Pick the Preps: Coaching pals meet in Sacramento-area D-I high school football playoffs
What are the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs without a feel-good story?
We have one for you: The Armijo Royals of Fairfield bound into the Division III bracket this week, heading to Roseville to take on the Woodcreek Timberwolves, with all sorts of firsts on the line.
This is the Solano County school’s first playoff team — ever. The postseason started in this section in 1972, and for all the athletes to march through those Armijo hallways, including some who reached the NFL, none enjoyed a game past the regular season.
Armijo opened in 1893, housing 30 or so students in wooden buildings in the early days. The school’s mascot of Indians was changed in 2020 to the current Royals.
Then there’s the ageless, charismatic and wonderful Frank Negri, the 90-year-old assistant coach for Woodcreek who won more than 200 games as a head coach, mostly at Foothill, where he started that football program in 1965. Ask him how he’s doing, and Negri often responds with, “Well, I’m above ground.”
▪ Speaking of old and older, of our Pick the Preps roundtable, the senior member is Scott Tedmon, the one-time championship basketball coach who suddenly has become an expert in projecting football games. He finished a badly beaten last in this prep-projection race a year ago, and now he leads the pack. He’s had his senior moments all season.
I won the prep picks competition last season but have shown my age this season in lagging last, either concussed or clueless. The young bucks on this panel are Bee freelancer Nick Pecoraro, the host of highlight-heavy “Premier Preps,” and Matthew Bessette of ABC JAM Productions, whose crew broadcasts games near and far on the streaming NFHS Network.
Division I
No. 12-seeded Pleasant Grove (6-4) at No. 5 Granite Bay (7-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: Can Pleasant Grove pull a stunner? Well, this is football, and when teenagers play football, anything goes. PG has to get its offense rolling behind QB Cole Davis, and the defense has to somehow negate hard-charging RB Isaiah Ene and steady QB Nick Harris, whose targets include Joseph Cattolico. The coaches are great friends, Joe Cattolico of Granite Bay and Josh Crabtree of Pleasant Grove. The home coach wins it and owes his pal an extra round of brews, 35-21.
MatthewB: Both teams have receivers capable of making big plays especially Jacob Beals for the PG Eagles and Darnell Turner Jr. for the Grizzlies. Granite Bay is just too tough in this one, 27-20.
NickP: Coach Cattolico led Pleasant Grove to its lone section title in 2010 when he coached there and coincidentally lost to the Grizzlies program in the 2011 finals. PG had some nice wins toward the end of the season, but Cattolico’s Grizzlies take this one, 34-21.
CoachT: Pleasant Grove had its hands full last week dealing with Laguna Creek’s superback Armon Thorntona, and now here comes the human bruise in Isaiah Ene. Both teams are superbly coached with quality QBs, but the Grizzlies’ physicality will be the difference. GB grinds out the win, 24-21.
Division II
No. 9-seeded Kimball (7-3) at No. 8 Elk Grove 6-4)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: Elk Grove’s 50-yard field goal attempt against Monterey Trail last week on the final play after scoring with 13 seconds left and then recovering an onside kick just missed. Talk about varying emotions. Do the Thundering Herd come out fired up or deflated? Senior QB David Hale and Washington State-bound DE Lucan Amituanai aren’t ready to turn in their gear. EG wins, 28-21.
MatthewB: Elk Grove enters the playoffs having lost its last two games after winning their previous six. Alphonso Moore Jr. has been fantastic for the Herd, and he will key to Elk Grove earning at least one more game, 35-20.
NickP: Neither team throws the ball much. Hale and Alphonso Moore Jr. lead the charge for the Herd on the ground while Jermaine Nance and his 1,429 rushing yards drives the Jaguars. Kimball is battled tested out of the Tri-City League with Stockton heavies St. Mary’s, Lincoln and Edison, but Elk Grove has enough to move on, 19-17.
CoachT: If ever there was a loss that actually gives a team momentum heading into the playoffs, it was EG’s monster effort against MT. The Herd got a wake up call two weeks ago against PG and the alarm bell is still ringing in their collective heads. All “Hale” Elk Grove as the Herd prevails 31-17.
Division III
No. 9-seeded Armijo (6-4) at No. 8 Woodcreek (4-6)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: The visiting Royals went 5-1 in the Greater Sacramento League, a race that included Johnson, Fairfield, Foothill and Burbank. Woodcreek is battle-tested with Bee-ranked losses to Sacramento (21-14), West Park (29-21), Christian Brothers (21-14) and Roseville (31-6). Do-all senior star Brody Krupp leads the way in a 35-14 triumph.
MatthewB: This Armijo team is such a great story and this week is a huge part of school history. This is a young Woodcreek team with sophomores like Trace Murchison making big time contributions. The Timberwolves spoil the Armijo story, 24-20.
