Sacramento-area prep football rankings: SFL teams hold steady; Monterey Trail rolling
Five weeks in and we have a pretty good idea who the top teams are.
It’s an up year for high school football locally. Del Oro at No. 5 seems ranked too low, given its big wins over Bay Area powers Clayton Valley Charter and Menlo-Atherton, but fellow Sierra Foothill League bruisers Folsom, Granite Bay and Oak Ridge are ahead of the Golden Eagles, along with Monterey Trail, which has losses to Folsom and De La Salle.
Head-to-head matchups in the SFL will sift things out, while Monterey Trail expects to remain unbeaten all time in the Metro League, though Grant figures to make that showdown a classic.
▪ The region took another hit injury-wise to a ranked program when Vacaville junior quarterback Brody Fortunati went down with a hip injury against Granite Bay. He is out for the season. Other crushing player losses this season: tight end Walker Lyons of Folsom (broken leg), Rocklin linebacker Derek Houston (broken leg) and Sacramento running back Lamar Radcliffe (knee ligament tear).
▪ Rosemont, meanwhile, is eager for a game. The preseason-ranked Wolverines, who reached the Sac-Joaquin Section Division V finals last season, had a home game in Rosemont against Cordova on Sept. 8 scratched due to heat, a call made by Cordova. Friday’s home game against Amador of Sutter Creek was canceled shortly before kickoff when Amador forfeited. The game was canceled by the Amador administration after the discovery of some Amador players’ participation in a group chat on social media with racial undertones.
“We have had the worst luck this year,” Rosemont coach John Straw said. “We have no field to practice on. Great group of kids here having their will tested daily.”
Rosemont’s practice turf was supposed to be replaced in July, Straw said, but delays led to that project starting last week. The Wolverines practice on the junior varsity baseball field, all dirt.
The Bee’s Top 20
1. Folsom (3-1)
The Bulldogs are known for scoring over the years, but the D and special teams have stood tall plenty in some championship seasons, and there were two blocked punts and four interceptions to win at Pittsburg 23-15. Next: a date at De La Salle.
2. Granite Bay (5-0)
The Grizzlies beat Vacaville 35-13, have a bye and open SFL play against Del Oro and Oak Ridge. The Cattolico family tree includes head coach Joe, assistant coaching father Butch and touchdown-catching son/grandson Joseph.
3. Monterey Trail (3-2)
Vince Arcuri has wheels, tearing off an 80-yard touchdown run and passing for one in a 49-7 rout of Laguna Creek for the team’s third consecutive win after losses to Folsom and De La Salle.
4. Oak Ridge (4-0)
The Trojans are so good and so deep that they even have a great kicker in Carson Nichols. Collin James had a big fourth-down stop against Pleasant Valley of Chico that epitomized his team’s grit.
5. Del Oro (5-0)
The Golden Eagles have a QB leader in Caden Pinnick and DB grinder in Thomas Graham II, who welcomed the chance to guard 5-star receiver recruit Jurrion Dickey and held him largely in check in a 42-13 rout of Menlo-Atherton.
6. Jesuit (4-0)
Big Red has a big body in Kaden Collons, whose father and brother played at Jesuit. This Collons had two sacks in Jesuit’s 35-21 Delta League win over Sheldon.
7. Rocklin (3-1)
The Thunder had a bye and will break in their new field on Friday against Glacier Park of Washington, which comes in 3-0 and state-ranked third.
8. Sheldon (3-2)
The losses are to Acalanes of the Bay Area and Jesuit, teams that are a combined 8-0. Ankle injury to RB Devin Green is not serious.
9. Placer (4-0)
The Hillmen have wins over Casa Roble, Roseville and Vista del Lago and look to win the Foothill Valley League.
10. Elk Grove (2-3)
The Thundering Herd have a runner in Wayshawn Parker, who rushed for four scores in 42-14 win at Cosumnes Oaks, and a stopper in Lati Vaefaga, who had a 96-yard pick-6.
