The Bee’s Top 25 football rankings: How each team can win Sac-Joaquin Section championship
In sizing up The Bee’s Top 25 football rankings heading into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, we have learned that staying power counts and upstarts can indeed make noise.
Folsom started the season top ranked and has backed it up. Inderkum was ranked 17th to start the season and is now ninth. That may seem a tad low, but the only loss for the Division I Tigers was an opener to Del Oro, which is ranked eighth. Twelve Bridges was ranked in the preseason and remains at 10-0, a worthy outfit for such a new school in Lincoln of Placer County. Cosumnes Oaks was not preseason ranked but earned it down the stretch with a shot to really be seen and heard.
Rio Americano was not on the radar outside of the Raiders’ locker room and practice field before the season, but the Raiders got off to their best start in 30 seasons and are a Division IV darkhorse at 8-2.
We break down what each of The Bee’s ranked teams must do to raise a championship banner in the coming weeks.
1. Folsom (8-2)
Section championships: 11 in 13 finals appearances.
How to win another: The Division I top-seeded Bulldogs can win their 10th section banner since 2010 and third in a row by continuing to unleash QB Ryder Lyons, a tremendous pass and run threat, and by continuing to dominate the lines of scrimmage and playing tough defense. The team’s only losses are to Serra of San Mateo (21-14) and De La Salle (14-7), meaning this is one battle-tested bunch determined to make its own legacy.
2. Rocklin (9-1)
Section championships: One in four finals appearances.
How to win another: The Thunder won the 2009 D-II title and reached the D-I finals in 2021. They are seeded second in D-II. They could face Jesuit or Del Oro in the semis and perhaps top-seeded St. Mary’s of Stockton in the finals. Continued line play excellence and offensive balance with QB Reeve Slone and RB Derek Keeley are paramount as a finals appearance seems likely.
3. Oak Ridge (8-2)
Section championships: Five in 11 finals appearances.
How to win another: The battle-tested, No. 3-seed in D-I craves a rematch with Folsom in the finals and would need more muscle from bruiser anchors such as Gavin Molloy and Markus Hoffman and offensive balance to get past No. 2 Central Catholic of Modesto in a semifinal. Do that, and then anything goes.
4. Granite Bay (5-5)
Section championships: Six in eight finals appearances.
How to win another: Run and run some more, the norm for any Joe Cattolico-coached squad with a formula that includes championships and finals appearances. The D-II No. 5-seeded Grizzlies have speed (Carter Jackson) and power (Isaiah Ene) in the backfield but will need to pass to unload the box after losing 28-21 to Folsom on Friday in a Sierra Foothill League finale that showed a lot. There could be a 2022 D-II title rematch with Manteca in the second round and perhaps a showdown at St. Mary’s in a semifinal. It’s all doable.
5. Monterey Trail (7-3)
Section championships: None in five finals appearances.
How to win the first: Ball control has landed coach TJ Ewing’s teams in the D-I finals before, including in 2019. He has the burners and grinders to do it again, including RB Vontrelle Waffer and LB load Elijah Folau. The No. 4 Mustangs expect to host No. 5 Inderkum in a whopper of a second-round D-I tilt.
6. Grant (8-2)
Section championships: Eight in nine finals appearances.
How to win another: The top-seeded D-III Pacers can repeat by running Devin Green and Wayshawn Parker right, left and up the gut, by having QB Luke Alexander passing downfield, and with the defense playing inspired. It’s all quite likely as the Pacers are geared for another storied run as one motivated and talented lot.
7. Jesuit (9-1)
Section championships: Two in two finals appearances.
How to win another: The Marauders haven’t been in a final in 21 years, doing so in D-I under famed 200-game winning coach Dan Carmazzi. Now the third-seeded D-II Marauders and veteran coach Marlon Blanton have a team capable of another run. It would require beating SFL bruisers Del Oro and Rocklin to reach the finals. QB CJ Lee, RB’s Drew Vassar and Johnnie Brannon IV and the those in the trenches have to keep looking the part of Big Red.
8. Del Oro (6-4)
Section championships: 12 in 18 finals appearances.
How to win another: The Golden Eagles trail only Central Catholic’s 20 titles and have won all of their hardware since 1989. Seeded sixth in D-II, Del Oro will need depth and desire and good health to reach the finals after a potential second-round showdown at Jesuit.
9. Inderkum (9-1)
Section championships: None in four finals appearances.
How to win the first: Keep unleashing dual-threat QB star Ricky Cole, who has 47 total TDs and just four interceptions, and defend with fury under coordinator/head coach Reggie Harris. The D-I No. 5 seed could see Monterey Trail in Round 2, where a win would earn a shot at Folsom in a semifinal, and that’s exactly what Inderkum has geared its season for.
10. Vista del Lago (9-1)
Section championships: None in one finals appearance.
How to win the first: Keep controlling the line of scrimmage, keep having QB John Koett go to WR ace Matt Long, and the defense with DB Camden King has to make stops. Seeded second in D-IV, the Eagles would love a shot against 11-time section winner Escalon in the finals, which seems quite likely.
11. Casa Roble (9-1)
Section championships: One in two finals appearances.
How to win another: Line play, offensive balance, get the ball to your best playmakers such as WR Cole Owens, and keep having fun doing all of it. Few coaches in the section make hard work such good rewarding fun quite like Chris Horner. Seeded second in D-V, the Rams are destined to reach the finals for a showdown against Twelve Bridges.
12. Woodcreek (9-1)
Section championships: None with no finals appearances.
