The Bee’s Top 25: Season heats up, teams must win four games to be CIF playoff eligible
Four weeks remain in the regular season of the high school football season across the Sacramento region and teams have to win at least four games to be CIF playoff eligible.
In other words: It’s crunch time for playoff regulars who have some work to do. Bee No. 4-ranked Oak Ridge is 2-4 with three of those losses coming in the opening weeks against out-of-area powerhouse programs. The Trojans have Sierra Foothill League victories over Del Oro and Granite Bay and lost 35-7 at top-ranked Folsom on Friday in a game that didn’t just include a 22nd consecutive loss to their chief rivals, dating back to 2006.
Folsom had big-name and big-bodied two-way lineman Josiah Sharma cleared by the governing body CIF to play after his transfer from Inderkum, bolstering an already stacked lineup as the Bulldogs set aim on their fourth consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section championship, and leading fans to accuse Folsom of cheating.
Among this week’s rankings showdowns is old-school Grant, nestled in Del Paso Heights for 92 years and ranked second by The Bee, visiting newer-school, fast-riser West Park, which opened its Roseville campus in 2020. This could be for the Metro League championship.
In this week’s rankings, we added which playoff division each team will compete in.
THE BEE’S TOP 25
1. Folsom (5-1)
Division: I
Result: Beat Oak Ridge, 35-7
Next: Friday vs. Del Oro
Update: Folsom fans and followers fretted over the early season, 1-point loss to Serra of San Mateo, wondering if it would cost their beloved Bulldogs a shot at the CIF State Open Division title game, the highest classification in the state. That was and remains wasted energy. The focus now is to clean up their game as Folsom had too many penalties against Oak Ridge.
2. Grant (4-3)
Division: II
Result: Beat Kennedy, 76-0
Next: Friday at West Park
Update: The Pacers only attempted nine passes, completing all of them for five touchdowns, and the defense and special teams smothered the Cougars. The losses are to NorCal No. 1 De La Salle, Fresno-area top-ranked Clovis East and last week to the top-ranked team in the San Diego Section.
3. Rocklin (5-1)
Division: II
Result: Beat Whitney, 42-0
Next: Friday at Davis
Update: Seven Thunder players combined to churn out 398 yards rushing, averaging 12.8 yards per carry, to extend the Quarry Bowl rivalry series lead to 13-3, but it came at a cost. QB Reeve Slone and DB Mavrik Collins, two of the team’s top players, suffered leg injuries, though not considered serious.
4. Oak Ridge (2-4)
Division: I
Result: Lost to Folsom, 35-7
Next: Friday vs. Jesuit
Update: It was a 14-7 game at the half before Folsom ran away with it in the second half as the Trojans showed no quit. Not only is Alabama-bound tight end Kaleb Edwards the area’s top senior recruit at 6-foot-6 and 240 pounds, he can get after it on defense, including two sacks and 10 tackles against Folsom.
5. Granite Bay (5-1)
Division: I/II
Result: Beat Del Oro, 24-14
Next: Friday vs. Whitney
Update: The Grizzlies bounced back from their Oak Ridge loss to handle an old rival in SFL play as Keith Tapuosi, Mike Negri and Austin Valdez played well in the trenches. RB/DB Isaiah Ene continues to have an MVP season.
6. Twelve Bridges (6-0)
Division: IV
Result: Beat Yuba City, 56-0
Next: Friday vs. Nevada Union
Update: The Raging Rhinos of Lincoln pounded a solid Honkers team that has speed and had a big win over ranked Roseville, giving Twelve Bridges three ranked wins and a quick start in the Foothill Valley League. The team continues to defy newer-school logic of immediate success, a credit to coach Chris Bean.
7. West Park (7-0)
Division: III
Result: Beat Antelope, 35-10
Next: Friday vs. Grant
Update: A lot of people frowned and vented that West Park was placed into the Metro League, displaced from any Placer County leagues, but look what looms: The biggest game in program history against storied Grant.
8. Jesuit (4-2)
Division: II
Result: Beat Davis, 53-0
Next: Friday vs. Oak Ridge
Update: The Marauders in their first-ever SFL meeting against longtime rival Davis attempted seven passes with Teddy Rios finding Ryan Reeves for two of his three TDs, and Big Red did a big solid by playing backups for most of the game.
9. Placer (6-1)
Division: IV
Result: Beat Nevada Union, 48-21
Next: Oct. 18 vs. Twelve Bridges
Update: Rian Miller completed 9 of 10 passes for 220 yards and three TDs, two to Keefer Abs, and Shuan Jones rushed for 96 yards and two scores, and Cole Keim and Brayden Wright combined for 25 tackles for the Hillmen. The Foothill Valley League title game looms against Twelve Bridges.
10. Christian Brothers (4-3)
Division: III
Result: Beat Woodcreek, 21-14
Next: Friday at Ponderosa
Update: The Falcons are 3-0 in the Capital Valley Conference because they find a way, including beating Inderkum. On Friday, starting three-year QB Deakon Holden went down with an injury and coach Larry Morla inserted Air Force-bound WR/DB star Isaiah Jordan to the spot (he rushed for 131 yards, two TDs).
