The Bee’s Top 25: Sacramento-area football rankings. Where do established 0-3 teams fit?
The top six teams in The Bee’s high school football rankings remained firm. Top-ranked Folsom had an off-week bye, and No. 2 Rocklin has its bye this week.
Those teams will meet in a Sierra Foothill League opener Sept. 20 in a 1-vs.-2 matchup. The biggest game last week was a 3-vs.-4 showdown between Grant and Inderkum, won by the host Pacers, 35-21.
Oak Ridge and Monterey Trail are a combined 0-6, but the longtime powers have faced outstanding, state-ranked competition and just one combined team within the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. Oak Ridge and Monterey Trail remain ranked in the top 10.
1. Folsom (1-1)
Last week: Bye
Next: Friday vs. Turlock
Update: The Bulldogs gear up for a tough Turlock team after suffering the late 22-21 loss to Serra-San Mateo. Coach Paul Doherty checked out Grant-Inderkum on Saturday because he appreciates good football.
2. Rocklin (3-0)
Last week: Beat Lincoln-Stockton, 43-3
Next: Sept. 20 at Folsom
Update: The defending section Division II champions waxed a talented Trojans team as Reeve Slone tossed two touchdowns, Rafi Merino rushed for four scores and do-all talents such as Mikey Cunningham kept making plays all over.
3. Grant (2-1)
Last week: Beat Inderkum, 35-21
Next: Friday at Clovis East
Update: The Pacers bounced back big from the loss at new NorCal No. 1 De La Salle with an inspired effort, including strong line play, Brandon Lambert rushing for 223 yards, Koby Shabazz electrifying on an 87-yard kickoff return and 6-foot-6 sophomore TE Zo Edwards looking the part of rising-fast recruit.
4. Inderkum (2-1)
Last week: Lost to Grant, 35-21
Next: Friday vs. Cosumnes Oaks
Update: The Tigers had their moments against Grant, including a 104-yard pick-6 by star Lono Chouteau and Zayden Maxwell catching two TDs from Ricky Cole. Indy may roll from here.
5. Granite Bay (3-0)
Last week: Beat Overfelt, 65-6
Next: Sept. 20 at Jesuit
Update: Coach Joe Cattolico ran into a lot of old friends in San Jose last week, where he led Overfelt to a section title in 1998. Nick Harris had two TD passes, Dominic Cattolico one, Gabe Smyte and Isaiah Ene each ran for two scores and tons of guys played.
6. Oak Ridge (0-3)
Last week: Lost to McCallie-Tenn., 38-16
Next: Sept. 20 vs. Del Oro
Update: The bye week arrives just in time for the banged-up Trojans, who have not played anyone locally with a strength-of-schedule slate that is off the charts. McCallie is a two-time defending state champion.
7. Placer (3-0)
Last week: Beat Del Oro, 38-21
Next: Friday vs. Antelope
Update: In dominating the trenches, the Hillmen celebrated their first win over Del Oro since 2003, though the series has had stop and starts. QB Rian Miller has been terrific, as has bullish RB Shaun Jones, a blocker and ground gainer.
8. Monterey Trail (0-3)
Last week: Lost to El Cerrito, 28-19
Next: Friday at California-San Ramon
Update: The Mustangs of Elk Grove Unified have losses to Inderkum and Bay Area powers Pittsburg and El Cerrito with another bruiser looming. This sort of scheduling has paid off before.
9. West Park (3-0)
Last week: Beat Roseville, 35-28
Next: Friday vs. Woodcreek
Update: The upstart Panthers of Roseville got past a school that has been around since 1912 and now gear up for one opened 30 years ago. Jaden Jackson tossed two TDs to HaReal Greer, Ben Osby rushed for 122 yards and the defense had seven pass breakups.
10. Jesuit (2-0)
Last week: Beat Bellarmine, 46-7
Next: Saturday vs. Christian Brothers
Update: The Marauders blitzed one of the storied programs in the greater Bay Area on the road in San Jose. Rocco Lucchetti, Victor Cubero, Jack Patock and Alan Cordano helped lead the defensive charge. The Holy Bowl looms at Hughes Stadium.
11. Twelve Bridges (3-0)
Last week: Beat Whitney, 52-34
Next: Friday at Casa Roble
Update: Braeden Ward can do it all, rushing for 233 yards, catching 92 yards of passes and scoring three times, including a 50-yard fake punt in front of another great crowd. Another showdown looms.