How to win the first: Seeded second in D-III, the Timberwolves sport their best team in school history since opening in Roseville in 1994. Continued offensive balance and senior leadership should land Woodcreek in the finals with a shot to take on mighty Grant at Hughes Stadium, which is exactly what the program wanted when the season started.
13. Placer (6-4)
Section championships: Six in 11 finals appearances.
How to win another: The storied Hillmem have fielded powerhouse teams since the 1970s and they can hoist more hardware if they continue to run teams ragged with the wing-T with RBs Shaun Jones and Baylor Kelley. The No. 4-seeded D-IV Hillmen will likely draw rival West Park in the second round, and Placer would have to get past 11-time section winner Escalon in the semifinals. This is high school ball. Anything can happen.
14. West Park (8-2)
Section championships: None with no finals appearances.
How to win the first: For a newer school, the Roseville-based Panthers have set a standard in starting a program the right way. Seeded fifth in D-IV, West Park badly wants a second-round rematch with Placer in Auburn after losing the Foothill Valley League title to the Hillmen with a 35-21 loss Oct. 20. Win there and anything goes.
15. Elk Grove (6-4)
Section championships: Six in 10 finals appearances.
How to win another: The storied Thundering Herd live to run out of the option. It will take QB David Hale at his best to steer the No. 8-seeded team in D-II past Vacaville in an opener, and then St. Mary’s. Hale lives for this as a team-first grinder with skills. Win those openers and it’s on.
16. Twelve Bridges (10-0)
Section championships: None with no finals appearances.
How to win the first: Keep on rolling with inspired line play, steady QB Whit Kruse and ride remarkable RB Nathan Crawford (1,591 yards rushing, 32 TDs) as the top seed in D-V. The goal is to get that title showdown with No. 2 Casa Roble and then to let ’er rip. In just their second season of varsity play, the Ragin’ Rhinos have exceeded great expectations under spirited coach Chris Bean.
17. Sutter (8-2)
Section championships: 14 in 18 finals appearances.
How to win another: The Huskies won all those section banners in the Northern Section and seek their first in their second season in this section. As the top seed in D-VI, coach Ryan Reynolds has to keep his crew playing its trademark smashmouth ball in the trenches and on defense to reach the finals, which seems likely.
18. Vacaville (6-4)
Section championships: Two in three finals appearances.
How to win another: The Bulldogs have had their ups and downs this fall, but the veteran coaching staff has the V Men in an up cycle now. A D-II opening win over Elk Grove would land Vacaville at top-seeded St. Mary’s, where an upset means anything is possible from there.
19. Laguna Creek (7-3)
Section championships: None with no finals appearances.
How to win the first: What a great challenge for the upstarts from the Elk Grove Unified School District. Alum coach Ryan Nill has to get his veteran bunch to play like they did in the double-overtime loss to powerhouse Monterey Trail: Fast and furious. The opener at Del Oro allows for a shot at the program’s greatest win since the school opened in 1994.
20. Roseville (7-3)
Section championships: One in one finals appearance.
How to win another: The Tigers last reached a final in 1987 under throwback classic coach Bob Jellison and may have to move heaven and earth to win another. To do so, the No. 6-seeded D-III Tigers would have to get past two-time defending champion Vanden early and likely beat a Woodcreek bunch that just handled them 33-8 on Friday. So, get the ball to all-purpose threat Joel Bradley more than ever.
21. Cosumnes Oaks (5-5)
Section championships: None with no finals appearances.
How to win the first: Shock the world, or at least the CIF football world, as the No. 9 D-I seed, meaning a monstrous upset over 11-time section winner Folsom in the second round. It’s a Mount Everest-like tall order, but the chance to take on the best is within reach.
22. Rio Americano (8-2)
Section championships: None in one finals appearance.
How to win the first: The Raiders have not reached a final since 1994 under coach Mike Smith, falling to QB great Randy Fasani in D-II. Now seeded 10th in D-IV, the Raiders and third-year coach Reid Sanders have to get back to playing fierce defense and stopping the run to get a second-round shot against pass-heavy Vista del Lago.
23. Christian Brothers (6-4)
Section championships: Two in five finals appearances.
How to win another: The Falcons last won section titles in D-I, doing so in 1981 and ’83, but they can return to the D-III finals if coach Larry Morla can draw a rematch with Woodcreek in the second round, and then who knows. Experience counts, and CB has a lot of that.
24. Bradshaw Christian (8-2)
Section championships: Five in seven finals appearances.
How to win another: Run like there is no tomorrow as the Pride do this as well as any outfit at any level in this section under guru coach Drew Rickert. Seeded third in D-VI, BC wants a rematch with Sutter, in the finals, after Sutter won a nonleague showdown 14-7.
25. Woodland Christian (10-0)
Section championships: None in two finals appearances.
How to win the first: Unleash the big guys in the trenches and the skill guys all over, which coach Michael Paschke has done in joining Twelve Bridges as the section’s only unbeaten team this season. Reaching the finals to take on powerhouse Ripon Christian affords the Cardinals a shot to win it all.
THE BEE’S SAC-JOAQUIN SECTION TOP 15
1. Folsom (8-2)
2. St. Mary’s-Stockton (9-1)
3. Rocklin (9-1)
4. Oak Ridge (8-2)
5. Central Catholic-Modesto (8-2)
6. Manteca (7-3)
7. Granite Bay (5-5)
8. Monterey Trail (7-3)
9. Grant (8-2)
10. Jesuit (9-1)
11. Del Oro (6-4)
12. Inderkum (9-1)
13. Casa Roble (9-1)
14. Escalon (9-1)
15. Vista del Lago (9-1)
This story was originally published October 31, 2023 at 5:00 AM.