Galt at Summerville
Granite Bay at Davis
West Park at Woodcreek
Lincoln at Yuba City
River City at Vanden
Bear River at El Dorado
Kennedy at Rio Linda
Dixon at Winters
Woodland at Colfax
Galt at Summerville
Franklin-Stockton vs. Florin at Monterey Trail
Laguna Creek vs. Valley at Cosumnes River College
Saturday
Bradshaw Christian at Linden, 11 a.m.
Lindhurst vs. Mira Loma at El Camino, 1 p.m.
Rio Vista at Millennium, 7 p.m.
Bella Vista at Cordova, 7:15 p.m.
Union Mine at Argonaut, 8 p.m.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 5:00 AM.