Prep football notes: 4 wins doesn’t ensure a playoff spot; top players, league standings
Four is the magic number for high school football this season, but a little bit more would be better.
Teams have to win at least four regular-season games to be playoff eligible in the Sac-Joaquin Section for divisions I-VI, large schools to medium to small and really small. But four wins does not ensure entry. Strength of schedule and strength of league matter. With three weeks remaining in the regular season, a good many area programs used to playoff marches are in. Some are in full-on scramble mode.
Take Placer. The Hillmen sit at 1-5 after a prolific, yet maddening early season where the ball bounced the wrong way too many times. But Placer is 1-1 in the Foothill Valley League and close out that schedule with games against Rio Linda, Oakmont and Ponderosa. Win out, and the Hillmen are in, and these are winnable games. Placer seeks at least a share of its ninth consecutive league crown under coach Joey Montoya, who is a win shy of winning his 150th career game
More scrambling: Oak Ridge. The 2019 Division I section champions with 12 playoff showings in 14 seasons are 2-5, no thanks to a brutal schedule that includes the unforgiving Sierra Foothill League. Oak Ridge needs two wins in three games down the stretch to get in, and that could mean needing to win one at Del Oro in what would be coach Casey Taylor’s first game back at a school in which he won six section championships. The Trojans conclude SFL play with Grant, Del Oro and Whitney.
In the Delta League, playoff regulars Cosumnes Oaks and Pleasant Grove are a win shy of becoming playoff eligible.
In the Metropolitan Conference, McClatchy has qualified under impressive first-year coach Zac Cuda, the first time since 1996 the Lions will taste the postseason, and now they seek their first winning record since 1993.
In the Foothill Valley, Oakmont is a win away from four, the same for Liberty Ranch of the Sierra Valley Conference.
In the Golden Empire, Dixon and Mesa Verde need a win to be playoff eligible, the same for Center in the Pioneer Valley.
New West Park of Roseville needs a win to qualify and should get it as coach Jason Tenner’s team is the favorite to take the Greater Sacramento League. All league champions go to the playoffs.
Folsom-DLS rematch?
The most surprising aspect for Folsom in its 31-10 setback to De La Salle was the offense not getting into a groove. DLS would not allow it, using speed, schemes and physicality to stall the Bulldogs. Folsom came roaring in at 6-0 in topping 54 or more points five times and beating highly touted Pittsburg 38-17.
“To hold Folsom to 10 points? You know you did something great,” DLS coach Justin Alumbaugh said.
The schools will continue their nonconference meetings in the coming season, but could they face off in the playoffs this season? If Folsom runs the table in this section and DLS wins its 30th consecutive North Coast Section title, it could happen in a NorCal Division I-AA final. But only if Saint Francis of Mountain View, which beat DLS 31-28 earlier to halt a 318-game unbeaten streak with two ties against Northern California teams, wins the Central Coast Section Open championship. Or if Serra of San Mateo runs the table and beats Saint Francis for those section honors. The CIF will send its top NorCal team to face, presumably, Mater Dei of Bosco from the South.
In other words: too much can happen to even debate it now.
On the mark
Passing yards are great, yes, but it’s the low interceptions that pop for area passing leaders such as:
Tyler Tremain of Folsom (32 touchdowns, four interceptions); Anthony Garcia of Capital Christian (25 and 3); Jesiah Machado of Sheldon (21 and six); Jake Elorduy of Christian Brothers (14 and 3); Naaman Branyan of Sacramento (15 and two); Jason Lindahl of Casa Roble (13 and two); Gabe Baker of Nevada Union (14 and four); Ryan Vaughn of Vacaville (10 and two); Kenny Lueth of Rocklin (15 and two); Ranvir Malhi of Cosumnes Oaks (12 and four); Caden Pascoe of Woodland Christian (nine and one), and Jake Feldheim of Delta (15 and two).
Quick hits
▪ Playoff-bound Granite Bay has another quarterback in the making in 6-foot-4, 200-pound McCade Long, a junior who impressed in a 28-14 win over Grant. A 4.1 student, Long has grown up through the Grizzlies program.
