Pick the Preps: Folsom-Oak Ridge, Quarry Bowl, Sacramento-Rodriguez, Sheldon-Franklin and more
Two weeks into league play with several more to go, the high school football season has hit full-on go mode.
It’s clear that the Sierra Foothill League is the top collection of squads in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section with the following Sacramento Bee-ranked teams: No. 1 Folsom, No. 3 Rocklin, No. 4 Oak Ridge, No. 5 Granite Bay, No. 8 Jesuit and No. 20 Whitney.
What is the second best regional league?
How about the Division IV-heavy Foothill Valley League with No. 6 Twelve Bridges of Lincoln, No. 9 Placer, No. 18 Yuba City, No. 19 Roseville and No. 24 Nevada Union with bubble-team Del Campo, ranked 22nd last week?
The Metro League has star power on top with Bee No. 2 Grant; unbeaten West Park of Roseville, ranked seventh; and talented if hard-luck No. 13 Destiny Christian Academy, the former Capital Christian. Grant won the last two CIF section D-III championships and is now in D-II. West Park and DCA are D-III.
▪ On the topic of best, there goes our retired basketball coaching friend Scott Tedmon ordering up flowers for his 5-1 showing on picking the winners from last week. Go ahead and gloat, sir. Tedmon is a color voice for the streaming NFHS games, often next to play-by-play guru Matthew Bessette of ABC JAM Productions. Bessette went 4-2 last week, I went 3-3 and needed more film work. After two big weeks, Nick Pecoraro, our Bee freelancer and the host of Premier Preps on YouTube, went 2-4. From flowers to decaying stems, the fall was swift.
No. 1 Folsom (4-1) at No. 4 Oak Ridge (2-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: All sorts of intrigue here, including Oak Ridge’s quest to somehow not let Folsom QB Ryder Lyons take the Trojans apart like he did in a Sierra Foothill League game last season and in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I finals, accounting for five touchdowns each time. Lyons lives in El Dorado Hills and knows the Oak Ridge guys well. For Oak Ridge, QB Phoenix Hester showed promise and production in beating Granite Bay, passing for 204 yards and running for 72, and he’s a transfer from Folsom. Bulldogs win, 35-28, and make it 22 consecutive victories over their rival, dating back to 2006.
MatthewB: Oak Ridge is trying to get over the mountain that is the Folsom Bulldogs. Both teams play a physical brand of football so get your chinstraps ready. Folsom by a score, 28-21.
NickP: As Miley Cyrus says, I can buy myself flowers. The Bulldogs have been producing roses in this area for years. Oak Ridge looked strong with reinforcements aiding the cause last week, but Folsom comes out victorious, 27-20.
CoachT: I’ll be at this Battle of Titans with plenty of gloating. With their daunting non-league schedule, Oak Ridge might be the best 2-3 team in the country. Here come the big bad Bulldogs heading up the hill as one of the best teams in the country, period. This SFL high-stakes showdown will produce heavy hitting, sensational scoring strikes and inspired play. The Trojans will throw everything they have at Folsom but it won’t be enough. Bulldogs win, 38-24.
No. 2 Rocklin (4-1) at No. 20 Whitney (2-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: It’s the Quarry Bowl, a big deal for these Placer County schools, and though Rocklin is rightfully favored big in this SFL clash, odd things happen in rivalry games. Example: Jesuit beating Christian Brothers 7-0 this season, the only points coming off a tipped pass/pick-6. Rocklin’s run game decides it, 35-17.
MatthewB: I like to call this one the Quarrel by the Quarry. I am excited to be bringing live coverage of this one. It’s going to be a fun night of football with the girls flag football game taking place just before the tackling version. Rocklin got back on track after the Folsom loss and the Thunder take down a much improved Whitney team, 31-27.
NickP: The crowds don’t get much better than those in the Quarry Bowl games. At 2-0 in the SFL, Whitney comes in plenty fired up to defend its home turf. But Rocklin stays rolling, 42-21.
CoachT: The Wildcats have sharpened their claws winning two straight to turn this into an intriguing matchup. Whitney strikes early but it’s all Reeve Slone and Company after that. Thunder triumphs, 45-14.
