Here are the unbeaten — and winless — Sacramento-area schools on last week of regular season
For some, the unbeatens who are rolling, one finish line is fast approaching, the long struggle to make this a football season to remember with a perfect regular season within reach. The other finish line is the end of the postseason, which could be well into December for the fortunate few.
For others, the beleaguered and winless, the end cannot come soon enough. The walking wounded have had enough, but kudos to the teams that continue to practice and continue to play games out of pride.
The CIF Sac-Joaquin Section has four unbeaten teams seeking 10-0 records before the postseason starts on Nov. 8. They are: three-year old Twelve Bridges of Placer County, small-school powerhouse Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento, Rodriguez of Fairfield and small-school heavy Hughson of Stanislaus County in the southern part of the section.
That’s four unbeatens out of the 148 schools that play football in the 204-member section, the second largest of the 10 sections dotted across California. It’s not easy to win every single game. Important to know: Not all section schools field football teams, particularly the smallest-enrollment ones.
The section has nine winless teams with one final week to do something about it. Three hail from the San Juan Unified School District in Bella Vista, El Camino and San Juan. The others: Woodland of Yolo County, Modesto Christian, Bret Harte of Angels Camp, Bear Creek of Stockton, Buhach Colony of Atwater and Mountain House of San Joaquin County.
The Northern Section, which extends to the Oregon border, has 40 schools and one unbeaten outfit left in the 8-0 Winters Warriors of Yolo County. Winters is gloriously linked to winning, since the 1960s, and the Warriors have two regular-season games remaining before the start of the Northern Section playoffs.
That section has two winless teams in Oroville (0-8) and Willows (0-8), teams down on luck and with roster numbers. Willows forfeited its game last week to Winters due to low player numbers.
Oroville Tigers on record losing streak
Oroville has suffered. The Tigers of Butte County are mired in a 39-game losing streak, having scored six points in the last four games while surrendering 180, but they keep showing up.
The losing streak dates back to 2020, breaking the Northern Section record of 38 shared by Anderson of Shasta County, ending in 2004, and Central Valley Shasta Lake, ending in 2000. Central Valley also endured a 35-game skid that ended in 1991.
The Northern California record for consecutive losses, and the second longest in state history, is 48. The dubious dishonor is held by Bella Vista, a run that ended in 2021 under coach Jim Gray and his staff. The Broncos went 5-5 in 2022 and reached the playoffs in 2023, but lean times have returned.
The Broncos of Fair Oaks this season are 0-9, but they have been competitive, suffering losses of 14, 14, eight, seven, 15, 11 and 16 points.
McKinleyville of Humboldt County can speak of dreadful streaks. The Panthers have experienced two 31-game losing skids, the first in 1960s and again in the 1980s. The 1980s also included a 30-game skid by McKinleyville. The program is currently riding an 18-game skid after reaching the 2022 playoffs.
What about the 1-win teams?
No one aspires to win one or none games, certainly. Breaking down those eager for a good finish Friday and listing them in a ranking order:
Del Oro (1-8): The Golden Eagles of Loomis have been a decades-long powerhouse but down cycles happen. Del Oro hasn’t quit, and neither has passionate coach Josh Parry. Del Oro hasn’t lost its home-crowd vibe, as good as you’ll find anywhere in the state, and the program will bounce back.
Wood (1-8): The Vacaville school has produced playoff teams before, and the Wildcats showed grit against longtime power Vanden, falling 36-30 in overtime last week. Wood can rattle Vacaville with a rivalry win Friday.
Cosumnes Oaks (1-8): The Wolfpack of the Elk Grove Unified were Bee-ranked preseason but have suffered from the start, including popular coach Martin Billings missing the season with the horrible disease that is ALS. CO has the makings of a sleeping giant.
Rosemont (1-8): The Wolverines of the Sacramento City Unified are not used to this, having produced 11 playoff teams since 2008. Better days ahead.
Center (1-9): The Cougars of Antelope are not used to this either, having produced 12 playoff teams since 2010 under coach and proud alum Digol J’Beily. Injuries have thinned the roster to the point the school forfeited its final two games, last week to Wheatland and this week to Bear River. The roster is down to 13 players and just four able linemen. Center has the potential to roar back.
Davis (1-8): The Blue Devils are a powerhouse or competitive in all other sports but have taken a dip in football with low roster numbers. Davis will the next three seasons play an independent schedule and not in the bruising Sierra Foothill League, meaning it will not be tied to a league. The Blue Devils will not be playoff eligible as an independent. Davis can bounce back in football.
Galt (1-8): The Warriors were a power in the 1970s, ‘80s and a bit into the ‘90s, but they last fielded a winning season in 2005, the final season for famed coach Erv Hatzenbuhler in his second stint at the school. The win this season was an opener over Kennedy.
McClatchy (1-8): The oldest school in the Sac City Unified, the Lions have a 38-0 win over rival Kennedy. McClatchy let Metro League member Grant in the spring that it would not play the powerhouse Pacers, accepting a forfeit. The reason was the Lions did not feel that they had a team that could compete with the Pacers.
Kennedy (1-8): The Cougars of Greenhaven last won league championships in 1987 and 1990, and they last fielded a non-COVID season winning record in 2016 under coach Matt Costa, now at Del Campo. The enrollment is there to bounce back, but not with a constant turnover of coaches.
Foresthill (1-6): The Wildfires of Placer County went 8-2 in 2021 but have won just five games since. The same concerns for other similarly struggling programs: low roster numbers. The win was by forfeit from Encina.
▪ Encina of the San Juan Unified started the season 0-3 before pulling the plug due to low roster numbers. The plan is to resume football next season.
▪ Western Sierra Academy of Rocklin started the season 0-3 before ending its season because of low roster numbers, having endured an 0-10 campaign in 2023, a 1-9 mark in 2022 and an 0-8 season in 2021. The school plans to bring football back in 2025.
▪ Valley and Florin of the Elk Grove Unified did not field varsity teams this fall, the schools opening in 1977 and 1989, respectively, and ending seasons days before the first game, due to low roster numbers. Both schools vow to return football next season.
The thrill of victory
The longest losing streaks in Sac-Joaquin and Northern section history
48 — Bella Vista, 2015-21
42 — Riverbank, 2018-23
39 — Oroville, 2021-current
38 — Central Valley-Shasta Lake, 1996-2000
38 — Anderson, 2001-04
38 — Fairfield, 2018-23
36 — McClatchy, 2002-05
35 — Central Valley-Shasta Lake, 1987-1991
34 — Colfax, 1971-75
32 — Ione, 1964-68
32 — Natomas, 2010-13
32 — Live Oak, 2013-16
31 — Mira Loma, 2013-16
31 — McKinleyville, 1961-64
31 — McKinleyville, 1980-83
31 — Los Molinos, 1999-2003
31 — Herlong, 1999-2003
30 — McKinleyville, 1983-87
30 — Rio Linda, 1980-83
29 — Las Plumas, 2007-10
28 — Mira Loma, 2017-21
28 — Sacramento, 1982-85
28 — Kennedy, 2009-13
28 — Encina, 1987-90
28 — Encina, 2009-12
▪ Elk Creek suffered a 30-game losing streak from 1943-51 in 6-man football.
Research from Cal-Hi Sports, Sacramento Bee archives and Northern Section historian Kevin Askleland.