The Bee’s Top 20: Kilby wins milestone game with Franklin; Rocklin, Lincoln surge
.jpg "Franklin High School head coach Bryan Kilby shouts during the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I baseball championship game against St. Mary’s at Sacramento City College on May 23, 2025. Kilby earns his 300th career varsity victory on Friday after Franklin beat Laguna Creek, 4-3.")
Bryan Kilby is a lifer with the Franklin Wildcats, the high school nestled within the Elk Grove Unified School District that has been big on academic and athletic achievement since it opened in 2002.
He is the activities director, involved in planning and coordinating all things extracurricular with student government, campus clubs, dances and rallies. Kilby is the longtime public-address voice for home basketball games, sure to mention teachers and alumni who are in the stands, with extra mention for the marching band.
He is also the longtime baseball coach for the Wildcats, having steered the program to CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championships in 2023 and 2025, with a string of Delta League crowns filling the trophy case. Along with the victories have come milestones, including his 300th career varsity win.
In beating his alma mater Laguna Creek 4-3 on Friday, Kilby achieved the milestone, though he had no idea. His brain was already full. On Monday, after a 12-1 home victory over Sheldon for The Bee’s No. 3-ranked team, Franklin players and coaches celebrated with gifts and pictures. Franklin athletic director Mike Cody thought it would be a better vibe to celebrate on their own diamond.
Kilby graduated from Laguna Creek in 1999, and by the next spring, he was the school’s freshman baseball coach. He met Cody in 2001 when they were co-coaches for the Laguna Creek junior varsity team. When Cody was hired as athletic director at new Franklin 24 years ago, Kilby was the first person he called.
Kilby assisted Cody as a founding coach for the Franklin baseball program. Cody’s sons have been part of the Kilby experience, including Ryan Cody earning the pitching win for career No. 299 for Kilby.
A year ago, Tyler Cody, then a senior, was superb in the outfield as Franklin won a section championship.
Kilby took over as Franklin’s baseball coach in 2012, with Cody spending countless hours and innings with him.
“I’ve hired some great coaches over the years, but Bryan Kilby is at the top of my list,” Cody said. “He’s the example we all strive for on and off the field.”
Two other coaches Cody hired that turned into home-run hires included Mike Johnson as football coach, since retired, and still-active basketball coach Ken Manfredi. Manfredi has been named a CIF Model Coach winner, joining Johnson and Kilby as the school’s all-time honorees.
Rocklin recovers
After winning consecutive Sierra Foothill League championships and looming as a league or playoff threat since opening in Placer County in 1992, the Rocklin Thunder stumbled into this season.
They started 0-8-1, suffering a walk-off defeat to Roseville (4-2), tying Damonte Ranch of Nevada (6-6), and losing nonleague games to Bee-ranked teams West Park of Roseville (11-7) and McClatchy (8-5) before dropping a three-game series to SFL rival Granite Bay (8-5, 2-0, 3-2).
The Thunder have since improved to 7-12-1 by winning the series against Whitney and Del Oro, entering series against Bee-ranked Jesuit and Folsom. Pitchers Andrew Hancock and Connor Kostecki have pitched well, with both sporting an ERA under 1.86.
Junior infielder Ryan Lujan is batting .450 with 14 extra-base hits and 16 RBI. Junior outfielder Colby Cobb is batting .415, and senior shortstop Roman Castellanos is hitting .414.
Oak Ridge wins 2 of 3 against Folsom
The Oak Ridge Trojans of El Dorado Hills generally always schedule tough early, so records can be misleading.
Oak Ridge started the season 2-6, dropping games to ranked Woodcreek (6-2), Franklin of Elk Grove (7-4), Bellarmine of San Jose (9-6) and to Jesuit to open Sierra Foothill League play.
More brutal scheduling played out in the annual Boras Baseball Classic, including setbacks to West Park, Saint Francis of Mountain View and Sacred Heart Prep of San Francisco. After dropping a 6-4 game to Folsom to open a three-game SFL series, Oak Ridge bounced back to take the final two games, 3-1 and 7-5.
In the 3-1 contest, two-sport star Jasen Womack had an RBI, as did Hudson Vetter. Anthony Jackson stole two bases, and Dylan Busalacchi scored two runs. Logan Youdan pitched six innings, striking out four, and reliever Carson Hudack struck out two.
Lincoln surge
The Lincoln Zebras of Placer County entered the week with a 12-game winning streak and a first-place showing in the Pioneer Valley League.
Multi-sport star Dylan Knell led the team in batting at .456, followed by freshman Daxton Sampang (.404 and 28 runs scored) and junior Declan Gonge (.372). Gavin Gnech led the club with 22 RBI, with Tyler Silva driving in 16 and Sampang 15. Another multi-sport leader is Eli Duff, a three-year varsity starting quarterback who has an 0.81 ERA. Billy Bass has an 0.65 ERA, and senior Jaxon Storm is sitting at 1.03.
The PVL is a hotly contested race, with Wheatland in second place at 6-2, Oakmont in third at 4-2 and Bear River in fourth at 4-4. Colfax is 2-3 in PVL play, including a win over Lincoln.
The Bee’s Top 20
Records entering Tuesday:
1. Elk Grove (15-4)
2. West Park (17-3)
3. Franklin (14-4-1)
4. Roseville (13-3)
5. Rio Americano (16-4)
6. McClatchy (18-4)
7. Vacaville (15-6)
8. Folsom (13-6)
9. Jesuit (12-8)
10. Granite Bay (11-7)
11. Rocklin (7-12-1)
12. Whitney (8-10)
13 Del Oro (8-8-1)
14 Woodcreek (14-7)
15 Bella Vista (14-7)
16. Vista del Lago (13-6)
17. Placer (14-4)
18. Bradshaw Christian (15-3)
19. Oak Ridge (8-10)
19. Lincoln (15-2-1)
20. Woodcreek (14-7)
Bubble teams: Christian Brothers (11-12); Laguna Creek (8-6); Liberty Ranch (12-6);Twelve Bridges (15-4); Woodland (13-4); Woodland Christian (16-1-1); Vista del Lago (14-7).