Marquee high school football matchups pit Sacramento-area schools against state powers
It used to be that the heavyweights avoided similarly stout programs from other sections.
Nonleague high school football games in the Sacramento area for decades were big on neighborhood tussles. Some of it became a bore. That theme changed over the years, particularly for highly ranked programs. Ambitious early scheduling helped grow the regional game and settle debates on which section has the better teams, even if for just a moment.
Nonleague rumbles do not cost teams a league championship or even a playoff berth. Big-time showdowns can serve as a gauge game, a showcase for people to appreciate and memories to last a lifetime. Here are some whopper games pitting area teams against those from other sections and, in one instance, a local team going out of state to play a powerhouse opponent.
Long Beach Poly at Folsom
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Comment: The Jackrabbits of Southern California are the winningest team in state history. They have sent more guys to the NFL than any other prep program in the country. Just wow. What a test for star QB Ryder Lyons and Folsom, ranked No. 1 in Northern California. Long Beach Poly is state-ranked 25th by Cal-Hi Sports with gobs of speed and playmakers. Can the Bulldogs outrun Jackrabbits?
Frontier-Bakersfield at Oak Ridge
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Comment: Coach Casey Taylor scheduled state-wide bruisers when he was leading Del Oro to championship success, and he’s doing the same now at his alma mater in El Dorado Hills. What a Saturday treat this figures to be with a chance to see Oak Ridge’s Alabama-committed TE Kaleb Edwards do his thing against a state-ranked program from football-rich Bakersfield of the Central Section.
Serra-San Mateo at Folsom
When: Aug. 30, 7:30 p.m.
Comment: The Padres have represented Northern California in the elite Open Division state finals the last three seasons as the clear top team in the North. Graduation hit hard, but this is one monstrous program under coach Patrick Walsh. Serra in early games beat Folsom 21-14 in 2023 and 17-12 in 2022. This outcome could have long-lasting Open Division ramifications.
Grant at De La Salle-Concord
When: Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Comment: This is a matchup that has been talked about for 30 years. Who ducked whom? Neither program ducks heavies, but the showdown is finally going to happen. DLS towered over the NorCal scene for decades, crunching a lot of Sacramento-area teams along the way. The Spartans have not lost to a North Coast Section program since 1991. Grant’s power in the trenches, speed and skill players will face off with DLS’s superb tacklers, veer run and speed game.
Pittsburg at Monterey Trail
When: Aug. 30, 7:15 p.m.
Comment: If you want ferocity and fun, this is your ticket. The state-ranked No. 10 Pirates of the North Coast Section have one of their greatest teams, and that’s saying something, as they went 13-1 last season with a host of Division I college committed stars returning. Pittsburg’s only loss last season was a 28-25 heartbreaker at Folsom in a NorCal title game. Early in the 2023 season, Pittsburg beat Monterey Trail 10-7.
Oak Ridge at San Clemente
When: Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Comment: Trojans players and families may not be familiar with the powerhouse Tritons of Orange County, but coach Taylor certainly is. His defending state champion Del Oro squad lost to San Clemente 22-17 in the 2016 CIF state finals at Sacramento State. Del Oro graduates don’t pull for Oak Ridge in anything, but they might make an exception this time.
Memorial-Fresno at Christian Brothers
When: Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Comment: The Panthers of the Central Section have cranked out seasons of 10-3, 9-1, 12-2, 14-1 and 11-3 of late, making for a monstrous challenge for the host Falcons and stars such as two-way players Josiah Campbell and Isaiah Jordan.
Bishop Manogue-Reno at Rocklin
When: Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Comment: The Miners of Nevada have been a state power for years. They took on Jesuit and Central Catholic of Modesto early last season, falling in both games, before running the table to win a state championship. Rocklin’s strong lines and stout D will pose a formidable threat.
Truckee at Union Mine
When: Aug. 30, 7 p.m.
Comment: The small-school Wolverines reside in California but have for decades played in Nevada leagues as a school located in Nevada County. Truckee has been dominant, winning nine state crowns since 2001 and 14 overall, including in 2022 and 2023. Last year’s team went 13-0. What a test for the gritty Diamondbacks of El Dorado, who can vault their season with a strong showing here.
Inderkum at Marin Catholic
When: Aug. 31, 2 p.m.
Comment: The Tigers of Sacramento have been a regional power for years, and this may be their best team, led by star QB Ricky Cole The Wildcats of Kentfield, near San Francisco, have been a monster on the NorCal scene since 2009, peeling off recent seasons of 14-1, 13-1, 14-1, 12-1, 11-3, 12-2 and 13-1. This will be speed and skill against speed and skill.
Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa at Vacaville
When: Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Comment: Long before De La Salle became De La Stomp, Cardinal Newman owned the state record for most consecutive victories, in the 1970s. Newman is still a force in the North Bay, rolling off recent season records of 12-2, 11-1, 14-1 and 11-2. The Cardinals beat Vacaville 27-7 last season to avenge a 14-7 setback from 2022.
Jesuit at Bellarmine-San Jose
When: Sept. 6, 7 p.m.
Comment: Big Red takes on big-time tradition as the Bells have for decades been one of the top programs in the Central Coast Section, having won 20 West Catholic Athletic League banners and eight section crowns, and they won a CIF NorCal title in 2022. Jesuit has fared well against WCAL teams in the recent past.
Oak Ridge at McCallie-Tennessee
When: Sept. 7, 2 p.m.
Comment: This is a wildly intriguing out-of-state contest for the Trojans, who will take on the Blue Tornado of Chattanooga, which went 13-0 to win a state championship in 2021 and 12-1 last fall for another state banner. The Blue Tornado will get a taste of Sacramento-area football and the tornado that is RB/DB Jasen Womack.
Lincoln-San Diego at Grant
When: Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
Comment: The Pacers invite all manner of challenges, and here comes the top team in the San Diego Section, ranked No. 9 in the state. The Hornets are led by 6-foot-5, 205-pound five-star QB Akili Smith Jr., son of the former Oregon Ducks star QB. Eager to say hello on game night will be Grant rush end star Jeremiah Tuiileila, who had 23 sacks in 2023.
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 5:00 AM.