Section playoff openers ripe for upsets. Here’s how some may go down
The Bee’s Joe Davidson breaks down five Thursday night Sac-Joaquin Section playoff games of note.
(All games kick off at 7 p.m. Teams are listed with their seeding number.)
No. 11 Cosumnes Oaks (5-5) at No. 6 Sheldon (8-2), Division I – The Huskies won’t overlook the Wolfpack, knowing they upset Davis on the road in an opener a year ago and have come on after a slow start; Sheldon’s two losses were at home.
No. 10 Franklin (7-3) at No. 7 Gregori (10-0), Division I – The Jaguars of Modesto lost playoff openers the last two seasons to Elk Grove, and here comes another Elk Grove Unified School District heavy looking to make the hosts 0-5 all-time in the postseason.
No. 10 Lincoln (8-2) at No. 7 Del Oro (5-5), Division II – The two-time defending section champion Golden Eagles are battle tested yet rightfully cautious as they don’t want to be another Zebras victim. Lincoln in 2000 beat undefeated Hilmar 14-13 in what CalHiSports deemed the state’s biggest upset that fall.
No. 12 Cordova (7-3) at No. 5 Vista del Lago (6-4), Division III – Some of section’s best skill players are here, the Lancers featuring Johnele Sanders and Alvin Banks and the host Eagles unleashing the section’s leading rusher in Dominick Norris for a program in the playoffs for the eighth consecutive season.
No. 6 Bear River (7-3) at No. 3 Capital Christian (7-3), Division V – The defending section champion Cougars know Bear River, having been bounced from the playoffs by the Bruins 31-21 in 2015 as Austin Baze rushed for three scores. He’s a senior now, fresh off a 200-yard, four-TD game.
This week’s schedule
Sac-Joaquin Section Football Playoffs
All openers kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday, unless noted:
Division I
No. 16 River City at No. 1 Folsom
No. 9 Turlock at No. 8 Tracy
No. 12 Monterey Trail at No. 5 Vacaville
No. 13 Modesto at No. 4 Jesuit, Saturday, 1 p.m.
No. 14 Edison at No. 3 St. Mary’s
No. 11 Cosumnes Oaks at No. 6 Sheldon
No. 10 Franklin-Elk Grove at No. 7 Gregori
No. 15 Lincoln-Stockton at No. 2 Oak Ridge
Division II
No. 16 Burbank at No. 1 Granite Bay
No. 9 Elk Grove at No. 8 Antelope
No. 12 Wood vs. No. 5 Sacramento at Dixon High School
No. 13 Buhach Colony at No. 4 Del Campo
No 14 Stagg at No. 3 Central Catholic
No. 11 Downey at No. 6 Rocklin
No. 10 Lincoln at No. 7 Del Oro
No. 15 Vintage a No. 2 Inderkum
Division III
No. 16 McNair at No. 1 Oakdale
No. 9 Vanden at No. 8 Yuba City
No. 12 Cordova at No. 5 Vista del Lago
No. 13 East Union at No. 4 Patterson
No. 14 Benicia at No. 3 Christian Brothers, Friday
No. 11 Rio Linda at No. 6 Los Banos, Friday
No. 10 River Valley at No. 7 American Canyon
No. 15 Rio Americano at No. 2 Manteca
Division IV
No. 8 Natomas at No. 1 Placer, Friday
No. 5 Woodland at No. 4 El Dorado
No. 6 Dixon at No. 3 Center
No. 7 Union Mine vs. No. 2 Casa Roble at Bella Vista
Division V
No. 8 Highlands at No. 1 Sonora
No. 5 Colfax at No. 4 Orestimba
No. 6 Bear River at No. 3 Capital Christian
No. 7 Ripon at No. 2 Calaveras, Friday
Division VI
No. 8 Western Sierra at No. 1 Bradshaw Christian
No. 5 Gustine at No. 4 Modesto Christian
No. 6 Hilmar at No. 3 Summerville, Friday
No. 7 Mariposa at No. 2 Escalon
Division VII
No. 5 Big Valley Christian at No. 4 Woodland Christian
No. 6 Brookside Christian at No. 3 Stone Ridge Christian
Byes: No. 1 Rio Vista, No. 2 Ripon Christian
Joe Davidson: 916-321-1280, @SacBee_JoeD
This story was originally published November 8, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Section playoff openers ripe for upsets. Here’s how some may go down."