The Bee’s Top 25: Newer school Twelve Bridges plays 127-year-old Placer for the league crown
When Twelve Bridges High School opened in Lincoln in 2021, the football expectations were simple: be competitive early and compete for bigger prizes within a year or two.
The Placer County school certainly nailed it with a refreshing mascot and in hiring the right coach to lead the charge. Coach Chris Bean and the upstart Raging Rhinos accelerated their path to respectability, bucking the norm that new football programs take it on the chin strap for several years before finding their footing.
Twelve Bridges with its first varsity team in 2022 won seven games and a playoff game before falling to eventual CIF State Division 5-AA champion Hughson of Stanislaus County in double overtime. Last season, the Raging Rhinos with their first senior class went 12-1 and rolled through the Pioneer Valley League. This season, they are 7-0 ranked sixth by The Bee.
On Friday, Twelve Bridges heads to Auburn to play the storied Placer Hillmen, ranked seventh, for a league championship. Placer is every bit old school, opening in 1897. Twelve Bridges was realigned to the Foothill Valley League as a growing school. Twelve Bridges and Placer are Division IV, meaning there could be a rematch in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
1. Folsom (6-1)
Division: I
Result: Beat Del Oro, 58-0
Next: Friday at Whitney
Update: The Bulldogs don’t just score in bunches, they defend, including limiting Del Oro to 25 yards rushing on 21 carries to inch closer to their ninth Sierra Foothill League crown since joining the section’s top conference in 2014.
2. Grant (5-3)
Division: II
Result: Beat West Park, 48-7
Next: Friday at Antelope
Update: The Pacers all but locked up the Metro League championship with a superb effort, including Luke Alexander passing for 231 yards and three touchdowns, the ever-reliable Leon Martin rushing for two scores, 6-foot-6 sophomore TE Zo Edwards rumbling downfield for 95 yards with receptions and the defense allowing 17 yards rushing. The losses are to out-of-section powerhouse programs.
3. Rocklin (6-1)
Division: II
Result: Beat Davis, 48-7
Next: Friday vs. Granite Bay
Update: The Thunder of the SFL played a lot of reserves against the overmatched Blue Devils, including QB Matt Janowiak, who attempted just six passes. Nine players carried the ball, scoring five TDs, including two by Janowiak. The starters will go start to finish this week.
4. Oak Ridge (3-4)
Division: I
Result: Beat Jesuit, 23-3
Next: Friday at Davis
Update: The Trojans bounced back from the Folsom loss with a strong defensive effort over the Marauders. Star TE Kaleb Edwards had two touchdown catches. Three losses are to out-of-section teams.
5. Granite Bay (6-1)
Division: I/II
Result: Beat Whitney, 49-10
Next: Friday at Rocklin
Update: Isaiah Ene is putting up Player of the Year numbers, including 160 yards and three rushing TDs against Whitney. Adam Shehadeh rushed for 117 and two scores, and the defense came up with four interceptions. Friday figures to be a great SFL game.
6. Twelve Bridges (7-0)
Division: IV
Result: Beat Nevada Union, 55-7
Next: Friday at Placer
Update: The Raging Rhinos have Bee-ranked wins over Christian Brothers (28-10), Casa Roble (51-7) and Yuba City (56-0), but this week would top them all. WR Isaiah Rodriguez, RB Braeden Ward and QB Connor Flaherty make for a fierce 1-2-3 punch.
7. Placer (6-1)
Division: IV
Result: Bye
Next: Friday vs. Twelve Bridges
Update: The Hillmen seek their 11th league championship in 12 seasons under alum coach Joey Montoya, and the start of a potentially great rivalry begins this week.
8. West Park (7-1)
Division: III
Result: Lost to Grant, 48-7
Next: Friday vs. McClatchy
Update: There’s no shame in losing to Grant. Expect the Panthers of Roseville to bounce back big from here. This is a section-title contender.
9. Jesuit (4-3)
Division: II
Result: Lost to Oak Ridge, 23-3
Next: Friday at Del Oro
Update: The Marauders knew their first season in the rugged SFL would not be easy, and it includes setbacks of 30-17 to Granite Bay, 52-14 to Rocklin, a 53-0 win over Davis, and last week. Del Oro eliminated Jesuit in the 2023 playoffs in a thriller.
10. Christian Brothers (5-3)
Division: III
Result: Beat Ponderosa, 41-21
Next: Friday vs. Bella Vista
Update: The Falcons are 4-0 in the Capital Valley Conference, and another game ball goes to do-all senior stars Isaiah Jordan, playing QB due to injury, and LB Josiah Campbell, who had 13 more tackles as he continues to lead the section in stops. Unsung cogs such as Jay Cummings matter, too, as he had 124 yards rushing and two scores.