12. Casa Roble (1-2)
Last week: Beat Bella Vista, 22-14
This week: Friday vs. Twelve Bridges
Update: Can a team get a wake-up call in victory? Absolutely. The Rams needed every ounce to get past gritty Bella Vista and now gear up for a Twelve Bridges team bent on revenge in a rematch of the section D-V finals. Casa’s losses are to Placer and West Park.
13. Vacaville (1-2)
Last week: Lost to Cardinal Newman, 28-10
This week: Friday at Patterson
Update: The Bulldogs lost to one of the traditional powers of the Bay Area despite another solid effort by Tanner Boyd, who rushed for 81 yards and a score. The other loss was by three to Granite Bay.
14. Pleasant Grove (3-0)
Last week: Beat Tokay, 40-0
Next: Friday vs. Lincoln-Stockton
Update: The upstart Eagles have scored 118 points in three routs and allowed no points, but the real test is this week. Cole Davis had two more TD passes and Bobby Mitchell rushed for 141 yards and two scores. Left tackle Zane Commins played well, as did WR Cody Nydegger, whose father, Joseph, fired up the night with a pregame military helicopter flyover as a lieutenant colonel in the National Guard.
15. Roseville (2-1)
Last week: Lost to West Park, 35-28
Next: Sept. 20 at Yuba City
Update: The Tigers showed grit after two easy wins and aim to be a player in the new-look Foothill Valley League that includes Placer, Twelve Bridges, Del Campo and Yuba City.
16. Sacramento (2-0)
Last week: Bye
Next: Friday at Natomas
Update: The Dragons have wins over Woodcreek and Armijo of Fairfield in showcasing offensive balance and defensive grit. Darius Moore and Robert Hamel are among the stars.
17. Woodcreek (1-1)
Last week: Bye
Next: Friday at West Park
Update: The Timberwolves opened with a 21-14 loss to Sacramento and outscored Whitney 49-35 and now prepare for the newly created “747” rivalry series starting this week, the schools sharing those ZIP code numbers.
18. Elk Grove (1-2)
Last week: Beat Golden Valley-Merced, 42-10
Next: Sept. 20 vs. Franklin
Update: The Thundering Herd capped their 209 area-code part of the schedule with a satisfying win after setbacks to powers Manteca and Downey-Modesto. QB leader David Hale accounted for four scores, and Lucan Amituanai, Alphonso Moore and Elias Avila combined for 26 tackles.
19. Del Oro (0-2)
Last week: Lost to Placer, 38-21
Next: Sept. 20 vs. Oak Ridge
Update: This is how much passion there is for the Golden Eagles: People pack the stadium in Loomis, including those who go to Facebook community pages to publicly rip the team and coaches. Del Oro’s scheduled game this week against Birmingham of Los Angeles County will not happen, the plug pulled by Birmingham.
20. Bradshaw Christian (3-0)
Last week: Bye
Next: Friday vs. Sutter
Update: The Pride’s greatest regular-season win in the 20-year history of the program means nothing if they flop against Sutter. This is not a flop program.
21. Sutter (3-0)
Last week: Beat Marysville, 56-0
Next: Friday at Bradshaw Christian
Update: Buckle up the chin straps and apply extra eye black. The Huskies will take their defensive-minded group to Bradshaw Christian for a titanic small-school rumble.
22. Destiny Christian Academy (3-0)
Last week: Beat Linden, 40-21
Next: Friday at Benicia
Update: The DCA Lions impressed against one of the oldest schools in the section, showcasing offensive balance and defensive clout under co-head coach and coordinator Antuan Simmons.
23. Vista del Lago (1-2)
Last week: Lost to Vanden, 45-14
Next: Friday at Oakdale
Update: The Eagles of Folsom have given up far more points than they planned, but the potential is there to win the new-look Capital Valley Conference.
24. Christian Brothers (1-2)
Last week: Beat Nevada Union, 35-0
Next: Saturday vs. Jesuit
Update: Deakon Holden passed for 252 yards and three TDs to Isaiah Jordan, and Adrian Davis, Cam Nero and Diego Taylor each had four pancake blocks on the offensive line. This is Holy Bowl week.
25. Woodland Christian (1-1)
Last week: Bye
Next: Friday vs. Pioneer
Update: The Cardinals, 15-0 last season, have an opening loss at Bradshaw Christian and can own the town with a victory over 3-0 Pioneer this week.
Bubble: Bear River (2-0), Colfax (1-2), Cordova (3-0), Del Campo (3-0), East Nicolaus (1-1), Franklin (3-0), Pioneer (3-0), Ponderosa (3-0), Wheatland (2-0), Whitney (0-3), Winters (2-0), Yuba City (2-1).