Pick the Preps: Grant-Rocklin, Folsom-Oak Ridge and small schools play for CIF blue banners
In a mad dash to the finish, the finals are here.
The football season started in the blistering heat of July with workouts, which merged into August scrimmages and season openers and spilled into fall league contests. The season finally included fall weather in a regular-season finale with rain, and it felt like winter had arrived last week in playoff semifinals.
On Friday and Saturday, Sacramento City College’s famed Hughes Stadium will house the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championships for Divisions I-VI with the D-VII finals set for St. Mary’s High School in Stockton. The forecast shows clear skies with a high pressure ridge of expectations, hopes and dreams.
The No. 1 seeds held up in all seven divisions — Folsom in large-school D-I, Rocklin in D-II, Oakdale in D-III, Twelve Bridges in D-IV, Hughson in D-V, Bradshaw Christian in D-VI and Summerville in the smallest-enrollment D-VII.
The unbeaten teams left are Twelve Bridges of Lincoln, the Hughson Huskies of Stanislaus County and Bradshaw Christian of south Sacramento. Each sport a 12-0 record. Hughson seeks its third section championship in a row, and Twelve Bridges and Bradshaw Christian are motivated by crushing, last-minute losses in last season’s section finals at Hughes Stadium.
Folsom seeks a section four-peat under coach Paul Doherty, Hughson seeks its seventh section crown, Bradshaw Christian its sixth under coach Drew Rickert and Twelve Bridges its first with just its second senior class as a rising-fast program in Placer County.
Grant seeks a section championship three-peat under coaches Carl Reed and Syd Thompson, having won D-III honors in 2022 and 2023. Rocklin aims for a section repeat in D-II under coach Jason Adams, and Oak Ridge covets its second D-I crown since 2019 and first win over Folsom since 2006, a streak of 22 straight games that have gone to the Bulldogs.
In short, championship weekend will not disappoint. All of the games will be streamed live through the NFHS Network and ABC JAM Productions with play-by-play man Matthew Bessette. He will be joined for some of the action by color voice Scott Tedmon, and championship highlights will be aired on “Premier Preps” on YouTube with Nick Pecoraro, who covers games for The Sacramento Bee and aims to win this season’s Pick the Preps roundtable.
Pecoraro trails Bessette and Tedmon by one in total Pick the Prep victories. I am running a badly beaten last, but didn’t realize we were supposed to take these things seriously until it was too late.
Division I
Folsom (11-1) vs. Oak Ridge (8-4)
When: Saturday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: If Oak Ridge halts an 18-year, 22-game losing streak to rival Folsom, it will mean one of the great upset efforts in section history. It can be done if Oak Ridge can pass protect for Joaquin Graves-Mercado, if the Trojans can get the ball to Alabama-bound tight end Kaleb Edwards and if they can get All-Purpose star Jasen Womack in open space to create and cruise. Folsom QB Ryder Lyons has accounted for five touchdowns in his last three Oak Ridge showdowns, and the Bulldogs have played stellar defense this season, including a 45-0 effort last week over an Inderkum team that was averaging 40 points. Folsom in another slugfest finale, 28-24.
MatthewB: Both teams regularly dominate the trenches which is key to their success. Oak Ridge’s Javon Joseph and Folsom’s Lua DeBerry are key contributors up front and will still be playing high school ball next year. Folsom gets it done in another classic, 31-28.
NickP: Oak Ridge has played stellar football against Folsom in their previous section championship matches with scores of 23-13 and 34-27. The Bulldogs have always found a way to win. I said at the beginning of the year that this might be Folsom’s most loaded team. I maintain that stance as the Bulldogs win, 35-23.
CoachT: Oak Ridge is healthy and hoping the third time’s a charm against the Bulldogs. The problem for the Trojans is Folsom has “The Franchise” in Lyons who makes every big play imaginable when needed. Bulldogs will be tested but win, 31-24
Division II
Rocklin (10-2) vs. Grant (9-3)
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
JoeD: A year ago, it made sense to pick Rocklin to beat Grant in the NorCal clash because Rocklin had a ton of seniors and Grant did not. Grant rolled. This time? Rocklin still has more seniors than Grant, but the Pacers are faster. Both lines are stout on offense and defense, and how San Diego State-bound rush end Jeremiah Tuiileila fares against Rocklin’s UCLA-bound tackle Garrison Blank is among the storylines. Grant in a great one, 21-20.
MatthewB: Nobody outside of the Manteca and St. Mary’s fan base is upset about getting to see this matchup. Brandon Lambert is new to the Pacers this season but has fit right in. Rocklin is elated to have the versatile Mavrik Collins back from injury as he notched three touchdowns against Manteca. The Thunder escape with the win, 35-34.