▪ Curron Borders of Antelope is the section’s leading rusher with 1,668 yards and 25 scores. Not bad for a converted guard.
▪ Lavelle Davis of Placer is second in the section in rushing with 1,205 and 14 touchdowns.
▪ Anthony Tornatore of Bradshaw Christian has 1,115 rushing yards and 14 scores.
▪ Mitchell Sarmento of Woodcreek leads all area players with 11.6 tackles a game, just ahead of Wayshawn Parker of Rosemont with 11.3
▪ Peter Vi and Soni Finau of Elk Grove have combined for 17 sacks this season.
▪ Aemon Aldrich of Foresthill leads the section with eight interceptions.
League standings
(overall and league)
Sierra Foothill League
Rocklin 7-0, 4-0
Folsom 6-1, 3-0
Granite bay 6-2, 3-1
Whitney 4-3, 2-1
Del Oro 4-4, 0-4
Oak Ridge 2-5, 0-3
Grant 0-6, 0-3
Delta League
Jesuit 6-1, 3-0
Elk Grove 4-2, 3-0
Sheldon 5-2, 3-1
Cosumnes Oaks 3-4, 2-2
Pleasant Grove 3-4, 1-3
Franklin 1-5, 0-3
Davis 0-6, 0-3
Capital Valley Conference
Antelope 7-0, 4-0
Inderkum 5-1, 3-0
Yuba City 4-3, 2-1
Woodcreek 6-2, 2-2
Roseville 4-3, 1-2
Bella Vista 1-6, 0-4
River Valley 0-6, 0-3
Monticello Empire League
Vanden 6-1, 2-0
Vacaville 5-2, 2-0
Rodriguez 6-1, 1-1
Wood 5-2, 1-1
Armijo 1-7, 0-2
Fairfield 0-6, 0-2
Capital Athletic League
Sacramento 7-0, 3-0
Capital Christian 5-2, 4-0
Vista del Lago 5-2, 3-1
Christian Brothers 4-3, 1-2
El Camino 3-4, 1-3
Del Campo 2-5, 0-3
Rio Americano 1-5, 0-3
Metropolitan Conference
Monterey Trail 2-5, 2-0
Burbank 4-3, 2-0
Laguna Creek 3-4, 1-1
McClatchy 5-2, 1-1
Kennedy 2-5, 0-2
River City 0-7, 0-2
Foothill Valley League
Lincoln 4-2, 2-0
Ponderosa 4-1, 2-0
Nevada Union 4-3, 1-1
Placer 1-5, 1-1
Oakmont 3-4, 0-2
Rio Linda 1-6, 0-2
Sierra Valley Conference
Bradshaw Christian 7-0, 2-0
Union Mine 6-0, 2-0
Rosemont 6-1, 1-1
El Dorado 4-2, 1-1
Liberty Ranch 3-3, 0-2
Galt 1-6, 0-2
Golden Empire League
Pioneer 6-0, 2-0
Casa Roble 4-2, 2-0
Woodland 6-1, 1-1
Dixon 3-3, 1-1
Mesa Verde 3-3, 0-2
Mira Loma 1-5, 0-2
Pioneer Valley League
Colfax 4-2, 2-0
Marysville 5-2, 1-1
Center 3-2, 1-1
Bear River 1-4, 1-1
Foothill 1-5, 1-1
Lindhurst 0-5, 0-2
Greater Sacramento League
West Park 3-4, 2-0
Johnson 5-1, 1-1
Natomas 4-3, 1-1
Cordova 2-5, 1-1
Florin 1-6, 1-1
Valley 1-4, 0-2
Sierra Delta League
Linden 7-4, 5-0
Esparto 4-1, 3-0
Vacaville Chirstian 6-1, 2-1
Rio Vista 3-5, 1-3
Highlands 1-6, 1-3
Golden Sierra 0-3, 0-2
San Juan 0-7, 0-3
Sacramento Metropolitan
Woodland Christian 6-0, 2-0
Foresthill 6-1, 2-0
Delta 5-2, 1-1
Encina Prep 1-3, 1-1
Valley Christian 3-4, 0-2
Western Sierra 0-5, 0-2
This story was originally published October 14, 2021 at 8:29 AM.