Video: Kairee Robinson's highlights vs. Monte Vista
See the De La Salle running back in a pivotal win that vaulted the Spartans into the Open Division playoffs.
The regular season is complete. The real season looms for the sections that make up Northern California: Central Coast, Northern, North Coast and Sac-Joaquin. De La Salle bears the biggest target, having not lost to a NorCal foe (not including Fresno) since the 1991 North Coast Section playoffs. For the first time, the North Coast Section will have an Open Division - the best of the best.
There are five new teams to these rankings, some returning to the mix.
MaxPreps Northern California Top 25 Football Rankings
1. (Last week 1) De La Salle (Concord), 9-1Section: North Coast
League: Independent
Coach: Justin Alumbaugh
Next: vs. No. 7 Clayton Valley Charter, Nov. 18
Update: Top-ranked by the San Francisco Chronicle and Bay Area News Group, the Spartans are the top seed in the newly created NCS Open Division field. De La Salle finished the regular season with a 45-17 win over previous No. 3 Monte Vista as
Kairee Robinson rushed for 262 yards. The NorCal unbeaten streak - north of Fresno - is now 279, dating back to 1992. The regular-season winning streak against California teams dates back to 2005. The loss this season was 23-21 to the top-ranked team in Utah, East of Salt Lake City, on a late field goal. The Spartans have won 24 consecutive North Coast Section titles and 32 since 1982, and they have won six CIF State championships in seven seasons.
2. (2) St. Mary's (Stockton), 9-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-County
Coach: Tony Franks
Next: vs. Modesto, Thursday
Update: Top ranked by the Stockton Record, the Rams earned the No. 2 seed in the SJS Division I playoffs, having lost to Folsom in a thrilling semifinal last season. St. Mary's has won 102 consecutive games against San Joaquin County competition since coach Franks returned to the program in 2002. The loss this season was to state and national powerhouse St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 55-16 after leading 10-7 early. Earlier wins include Serra, Central Catholic (Modesto) and Cardinal Newman.
3. (4) Freedom (Oakley), 10-0Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Kevin Hartwig
Next: vs. No. 10 Pittsburg, Nov. 19
Update: The Falcons capped the first 10-0 season in school history in clinching their eighth playoff berth in nine years. They are in the NCS Open field and take on a Pittsburg team they beat by three just weeks ago.
Ronnie Rivers has played big at running back and is a legitmate NorCal Player of the Year candidate.
4. (5) Sacramento, 9-1League: Metropolitan
Coach: Justin Reber
Next: vs. Stagg (Stockton), Friday
Update: Top ranked by The Sacramento Bee, the Dragons earned the top seed in the SJS D-II playoffs in going 9-1 for the first time since 1992. The stars are
Tariq Hollandsworth,
DaVon Owens and
Derek Shelton. The big win of the season for the entire section was downing the No. 2 Folsom 32-27, leading 32-14 at one point. The Folsom win halted the Bulldogs' state-leading 48-game regular-season winning streak. The Dragons lost an opener to then-state-ranked JSerra (San Juan Capistrano) despite accumulating 496 yards. Sacramento seeks its first section title.
5. (6) Folsom, 9-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Kris Richardson
Next: vs. Kennedy (Sacramento), Friday
Update: The Bulldogs won the SFL outright with a thrilling 17-16 win over No. 12 Oak Ridge and earned the top seed in the SJS D-I field. The Bulldogs seek a D-I section four-peat and a five-peat overall. The loss this season was to new No. 6 Sacramento early 32-27, halting a state-leading 48-game regular-season winning streak. The Bulldogs seek their third state title since 2010.
6. (3) Monte Vista (Danville), 9-1Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Craig Bergman
Next: vs. Irvington, Friday
Update: The Mustangs lost to top-ranked De La Salle 45-17 and did not get into the NCS Open field. They are the No. 1 seed in the NCS field with a great chance to win it. The stars are
Jake Haener and
Shane Perry.
7. (7) Clayton Valley Charter (Concord), 9-1Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Valley
Coach: Tim Murphy
Next: vs. No. 1 De La Salle, Nov. 18
Update: The Ugly Eagles won the league title outright with a 50-15 rout of previously ranked Campolino (Moraga) and earned a NCS Open berth, which thrilled coach Murphy, who gets a crack at De La Salle. The loss was to state-ranked Helix (San Diego) 13-0. In the opener, the Ugly Eagles beat five-time defending Nevada North-state champion Reed 35-21. Clayton Valley Charter has reached a CIF Bowl the last two seasons.
