Sacramento-area prep football rankings: Granite Bay, Monterey Trail, Oak Ridge rolling
League play kicks off for most teams, and fingers crossed again this week that the Mosquito Fire smoke doesn’t lead to more game cancellations. And there’s this: The angst and frustration of people affected by smoked-out games isn’t nearly as heavy as people tied to schools that hope to have their homes survive the flames.
The Sierra Foothill League starts next week, a race that includes Folsom, Granite Bay, Oak Ridge, Rocklin, Del Oro and Whitney, all of them ranked by The Bee. The Delta League starts this week with defending champion Jesuit hosting Sheldon on Saturday on Jesuit’s new field.
The Capital Athletic League includes defending champion Capital Christian and contenders Christian Brothers, Del Campo, Vista del Lago and upstarts El Camino, injury-ravaged Sacramento and Rio Americano. The Golden Empire features defending champion Dixon, always-dangerous Casa Roble, Pioneer and upstart Mesa Verde, off to a 2-0 start.
The Capital Valley Conference includes Woodcreek, Inderkum, Yuba City, Roseville, upstart Bella Vista and defending champion Antelope. The Pioneer Valley League has newcomer Sutter, longstanding Center, Marysville and Colfax and real newcomer Twelve Bridges, flourishing in its first varsity campaign at 3-1.
The Metropolitan Conference includes ranked Monterey Trail, Grant and Laguna Creek, and the Sierra Valley Conference has ranked Liberty Ranch and contenders Bradshaw Christian, El Dorado, Galt, Union Mine and Rosemont. And the Foothill Valley League has Placer, Lincoln and West Park leading the way with Ponderosa, Nevada Union and Oakmont in the mix.
Pioneer isn’t ranked but is on the cusp, thanks to the hard-charging efforts of senior running back Jack Carner. He rushed 32 times for 337 yards and four touchdowns, all on real grass in an era of field turf, in a 35-14 win over Rio Americano last week.
Leading the way were linemen Ryan Bryson, Brandon Nolan, Dominic Vittone, Hayden Newsom, Payne Tejeda, Francisco Romero and Luciano Vasquez, a group Carner regularly applauds. Said Pioneer’s football program in a text to The Bee, “They work hard and take good care of Jack.”
1. Folsom (2-1)
The Bulldogs had a bye after wins over Monterey Trail and Edison of Stockton and a 17-12 loss to Northern California No. 1 Serra of San Mateo. Folsom coaches scouted Pittsburg, the opponent this week in the East Bay.
2. Granite Bay (4-0)
The Grizzlies are rolling behind a punishing and swift ground attack and a defense headed by linebacker Frank Cusano, who comes from a family of great players. He led the defensive charge with 11 tackles in a 23-3 win over Spanish Springs of Nevada.
3. Monterey Trail (2-2)
The Mustangs are on the move now after beating Saint Francis 28-7 and then Merced 49-14 as Jervin Navarro and Daelin Ellis each rushed for two scores behind more linemen work up front.
4. Oak Ridge (3-0)
The Trojans have wins of 56-0, 62-0 and 63-0 with Northern Section power Pleasant Valley of Chico coming Thursday. Sebastian Sutton and Jacob Potter returned interceptions for scores in blasting Silverton of Oregon in the Honor Bowl.
5. Jesuit (3-0)
The Marauders at last will play at home on Saturday, breaking in a spiffy new field. The defense was stellar against Christian Brothers in the 51st Holy Bowl, leading to a 21-7 victory.
6. Sheldon (3-1)
The Huskies lost a shootout to unbeaten Acalanes of Lafayette, and maybe a setback is a good thing for a group that had rolled this season, especially with Jesuit looming on the road Saturday.
7. Rocklin (3-1)
The Thunder have boomed in three straight wins, including 41-0 at Antioch as Joey Roberts had two touchdown passes, Elias Brown rumbled for 228 yards on eight carries and three scores and Kaleb Larson muscled in for 10 tackles.
8. Del Oro (4-0)
The Golden Eagles have played tremendous defense and are balanced on offense. It was 41-0 at the half and the reserves played the entire second half of a 41-6 effort at River Valley. Menlo-Atherton of the Bay Area and 5-star receiver star Jurrion Dickey visit Friday.
9. Placer (4-0)
The Hillmen have a two-point win over ranked Casa Roble, three-point effort over ranked Roseville and now a three-pointer over ranked Vista del Lago.
