Prep football rankings: Dragons back is a rumbler, Christian Brothers star rising
He’s a sophomore who runs like a man.
Say hello to Lamar Radcliffe of the Sacramento Charter High School Dragons. He’s 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds of downhill runner, with the sort of power that you’d pick him to help help move the heavy stuff in the equipment room.
Radcliffe has scooted, rumbled and sprinted for 1,567 yards and 18 touchdowns. He averages 9.1 yards per carry and is the program’s most feared back since Norman Miller was off to the races for coach Tom Rutten in 1991, which is also the last time the Dragons started a season 8-1.
The Dragons were in Division I those days. They reside in D-III now and feature one of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s most potent 1-2-3 skill sets. Naaman Branyan is a junior quarterback who has come into his own, passing for 1,684 yards and 21 touchdowns, and top target Lamont Burrell is a 6-2 burner with good hands. He has received scores of scholarship offers, including Sacramento State. He averages 28.4 yards per catch and has five touchdowns.
But it starts with the burly back. Radcliffe went for 373 yards and three scores in a 39-34 win over Christian Brothers and he had 302 and two in a shootout loss to Capital Christian.
“Lamar is a big-time guy, a big-time dude,” Dragons coach Justin Reber said. “No one wants to tackle that guy. He’s going to have a great career. He really makes us go.”
Unsung grinders
Every title contender has a collection of unsung sorts who help make it all go.
Take Union Mine. The Diamondbacks of El Dorado County offer up a steady dose of Scott Smith at running back and Calvin Owens at quarterback, who runs a lot. Methodical in approach and playing to the point of exhaustion, the seniors are heavy on the run game and have combined for 28 total touchdowns for a 7-1 team that can clinch the outright Sierra Valley Conference crown with a win over rival El Dorado on Friday heading into the D-V playoffs.
Bell-ringer
It used to be that freshmen never played varsity football. They simply were not ready for that sort of jump. It’s a bit more common now.
Christian Brothers has one stretching the field in receiver Phillip Bell. He has 43 catches for 654 yards and nine touchdowns, six in his last three games. He is 6-foot-2 and fast with good hands and sudden rising recruiting interest.
“Oklahoma State just offered Phillip,” CB coach Larry Morla said. “He’s going to be a national recruit.”
Added the coach, “As a player, he is far more developed compared to his peers. For a 15-year-old to be as dominant as he is is amazing. He catches every thing, runs great routes, and what I like about him most is he blocks great. We just have to remember that he is really still a young kid.”
Tackling terror
Garrett McCray of East Nicolaus shows up every Friday, a big man on the small-school campus who lets opponents know he was there. He hits, he covers, he tackles. Against Durham, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior linebacker had 20 tackles and blocked a punt. He will play in college somewhere.
“His instincts are off the charts,” East Nicolaus coach Kramer Hagan said. “Rare to find in a high school linebacker. He anticipates everything at an elite level. Great physicality and never misses a tackle. But above all, he’s the hardest worker and a great team leader. He’s made for the next level.”
Stat marvels
The unsung list of quarterback leaders is a lengthy one, including these guys headed to the playoffs:
▪ Jesiah Machado of Sheldon has 25 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
▪ Jakob Hollingshaus has 2,045 yards passing and 21 TDs.
▪ Jake Elorduy of Christian Brothers has 20 touchdowns and three picks.
▪ Gabe Baker of Nevada Union has tossed 20 touchdowns and run for eight more.
▪ Jett Harris of Dixon, up for name of the year, has 1,562 yards and 18 TDs.
▪ Ryan Vaughn of Vacaville has 14 touchdowns and three picks.
▪ Jason Lindahl of Casa Roble, a running threat, averages 180.8 yards passing and has 16 TDs and two picks.
▪ Tre Dimes of Vanden has passed for 18 TDs and five picks.
THE BEE’S TOP 25
1. Rocklin 9-0
2. Folsom 7-2
3. Jesuit 8-1
4. Granite Bay 7-2
5. Vacaville 7-2
6. Antelope 8-0
7. Elk Grove 5-3
8. Lincoln 6-2
9. Sheldon 7-2
10. Vanden 7-2
11. Yuba City 6-3
12. Monterey Trail 4-5
13. Whitney 4-5
14. Del Oro 5-4
15. Cap Christian 6-3
16. Sacramento 8-1
17. Inderkum 5-3
18. Woodcreek 7-2
19. Vista del Lago 6-3
20. Christian Bros 5-4
21. Union Mine 7-1
22. Dixon 5-3
23. Pioneer 7-1
24. Casa Roble 5-3
25(t). Bradshaw Christian 8-1
25(t). Rosemont 8-1
Bubble teams (alphabetical order): Colfax 6-2; Cosumnes Oaks 5-4; Foresthill 7-2; Laguna Creek 5-4; Liberty Ranch 5-3; McClatchy 6-3; Nevada Union 6-3, Oak Ridge 3-6, Placer 3-5; Ponderosa 4-3; Rodriguez 7-2; Sutter 6-1, West Park 5-4; Wood 7-2; Woodland, 7-2, Woodland Christian 7-0. - Compiled by Joe Davidson
This story was originally published October 26, 2021 at 12:03 PM.