8. (8) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 9-1Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Greg Calcagno
Next: vs. Mountain View, Friday
Update: The Lancers are tri-champions of the brutally tough WCAL and earned the No. 1 seed in the CCS D-II Open field, seeking their 17th championship. An earlier win was over then No. 3 Valley Christian 13-10. The loss was to ranked Serra 41-40.
9. (9) Valley Christian (San Jose), 9-1Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Machado
Next: vs. Burlingame, Friday
Update: The Warriors are tri-champions of the WCAL with Saint Francis and Serra and earned the No. 2 seed in the CCS Open D-III field. The loss was to No. 8 Saint Francis 13-10. Coach Machado led 12-1 teams in 2004 and 2005, a 10-3 team in 2008, an 11-2 team in 2010.
10. (10) Pittsburg, 9-1Section: North Coast
League: Bay Valley
Coach: Vic Galli
Next: vs. No. 3 Freedom, Nov. 19
Update: The Pirates rolled rival Antioch 61-35 and were selected for the first NCS Open Division field. There, Pittsburg has a shot to avenge its lone loss, 41-38. The star here is running back
Montaz Thompson. Pittsburg is the last NorCal program (north of Fresno) to beat De La Salle, in the 1991 North Coast Section D-I finals.
Pittsburg gets another shot at Freedom in the North Coast Section's Open Division playoffs.
Photo by Ed Oswalt
Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Chris Nixon
Next: vs. Gregori (Modesto), Thursday
Update: The Thundering Herd rolled ranked Sheldon 35-0, leading 28-0, to clinch the program's 17th Delta title since 1989 and third in recent seasons under coach Nixon. They are the No. 4 seed in the SJS D-I field behind ranked Folsom, St. Mary's and Oak Ridge. Big wins include Grant (24-17) and Jesuit (Carmichael) (23-6). The Herd has reached the a section final three times since 2012 and has been a power since the 1980s.
12. (12) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills), 8-2Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Eric Cavaliere
Next: vs. River City (West Sacramento), Thursday
Update: The Trojans went for two and the win late at No. 5 Folsom, but a botched snap derailed those hopes in a 17-16 loss. Still, the confidence was grand by the coaches. Oak Ridge earned the No. 3 seed in the SJS D-I field. The Trojans have won section titles in D-II and III and seek their first in D-I. The other loss was to 5-time Nevada North-state champion Reed of Nevada 55-34. Reed lost earlier to No. 7 Clayton Valley Charter.
13. (13) Del Oro (Loomis), 8-2Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Casey Taylor
Next: vs. Laguna Creek (Elk Grove), Friday
Update: The Golden Eagles are the No. 2 seed behind Sacramento in the SJS D-II field and stand strong as the defending champion that also won the 2015 CIF State D-IIAA championship. The stars include
Stone Smartt and
Mason Hurst. The losses were to No. 5 Folsom and No. 12 Oak Ridge. Del Oro seeks a fourth CIF Bowl bid since 2011.
14. (18) California (San Ramon), 8-2Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Eric Billeci
Next: vs. Foothill (Pleasanton), Saturday
Update: The Grizzlies rolled San Ramon Valley (Danville) 37-7 and earned the No. 3 seed in the NCS D-I field. One loss was on a last-play field goal to previous No. 3 Monte Vista and the other was to top-ranked De La Salle 31-9 after trailing 7-3 at the half.
15. (21) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa), 9-1Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Paul Cronin
Next: TBA
Update: The Cardinals beat Rancho Cotate 35-34 to lock up the league title as
Jordon Brookshire rushed for 343 yards and three scores in earning the No. 1 seed in the NCS D-IV playoffs and an opening bye. The loss was to No. 2 St. Mary's 49-32. Cardinal Newman once held the state-record for the longest winning streak of 47 in the 1970s.
16. (NR) Antelope, 10-0Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Capital Valley
Coach: Matt Ray
Next: vs. Central Valley (Ceres), Friday
Update: The Titans are a relatively new school in the Sacramento area and have back-to-back 10-0 regular-season showings to their credit. The star is running back
Elijah Dotson, who runs with speed and power. He has 1,779 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns. This is the No. 3 seed in the SJS D-II playoffs behind Sacramento and Del Oro.
