CIF football playoffs: Folsom, Rocklin, Twelve Bridges, Bradshaw Christian earn top seeds
Crunching a mound of data that includes strength of schedule, head-to-head match-ups and factoring in computer formulas, the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section office on Sunday afternoon released its football playoff brackets.
An eight-person committee of active section staffers along with retired section coaches and athletic administrators seeded 84 teams spread over seven divisions. Those teams march into the postseason with visions of a championship or of staging upsets as a spoiler underdog.
Folsom earned the top seed in Division I, the largest-enrollment division, as the Bulldogs seek a championship four-peat. Oak Ridge, also a member of the Sierra Foothill League, is the No. 2 seed and seeks a third successive finals showdown with Folsom, a longtime rival.
Rocklin, also of the SFL, is the top seed in D-II, and the Thunder is seeking a repeat championship. St. Mary’s of Stockton is the No. 2 seed, and Grant, the section D-III champion in 2021 and 2022, is the third seed in this bracket, moved up because of the section’s “sustained success” model.
In Division III, Oakdale of the Valley Oak League is the top seed, and fast-rising West Park of Roseville is the No. 2 seed. Vanden of Solano County is the third seed, and Christian Brothers is the No. 4 seed, making for another deep bracket.
In Division IV, Twelve Bridges with its second senior class as a new school in Placer County, is the top seed, opposite No. 2 Patterson from the southern part of the section. Roseville is the No. 3 seed, earning that over No. 4 Placer based on a head-to-head victory in a Foothill Valley League contest.
In Division V, Hughson is the top seed, opposite of Sutter. Lathrop is seeded third, and Union Mine of El Dorado is fourth. Defending champion Casa Roble is the No. 5 seed.
In Division VI, 10-0 Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento is the top seed, opposite of Woodland Christian, a defending section, Northern California and CIF state champion whose only loss this season was an opener at Bradshaw Christian.
Folsom is a heavy favorite in D-I, but coach Paul Doherty speaks for all top seeds in being mindful of opponents.
“We don’t take anything for granted, but we will be ready,” the coach said. “I think we have a chance to be pretty good here the next few weeks.”
Casa Roble coach Chris Horner is also a defending champion with visions of a repeat, taking D-V last season. The Rams of Orangevale have battled injuries amid a stout nonleague schedule but loom as a threat.
“Through the ups and downs that we’ve been through as as a team, we are very fortunate to be in the postion we find ourselves in,” Horner said. “The boys are excited and looking forward to the challenge.”
All games kick off at 7 p.m. Friday unless noted.
Division I
No, 9 Edison at No. 8 Downey
No. 12 Pleasant Grove at No. 5 Granite Bay
No. 11 Laguna Creek at No. 6 Turlock
No. 10 Lincoln-Stockton at No. 7 Monterey Trail
Byes: No. 1 Folsom, No. 2 Oak Ridge, No. 3 Central Catholic, No. 4 Inderkum
Comment: Can anyone unseat Folsom? Well, technically, yes. But will it happen is the question. Oak Ridge pushed Folsom to the brink in each of the past two section finals and gave Folsom its toughest game in the SFL this season. Inderkum gave Folsom a scare in the D-I semifinals last season, and Monterey Trail’s formula of long, sustained scoring drives and time of possession led to a semifinal stunner in 2019. Ancient history, yes, but it remains noteworthy.
Division II
No. 9 Kimball at No. 8 Elk Grove
No. 12 Chavez at No. 5 Rodriguez
No. 11 Lodi at No. 6 Jesuit
No. 10 Atwater at No. 7 Vacaville
Byes: No. 1 Rocklin, No. 2 St. Mary’s, No. 3 Grant, No. 4 Manteca
Comment: An excellent bracket with three clear favorites in the top three seeds. Manteca is an eight-time section champion and remains a power running team. A Grant-Jesuit second-round game would be a dandy, a flashback to epic showdowns in decades past. Vacaville is a storied, superbly coached program, as is St. Mary’s.
Division III
No. 9 Armijo at No. 8 Woodcreek
No. 12 Ponderosa at No. 5 Destiny Christian
No. 11 Johansen at No. 6 Vista del Lago
No. 10 Rio Americano at No. 7 Merced
Byes: No. 1 Oakdale, No. 2 West Park, No. 3 Vanden, No. 4 Christian Brothers
Comment: Oakdale has won stacks of blue section banners, West Park seeks its first, Vanden another, and Christian Brothers its first since taking D-I honors in 1981 and 1983. The dark horse is Destiny Christian Academy, the former Capital Christian, that had tough losses in Metro League play to West Park and Grant.
Division IV
No. 9 Sierra at No. 8 Yuba City
No. 12 Fairfield at No. 5 Escalon
No. 11 Del Campo at No. 6 Sacramento, Saturday, 1 p.m.
No. 10 East Union at No. 7 Nevada Union
Byes: No. 1 Twelve Bridges, No. 2 Patterson, No. 3 Roseville, No. 4 Placer
Comment: The clear favorite are the new kids on the block in the Raging Rhinos of Lincoln, the top seed after losing on the final play in the D-V finals last season. Running back Braeden Ward has been terrific for 12B. Roseville and Placer are battle-tested and capable of reaching the finals, and a dark horse is Sacramento High.
Division V
No. 9 Lincoln at No. 8 El Dorado
No. 12 Foothill at No. 5 Casa Roble
No. 11 Livingston at No. 6 Hilmar
No. 10 Dixon at No. 7 Oakmont
Byes: No. 1 Hughson, No. 2 Sutter, No. 3 Lathrop, No. 4 Union Mine
Comment: The small-school brackets are again stacked, a credit to programs that never seem to decline. Casa Roble is talented enough to reach the finals, but the Rams have to shore up their defense. Sutter has one loss, an early contest at Bradshaw Christian on the final play.
Division VI
No. 9 Bear River at No. 8 Ripon Christian
No. 12 Delhi at No. 5 Orestimba
No. 11 Calaveras at No. 6 Wheatland
No. 10 Ripon at No. 7 Liberty Ranch
Byes: No. 1 Bradshaw Christian, No. 2 Woodland Christian, No. 3 Sonora, No. 4 Linden
Comment: Bradshaw Christian is the heavy favorite and runs, runs, runs, and the Pride play superb defense as they seek their sixth banner for founding program coach Drew Rickert, whose quarterback son, Ethan Rickert, is a four-year varsity starter and one of the great athletes in school history. Woodland Christian-Bradshaw would make for a superb final.
Division VII
No. 9 Golden Sierra at No. 8 Gustine
No. 12 Valley Christian at No. 5 Big Valley Christian
No. 11 Esparto at No. 6 Rio Vista
No. 10 Delta at No. 7 Denair
Byes: No. 1 Summerville, No. 2 Stone Ridge Christian, No. 3 Elite, No. 4 Waterford
Comment: More small-school excellence, heavy on the area code 209 programs, and the winner will have earned it with the amount of talent and travel.
▪ The Division II, IV and VI section finals will be held at Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium on Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving.
Hughes Stadium will host Division I, III and V on Nov. 30. The D-VII title game will be held at St. Mary’s High in Stockton on Nov. 30.▪
This story was originally published November 3, 2024 at 1:40 PM.