Bee’s Best: Who are top returning high school quarterbacks in Sacramento area?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Sacramento-area quarterbacks return with standout stats and playoff aspirations.
- BYU commit Ryder Lyons of Folsom leads the group after 3,011 yards and 46 touchdowns in 2024.
- Rising stars like Slone, Lopez and Hunt generate college interest and big numbers.
This isn’t rocket science, trying to figure out what is mandatory to succeed in high school football.
Since forever, teams have to be able to block and tackle, and a championship contender needs a quarterback. A quarterback who can lead the charge, who can pass and run, who can withstand the pressure of a pass rush and all manner of expectations.
The Sacramento-area prep football scene will return another bevy or talented signal callers for the 2025 season that kicks off Aug. 22-23.
Here’s a peek at some of the top returning quarterbacks.
Ryder Lyons, Folsom Bulldogs
Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 235 pounds
Sizing him up: A two-time Bee Player of the Year, either as overall top player or Offensive Player of the Year, the BYU-bound Lyons is already one of this region’s all-time greats. He lives to compete, can make all the throws, enjoys running the ball and loves contact. He passed for 3,011 yards and 46 touchdowns in 2024 and rushed for 586 and 14 in guiding the program to its fourth consecutive CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I crown.
Lyons is still stinging from a CIF Northern California title loss at Pittsburg a year after engineering a late drive to win a CIF State crown.
Reeve Slone, Rocklin Thunder
Height/weight: 6-2, 170
Sizing him up: A three-year starter this fall, Slone seized the job as a wide-eyed sophomore and has backed up the confidence that coaches placed on him, nearly leading Rocklin to the section Division II crown last season before suffering a last-second loss to Grant.
Cool and calm in the heat of pressure, Slone passed for 2,085 yards and 21 touchdowns last season after tossing 22 scoring passes in 2023. He continues to generate recruiting interest.
Aidan Lopez, Casa Roble Rams
Height/weight: 6-2, 180
Sizing him up: Blessed with a strong arm and a feel for the game, Lopez passed for 2,707 yards and 31 touchdowns for a playoff team in 2023.
Lopez got off to a slow start last fall in figuring out teammates and schemes and then settled in nicely, and here come the Rams of Orangevale with visions of another section championship run.
Jaden Jackson, West Park Panthers
Height/weight: 6-3, 200
Sizing him up: A third-year varsity starter for the Panthers of Roseville, JJ passed for 2,142 yards and 24 scores in 2024 after going for 2,467 and 29 in 2023, and his finger prints have been all over the program’s swift rise as a contender.
JJ has rushed for 498 yards in two seasons with eight scores, and he knows he will have to be even better this fall as teams will aim to stall him or tackle him.
Ryder Trantham, Rio Americano Raiders
Height/weight: 6-1, 200
Sizing him up: After missing most all of the 2024 season with a knee injury, Trantham is back and ready to lead another playoff team.
He can throw deep with touch, and he embraces the chance to bounce back and compete.
Mason Susnara, Roseville Tigers
Height/weight: 6-1, 195
Sizing him up: A three-year starter, Susnara has already passed for 3,580 career yards and 38 scores for a team big on offensive balance.
The aim is for more scoring tosses, a league-championship chase and deep playoff run.
Brendan Jackson, Vacaville Bulldogs
Height/weight: 6-2, 200
Sizing him up: BJ passed for 1,801 yards and rushed for 315 and a score for a program used to competing for the Monticello Empire League championship and reaching the section playoffs.
He provides the balance for a program big on the run game.
Lane Brown, Winters Warriors
Height/weight: 6-3, 195
Sizing him up: In the decades-long run of small-school football excellence of this Yolo County program, no quarterback has terrorized defenses quite like Brown. In guiding the Warriors of the CIF Northern Section to a 12-1 as a first-time starting quarterback, Brown threw for 1,996 yards and 18 touchdowns on 73-percent passing, and he rushed for 919 and 12 scores.
