Bee’s best prep football: No. 7 Sheldon Huskies led by linemen, talented QB and WR
The Sacramento Bee will unveil our Top 25 football rankings from No. 25 to No. 1, at least a team every weekday, right up to the Aug. 19 kickoff.
NO. 7 SHELDON
City: Sacramento
School opened: 1997
League: Delta
Division: I
Enrollment: 2,558
2021 record: 8-4
Coach: Chris Nixon
Outlook: Football has evolved over the decades, from run-heavy schemes to the pass-a-ton era of this generation. But the game is still rooted in a fundamental foundation: linemen.
You must have them to compete.
The Sheldon Huskies have their share of big guys in the trenches, and with the amount of skill players returning from a prolific playoff team, the sky’s the limit off of Calvine Road. Sheldon enters the season ranked No. 7 by The Bee, the highest preseason nod in program history.
Sheldon coach Chris Nixon said his linemen lead the charge in work ethic. He added, “The great thing about Sheldon is the kids here are so grateful for everything they get, and they work hard for everything they get. They’re just a great group of hard-working kids. It fits in perfectly for this sport, because football isn’t easy. It’s hot. It’s hard. It’s not for everyone, but these guys put their chin straps on and get ready to work. And when you zero in on it, it’s the offensive line. We’ve got some guys who get after it.”
Sheldon returns four of its five starting offensive linemen and has a host of guys ready to jump in to join Will “Gabe” Buck, Cano Marshall, Gage Tucker and Isiah Whiteside, all of whom will also play on defense.
The blockers have quite a skill set working behind them to lead touchdown marches. Jesiah Machado returns after passing for 2,480 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior. His top receiver is also back in senior Scott Nixon, who caught 76 passes in 2021 for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns. Devin Green, a junior burner, had 634 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. He also caught seven touchdown passes and returned kickoffs for 355 yards.
Chris Nixon appreciates the run but likes to have his quarterback air it out.
“Scott and Jesiah buy into the linemen,” Nixon said of his son and quarterback. “They’re not the look-at-me types. They know where it starts, where their bread is buttered: the line.”
Chris Nixon said he hardly recognizes Machado now that the “moppy headed” guy has shaved his dome. Machado looks a lot like his older brother, Jayden Machado, an All-Metro quarterback star for Nixon when they were at Elk Grove High together.
“Jesiah is a spitting image of his brother,” Nixon said. “He’s a student of the game and doesn’t get rattled. He enjoys the process, loves the process of figuring out ways to get better and how we can improve. He’s always available and helps out the younger guys, the JV and freshman guys. He’s like a perfect face to the program.”
Nixon’s oldest son, Sean, was a Bee All-Metro quarterback, now at Sacramento City College, and Scott is aiming for a repeat All-Metro campaign. What a coaching life to work with such productive sons.
“Scott’s brother will tell you that he can still beat him up in the ring, if needed,” Chris Nixon said “Scott’s pretty phenomenal doing a little bit of everything in games. We lost our long-snapper from last season, so Scott jumps in there and snaps the ball. Told him, ‘It’s passing the ball through your legs. He says, ‘Oh, I got this.’”
Sheldon opens at River Valley in Yuba City on Aug. 19 and plays Nevada Union, Christian Brothers and Acalanes of Lafayette to close out the nonleague schedule before opening at defending Delta League champion Jesuit on Sept. 17.
This story was originally published August 11, 2022 at 5:00 AM.