Sacramento-area football rankings: Top teams hold steady; star RB lost for season
Three weeks in, and the top of the pecking order remains largely the same for these rankings, and extra kudos for ambitious scheduling.
Folsom has scheduled tough, as has Monterey Trail. The Sierra Foothill League schedule will soon challenge defending champion Rocklin, last year’s second-place finisher Granite Bay, as well as Folsom, Del Oro and Whitney.
West Park of Roseville, in its second year of varsity play, is in the rankings for the first time. Laguna Creek is in for the first time in years.
This week’s action includes the Honor Bowl’s return to the region, a tribute to first responders and the military. Hosted by Oak Ridge, Granite Bay will play Spanish Springs of Nevada at 7 p.m. and Oak Ridge will take on Silverton of Oregon at 4 p.m. The schedule this week will be capped by the Holy Bowl between forever rivals Christian Brothers and Jesuit at Hughes Stadium.
And because football is a fraternity, everyone could feel for the crushing news out of Oak Park. While members of the Sacramento High team were boarding the bus for a game at Inderkum on Friday, Dragons players and coaches learned of the status of star running back Lamar Radcliffe. A knee ligament tear suffered during a season opener will sideline him for the season, though the nationally recruited 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior vows to bounce back. The hope was an MRI examination would reveal anything but a tear. Instead, it was a torn ACL.
“I’m upset about all the work I put in during the offseason and to have to miss the season, but I feel I will come back stronger my senior year,” Radcliffe said. “I will not let this hold me back. I’m going to make the best out of this situation.”
Deflated and facing a fired-up Inderkum squad, Sacramento lost 40-0.
Bradshaw Christian enters The Top 25 for the first time this season, but the Pride aren’t feeling so much so after disciplinary issues with the junior varsity and varsity teams led school administration to forfeit Friday’s home game against East Nicolaus.
“I feel for Lamar, we all do, and he’ll recover and he’s still with us as a teammate,” Dragons coach Kimbbie Drayton said.
The Bee’s Top 25 Football Rankings
1. Folsom (2-1)
The Bulldogs beat Monterey Trail 48-18 in an opener, lost to Serra-San Mateo 17-12 and roared back with a 65-0 rout of Edison of Stockton behind Austin Mack (four touchdown passes, two to Mason Norberg), and defensive touchdowns from Rico Flores Jr., Slade Wilson and Dialo Washington.
2. Granite Bay (3-0)
The Grizzlies were pushed by talented Vista del Lago but pulled away 45-36 as Carter Jackson roared away, rushing for 297 yards and four scores. He set the Granite Bay all-purpose record with 389 yards. The school rushing record is 319, by Ryan Kirby in 2001. Game balls to fullback Bryce Bogne and linemen Talae Tuimauenei, Kam Kaminski, Jack Blackburn, Zaire Collier and Jack Ferguson.
3. Monterey Trail (1-2)
The Mustangs belted Central Coast Section heavy Saint Francis on the road 28-7. Offensive line surge behind Marcell Wilson, Siaosi Hafoka, Carmelo Ewing, Mahonri Talakai, Jerrell Walker and tight ends Fata Puloka and Marcus Perkins led to 345 yards rushing.
4. Oak Ridge (2-0)
The Trojans didn’t beat the brakes off of anyone because they had a bye. Oak Ridge outscored Cosumnes Oaks and Vacaville 118-0.
5. Sheldon (3-0)
The Huskies can score through the air with Jesiah Machado and Scott Nixon and on the ground with Devin Green, who rumbled and sprinted for 179 yards and three scores to beat Christian Brothers 42-14, and everyone pointed to the O-line for the success.
6. Jesuit (2-0)
The Marauders went to Nevada to win their opener then headed to San Francisco to beat St. Ignatius 17-7 with a spirited defensive effort in cool enough conditions that fans brought cold-weather gear.
7. Rocklin (2-1)
The Thunder rolled Capital Christian 42-19, with Elias Brown rushing for two scores and Mavrick Collins and Logan Rothe scored on long interception returns. Rocklin came up with four interceptions.
8. Del Oro (3-0)
The Golden Eagles rallied from nine down in the fourth quarter to beat Bay Area bruiser Clayton Valley Charter in Concord behind playmakers Caden Pinnick, Kainoa Acia and Thomas Graham. Defense has highlighted the season.
9. Placer (3-0)
The Hillmen took their wing-T act to San Jose and dropped the hammer, rolling 45-0 behind more offensive balance and stout D.
10. Elk Grove (1-2)
The Thundering Herd have an opening 34-12 loss to Granite Bay and a 40-20 setback at powerful Menlo-Atherton as 5-star, Oregon-bound receiver Jurrion Dickey hauled in a 78-yard touchdown on the game’s second play.
