Pick the Preps: Folsom-Oak Ridge, Granite Bay-St. Mary’s among section finals
The season started in the heat of August, and now in the chill of Thanksgiving week, the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championships will this week crown eight winners in high school football at a venue as good as the event.
Hughes Stadium, the storied field on the campus of Sacramento City College, will host four title games on Friday and four more on Saturday. All section winners in Divisions I-VII will advance to CIF Northern California Regional title games while Division VIII teams in the 8-man field will cap their season on Saturday.
As for our Pick the Preps panel of forecasters, our race is also going down to the wire with yours truly, Nick Pecoraro of MaxPreps and Matthew Bessette and Scott Tedmon of ABC JAM Productions and the online streaming NFHS.
Bessette and company will broadcast each of the eight title games, a treat in of itself, including graphics with all of the starting lineups to go with play-by-play and color analysis with unique insight on players, teams and schools.
Games include division seeding
Division I
No.1 Folsom (11-1) vs. No. 2 Oak Ridge (9-3)
When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.
On air: NFHS/ABC JAM Productions
JoeD: This is the fourth consecutive season that these Sierra Foothill League bruisers will meet for the large-school championship, and Oak Ridge is eager to break through, having won the D-I title in 2019 with Folsom winning all the titles since. What’s more, Folsom has a 19-year, 24-game winning streak against Oak Ridge. Folsom 5-star QB Ryder Lyons is back in full health after laboring with a bum ankle for weeks, and he ran for touchdowns and passed for some in a 54-14 semifinal rout of Monterey Trail. He’ll be the difference here, too, as Folsom wins 35-21.
MatthewB: Casey Taylor would become the first football coach in section history to win titles with three different programs if his Trojans are able to win this one. Paul Doherty is looking to be just the second coach in section history to win five straight titles. The Folsom Bulldogs take it, 31-20.
NickP: Oak Ridge manufactured a masterful final drive against Central Catholic in a playoff opener and against Grant last week, proving the Trojans can win if it’s a close game late. Eventually, someone will dethrone the Bulldogs, but I don’t believe it will be this year. Folsom wins, 48-24.
CoachT: The road to a D-I championship goes through Folsom and Oak Ridge. For the Trojans, the road to capturing the title goes through Folsom. OR will bring everything and the kitchen sink, but even the kitchen sink won’t be enough. Lyons adds another chapter to his legendary career as the Bulldogs win another Blue Banner, 38-24.
Division II
No. 2 Granite Bay (9-3) vs. No. 4 St. Mary’s (10-2)
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
On air: NFHS/ABC JAM Productions
JoeD: This is a showdown of top-tier coaches who have won more than 200 games in their great careers in Joe Cattolico of GB and Tony Franks of the Rams of Stockton. The coaches have faced off in the playoffs before with St. Mary’s topping Pleasant Grove in 2008 and St. Mary’s beating Sheldon in 2017 and 2018. There is speed and talent galore on the field, and GB wins a thriller, 28-27.
MatthewB: St. Mary’s has explosive playmakers on offense led by WR Kenny Moore III. Granite Bay’s loaded secondary with Darnell Turner and Isaiah Ene will be tasked with limiting the Rams big plays. Granite Bay wins, 34-30.
NickP: Top-tier talent will be on display on the day’s main event. Sacramento State-bound Ene for the Grizzlies and UCLA-bound Moore III for the Rams will provide plenty of highlights. I’m going with St. Mary’s, 31-24.
CoachT: This promises to be one of the best games on the Thanksgiving weekend menu. The talented and superbly coached Rams face the Grizzlies Human Battering Ram, Isaiah Ene, and their legendary coach. In a down-to-the-wire classic, Granite Bay gets it done, 34-31.
Division III
No. 1 Woodcreek (11-1) vs. No. 2 Oakdale (10-2)
When: Friday, 4 p.m.
On air: NFHS/ABC JAM Productions
JoeD: Woodcreek of Roseville is in its second section final in four seasons and the storied Mustangs of Oakdale are in their 19th final seeking their sixth crown. Oakdale must contain the skill players of Woodcreek, and Woodcreek has to slow down the section’s all-time career rushing leader in Wes Burford, a four-year varsity starter who has 7,188 career yards and 96 touchdowns, including 2,691 yards and 37 scores this season. Woodcreek wins, 24-21.
MatthewB: A battle between teams that have fallen short in the D-III championship the last two years. The contrasting styles of these offenses will make for a fun game. Oakdale gets it done, 35-34.
NickP: Burford is a beast for Oakdale and will provide a ton of problems for the Timberwolves. Woodcreek has inched closer and closer to a section crown each year, and this is the year they hoist the banner with a 21-20 win.
