Bee’s Best: Breaking down the Sacramento area’s Top 25 prep football teams
In this era of ambitious scheduling for The Sacramento Bee’s highly ranked-football programs that are dotted across the greater Sacramento region, it’s important to respond.
That’s either responding after an emphatic opening-night victory to prove it wasn’t a one-off, or bouncing back from a crushing setback in a what-have-you-done-lately sport.
Top-ranked Folsom put itself on the state football map with its first of five CIF states championship in 2010, and then some more with a 2021 Northern California playoff win over nationally renown De La Salle. On Saturday in San Mateo, Folsom beat the best team in the NorCal heap from 2021, 2022 and 2023 with a 56-42 triumph to back up its Cal-Hi Sports NorCal No. 1 ranking.
Serra entered Saturday 3-0 against Folsom, all of the games in recent seasons, winning by a total of 13 points. The Bee does not drop teams by leaps and bounds when they fall to a powerhouse program, be it locally or out of section, which is why Oak Ridge and Granite Bay remained firm in their ranking spots despite setbacks.
Upset in Shingle Springs
And what’s a football season without a stunner of an upset?
That happened in Shingle Springs on Friday night when upstart Ponderosa stunned No. 11 Casa Roble 36-34, and the Bruins are The Bee’s Team of the Week winner.
Ponderosa coach Davy Johnson saw junior Colton Ridgley pass for four touchdowns, hitting Ben Bailey, Zealand Jenks, Chase Laczny and Weston Komulainen for one scoring strikes. Ponderosa sealed a wild game with a late safety to move to 2-0 for the first time since 2018. Komulainen caught the last touchdown that tied the game.
Ponderosa is ranked 20th this week and can climb substantially if the wins keep on coming, including games against Foothill and No. 5 Granite Bay with a Capital Valley Conference opener against No. 13 Woodcreek on Sept. 19.
1. Folsom (2-0)
The Bulldogs savored their effort over Serra on a hot day and an overflow crowd. Ryder Lyons was all-world again, overcoming a leg injury to pass for four touchdowns and run for three in amassing 449 yards of total offense. E.J. Coleman had an interception for a score to help seal it.
Next: at state-ranked Mission Viejo of Orange County, in what will have a CIF state championship feel.
2. Grant (1-1)
The Pacers recovered impressively from the Folsom loss to deck the top-ranked team in the Central Section in Central East, 42-26 in a game that wasn’t that close, using a business-like approach to show how good they can be and leaving coach Carl Reed to talk later about how “proud” he was. Shiren Crump passed for 361 yards and two touchdowns, Zo Edwards had 203 yards receiving, Koby Shabazz had 125 yards receiving, and Thorne Watson and Tyson Griffin Jr. combined to rush for 181 yards and four scores.
Next: at North Bay powerhouse Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa.
3. Oak Ridge (1-1)
After beating state-ranked Frontier of Bakersfield on the road, the road-warrior Trojans fell to San Diego County powerhouse Mission Hills 24-13 after leading 13-10 in the fourth quarter.
Next: vs. St. Mary’s-Stockton in another fierce test, on Sept. 12.
4. Rocklin (2-0)
The Thunder beat the No. 4-ranked team in Nevada, delivering a 28-23 conquest in Reno as Reeve Slone had three TD passes, two to Connor Bow. The defense tallied four sacks, and Malachi Kendall had 11 tackles.
Next: at Lincoln-Stockton, a team that scored 72 points in a triumphant opener and gave up 70 in a loss.
5. Granite Bay (1-1)
The Grizzlies lost to the No. 4-ranked team in the Bay Area, the storied Pittsburg Pirates, 42-36, and showed a lot of grit after trailing 28-7 at the half. Dominic Cattolico passed for 214 yards and two TDs, and Isaiah Ene rushed for 156 yards and three scores and caught a TD.
Next: at Vista del Lago.
6. Twelve Bridges (2-0)
The Raging Rhinos of Placer County outlasted the 10th-ranked team in Nevada with a 45-31 victory at Reed High of Sparks. The team rushed 47 times for 319 yards and five TDs, two by Bradley Kirby.
Next: the shortest road trip imaginable, a 1.4-mile trek to Whitney.
7. Monterey Trail (1-0)
The Mustangs of the Delta League did not play. The first-week win was 27-22 over Inderkum.
Next: vs. Amador Valley of Pleasanton, which played for a CIF State championship in 2024.
8. Inderkum (1-1)
After a tight, opening loss to Monterey Trail, the Tigers downed longtime North Coast Section powerhouse Marin Catholic, 21-20. Brody Cole had two TD passes, but the run game generated just 15 yards rushing. Indy held MC to 122 yards of offense.
Next: vs. Pleasant Valley of Chico, the No. 1-ranked team in the CIF Northern Section.
