Prep football playoffs roundtable: What to expect in the high school football playoffs
Eighty teams bound into the Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs that start this week, and three Bee heavy-lifters, on the beat since the heat of August scrimmages, weigh in on storylines, teams and players. Our panel had questions as we took a look at the brackets.
How good is the Division I field?
Joe Davidson: Stacked, loaded, robust. Had Jesuit and Rocklin not won the Delta and Sierra Foothill leagues, respectively, those teams would have slid into the Division II field. Keep this in mind: Not every No. 1 seed even reaches a section final — just ask Folsom in 2019 — and upsets do and will happen. Rocklin should reach the D-I finals, though St. Mary’s of Stockton presents a challenge in a semifinal, if teams win out as higher seeds. And what about a potential Jesuit-Folsom rematch in the bottom side of the bracket?
James Patrick: I guess I’m the contrarian here. The D-I bracket is top-heavy. But wow, that top three of Rocklin, Jesuit and Folsom is fun. Once we get to the midrange seeds, there’s less to get excited about. No. 9 Turlock, for instance, looked pretty overmatched against Rocklin early in the year (without Turlock’s starting quarterback, but still). And No. 7 Del Oro got killed by those top seeds and went 2-4 in the Sierra Foothill League. I’d be shocked if one of the top four seeds doesn’t win the section title.
Cameron Salerno: Coming into the season, I thought the D-ll bracket would be stronger. Del Oro-Jesuit in the second round would be intriguing for a few reasons. Jesuit wants a rematch with Folsom as Folsom beat Jesuit handily in an opener. That’s the goal.
Is there a sure-thing champion in any bracket?
Joe Davidson: Of course not, but what the heck. The storied Escalon Cougars have won nine section crowns and are the top seed in D-V, though I like what No. 2-seeded Union Mine has done under first-year coach Matt Ray. An excellent bracket.
Cameron Salerno: This is November and upsets can happen (this is a knockoff of March Madness.) Whitney made a magical run to the section final in 2019. Who will be the next Cinderella?
James Patrick: I’m trying to figure out why nobody said Central Catholic in D-II. The Modesto team beat D-I contender St. Mary’s and has a 9-1 record. Central Catholic seems like an obvious heavy favorite.
A darkhorse team to ponder?
Joe Davidson: Elk Grove is hardly a darkhorse in any era, but it is seeded just 6th in D-II, so Herd is the word here. Or No. 6 seed Placer in D-IV, coming on strong, healthy, experienced and superbly coached.
James Patrick: It’s tempting to look at Monterey Trail at 5-5 and think the Mustangs have a chance to do some damage in D-II. They’ve only given up six points in their last four games combined. But I’m going with Elk Grove. Sure, the Thundering Herd lost to Inderkum early in the season, but they’re on a roll. The Herd have two 1,000-yard rushers in Zeke Burnett and Ethan Archuleta. They can just plow over teams, even as a No. 6 seed.
Cameron Salerno: Sacramento High is my choice. The Dragons have a great coach in Justin Reber and one of the best running backs in the section in sophomore Lamar Radcliffe. He looks like a man child. If Sacramento gets past Golden Valley, it would travel to play defending D-III champion Manteca. Another team to keep an eye on is Casa Roble in D-V.
Who’s a large school player to look for, and medium school and small?
Joe Davidson: Large school: Kai Wallin of Jesuit and Bobby Piland of Rocklin, both dominant, relentless, driven, and championships are still won and lost in the trenches; medium school: Curron Borders of Antelope, a converted lineman who has been the driving force for an unbeaten team; small school: Jack Carner of Antelope, a terrific runner and return specialist.
James Patrick: I’m going to answer in reverse order because it’s more fun. Small school: Anthony Tornatore has 10 rushing touchdowns and more than 1,400 yards in 10 games for Bradshaw Christian. Medium-size school: D.J. Crowther, Christian Brothers. The kid is electric, but he’s been working back from an injury. Large school: Let’s go with a surprise pick and say Vacaville’s Ryan Vaughn, a quarterback who doesn’t make a bunch of mistakes, had 18 passing TDs and six rushing TDs against just three interceptions.
Cameron Salerno: Lincoln linebacker Jordan Wagner is one to watch in larger school brackets, the heart and soul of the Zebras’ defense. Vista del Lago running back Tyler Petersen has been great of late. He rushed for 250 yards in a win over Christian Brothers. Union Mine’s Calvin Owens is a great small school quarterback and a key factor if the Diamondbacks want to make a run in Division V.
Who is an unsung player to look for?
Joe Davidson: The unsung guys make all the difference, and for Sheldon in D-I that’s do-all grinder Edgar Montes. In D-II, that’s Granite Bay runners Jayce Latson and C.J. Herring, in D-III, that’s Sacramento quarterback Naaman Branyan, in D-IV, that’s Dixon QB Jett Harris, in D-V that’s Union Mine running back Scott Smith and in D-VI that’s Rosemont runner/stopper Wayshawn Parker.
James Patrick: We haven’t talked a bunch about him this fall, but the kid that sticks out is Casa Roble’s Cole Owens. We haven’t talked about him a ton because he’s a sophomore but nobody impacts his team more. Owens had 33 catches for 766 yards in just six games. He had 10 receiving touchdowns and three rushing touchdowns. Then he got injured and his team lost its last two games of the regular season.
Cameron Salerno: Rocklin do-it-all athlete Elias Mullican is one of the most underrated players in Northern California. He excels in coverage and is a versatile offensive weapon. Placer running back Lavelle Davis will be a name to keep an eye on in the D-lV playoffs.
What’s the best first-round matchup?
Joe Davidson: They’re all good, right? Short and sweet: Woodcreek at Monterey Trail in D-II. Woodcreek is looking for that statement playoff win, and this would be it.
Cameron Salerno: Inderkum at Whitney. The visiting Wildcats went through the grind of the Sierra Foothill League schedule and went 3-3, good enough for fourth place. Inderkum opened strong but has struggled of late. First-year Inderkum coach Reggie Harris will have to call a superb defensive game plan to slow down the potent Wildcats offense.
James Patrick: In D-IV, No. 10 Ponderosa at No. 7 Dixon should be an entertaining tilt. Ponderosa lost a bunch of very close games; Dixon is playing at home and plays smashmouth. Should be a good matchup.
What teams can win a Northern California championship?
Joe Davidson: Not to sound like a Grinch here, but working backward, if the D-I section winner doesn’t win a NorCal finale, maybe against De La Salle, this region may not land anyone in the state finals. But the winner of the D-I bracket has the best shot.
Cameron Salerno: It’s going to be whoever wins the D-l bracket. How fun would a Folsom-Rocklin rematch be? My pick is Rocklin. The Thunder have a legit chance to win a state championship (if they don’t get bumped up to the Open division). They have the best defense in the section.
James Patrick: Oof. I mean, there’s Rocklin and there’s everybody else. Just for a change of pace, I’m going to say Bradshaw Christian, the top seed in li’l D-VII. Great defense and not scared of taking on bigger schools.
Want more? Check out The Buzz each Thursday at noon live on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube as these talking heads continue to break down football with a big-picture view. Watch it at https://bit.ly/3BBbwHW.
This story was originally published November 3, 2021 at 8:27 AM.