CoachT: Burford’s numbers are insane. What Coach Kyle Stowers has done in his first year leading the T’wolves is insane. Who will stop the insanity? The Woodcreek connection of QB Josiah Melendez to WR Trace Murchison scores late to take home the iconic Blue Banner, 38-35.
Division IV
No. 2 Roseville (10-2) vs. No. 4 East Union (9-3)
When: Saturday, 4 p.m.
On air: NFHS/ABC JAM Productions
JoeD: Roseville was hopeful of drawing Twelve Bridges in a rematch of a high-scoring thriller a few weeks ago, but instead, the Tigers drew the team that bounced the Raging Rhinos in a semifinal. Roseville is in a title game for the first time since 1987, and the Tigers are a skilled and determined lot. EU is certainly dangerous, but Roseville wins, 35-31.
MatthewB: If you like points, you’ve come to the right place. This one features two of the most talented receivers in the section with East Union’s Jackson Fay and Roseville’s JJ Yong. The Tigers hang on, 56-49.
NickP: You can’t count out the Lancers after a 61-55 win over Twelve Bridges in the semis. Roseville has powered through multiple 209 teams in the playoffs, including Escalon and Hughson, and they’ll continue that trend in the finals with a 31-24 win.
CoachT: Roseville knew from jump street they had everything they needed to be here and now fully healthy, they are the best team in D-IV. Now it’s time to prove it against an East Union squad that brings that 209 swagger. EU’s Brayden Camara is a beast carrying the ball. Lancers keep it close but Roseville’s insanely talented JJ Yong will do his best Justin Jefferson impression leading the Tigers to the title, 38-28.
Division V
No. 1 Casa Roble (11-1) vs. No. 3 Sutter (11-1)
When: Friday, 12:30 p.m.
On air: NFHS/ABC JAM Productions
JoeD: This is a rematch of an epic Week 10 showdown to decide the Golden Empire League championship, won by Casa Roble 22-9 behind skilled and gritty senior QB Aidan Lopez. Sutter got the rematch it wanted and will look to control the clock with a balanced attack. Casa Roble wins, 28-27.
MatthewB: These teams are no stranger to their opponent or this venue. Just four weeks after their first matchup, Sutter and Casa Roble are back at it to the surprise of nobody. The Rams pull it out again, 28-25.
NickP: This has a chance to be one of the next great rivalries in the section, especially with these two programs sharing space in the same league. The Rams win it, 28-21.
CoachT: Sutter is in serious playoff mode destroying teams on their way to Hughes Stadium. Casa was tested by a tough Lathrop team in the semis and is now poised to win a second title in three years. Behind the guile and guts of CR’s talented QB leader Lopez, the Rams and Coach Chris Horner give their beloved Orangevale another Blue Banner and another epic celebration at Dairy Queen on Greenback Lane. Casa wins, 24-21.
Division VIII
No. 1 Mira Loma (11-0) vs. No. 2 Foresthill (10-1)
When: Saturday, 9 a.m.
On air: NFHS/ABC JAM Productions
JoeD: This is the first 8-man section championship, and what a fitting showdown of programs that have fully embraced the joy of this opportunity. Mira Loma of the San Juan Unified School District seeks its first football title in the storied history of the program that dates back to the 1960s, and Foresthill also seeks its first crown. ML won the regular-season meeting between the teams last month, 28-13, and the Matadors win here, 35-28.
MatthewB: Don’t sleep on 8-man football. This is going to be a fun one. Vincent Navarro is a load out of the backfield for Foresthill. Deangelo Keys is everything you want in a quarterback for Mira Loma. The Matadors make history, 21-14.
NickP: We love that 8-man football allows some programs to stay afloat and compete for a section crown. That said, Mira Loma has been the best offensive team in the section all season and will hang the inaugural blue banner, 48-40.
CoachT: As a proud Mira Loma alum who cruised the hallways in the early ’70s creating havoc, chaos and occasionally paying attention in class, I need to maintain my objectivity on this 8-man title showdown. Foresthill has been impressive in the playoffs while ML survived against Delta in the semis. Coach Jesse Collins has woken up the echoes of ML’s all-time great coaches Don Brown and Gerry Kundert. Mira Loma puts the finishing touch on a historic season and the once mighty Matadors are mighty once again prevailing, 38-21.
Division VI and VII matchups feature teams from outside the area and are not included here.
Totals
Last week and season
JoeD: 4-1, 50-25
MatthewB: 3-2, 50-25
NickP: 4-1, 45-30
CoachT: 3-2, 45-30
This story was originally published November 25, 2025 at 1:05 PM.