He can also play multiple positions on defense.
Joey Melendez, Woodcreek Timberwolves
Height/weight: 6-2, 195
Sizing him up: A third-year varsity player, Melendez in nine games last season passed for 517 yards and five scores and rushed for 524 and eight for another playoff team.
With new coaches and a lot of new teammates, the burden is his to carry tradition, a challenge that he invites.
Isaiah Hunt, Woodland Christian Cardinals
Height/weight: 6-0, 190
Sizing him up: A dual-threat star for the small-school powerhouse in Yolo County, Hunt has defenses hunting him, knowing they have to slow him down.
A three-year starter this fall, Hunt passed for 2,330 yards and 28 touchdowns last season, and he has rushed for 564 varsity yards and six scores.
Teddy Rios, Jesuit Marauders
Height/weight: 6-2, 175
Sizing him up: As a junior in 2024, Teddy Ballgame passed for 1,331 yards and 10 scores and rushed for three touchdowns for a playoff team and a program that has had talented quarterbacks for decades.
He’s capable of raising those totals significantly for a program that lives to run the ball.
Carson Floyd, Whitney Wildcats
Height/weight: 6-1, 175
Sizing him up: A two-way player, Floyd passed for 1,562 yards and nine scores and rushed for four more.
His aim matches that of the team: survive the gauntlet that is the Sierra Foothill League and return to the playoffs.
Lamar James-Radcliffe, Sacramento Dragons
Height/weight: 5-11, 175
Sizing him up: He comes from good family genes with brothers who starred with the Dragons before him, and here he comes for more.
James-Radcliffe passed for 2,064 yards and 30 touchdowns last season and rushed for 272 and three for a playoff team.
Deakon Holden, Christian Brothers Falcons
Height/weight: 6-2, 165
Sizing him up: A fourth-year starter this fall, The Deak has passed for 3,003 career yards and 44 touchdowns, overcoming jitters early and injuries last season to maintain a level of calm and leadership.
The program has never had a four-year varsity starting quarterback.
Walter Lewis, Highlands Scots
Height/weight: 5-11, 170
Sizing him up: A fourth-year starter for the small-school program with tradition dating back to the 1980s, Lewis last season passed for 1,356 yards and 18 TDs and rushed for 1,093 and nine.
All of that makes him one of the region’s top dual-threat achievers.
Braden Scritchfield, Sutter Huskies
Height/weight: 6-1, 175
Sizing him up: There’s no BS to his game, just results, as Scritchfield passed for 1,094 yards and 15 TDs last season.
He rushed for 623 and eight more scores for the storied, small-school powerhouse.
Eli Duff, Lincoln Zebras
Height/weight: 6-3, 200
Sizing him up: Duff endured a lean season along with his gritty teammates in 2023 when the Zebras finished 1-9. The bounce-back campaign was proof of perseverance, a 7-4 showing and a return to the playoffs.
Duff passed for 1,419 yards and 14 TDs and rushed for five scores in 2024 in showing that he belonged on the varsity stage.
Emmett Medders, Rio Vista Rams
Height/weight: 6-0, 160
Sizing him up: A third-year starter for the small-school program nestled on the Sacramento River, Medders passed for 931 yards and 10 scores and rushed for 1,150 and 11 in 2024 with visions of upping those totals for another playoff team in 2025.
Coleton Shipley, Dixon Rams
Height/weight: 5-11, 175
Sizing him up: The Ship passed for 1,726 yards and 13 touchdowns for a team big on offensive balance.
The goal in Solano County is to guide the Rams to their 15th playoff showing in 16 seasons.
Chase Parkinson, Delta Saints
Height/weight: 6-2, 195
Sizing him up: In just nine games, Parkinson passed for 2,114 yards and 25 touchdowns to power the storied, small-school Saints of Clarksburg on the Sacramento River.
He could double those yards as Delta drops down to 8-man football, where passers generally flourish.
This story was originally published August 6, 2025 at 5:00 AM.