Picking the Preps: Casa Roble vs. Dixon, Vista vs. CB, Granite Bay vs. Whitney
Week 11 is here for the 10th game of the high school football season. Is this new math? No, it’s a better way of explaining Zero Week, which never made sense. In brief: Prep teams in California have 11 weeks to play 10 regular-season games, with a bye off week stuffed in there.
So this is Week 11 and teams are playing their 10th game. Whatever. We do know this: League championships are on the line in some races, and a Sierra Foothill League team needs a victory to ensure the entire league makes the playoffs.
Last week, the kid of the Bee preview lot, Cameron Salerno, went 6-1 on his picks. Find him for Lotto luck. Jim Patrick went 4-3 and Chris Biderman and I went a woeful 3-4.
Onward. Game time. The Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs start Nov. 4.
No. 3 Del Oro (8-1) at No. 7 Oak Ridge (7-2)
JoeD: Del Oro seeks the top seed in the Division II playoffs and needs a win here to enhance those hopes. Oak Ridge coach Casey Taylor coached Del Oro over 15 triumphant seasons, and Mike Maben, an alum of DO, has the Golden Eagles soaring again. No room for nostalgia. Oak Ridge in tight one, 21-20.
Biderman: Del Oro’s beaten everyone it’s played, not named Folsom, handily this season. I have to think that continues, although Oak Ridge’s defense is really good. Give me the Golden Eagles, 20-16.
Patrick: Forget about the kid, I’m one game behind the mighty Joe Davidson! Gotta stay cool here. Gotta stay cool. I like Del Oro here because I think they are the better football team. There’s the reasoning you all look for. DO wins 34-14
Salerno: I’m going to pick against Joe because that’s the right thing to do. Del Oro, 28-24.
No. 13 Christian Brothers (7-2) at No. 14 Vista del Lago (6-3)
JoeD: This is for the Capital Athletic League championship and a high seed in the D-III playoff race. Both teams have star receivers who will get the ball a ton, CB with Phillip Bell and VDL with Matt Long. CB also has a lot of runners, and that may be the difference as CB wins 42-35.
Biderman: Bell’s going to have a big game in a key moment. I’ll take CB (incredible initials, btw), 30-24.
Patrick: Alright, enough horsing around. CB has a bunch of kids, which sets up great for next season. The kids are more than alright; they’re national recruits. I’m taking CB, 42-34.
Salerno: When in doubt, pick the home team. Great matchup between star receivers in Vista del Lago’s Matt Long and Christian Brothers’ Phillip Bell. Eagles 52-48.
No. 21 Whitney (3-6) at No. 11 Granite Bay (5-4)
JoeD: Whitney needs a win here to secure a playoff berth and GB badly needs a victory to halt a four-game skid. GB’s run game and urgency prevails over the Wildcats’ urgency, 28-26.
Biderman: The Grizzlies are better than their record says they are. I wouldn’t want to face them in the playoffs. I think they get back on track here with a big win on their home field, 38-23.
Patrick: Cam can afford to pick Whitney here, he has that much of a margin. I’m not doing that. Granite Bay is going to cruise, 34-10.
Salerno: Whitney is going throw the kitchen sink at Granite Bay. They need a win to get in. The Grizzlies want to improve their playoff position. What will give? Whitney wins and gets in 28-27.
No. 25 Dixon (7-2) at No. 15 Casa Roble (8-1)
JoeD: With the Golden Empire League on the line here, go with the Rams in a good one. Wait. Both are the Rams. Go with the Rams who have “Tarzan” (running back Josh Taylor) and “Cyborg” (receiver Cole Owens over the star power of Dixon QB ace Jett Harris, 35-31.
Biderman: Harris is one of the best pure passing QBs in the area, but Casa has put a hurting on their league opponents, outscoring them 193-12. I’m not picking against them on their home field here. Casa wins, 35-17.
Patrick: When two teams you like meet up, it’s always a difficult choice. America wins with this game. Freedom. Society as a whole. I’m taking Casa Roble, 42-20, because they have big-play potential and the lines are getting traction and experience.
Salerno: Casa Roble has too much star power to lose this game. Give me the home team 42-35.
No. 21 Laguna Creek (7-2) at No. 10 Grant (6-2)
JoeD: Laguna Creek needs a win here possibly just to even secure a playoff berth, that’s how complex and difficult it can be in some divisions. Grant had Monterey Trail on the ropes last week, losing a thriller. Grant is too fast and wins 48-21.
Biderman: Grant has a lot of talent, including stud receiver/safety Kingston Lopa, and will want to take their frustrations out on LC after losing the thriller last week to Monterey Trail. The drumline will be active. Give me the Pacers, 44-26.
Patrick: I’ve often teased Joe about having a soft spot for Grant in his rankings but in this case, I agree, if just because we don’t know a ton about Laguna Creek. Grant wins 42-20.
Salerno: Grant wins big here. Pacers 52-21.
No. 20 Woodcreek (6-3) at No. 22 Roseville (6-3)
JoeD: Antelope has secured the Capital Valley Conference, so this is for city pride and playoff positioning. Woodcreek wins a thriller, 28-27.
Biderman: Two evenly matched and closely ranked teams. This is one of the toughest games to pick all year. I’m not going to overthink it. Give me Roseville because they’re at home (#analysis), 33-31.
Patrick: Bah, toughest game on the schedule to choose. Both teams were within a touchdown of Antelope. But Roseville fared better against Inderkum and Yuba City, so I’m rolling with the Tigers, 28-20.
Salerno: Am I a homer if I pick Woodcreek? I promise this is an unbiased pick. Timberwolves 35-31.
Johnson (6-3) at Natomas (7-2)
JoeD: Never mind the MaxPreps schedule on Johnson as someone entered the wrong score against Cordova, a 60-15 Johnson win, not a 60-15 Johnson loss, meaning Johnson can tie Natomas for a share of the Greater Sacramento League championship with a win here. But Natomas wins this, at home, as a team on the rise under coach Spencer Hagan.
Biderman: Marino Fragata has been the section’s passing leader all season and his team needs this one, so I’m taking Johnson, 40-36 in a barn-burner.
Patrick: I’ll be at this game and don’t want to show bias but that’s what we do here, as you all know. I’m taking Natomas in a wild shootout, 50-48. No, I don’t think that will be the score but I don’t want to offend anybody, which is what journalism is all about.
Salerno: Johnson needs a win to probably get into the playoffs. I think they get it done 52-49.
Bradshaw Christian (6-2) at Rosemont (7-2)
JoeD: Liberty Ranch won the Sierra Valley Conference, leaving this contest for playoff positioning. BC has a terrific young team with a host of runners but Rosemont is a veteran lot, and experience prevails, 30-27.
Biderman: Am I above taking Bradshaw Christian because I need to make up ground in the standings against my colleagues? Absolutely not. But Rosemont is an impressive group that I trust will be a tough out in the playoffs. Give me the Wolverines, 26-17.
Patrick: My heart loves the little guys, but my brain says Rosemont has the better team. Going with Rosemont, 34-20.
Salerno: Rosemont had a ton of hype coming into the season. They had some tough loses but have bounced back in a big way. They will end the season strong with a 45-42 win.
Season totals:
JoeD: 52-18
Biderman: 44-26
Patrick: 51-19
Salerno: 56-14
This story was originally published October 28, 2022 at 5:00 AM.