Bee's Best: Top 25 Prep Football Teams in Sacramento Area

The Start of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Playoffs

The regular season has come to an end, leaving behind memories and archives. For high school football teams in the Sacramento area, the real excitement begins with the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. These playoffs kick off on Nov. 14 at home sites, featuring eight 8-team brackets. This includes large-school Division I as well as the smallest schools in Divisions VI and VII. Notably, this year marks the first-ever Division VIII championship for 8-man teams.

This week offers teams a chance to rest and prepare for the section finals on Thanksgiving weekend at Hughes Stadium. The upcoming games this Friday will feature 29 Bowl games, stretching from Sacramento down to the southern region of the section in the 209 area code. This new format was introduced after member schools overwhelmingly voted for changes to avoid blowout scores and to give teams a chance to finish their season on a positive note.

It is important to note that these Bowl games are not a money-making opportunity for the CIF. All gate receipts from football playoff games, including the Bowl games, go back to the member schools.

The Bee's Team of the Week

The Casa Roble Rams of Orangevale traveled to Sutter last Friday with the goal of winning the Golden Empire League championship. However, their star quarterback suffered an injury late in the first half. Despite this setback, Aidan Lopez stepped up and delivered a deep-ball touchdown pass to Kymani Burkes, leading the Rams to a 22-9 victory. This win secured them the top seed in the Division V bracket.

Lopez passed for 183 yards and two touchdowns, while the defense, led by players such as Mason Higby, Dunedin Tupou, and Karter Coss, held Sutter to just 9 points. The Rams are now positioned to chase their second section championship in three years under coach Chris Horner.

The Bee's Top 25 Rankings

1. Folsom (9-1): The Bulldogs secured their 10th Sierra Foothill League crown since 2014 and 42nd consecutive win in section competition. They aim for a section Division I five-peat as the top seed. QB Ryder Lyons leads the offense, while DL Lua DeBerry and DBs Jason Hill Jr. and Isaiah Williams shine on defense.

2. Oak Ridge (7-3): The Trojans of El Dorado Hills seek a fourth straight trip to the Division I section finals. All-purpose star Jasen Womack is joined by RB/WR Braxton Martinez, RB Tyler Andujar, and QB Nick Johnson on offense. Ben Rivas is among the defensive leaders.

1. Grant (6-4): Under coach Carl Reed, the Pacers are challenged to raise their game as the Division I tournament looms. QB Blake Nycum, WRs Zo Edwards and Kobe Shabazz, and RBs Thorne Watson, Jayson Williams, and Maliki Lavern lead the offense.

2. Granite Bay (7-3): The Grizzlies are the No. 2 seed in Division II behind 10-0 Manteca of the 209. They feature RB/DB Isaiah Ene, WR/DB Darnell Turner, and stoppers such as Christopher Ledell and Zion Vaea.

3. Del Oro (7-3): From 2-8 last season to now, the Golden Eagles are poised for another section championship march as a Division II contender. RB Brock Sherman, QB Nolen Sauve, and two-way brutes Landen Parry and Luke Galer lead the team.

4. Jesuit (6-4): Big Red is capable of storming to the Division II finals behind QB Teddy Rios, do-all grinders Stevie Hughes, Brody Quinn, and John Giovannettone, and two-way linemen Duncan Broughton and Demare Moragne.

5. Twelve Bridges (10-0): A third successive 10-0 regular season under coach Chris Bean will feel rewarding if there's a third consecutive trip to a section final and a title repeat. Veterans such as RB/LB Chase Wyhlidko, QB Connor Frontiera, and OL/DL Colton Hogge lead the team. 12B is the top seed in Division IV.

6. Rocklin (5-5): A challenging season for the Thunder can turn around with a run in the Division II playoffs. QB Reeve Slone leads the team, and their opener is against familiar foe Del Oro.

7. Inderkum (9-1): The Tigers opened with a close loss at Inderkum and have rolled into the Division I bracket as a dark horse under QB Brody Cole and gritty defenders in brothers Izacc and Ke'koa Ramirez.

8. Woodcreek (9-1): The Timberwolves of Roseville are the top seed in Division III because everyone has bought in, including anchors such as WR/DB Trace Murchison, QB Josiah Melendez, and RB/LB Blake Hastings.

9. Monterey Trail (8-2): The Division I Mustangs of Elk Grove have superb line play, speedy backs such as Odie Jefferson, and a coaching staff led by T.J. Ewing and Rick Arcuri that thrives during the playoffs.

10. Roseville (8-2): The No. 2-seeded Division IV Tigers are even more dangerous with the return of a healthy WR Oreste Yong. Anchors such as RB/LB Colton Wolfe, QB Mason Susnara, and RB D'marcis Gresham make the team formidable.

11. Casa Roble (9-1): The Division V top-seeded Rams have it rolling, having learned from an early loss at Ponderosa. Their defense was never better than its 22-9 win over prolific Sutter.

12. Sutter (9-1): The Huskies are smarting from a tough loss to Casa Roble and eager to unleash in the Division V bracket behind national recruit DE/TE Troy Bowens and others.

13. Vacaville (8-2): The winning streak is eight for the Division III-contending Bulldogs of Solano County. This has been a terrific program since the 1960s.

14. Vanden (8-2): The Vikings of Fairfield have CIF section and state pedigree in recent seasons and they loom as a threat in the Division III field under RB Josiah Chavez and QB Xavier Zambrano.

15. Lincoln (9-1): The Division V Zebras of Placer County are proof that a team can bounce back big, having gone 1-9 in 2023, to this. It's a credit to leaders such as QB Eli Duff.

16. Liberty Ranch (10-0): Unbeaten with plenty to prove, the Division VI Hawks of Galt seek their first section crown behind a running game that averages more than 400 yards a game and features three 1,000-yard rushers in Joe Lara, Wyatt Corriera, and Andrew Quinn.

1. Rio Americano (6-4): It wasn't too long ago when Raiders coach Bob Ghazanfari said he didn't want to be a head coach, much preferring the role of assistant. He's pretty good in this role, too, and his Division III bunch is a dark horse to behold.

(TIE)
20. Woodland Christian (9-1): The Division VI Cardinals seek another section banner to hang on the gym wall behind playmakers such as RB Noah Hinkle and QB Isaiah Hunt.

(TIE)
20. Bradshaw Christian (8-2): The Division VI Pride are eager to return to another section final under coach Drew Rickert, whose team opens at Woodland Christian on Nov. 14.

The Next 5:

1. Placer (6-4)
2. Destiny Christian (5-5)
3. Ponderosa (6-4)
4. Winters (8-1)
5. Pioneer (7-3)

The Bee's Bowl Team Top 10

1. Pleasant Grove (7-3)
2. West Park (5-5)
3. Franklin (7-3)
4. Elk Grove (4-6)
5. Laguna Creek (4-6)
6. Whitney (2-8)
7. Yuba City (5-5)
8. Sacramento (6-4)
9. Vista del Lago (3-7)
10. Woodland (4-6)