Pick the Preps: Sutter at Bradshaw, Holy Bowl, Woodcreek at West Park, revenge games and more
In a flash, the fourth week of Sacramento-area high school football is here.
If small-school ball is your thing and you appreciate a real-grass field, then the Sutter at Bradshaw Christian clash is your ticket. If city bragging rights interests you, take a peek at a brewing rivalry in Yolo County with the Pioneer Patriots facing off against a defending CIF State champion in nearby Woodland Christian. If older school against newer school catches your eye in the dawn of a new rivalry in Roseville, 30-year old Woodcreek takes on four-year old West Park.
The week will be capped by one of the most storied rivalries in Northern California. On Saturday night, Jesuit and Christian Brothers meet in the annual Holy Bowl at venerable Hughes Stadium on the campus of Sacramento City College, with a crowd of some 15,000 expected. That series started in 1969.
▪ Regarding our pick-the-preps crew, we continue to be more talk than substance, and only one guy is overly gloating. That’s Matthew Bessette, the play-by-play guru of ABC JAM Productions through the streaming NFHS Network. He went 6-0 last week on game picks. I went 5-1, as did retired basketball coach and NFHS color man for all sports and seasons, Scott Tedmon. Nick Pecoraro, our Bee sports stringer and the host of the highlight-heavy “Premier Preps” on YouTube, went 4-2, which often might win a week.
No. 17 Woodcreek (1-1) at No. 9 West Park (3-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
JoeD: Woodcreek is a bad bounce or two away from being 2-0, suffering an opening overtime loss to Sacramento when the program’s greatest player, Brody Krupp, was sidelined with an ankle problem. He’s back, and he’ll have to chase down a fleet crew of Panthers, who have impressed in wins over Whitney (10-7), Casa Roble (35-30) and Roseville (35-28). I smell an upset in this new “747” series as Woodcreek prevails 28-27.
MatthewB: There have been some big-time Placer County showdowns early in this season and this one figures to be the same. Woodcreek got the better of West Park the only time these teams played, in 2021. The Panthers didn’t have a senior on campus yet. They’ll get redemption in 2024, 31-28.
NickP: West Park kept Roseville at bay just long enough last week and will need to be on its A-game here. Ben Osby runs hard and HaReal Greer is a difference maker for West Park, which wins 24-19.
CoachT: It’s liftoff for the “747” rivalry. West Park has proven it can prevail in close games. Osby is averaging 117 rushing yards to complement do-it-all QB Jaden Jackson. WP stays perfect, 34-31.
No. 11 Twelve Bridges (3-0) at No. 12 Casa Roble (1-2)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
JoeD: The coaches are pals who respect each other immensely, Chris Horner of Casa Roble and Chris Bean of Bridges, and they’re among the best leaders anywhere in this section. 12B seeks revenge from a last-minute Sac-Joaquin Section Division V loss, but the Rams will win a wild one, 35-33.
MatthewB: From the moment the schedule came out, I knew where I’d be on Friday the 13th. We will be broadcasting this one live. The championship game last year was one of the best games I’ve ever had a chance to cover and I expect this one to be as intense. Rhinos rage in a revenge win, 42-41.
NickP: This date has been circled on the calendar ever since the schedules came out. I’ll be on hand for Bee coverage and Premier Preps highlights. The D-5 final was an instant classic, and I expect the same on Friday with the Rhinos evening the score and winning 42-35.
CoachT: After last season’s section title slipped through their collective hooves, the Rhinos rage into Orangevale seeking to dehorn the Rams. I will be broadcasting this beauty with Bessette. The “Casa Crazies” will be in full force bellowing their beloved Rams to the win 31-28, then will head to Dairy Queen to celebrate.
No. 10 Jesuit (2-0) vs. No. 24 Christian Brothers (1-2)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m. at Hughes Stadium
JoeD: It’s mind boggling to think that this series almost never got started and took years to get going because school administrators in the mid 1960s feared players and students would take a rivalry game too seriously. That’s a great thing! The Holy Bowl has featured memorable games, star players who reached the NFL and crowds upwards of 20,000. Jesuit wins it, 35-21.