11. Inderkum (5-2)
Division: I
Result: Beat Bella Vista, 49-0
Next: Friday vs. Woodcreek
Update: Yes, Ricky Cole can shred defenses at QB, but the run game has been steady, too, including Kyle Gurganious and Boston Costley. The losses were tight ones to Grant and Christian Brothers.
12. Monterey Trail (3-4)
Division: I
Result: Beat Pleasant Grove, 21-20
Next: Friday vs. Franklin
Update: In Delta League play, the Mustangs rushed for 313 yards, including 188 by Odie Jefferson and 96 by Gabe Coronado, but the defense sealed the last win. MT stopped the winning 2-point conversion try with seconds to go. Three losses were to out-of-area programs.
13. Elk Grove (5-2)
Division: II
Result: Beat Laguna Creek, 38-31
Next: Friday at Sheldon
Update: The Thundering Herd have won five consecutive games and will soon face Monterey Trail for the Delta crown. The “Hammerheads” offensive line led the way for the ground game that rushed 41 times and averaged nearly seven yards a carry.
14. Destiny Christian (4-3)
Division: III
Result: Beat Kennedy, 64-0
Next: Friday at Cordova
Update: QB Dallas Munn has a nice passing touch, and he can rumble over defenders, including rushing for 79 yards and two scores last week. The Lions competed against Grant in Metro League play and nearly beat West Park.
15. Sacramento (5-2)
Division: IV
Result: Lost to Vanden, 21-14
Next: Saturday vs. Vacaville
Update: The Dragons are in the meat of their Monticello Empire League schedule, having suffered a two-point setback to a Rodriguez of Fairfield team that is 8-0 and falling to a Vanden program that has won championships since the 1960s. Vacaville has won titles since the 1940s.
16. Vacaville (4-3)
Division: II
Result: Bye
Next: Saturday at Sacramento
Update: The Bulldogs need a win this week to remain in the MEL title race. The losses are to Granite Bay, Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa and Rodriguez, teams that are a combined 20-1.
17. Woodcreek (3-4)
Division: III
Result: Lost to Vista del Lago, 28-24
Next: Friday at Inderkum
Update: The hard-luck Timberwolves are a few bounces away from a much better record, losing to Sacramento 21-14, West Park 29-21, and in CVC play, to Christian Brothers 21-14 and Vista del Lago.
18. Yuba City (5-2)
Division: IV
Result: Beat River Valley, 27-6
Next: Friday vs. Del Campo
Update: The Honkers have a quality 29-28 win over Roseville in CVC play and quality nonleague setbacks of 22-12 to Northern Section top-ranked Pleasant Valley of Chico and to Twelve Bridges.
19. Roseville (5-2)
Division: IV
Result: Beat Del Campo 38-20
Next: Friday vs. Nevada Union
Update: In CVC action, QB Mason Susnara fired three more TDs, Grahm Dahle rushed for 107 yards and Kaiden Pedone scored eight points with his kicking leg.
20. Bradshaw Christian (7-0)
Division: VI
Result: Beat Bradshaw Christian, 35-0
Next: Friday at Liberty Ranch
Update: The Sierra Valley Conference championship will go to the Pride, unless the wheels suddenly fall off. Nathan Zeppieri rushed for 107 yards and three scores and Brandon Burden went for 106 and a TD. Sam Danilyuk was in on 21 tackles.
21. Casa Roble (4-3)
Division: V
Result: Beat Natomas, 38-0
Next: Friday vs. Dixon
Update: The Rams can pass, but they can also grind teams away on the ground, including last week in rushing 21 times for 297 yards with Braylen Blevins going for 151 yards and two scores. Casa Roble is unbeaten in the Golden Empire League.
22. Sutter (7-1)
Division: V
Result: Beat Rio Linda, 51-16
Next: Friday vs. Natomas
Update: Braden Scritchfield completed 9 of 11 passes for 175 yards and four TDs, two to Reeve Rowland, and Justice White had two sacks to keep the Huskies unbeaten in the GEL.
23. Woodland Christian (6-1)
Division: VI
Result: Beat Escalon, 28-0
Next: Friday at Rio Vista
Update: The Cardinals scheduled nine-time section champion Escalon of San Joaquin County for a nonleague contest and impressed in their effort to repeat as a CIF State small-school champion.
No. 24 Wheatland (7-0)
Division: VI
Result: Beat Mira Loma, 49-0
Next: Friday at Marysville
Update: The Pirates seek the Pioneer Valley League crown with another showdown looming. The defense has allowed eight or fewer points in five games.
25. Vista del Lago (3-5)
Division: III
Result: Beat Woodcreek, 28-24
Next: Oct. 25 vs. Ponderosa
Update: The Eagles of Folsom are back in the rankings after the inspired effort over Woodcreek, including a 95-yard kickoff return score by Willie Greene, and QB Grant Rogers led a 96-yard scoring drive. Among the tough losses: by two to Bradshaw Christian and by eight to Christian Brothers in CVC play.
This story was originally published October 14, 2024 at 10:49 AM.