No. 10 Christian Brothers (3-3) at No. 17 Woodcreek (3-2)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
JoeD: CB has backed up its gritty 7-0 loss to Jesuit with inspired, high-scoring Capital Valley Conference wins over Inderkum and Vista del Lago. But it’ll be the D that decides this one, and that includes the state’s leading tackler in Josiah Campbell of CB and do-all star Brody Krupp of the host Timberwolves. CB muscles through, 17-16.
MatthewB: These teams have split their matchups playoffs each of the last two seasons with the winner of the game winding up in the section championship. Both teams are playing great football, each having won three of their last four games after a slow start. Christian Brothers’ balanced offense leads to a 27-24 victory.
NickP: The CVC is another strong league filled with big matchups every week. Christian Brothers has been riding high ever since the Holy Bowl. Woodcreek plays the Falcons tough, but CB picks up another victory, 23-21.
CoachT: It’s no coincidence the Falcons are on a two-game burner since the return of two-way star and captain Isaiah Jordan. It’s Homecoming for the Timberwolves, who are unbeaten at home. It will be a festive atmosphere but CB spoils Woodcreek’s party, 34-27.
No. 14 Sacramento (5-0) at Rodriguez (6-0)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
JoeD: The Dragons of Oak Park have played football since, oh, the 1920s or so, and Rodriguez of Fairfield opened its doors in Solano County in 2001. What does that matter here? Not much, but it’s cool data. More cool: Sacramento has skill guys galore, including senior RB Darius Moore, and they have two Radcliffe brothers doing big things in QB Le’Ron James-Radcliffe and freshman Cordell Radcliffe. Rodriguez just beat Vacaville for the first time after 15 straight losses, but Sac wins the night here, 35-34.
MatthewB: Two of just six remaining unbeaten teams in the area face off. Both teams have big wins, with Sac High beating Woodcreek, and Rodriguez taking down Vanden and Vacaville. Rodriguez’s surprise season continues, 28-25.
NickP: Rodriguez is perhaps the surprise team of the section. A victory here would bring the Mustangs closer to their first league title since 2010, and they get it done, 28-20.
CoachT: This is a beauty. Rodriguez has been impressive on both sides of the ball, pitching three shutouts and scoring 40 a game. The Dragons are breathing fire with Moore averaging 191 all-purpose yards. Something’s gotta give, and when the dust clears, the Mustangs go to 7-0, 34-28.
Lincoln (4-1) at Bear River (4-1)
When: Friday, 7:15 p.m.
JoeD: Who doesn’t appreciate the small-ball achievers in this region? We certainly do, and here’s a whopper of a Pioneer Valley League contest. It’ll be physical on the natural grass field, and the winner remains firm in the league title race. Bear River and DL star Luke Jeffers win it, 21-17.
MatthewB: The only loss for each team came at the hands of PVL top dog, Wheatland. This one will put one of these teams in the driver’s seat for second place in the PVL. Coach Allen Berg and the Zebras are having a bounce-back year and they bounce back this week, 21-17.
NickP: Bear River also has a tremendous home atmosphere in Lake of the Pines. Lincoln was a touchdown away from being 5-0 against Wheatland. The Zebras bounce back and win, 35-21.
CoachT: Both teams need a win to stay within shouting distance of PVL leader Wheatland, who defeated Lincoln last week. Bear River comes off a thrilling win over Oakmont and keeps the mojo going, 38-35.
Sheldon (3-3) vs. Franklin (4-2)
When: Friday at Cosumnes Oaks, 7:15 p.m.
JoeD: If Monterey Trail and Elk Grove are the class of the Delta League, then everyone else can ill-afford too many losses if they expect a playoff berth. Sheldon has managed 6 points in its last two games, one of them a win, and Franklin has lost two straight after its best start in years. Sheldon by a yard, 28-27.
MatthewB: Franklin was unblemished in the preseason but has dropped its first two Delta games. Sheldon is young, but coach Chris Nixon has seen it all. The Huskies score a big win, 14-10.
NickP: We knew the new Delta League would be fun with the realignment wrangling up all the major Elk Grove Unified schools. Both teams are still figuring out how to win close games. Sheldon does it narrowly, 30-27.
CoachT: Franklin is one of the feel good stories this year. Sheldon is seeking consistency. The first team to 20 points wins. Huskies handle the Wildcats by a hair, 20-19.
Season totals
JoeD: 24-12
MatthewB: 27-9
NickP: 24-12
CoachT: 28-8