9. Roseville (2-0)
The Tigers enjoy playing fellow Roseville teams, including over their chief rival since 1966 in Oakmont, winning 34-14 behind strong offensive line play and a defense that allowed one first down in the first three quarters. Cole Takahashi rushed for 184 yards and two scores, and Colton Wolfe scored twice.
Next: vs. another Roseville team in upstart West Park.
10. Casa Roble (1-1)
What to do with the Rams? They impressed in a 46-30 opening effort over Placer and then suffered the setback at Ponderosa, despite rallying from a 28-7 deficit. Aidan Lopez had three TD passes. How do the Rams respond?
Next: vs. Bella Vista.
11. Placer (1-1)
Mercy, someone hand Shaun Jones another game ball. The stout senior rushed 31 times for 300 yards and five touchdowns and the Hillmen rushed for nearly 500 yards in beating an athletic Laguna Creek squad 49-34.
Next: vs. Del Oro in a regional rivalry that has kicked back into gear.
12. Del Oro (1-0)
The Golden Eagles did not play after opening with a 39-14 victory over Downy of Modesto, meaning all the more time to prepare for a Placer County rumble.
Next: at Placer in a series that dates back to the 1960s.
13. Woodcreek (2-0)
Following its inspired opening rout of Jesuit, the Timberwolves of Roseville beat Whitney, 37-20, as Josiah Melendez starred at quarterback in scoring three times in making up for lost time from a 2024 season that was cut short with a broken collarbone.
Next: vs. the old-guard Roseville Tigers, Sept. 12.
14. Jesuit (1-1)
Big Red bounced back from an opening loss to Woodcreek to roll rival Rio Americano, 35-0, lead 28-0 at the half. Teddy Rios had three scores, Brody Quinn had a pick-6, and the defense was nails.
Next: vs. decades-long Central Coast Section power Bellarmine of San Jose.
15. Whitney (1-1)
The Wildcats beat West Park in an opener and absorbed a 37-20 defeat from Woodcreek, though gritty quarterback Carson Floyd never slows down.
Next: vs. Twelve Bridges and a chance to prove who has the toughest team in the immediate neighborhood.
16. West Park (1-1)
The Panthers can play defense and they put the clamps on a Vacaville team that scored 64 in an opener, beating the Bulldogs 22-6. Declan Shindelbower rushed for 74 yards and two scores, and WP had four sacks and two interceptions and did not allow anyone to rush for more than 25 yards.
Next: at Roseville in an old-school, newer-school showdown.
17. Destiny Christian Academy (1-1)
Taking its disappointing opening loss at Linden to heart, DCA rolled Menlo-Atherton of the Bay Area, 41-7 as sophomore QB Ahmir Lassiter played like a senior.
Next: at ever-dangerous Yuba City.
18. Sutter (2-0)
The Huskies have trounced Argonaut and Fairfield by scores of 56-7 and 63-13. Against Fairfield, Sutter rushed 25 times for 405 yards and six TDs, three by QB Braden Scritchfield, who also tossed two TD passes.
Next: vs. a dangerous 0-2 Douglas of Nevada team.
19. Bradshaw Christian (2-0)
The Pride never cease to amaze. After graduating a host of leaders, here comes small-school BC delivering a resounding 50-28 triumph of Vista del Lago. BC rushed 52 times for 506 yards and seven scores, including 252 yards and two scores from Mason Pisarski and 159 and three scores from Devin Hatcher.
Next: Sept. 12 vs. Sutter in must-see, small-ball excellence.
20. Ponderosa (2-0)
The Bruins may have their best team since 2007, when they stunned Bee No. 1 Grant in the playoffs. Cole Pratt and Marshall Alvernaz both ran hard for a program ready to build from this.
Next: vs. Foothill.
The next 5
21. Sacramento (1-0)
22. Pleasant Grove (2-0)
23. Vacaville (0-2)
24. Vista del Lago (1-1)
25. Woodland Christian (1-1)
Bubble: Elk Grove (0-2), Franklin (2-0), Lincoln (2-0), Yuba City (2-0), Liberty Ranch (2-0).
The Bee’s Sac-Joaquin Section Top 15
1. Folsom (2-0)
2. Grant (1-1)
3. St. Mary’s-Stockton (2-0)
4. Oak Ridge (1-1)
5. Rocklin (2-0)
6. Manteca (2-0)
7. Granite Bay (1-1)
8. Twelve Bridges (2-0)
9. Monterey Trail (1-0)
10. Central Catholic-Modesto (0-2)
11. Turlock (1-1)
12. Inderkum (1-1)
13. Vanden (2-0)
14. Sonora (2-0)
15. Chavez-Stockton (2-0)
This story was originally published September 2, 2025 at 12:21 PM.