NickP: Congrats to Armijo for its first-ever section playoff berth. I’ll be there for a Bee recap and Premier Preps highlights. Woodcreek’s 4-6 record might be a bit deceiving as four of those losses came against teams that earned a first-round bye. I anticipate this game being tight til the end with Woodcreek winning, 26-20.
CoachT: Shout out to Armijo for making the playoffs. However, it will be a short story for the Royals. Woodcreek is tested, tough and they have Krupp. Timberwolves take care of business, 34-21.
Division IV
No. 11-seeded Del Campo (5-5) at No. 6 Sacramento (7-3)
When: Saturday, 1 p.m.
JoeD: The only Saturday game of the opening week should be a treat, played on natural grass, and don’t forget your lawn chairs as the venue does not have much in terms of bleacher seating. The host Dragons have speed and a terrific RB in Darius Moore. Del Campo is led by Bryce Smith, averaging 83 yards rushing a game, steady QB Angel Reyna, and leading tackler Brice Dent. The faster Dragons prevail, 28-27.
MatthewB: Del Campo is battle tested coming out of the loaded FVL. Sacramento sophomore Robert Hamel makes plays on both sides of the ball as one of the leading receivers, and he has five interceptions. The Dragons move on, 35-27.
NickP: Del Campo is looking for its first playoff win since 2017. The Dragons got one last year and have the talent to pull off a win — or two — in this year’s postseason. Sac High freshman Cordell Radcliffe is averaging nearly 115 rushing yards over his last three games. Sac High, 31-28.
CoachT: The Cougars came roaring out of the gate going 4-0 but it’s been tough sledding since. Sac has talent and speed all over the field. Imagine the Dragons playing on a home field with new artificial turf. Any renovation in Oak Park needs to get done and soon. For now, DC’s bounce-back season ends as Sacramento wins, 38-28.
Division VI
No. 11-seeded Calaveras (8-2) at No. 6 Wheatland (9-1)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: How’s this for an old-school clash? Calaveras opened in San Andreas in 1905, and, some two hours away, or two days away by horse and buggy back then, Wheatland opened in 1907. What does any of this have to do with a football game? Nothing. We dig cool data. We also dig the rise of Wheatland, from zero wins in 2022 to three last season to this banner campaign, all of it under tireless coach, Andy Fatten. Wheatland squeezes out a 21-20 win.
MatthewB: Calaveras has to make one of the longest road trips of the first round of the playoffs at 85 miles. Wheatland’s Konley Cova has lived in opposing backfields this year with 13 sacks and 23 tackles for loss. The Pirates live to play another week, 17-13.
NickP: The Calaveras community has mourned the loss of beloved teacher and basketball coach Kraig Clifton, who died in September after a nine-year battle with pancreatic cancer. The Red Hawks football team appears to have played inspired, winning three of its last four games since. Both teams have a great feel-good story, but I’ll go with Wheatland, 33-31.
CoachT: I vaguely remember taking the arduous, bumpy, dusty road trip to Wheatland by horse and buggy as a kid. How’s that for a senior moment? For the Pirates, the entire season has been one big moment. Coach Fatten is on the short list for Coach of the Year for his remarkable job. The big moment continues as the Pirates swashbuckle their way to the win, 38-21.
No. 9-seeded Bear River (8-2) at No. 8 Ripon Christian (4-6)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: The Bruins of Grass Valley/Lake of the Pines are miffed that they have to travel to a team that placed seventh in the Trans Valley League. The TVL league was rated much higher by the playoff selection committee with heavies Hughson, Sonora and Escalon than BR’s wildly competitive Pioneer Valley League. Both teams are led by superb coaches, Bear River’s Tanner Mathias and Ripon Christian’s Phil Grams, who has section championship pedigree. BR makes it a road trip to remember, 21-20.
MatthewB: Lincoln Williams and Elijah Hickman provide a potent 1-2 punch for Bear River’s run game. Ripon Christian backed into the playoffs, losing their last 3 games, but edges Bear River, 31-30.
NickP: Ripon Christian was bumped up to D-VI after two straight trips to the section finals at the D-VII level, winning it all in 2022. Despite a 2-5 mark in the ultra-competitive TVL, the Knights are not to be underestimated, and they hold down their home field, 27-24.
CoachT: Ripon Christian beware. A miffed Bruin is a dangerous Bruin. This is a great 8-9 seedings matchup that will be settled in the last two minutes. RC will borrow a page from its tradition-rich basketball program and with an assist from Steph Curry they say “Knight, Knight” to Bear River, winning 28-27.
Season totals
JoeD: 40-21
MatthewB: 45-16
NickP: 45-16
CoachT: 47-14