11. Inderkum (4-2)
Division: I
Result: Beat Vista del Lago, 64-21
Next: Friday vs. Bella Vista
Update: The Tigers aim to at least tie for the CVC crown and looked the part as Ricky Cole tossed seven TD passes, and runners Boston Costley and Denzaiah Lewis combined to rush for 223 yards.
12. Monterey Trail (3-4)
Division: I
Result: Beat Pleasant Grove, 21-20
Next: Friday vs. Franklin
Update: In Delta League play, Odie Jefferson rushed for 188 yards and a TD, and Elijah Folau, Ulijah Usher and Kharter Turk combined for 32 tackles and three sacks to extend the winning streak to three. It took a late stop to seal it.
13. Elk Grove (4-2)
Division: II
Result: Beat Chico, 22-7
Next: Friday vs. Laguna Creek
Update: Alphonso Moore and David Hale led the rushing attack, and Lucan Amituanai had three sacks to give the Thundering Herd of the Delta League their fourth consecutive victory.
14. Destiny Christian (4-2)
Division: III
Result: Bye
Next: Friday at Kennedy
Update: The Lions have tough-luck losses to Grant and West Park in the Metro League and seek their first league win as a league newcomer. QB Dallas Munn has had a tremendous season.
15. Sacramento (5-1)
Division: IV
Result: Lost to Rodriguez, 15-13
Next: Saturday vs. Vanden
Update: The Dragons of Oak Park have an opening win over Woodcreek and a heartbreaker setback to 7-0 Rodriguez of Fairfield. Vanden presents another challenge.
16. Vacaville (4-3)
Division: II
Result: Beat Vanden, 31-13
Next: Saturday at Sacramento
Update: The Bulldogs remained in the Monticello Empire League championship chase as Brendan Jackson tossed three TD passes and Tanner Boyd rushed for 137 yards and a score. The losses are to Granite Bay, Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa and Rodriguez, teams that are a combined 17-1.
17. Woodcreek (3-3)
Division: III
Result: Lost to Christian Brothers, 21-14
Next: Friday at Vista del Lago
Update: The first two losses were to Sacramento and West Park, teams that are a combined 12-1. The Timberwolves cannot lose any more league games if they expect to expect to at least tie for the CVC crown.
18. Yuba City (4-2)
Division: IV
Result: Lost to Twelve Bridges, 56-0
Next: Friday vs. River Valley
Update: The Honkers were sky high after beating Roseville 29-28 to open CVC play and were humbled by Twelve Bridges. The best teams bounce back.
19. Roseville (4-2)
Division: IV
Result: Beat River Valley, 38-6
Next: Friday vs. Del Campo
Update: The Tigers are in the CVC title race with a brutal schedule the rest of the way. QB Mason Susnara, RB Grahm Dahle and WRs JJ Yong and Kenny McClure had big games last week.
20. Bradshaw Christian (5-0)
Division: VI
Result: Beat Amador, 65-0
Next: Friday vs. Union Mine
Update: The Sierra Valley Conference championship could well be decided this week against upstart Union Mine as the Pride roll on behind backs Ethan Rickert, Brandon Burden, Mateo Mojica and Nathan Zeppieri.
21. Casa Roble (3-3)
Division: V
Result: Beat Rio Linda, 28-3
Next: Friday at Natomas
Update: The Rams are the class of the Golden Empire League because they have two guys who can throw the ball in Aidan Lopez and Connor Campbell, and one who can catch it in Ethan Horner — and a defensive lineman who can jam up offenses in Darren Dalton. How about a freshman difference maker? LB Dunedin Tupou had 13 tackles.
22. Sutter (6-1)
Division: V
Result: Beat El Camino, 70-0
Next: Friday vs. Rio Linda
Update: The Huskies attempted five passes, rushed 17 times for 269 yards and eight TDs and recorded 10 sacks, three each by Troy Bowens and Jace Cummins, in a running-clock game to remain unbeaten in the GEL.
23. Woodland Christian (5-1)
Division: VI
Result: Beat Mesa Verde, 39-6
Next: Friday at Escalon
Update: The Cardinals should win the Sierra Delta League, but can they topple 8-time section champion Escalon in a nonleague showdown this week? This is a terrific gauge game for a WC team that seeks a CIF state championship repeat.
24. Wheatland (6-0)
Division: VI
Result: Beat Colfax, 27-24 (OT)
Next: Friday vs. Mira Loma
Update: The Pirates of Yuba County know how to win the tight games, doing so over Bear River, Lincoln and Colfax, with Isaac Martin rushing for the winner last week. Now they have to guard against a let-down on their quest to win the Pioneer Valley League.
25. Union Mine (5-1)
Division: V
Result: Beat Rosemont, 42-14
Next: Friday at Bradshaw Christian
Update: The Diamondbacks have fielded solid teams since opening in El Dorado in 1999, and here they come again with a chance to make a real statement this week. UM’s grit includes RB Brock Bauk, who ran for 146 yards and three TDs and played well on defense against Rosemont.
Bubble: Bear River (5-1), Del Campo (4-2), Lincoln (4-2), Nevada Union (5-2), Pleasant Grove (3-3), Ponderosa (5-1), Winters (6-0).