11. Vacaville (2-1)
The Bulldogs bit back after getting crunched at Oak Ridge, beating longtime power Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa 14-7 behind Cristian Diosado, Brody Fortunati and Jemeir Buckner. Next: Granite Bay.
12. Whitney (2-1)
The Wildcats lost at Clovis of the Central Section 21-3 as the offense never fully got off the bus.
13. Grant (2-1)
The Pacers were brought back to earth, in Nevada, in a 30-21 loss to Reno. Jojo McCray had three TD passes for Grant.
14. Christian Brothers (2-1)
The Falcons were stymied against a stout Sheldon defense, falling 42-14, though Erik Jensen had another big rushing day. The Holy Bowl looms.
15. Casa Roble (2-1)
Since losing a thriller at Placer, the Rams have wins over Wood and Lincoln. QB-to-WR combo of Connor Campbell and Cole Owens is lethal.
16. Lincoln (2-1)
The Zebras lost to Casa Roble 29-21 and wished they hadn’t kicked off to Cole Owens, who burns everyone.
17. Woodcreek (2-1)
The Timberwolves ran past Nevada Union 28-6 with Cooper Kyro rushing for a score and Wyatt Harris, Brody Krupp and Daniel Terry made stops (Harris had three QB hurries).
18. Vista del Lago (1-2)
The Eagles have a loss to defending section Division III champion Manteca and to Granite Bay, and now take on Placer this week. Johnny Koett hit Matt Long 11 times for 213 yards and four touchdowns and found Crew Santero for a 78-yarder.
19. Liberty Ranch (3-0)
The Hawks live to run the ball, rolling through Linden 48-28 as Arthur Draeger and Kymani Fenika combined for nearly 300 yards rushing and six touchdowns.
20. Dixon (3-0)
Might Jett Harris be the most unsung big-play guy around? The cool QB led a late drive to beat Armijo 28-26 with his arm and legs.
21. Sutter 3-0
The Huskies left the heat of the region to play at chilly Arcata, after strolling the fog-laden beaches, and departed with a 56-0 victory, making the five-hour trip home a joy.
22. West Park (2-0)
Welcome to the rankings for the first time, and hello Develle Barksdale. He had a 77-yard TD toss to Ryan Sisson and a national-record tying 99-yarder to Julian Niulala in a 50-7 win over Pleasant Grove.
23. Inderkum (1-2)
The Tigers finally arrived after frustrating losses to Del Oro and Grant and impressed in blasting Sacramento 40-0. Gio Jorlen rushed for 181 yards and a score and Jeremiah Tuiileila and Dexter Simmons combined for five sacks.
24. Laguna Creek (2-1)
The Cardinals have yearned for a big win over a ranked team and got by forcing six turnovers to top Roseville 24-19. Helmets high for the stoppers: Halim Tholley, Titus Novak, Angel Vargas, Declan Follete, Wayne Cavanaugh, A.D. Strauthers and Armon Thorntona.
25. Bradshaw Christian (2-0)
The Pride have playmakers in Ethan Rickert, David Wiser and Brandon Burden, who had a 73-yard TD run in a 28-13 win over Middletown.
Bubble: Center 2-0; Colfax 2-1; East Nicolaus 1-1; El Dorado 2-1; Pioneer 2-1; Twelve Bridges 2-1; Woodland Christian 3-0.
Thursday
Game times might be delayed due to extreme heat this week.
Johnson at Highlands
Bret Harte at El Dorado
Cosumnes Oaks at Inderkum
Gridley at Marysville
Friday
Silverton at Oak Ridge, 4 p.m.
Nevada Union at Colfax
Elk Grove at San Ramon Valley
Woodland at Del Campo
Sacramento at Rancho Cotate
Vacaville Christian at St. Patrick-St. Vincent
El Camino at Kennedy
Mesa Verde at San Juan
Wheatland at Argonaut
Placer at Vista del Lago
Freedom at Grant
Center at Foothill
Johansen at Twelve Bridges
Amador at Union Mine
Rocklin at Antioch
Davis at Fairfield
Burbank at Ponderosa
Tokay at West Park
Del Oro at River Valley
Lodi at Franklin
Pleasant Grove at Laguna Creek
Acalanes at Sheldon
Antelope at River City
Natomas at Sutter
Merced at Monterey Trail
Foothill at Vanden
Chico at Yuba City
Oakmont at College Park
Rio Americano at Pioneer
Liberty Ranch at Bear River
Big Valley Christian at Foresthill
Rosemont at Cordova
Liberty at Wood
Lindhurst at Live Oak
Granite Bay vs. Spanish Springs at Oak Ridge, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Western Sierra at Mira Loma, 11 a.m.
Arcata at Florin, 7 p.m.
Delta at Millennium, 7 p.m.
Valley vs. Valley Christian at Highlands, 7:30 p.m.
Jesuit vs Christian Brothers at Hughes Stadium, 7 p.m.
This story was originally published September 6, 2022 at 11:59 AM.