NickP: There will be star power all over the field to highlight Friday night’s main event: Grant’s Luke Alexander and Rocklin’s Reeve Slone at QB, the RB tandems of Derek Keeley and Rafi Merino for the Thunder and Lambert and Leon Martin for the Pacers, and pass catchers Mikey Cunningham and Zo Edwards. This has my vote for game of the weekend. Rocklin, 24-21.
CoachT: This is a post-Thanksgiving pigskin feast with two terrific teams. It will be fast and furious for four quarters with a Hollywood ending as Grant’s sensational sophomore Koby Shabazz hauls in the cheese late for the game winner. Pacers prevail 28-27.
Division IV
Twelve Bridges (12-0) vs. Patterson (7-5)
When: Friday, 3 p.m.
JoeD: This has been some season for the Raging Rhinos, roaring along unbeaten with 18 new starters after going 12-1 with their first senior class in 2023. It’s a remarkable coaching job by the spirited and fun Chris Bean, who will again look to unleash top rusher Braeden Ward, who has rushed for 2,151 yards and 32 touchdowns. Patterson is battle tested, but Bridges is too good here, 35-28.
MatthewB: Two teams looking to redeem championship losses by a single point a year ago. Each team is capable of putting up points in bunches. Ryan Wanger is a senior leader for the Rhinos who tackles everything in sight. Twelve Bridges continues the remarkable run, 45-35.
NickP: Both these teams suffered heartbreaking losses in the section finals last year. Patterson plays in the stout Valley Oak League with the likes of Manteca, Central Catholic and Oakdale. QB Max Medina and WR Noah Cozart headline the offense while Tresor Mulumba anchors the defense. The Tigers will make this one closer than many people think, but the Rhinos rage toward their first blue banner, 48-42.
CoachT: In my many decades of following high school football, I have never seen anything close to what Coach Bean and company have put together in such a short time. And speaking of time, it is Twelve Bridges’ time. Rhinos rage for 48 minutes and rolls, 38-17.
Division V
Hughson (12-0) vs. Sutter (11-1)
When: Saturday, 11 a.m.
JoeD: What a showdown of accomplished programs. Hughson has six section crowns and seeks a section three-peat, and Sutter seeks its first banner in this section after hoisting 13 of them in the Northern Section. Both teams hit and both teams can run the ball to control tempo. Sutter is led by leading rusher Marcus Meras, who has 20 scores, and leading tackler Mason Cartwright and leading sack master Troy Bowens. Sutter prevails, 17-16.
MatthewB: This game features two teams whose offenses are polar opposites but will smack you on defense. Sutter QB Braden Scritchfield is incredibly efficient with 14 touchdowns and no interceptions. This is Hughson’s year, 27-24.
NickP: Hughson’s attack begins with Arizona-bound QB Robert McDaniel, who’s already led the 209 Huskies to back-to-back banners. Hughson also proved it can play from behind, rallying for 27 straight points to stun Bradshaw Christian in last year’s final. Hughson takes the three-peat, 33-22.
CoachT: In the Battle of Huskies, Sutter and Hughson will pound on each other but the difference is the pocket-passing brilliance of Hughson’s McDaniel who can spin it with the best of them. This one will be higher scoring than expected with Hughson hanging another banner, defeating Sutter 28-24.
Division VI
Bradshaw Christian (12-0) vs. Sonora (10-2)
When: Friday, 11 a.m.
JoeD: BC coach Drew Rickert said earlier this week that this game may last just 20 minutes since both teams live to run the ball. BC has rushed for 4,007 yards and 61 touchdowns, averaging nearly 340 yards a game, and Ethan Rickert can pass, having fired 18 TD passes and engineering a last-minute, 99-yard drive to beat Sutter early this season. BC wins, 21-17.
MatthewB: With the potent rushing attacks of both teams, this should be the shortest game of all. RB/LB Mateo Mojica is a ball of muscle for the Pride and an MVP candidate for the small schools in the area. BC wins with one of the most experienced rosters you will ever find, 35-28.
NickP: These two are among the top four rushing teams in the section. Cash Byington and Brody Speer are big-time playmakers for Sonora, which looks to avenge last year’s final-minute loss to the Pride in the semis. But Bradshaw suffered heartbreak in the finals, too, and is a team on a mission. BC wins 42-30.
CoachT: Bradshaw Christian hasn’t had a competitive game in nine weeks, outscoring opponents by an astounding 445-37. Sonora lost to Hughson 52-51 and then sent shockwaves throughout the section last week in shutting out Woodland Christian, 28-0. There will be no blowout here, but when the smoke clears, the Pride prevail, 27-24.
Season totals
MatthewB: 64-19
CoachT: 64-19
NickP: 63-20
JoeD: 56-27
For the NFHS livestream links for all title games through ABC JAM Productions, click here.