11. Grant (3-1)
The Pacers maximized the big play in beating Burbank 41-8 as Kingston Lopa had an 80-yard punt return score and Kyrell Goss-Pruitt a 75-yard kickoff return; Burbank had 30 yards rushing.
12. Vacaville (2-2)
The losses are to Oak Ridge and Granite Bay, teams that are a combined 9-0. Loss of QB leader stings.
13. Christian Brothers (3-2)
The Falcons rolled Del Campo 41-6 in a Capital Athletic League opener as William Littlejohn returned from injury, tossing a touchdown and catching one.
14. Casa Roble (3-1)
In beating Oakmont 49-6, Connor Campbell passed for four first-half touchdowns, three to Cole Owens, one to Logan March; Josh Taylor had 106 yards and three scores.
15. Whitney (3-2)
The Wildcats topped Chico 21-7 as Trevor Hargis had three TD tosses, two to Lincoln Fifer. SFL games against Rocklin, Folsom, Oak Ridge, Del Oro and Granite Bay are are next.
16. Woodcreek (3-1)
Hakeem Anderson and the defense were the men of the hour in beating Lincoln 21-0. Alexander Gonzalez was big in the trenches.
17. Sutter (5-0)
In beating Marysville 35-0, Brice Stokes ran for 129 yards and three scores and he made two interceptions on defense. Showdown at Colfax is next.
18. Vista del Lago (2-3)
The Eagles have lost to teams that are a combined 13-0; DE Sam Hutchinson is relentless off the edge on D.
19. Liberty Ranch (5-0)
In beating 3-0 Tokay, Arthur Draeger rushed for 215 yards and three scores; he and Nicholas Camarillo each had interceptions on D.
20. West Park (3-0)
The Panthers have come of age, including LB Braden Shinaut, who had 14 tackles in a 25-6 win over Rodriguez of Fairfield.
21. Antelope (2-3)
Welcome back, Titans, who have early losses to Whitney and Elk Grove and showed resolve in 48-42 win over Roseville.
22. Laguna Creek (3-2)
The Cardinals took one on the chin strap by Monterey Trail but have the big win over Roseville in seeking a playoff berth.
23. Roseville (2-3)
The Tigers have close setbacks to Placer, Laguna Creek and Antelope and a big-time QB leader in Brandon Graydon.
24. Lincoln (2-3)
The Zebras have lost three in a row, none of them dogs: Casa Roble, Roseville, Woodcreek. It has to turn now.
25. Capital Christian (1-3)
The Cougars may be far too low here, give they have losses to powers that are a combined 11-3. Game against Vista del Lago is telling.
Bubble: Bradshaw Christian 3-1; Center 3-1; Colfax 3-1; Dixon 3-1; Inderkum 2-3; Pioneer 3-1; Twelve Bridges 4-1; Wood 3-2; Yuba City 2-3; Woodland Christian 3-0.
Schedule:
All games start between 7-7:30 p.m., unless noted
Thursday
Antelope at Bella Vista
East Nicolaus at Nevada Union
Friday
El Cerrito at Vacaville
Fairfield at Dixon
Ponderosa at Casa Roble
Twelve Bridges at Bear River
Wheatland at Center
San Juan at Western Sierra
Folsom at De La Salle
Capital Christian at Vista del Lago
Pitman at Oak Ridge
Lindhurst at Mesa Verde
Jesuit vs. Pleasant Grove
Rio Linda at Placer
Sacramento at Christian Brothers
Kennedy at Monterey Trail
Florin vs Valley
Sheldon vs. Franklin
Cosumnes Oaks at Davis
Roseville at Yuba City
Sutter at Colfax
Laguna Creek at River City
Woodcreek at Inderkum
Armijo at Natomas
Pioneer at Woodland Christian
Rosemont at Foothill
Grant vs. McClatchy
West Park at Chico
Glacier Peak, Wa. at Rocklin
Saturday
Johnson at Mira Loma, 11 a.m.
Rio Americano at El Camino, 1 p.m.
This story was originally published September 20, 2022 at 7:11 AM.