MatthewB: What an honor for us to broadcast the Holy Bowl for the third consecutive year. The Falcons continue their brutal non-league schedule but did get a convincing win last week, 35-0 at Nevada Union. Jesuit has been downright dominant, and the Marauders own the night, 42-31.
NickP: Jesuit had seven different players score touchdowns in its opener against Rio Americano. Six different Marauders scored last week at Bellarmine Prep, proving that Jesuit can beat you with a number of options. Jesuit wins, 40-24.
CoachT: This classic contest has been around so long my Dad and I went to it together when I was a kid. I’ll be doing color on NFHS. It’ll be as spirited as ever, but it will be too much Big Red allows Jesuit to ground the Falcons, 38-28.
No. 21 Sutter (3-0) at No. 20 Bradshaw Christian (2-0)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: Kudos to these championship programs for scheduling each other as both seek to be in NorCal title games as section winners in different divisions. This is BC’s best team in the 22-year history of the program with 18 starters back, and the ground game will be the difference in a slugfest, 21-14.
MatthewB: Not sure if the Sutter horses, Darla and Skittles, are making the trip down to south Sacramento as they regularly race a lap for home games. But Sutter might need them to hang with the horses that Bradshaw Christian has. This senior class for the Pride has as much experience in varsity sports as any group I’ve ever seen. BC is a team of destiny, 35-30.
NickP: The only matchup of the weekend featuring two unbeaten Sac-Joaquin Section teams. It’ll be Bradshaw’s run game, which has three guys averaging better than 70 rush yards per game, vs. Sutter’s defensive front, which has 17 sacks through three games. I’ll go with the Pride at home, 24-21.
CoachT: This figures to be one of the best regular season games of the year. Sutter has pitched two shutouts and given up 14 points. The Pride runs it down your throat with their three-headed monster of Mojica/Zeppieri/Burden. It will be a donnybrook but BC survives, 28-27.
Pioneer (3-0) at No. 25 Woodland Christian (1-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: Pioneer has a playmaker in Landon Dahler, a runner, a receiver, a defender and a leader for coach Matt Bryson, whose club just beat rival Woodland. WC went 15-0 last season and has a loss to Bradshaw Christian, and the Cardinals have beaten Pioneer before. But the Patriots own the town and win, 35-28.
MatthewB: The city of Woodland will be out in full force. What more could you ask for? Patriots remain unblemished, 24-23.
NickP: Only Highway 113 separates these two schools in what looks to become a nice budding rivalry. It’s a fantastic small school atmosphere at Woodland Christian, and the Cardinals will take care of business, 28-17.
CoachT: Pioneer junior star Devion Corley has amassed 577 all-purpose yards. WC brings talent, toughness and swagger. In this backyard brawl, Pioneer is at home, and it’s an election year, so my vote goes to the Patriots, 31-28.
Davis (1-1) at Franklin (3-0)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
JoeD: This for years was a Delta League contest but Davis is now in the Sierra Foothill League. Both programs have had success and have endured some lean seasons. If Franklin wins, the Wildcats of Elk Grove will have match their victory total of the previous three seasons combined. Franklin wins, 28-20.
MatthewB: Neither team has seen much success in recent years but that can all change in an instant. Franklin is looking at its first 4-0 start since 2017 and wins, 28-21.
NickP: Franklin might be the most surprising 3-0 team entering the week. The Wildcats come at you with three QBs in Treshon Fairley, Abraham Truett and Braylon Robinson. What they’re doing clearly works because they’re averaging 47 points per game. Wildcats take it, 35-21.
CoachT: In my “Turnaround Top 10” post last week, Franklin sits at No. 1. Davis had a convincing first win and looks to grab another W before heading into the gauntlet that is the SFL. I love what Coach Joseph McCray’s Wildcats are doing. Franklin wins, 45-28.
Totals:
MattewB: 13-5
JoeD: 13-5
CoachT: 13-5
NickP: 11-7
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 5:00 AM.