17. (NR) Serra (San Mateo), 6-4Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Patrick Walsh
Next: at Leigh (San Jose), Friday
Update: The Padres bounce back into these rankings after a brutal early schedule against powerhouse programs resulted in a slow start. A big recovery win was beating Saint Francis, and the next was beating previously ranked Bellarmine 48-13 to finish as tri-champions of the WCAL. Serra is the No. 3 seed in the D-II Open playoffs.
18. (16) Sheldon (Sacramento), 7-3Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Joe Cattolico
Next: at Napa, Friday
Update: The Huskies stalled out against No. 11 Elk Grove, falling 35-0, and ended up with the No. 9 seed in the SJS D-I field. Earlier wins included ranked Grant and Jesuit. Sheldon has not reached a section semifinal.
19. (NR) Jesuit (Carmichael), 7-3Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Marlon Blanton
Next: vs. Tracy, Friday
Update: The Marauders are back in the rankings after beating Grant 24-17 to close out the regular season, earning the No. 4 seed in the SJS D-II field.
Calvin Brownholtz has played like a champion, as has running back
Lorenzo Burkes. Jesuit has two section D-I titles, the last coming a decade ago.
20. (17) Grant (Sacramento), 7-3Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Mike Alberghini
Next: vs. Granite Bay, Friday
Update: The Pacers lost at No. 19 Jesuit to close out the regular season and landed the No. 6 seed in the SJS D-II field. The losses were close games to Sheldon (20-14) and Elk Grove (24-17). The home field was dedicated to Coach Alberghini before the opener, his 26 consecutive playoff berths and seven section championships just a sliver of his impact.
21. (23) Manteca, 9-1Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Valley Oak
Coach: Eric Reis
Next: vs. Dixon, Thursday
Update: The Buffaloes might have been the favorite in the SJS D-III field but slipped into the D-IV fold and are the ovewhelming favorite as the top seed. The loss was to a four-time defending CIF State Champion powerhouse in Central Catholic 32-14. Manteca won section titles in 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2013 and have won nine or more games 11 times since 2001.
22. (NR) Turlock, 8-2Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Central California
Coach: James Peterson
Next: vs. Lincoln (Stockton), Thursday
Update: The top-ranked team by The Modesto Bee, the Bulldogs beat previously ranked Pitman (Turlock) 31-14 to take the league title and are the 5th seed in the SJS D-I field. The other loss was an opener, to No. 3 Freedom. Coach Peterson's first team went 0-10 in 2008 and he now has his fourth playoff team.
23 (25) Sutter, 10-0Section: Northern
League: Butte View
Coach: Ryan Reynolds
Next: vs. Yreka, Thursday
Update: The top team in the Northern Section is the overwhelming favorite in the North Section D-III playoffs. The last five games were won 70-0, 63-0, 56-0, 42-0 and 42-0. Sutter has been a powerhouse for years, including 12-0 seasons in 2004 and 2007 and 13-1 seasons in 2012 and 2014. Quarterback
Tyler Reynolds, son of the coach, and running back
Trever Facey have had big seasons.
24. (NR) Palma (Salinas), 8-2Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Jeff Carnazzo
Next: vs. Saratoga, Friday
Update: The Chieftains return to the rankings after beating ranked San Benito 14-6 in earning the top seed in the CCS Open Division III playoffs. The other loss was 8-7 to No. 8 Saint Francis. Coach Carnazzo fielded a 10-2 team in 2006, a 10-1-1 team in 2010, an 11-1-1 team in 2011 and 10-game winners in 2014 and 2015.
25. (22) San Benito (Hollister), 9-1Section: Central Coast
League: Monterey Bay
Coach: Bryan Smith
Next: vs. Salinas, Friday
Update: The Haybalers fell 14-6 to Palma for the league championship but earned the No. 2 seed on the CCS Open D-I field. They open against a Salinas team they beat 18-7 earlier this season. San Benito won the section in 2012 and won nine or more games in 2004, 2005, 2009, 2014 and now.
The Sacramento Bee on the playoff selection process...
click hereThe Sacramento Bee on the football staying power of a NorCal power...
click hereJoe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and on Facebook: sacbeepreps
