Pick the Preps: Del Oro-Jesuit, Rocklin-Granite Bay and more showdowns
Suddenly, in a flash, the high school football season in the Sacramento region has hit fourth gear, and this is an 8-cylinder race to December, when the CIF State championships take place in Southern California.
We are eight weeks into a regular season that is spread over 11 weeks, and league races are heating up as fall weather has kicked out the summer heat.
Speaking of heat, three of us in our weekly Pick the Preps projections (and guesswork) went 4-1 in game picks last week, including yours truly, Matthew Bessette of ABC JAM Productions and the NFHS Network, and longtime area media man Nick Pecoraro. The slacker was Scott Tedmon, the coach, who does color analyst work on the NFHS Network when he isn’t traveling the world, including last week in London.
Here’s a peek at some of the top regional games this week.
No. 8 Del Oro (4-3) at No. 2 Jesuit (5-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
JoeD: Does Big Red pull another titanic home victory over a Sierra Foothill League bruiser after downing previously No. 2-ranked teams in Rocklin (20-14) and Oak Ridge (28-14)? Can Del Oro impose its smash-mouth will over Jesuit, having lost to Oak Ridge (12-8) and to Granite Bay (14-13)? Jesuit has not lost at home and wins here, 21-20.
MatthewB: Del Oro is 1-3 in the SFL but that doesn’t tell the story of how well the Golden Eagles have played. Jesuit is possibly the hottest team in the area right now. Big Red wins it, 28-24.
NickP: Big Red has been on quite the big roll of late, and the Marauders are looking like a team to watch out for in the Division II section bracket. Del Oro is going to keep it close, but I’ll take Jesuit, 26-22.
CoachT: Big Red was my team of the week by taking down Oak Ridge and taking home the famed TOW Chain. Now the Marauders are looking for more. The Golden Eagles have been resurgent and formidable under the tutelage of coach Josh Parry. Jesuit is as hot as their new stadium lights, and Big Red continues to roll, defeating Del Oro, 27-24.
No. 6 Rocklin (5-2) at No. 4 Granite Bay (6-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
JoeD: These Division II section title contenders are still in the SFL hunt, and there are rivalry bragging rights, too. It’s suddenly the biggest game of the season since it’s the next game on the schedule. This figures to be a great one. Granite Bay wins, 17-16.
MatthewB: We will carry this game live on NFHS. The last time these teams played at Granite Bay, it went into triple overtime. The Grizzlies beat Rocklin this time for the first time since 2018, 21-20.
NickP: This one has a chance to be the game of the week, with both teams riding big momentum. Star power and superb coaching on both sides. I’m going with Rocklin, 28-26.
CoachT: The Grizzlies growl behind a physical defense and do-everything, all-world Isaiah Ene. Rocklin brings a calm confidence to games, thanks to senior gunslinger Reeve Slone. The Thunder will match GB’s brutes, and Slone finds a way to pull out the victory late, 21-17.
No. 11 Inderkum (6-1) at No. 9 Woodcreek (7-0)
When: 7:15 p.m. Friday
JoeD: This should decide the Capital Valley Conference championship, and few schools in the section have a more spirited home crowd than the Timberwolves of Roseville. Skill players all over for both squads. Woodcreek has two dynamic playmakers in QB Josiah Melendez and do-all Trace Murchison, and Woodcreek wins, 30-28.
MatthewB: Inderkum hasn’t lost since its opener, and Woodcreek comes in as one of the few unbeaten teams around. Timberwolves win, 30-27.
NickP: Both teams are hot: Woodcreek has no losses and Inderkum has won every game since the opener. Behind emerging star Melendez, the Timberwolves take it, 30-27.
CoachT: Woodcreek is undefeated, untied and unappreciated. Here comes perennial power Inderkum with bad intentions to crash the party. For Woodcreek, this may well be a prove-it-to-me game to doubters. The Tigers bring skill and experience while the Timberwolves counter with tenacity and their frenzied fans. Woodcreek wins, 34-31.
No. 20 Liberty Ranch (7-0) at No. 18 Bradshaw Christian (6-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
JoeD: This will decide the Sierra Valley Conference, and it will end well before any curfew as both teams run the ball at will, often resulting in fast games. Who has the better run defense? Bradshaw Christian in a fun one, 30-28.
MatthewB: Liberty Ranch hasn’t been in a close game, with its smallest margin of victory being 15. Bradshaw Christian’s only loss came to Division V section favorite, Sutter. Liberty Ranch wins, 35-31.
NickP: One of these two teams has been the SVC champ in each of the past five seasons, and it’s looking like that trend will continue in 2025. Liberty Ranch in a track meet, 41-30.
CoachT: The Hawks have been flying high, and a win over BC would launch them into another galaxy. The Pride will pound away, pound away, and pound away some more on the ground. Liberty Ranch is legit, but Bradshaw Christian prevails, 38-28.
Rio Americano (4-3) at Ponderosa (5-2)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
JoeD: Woodcreek and Inderkum may be the ranked front-runners in the Capital Valley Conference, but these two still have a shot to tie for the league crown. Ponderosa has an early win over ranked Casa Roble, and Rio, under coach Bob Ghazanfari, recently dropped a competitive 20-7 game to Woodcreek. Rio wins, 30-27.
MatthewB: This one is a sneaky nominee for game of the week. Both Rio and Pondo are jockeying for playoff positioning. Pondo takes it, 27-24.
NickP: These teams are pretty evenly matched. Pondo has already equaled its win total from last year, the highest for the program since 2018. But QB Ryder Trantham and RB Raymar Griffith will lead Rio to victory, 25-18.
CoachT: After a strong 3-0 start, Ponderosa lost some of its mojo, falling to Granite Bay and Woodcreek, but has bounced back. Rio’s losses were to quality teams. This one’s a coin toss, with the 1924 mint silver dollar landing in the Raiders favor. Rio wins, 31-30.
Totals
JoeD: 4-1 last week, 34-13 overall
MatthewB: 4-1, 34-13
NickP: 4-1, 31-16
CoachT: 2-3, 30-17