Prep boys’ soccer rankings: Placer up; Galt teams continue battle; Jesuit-Davis showdown

The final week of prep boys’ soccer figures to be wild, one way or another.

Jesuit has won a league title every year since 1988, but that streak is in serious jeopardy. Davis, the top-ranked area team by The Bee, can lock up a Delta League championship with a win or a tie Tuesday afternoon on the Marauders’ home field. The Blue Devils are 11-1 overall and 9-1 in the Delta, with a 1-0 blemish to Franklin the only loss on the schedule. Jesuit dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak on the team in early January and took a pair of losses. But the Devils reeled off five straight wins entering Tuesday’s showdown; four of those wins were by four goals or more as they were back at full strength.

Davis won the first game 2-1 in early January.. It was a physical bout, with both teams exhausted (and in some cases, bloodied) at the conclusion.

That’s typical, said Davis midfielder Zach Anderson. And it will likely be more of the same Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s just a battle every year and the boys are ready,” Anderson said. “We all know that it’s gonna be physical every time and we’re willing.”

It’s far from the only entertaining league race entering the final week of regular season play.

Conference roundup

The Greater Sacramento League might have the tightest area race for a league crown, as both Valley and Cordova have 6-0-2 records. Those two ties came against each other, both 1-1 draws. The Cordova offense has been the more impressive of the two, with 27 goals in eight league games. But the Valley defense is one of the most-stout in the region, allowing just three league goals and 19 in 24 overall games.

Up in the foothills, Lincoln is still furiously chasing after Placer for a league crown. The Hillmen are 8-1-2 in the Foothill Valley League while the Fighting Zebras are 8-2-1. They split their regular season meetings, so all Placer needs to do is avoid taking a pair of losses this week. That might be a little harder than it sounds, as Placer faces 6-2-3 Ponderosa on Tuesday and a proud Nevada Union team that would love to muck up Placer’s season on Wednesday.

In the Sierra Valley Conference, Liberty Ranch faces simple math. Win a pair of games this week and they win the league. Otherwise, Galt could storm past for a league title.

Rio Americano is in a similar spot in the Capital Athletic League. Win a pair of games this week and they have the title. Vista del Lago, a game behind in the standings, wouldn’t mind sneaking past them.

Of course, some league titles have already been decided. Bella Vista clinched the Capital Valley Conference last week as the 12-senior lineup cheered a fourth straight title. The Broncos are playing for playoff seeding this week.

And there’s no drama for first place in the Sierra Foothill League as Whitney, the top-ranked team in the section by MaxPreps, clinched the title last week and is now playing for playoff seeding.

All the tight races have us thinking it’s time to expand our rankings to 20 for next year. We can’t acknowledge all the good teams in this space every week.

The Bee’s Top 10 boys’ soccer teams

(records entering play Tuesday)

1. Davis 11-1

2. Whitney 12-2-2

3. Jesuit 13-2-2

4. Placer 15-1-2

5. Del Oro 6-1-4**

6. Vacaville 9-0-3**

7. Galt 11-1-3

8. Rio Americano 7-2-2*

9. Lincoln 12-2-1

10. Liberty Ranch 12-1-5

Bubble Teams: Granite Bay, Liberty Ranch, McClatchy, Pioneer, Ponderosa, Pleasant Grove, Vista Del Lago, Woodland.