10. Vacaville (2-1)
The Bulldogs had a bye and prepare for a road game at Granite Bay in a series that has been intense and entertaining.
11. Elk Grove (1-3)
The Thundering Herd is still ranked? An outrage? No, given the schedule, including a loss to Granite Bay and Bay Area powers Menlo-Atherton and San Ramon Valley.
12. Grant (2-1)
The Pacers had their home game against Freedom of Oakley scratched due to poor air, a bummer for a team eager to get rolling again.
13. Christian Brothers (2-2)
The losses are to Sheldon and to Jesuit, and for such a young team, the effort has been admirable.
14. Casa Roble (2-1)
The Rams had a bye. They lost by two at Placer, rolled Wood by 50 and beat the Lincoln Zebras by eight and now target the Golden Empire League championship.
15. Whitney (2-2)
The Wildcats have wins over Antelope and Woodcreek and out-of-area setbacks to 2-2 Clovis and 3-0 Heritage of Brentwood. The losses start to really sting if they happen in league play.
16. Woodcreek (2-1)
The Timberwolves had a bye and a loss earlier to Whitney by a touchdown. Hats off to the ageless wonder that is assistant coach Frank Negri, a 200-game winner as a head coach.
17. Lincoln (2-2)
The Zebras have wins over River City and Yuba City and agonizingly close setbacks by eight to Casa Roble and by three to Roseville.
18. Sutter 4-0
The Huskies are playing monstrous defense, thanks to grinders such as Jeffrey Azevedo, Jeevan Chata, Josh Garvin, Brice Stokes and Noah Tibbet.
19. Inderkum (2-2)
The Tigers have early losses at Del Oro and Grant and have won two straight, including 14-13 over Cosumnes Oaks as Gio Jorlen rushed for 155 yards and a score and Baron Taylor had three interceptions on defense.
20. Vista del Lago (1-3)
The Eagles are ranked? What gives? Their spirit hasn’t broken, and they’ve played bruisers with losses to Manteca, Granite Bay and Placer, teams that are a combined 12-0.
21. Liberty Ranch (4-0)
The Hawks don’t just pound away on the ground, they score on defense, too, as Cody Smith and Shaye Setter returned interceptions 50 yards for a score to lead a rout of Bear River.
22. Dixon (3-0)
The Rams had a bye and now focus on defending their Golden Empire League championship.
23. West Park (2-0)
The Panthers had their home game against 3-0 Tokay smoked out and play Rodriguez of Fairfield at home on Thursday.
24. Laguna Creek (3-1)
The Cardinals have playmakers on offense and a tough defense, and the wins include a rally over Roseville and a first-ever triumph over Pleasant Grove.
25. Roseville (2-2)
The Tigers have close losses to higher-ranked Placer and Laguna Creek and the inspired win last week over Lincoln, 40-37. Why not ranked ahead of Lincoln? Because Laguna Creek is No. 24.
Bubble teams: Bradshaw Christian 2-1; Center 3-0; Colfax 2-1; Delta 4-0; East Nicolaus 2-1; El Dorado 2-1; Twelve Bridges 3-1; Woodland Christian 4-0.
Schedule
All games kickoff between 7-7:30 p.m., unless noted:
Thursday
Pleasant Valley at Oak Ridge, 6:30 p.m.
Casa Roble at Oakmont
Roseville at Antelope
Monterey Trail vs. Laguna Creek
Rodriguez at West Park
Friday
Del Campo at Christian Brothers
Rosemont at Amador
Golden Sierra at Bradshaw Christian
Vacaville at Granite Bay
Foothill at Rio Linda
Folsom at Pittsburg
Rio Americano at Capital Christian
Grant at Burbank
Twelve Bridges at Wheatland
Menlo-Atherton at Del Oro
Delta at Lindhurst
Lincoln at Woodcreek
Union Mine at Nevada Union
Western Sierra at Mesa Verde
McClatchy at Kennedy
Highlands vs. Florin
Bella Vista at River Valley
Franklin at Davis
Marysville at Sutter
Yuba City at Inderkum
Elk Grove at Cosumnes Oaks
Center at Colfax
Cordova at East Nicolaus
Chico at Whitney
El Dorado at Woodland
Bear River at Justin-Siena
Esparto at Winters
Wood at Dixon
Johnson at Galt
Saturday
Foresthill at Mira Loma, 11 a.m.
Sheldon at Jesuit, 1 p.m.
Vista del Lago at Sacramento, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published September 12, 2022 at 1:43 PM.