Sac-Joaquin Section Top 15 football rankings presented by SBLive/Sports Illustrated, 9/19/23

Top-ranked Folsom braces for De La Salle, Oak Ridge remains fixed, Jesuit is surging

League play is here for most all Sac-Joaquin Section teams though the bruisers and cruisers of the Sierra Foothill League don't kick off that fun until next week.

Top-ranked Folsom plays its first home game after spending the first four on the road, and it's a monster one against De La Salle-Concord. 

The teams split last season, Folsom taking the regular-season affair 24-20 in Contra Costa County, and DLS taking the rematch at Folsom in the CIF Division I-AA Northern California title game, 17-14.

1. Folsom (3-1)

Last ranking: 1

Last game: Bye

Next game: Friday vs. De La Salle-Concord

The Bulldogs are home at last with DLS coming in what has become a terrific series of late. The Folsom loss this season was 21-14 to NorCal No. 1 Serra-San Mateo, a team that beat DLS 28-0, a game in which Serra led 8-0 after three quarters.

2. St. Mary's-Stockton (3-1)

Last ranking: 2

Last game: Lost to De La Salle, 24-10

Next game: Friday at Bishop Amat-La Puente

A year after beating DLS for the first time 45-35, St. Mary's lost the rematch because it could not slow down the Spartans' run game or solve their tough defense. DLS rushed for 283 yards on 39 carries and three touchdowns. An earlier Rams win was 42-33 over Central Catholic-Modesto.

3. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills (5-0)

Last ranking: 3

Last game: Beat Pleasant Valley-Chico, 31-7

Next game: Sept. 29 at Folsom

The Trojans topped the No. 1 team in the Northern Section with defense, 140 yards passing and a touchdown from Joaquin Graves-Mercado and three rushing touchdowns from Erick Orme. Oak Ridge coaches will scout Folsom live vs. DLS.

4. Central Catholic-Modesto (2-2)

Last ranking: 4

Last game: Bye

Next game: Friday vs. Pleasant Valley-Chico

The Raiders have lost to St. Mary's (42-33) and to Serra (38-7), and the next challenge is Northern Section top-ranked Pleasant Valley before the Valley Oak League schedule.

5. Grant-Sacramento (4-1)

Last ranking: 5

Last game: Beat Burbank-Sacramento, 48-0

Next game: Thursday vs. McClatchy-Sacramento

The Pacers opened Metro League play with a rout of Burbank as Luke Alexander passed for two touchdowns and Hakim Reynolds tied an SJS record by returning three interceptions for touchdowns. The loss was 21-18 at Oak Ridge.

6. Rocklin (4-0)

Last game: Bye

Next game: Friday at Tracy

The Thunder's SFL schedule is Whitney-Rocklin, Folsom, Del Oro, Granite Bay and Oak Ridge, but first there is unbeaten Tracy.

7. Del Oro-Loomis (5-0)

Last ranking: 7

Last game: Beat Casa Roble-Orangevale, 31-13

Next game: Sept. 29 at Granite Bay

The Golden Eagles beat the SJS Division 5 favorite behind the arm of Caden Pinnick (315 yards and a touchdown to Marcel Urquart) and the legs of Urquhart (51 yards, two scores) and stout second-half defense (six points allowed). The SFL schedule looms.

8. Jesuit-Carmichael (3-1)

Last ranking: 10

Last game: Beat Sheldon-Sacramento, 44-8

Next game: Saturday vs. Pleasant Grove-Elk Grove

The Marauders have a playmaking QB in CJ Lee (10 total TDs), a grinder in Drew Vassar (five touchdowns rushing and strong defense) and an offensive line anchored by Caleb Hall. The loss was 28-27 to St. Ignatius College Prep-San Francisco.

9. Manteca (2-2)

Last ranking: 9

Last game: Bye

Next game: Friday at Lodi

The injury-plagued Buffaloes are still rounding into health as the VOL schedule that includes Central Catholic looms. The losses are to Rocklin and St. Mary's.

10. Tracy (4-0)

Last ranking: 15

Last game: Beat Downey-Modesto, 43-13

Next game: Friday vs. Rocklin

The Bulldogs of the 209 have played good football for 60 years, a lot of that under famed 224-game winning coach Wayne Schneider, whom the stadium is named after. Elijah Gutierrez, David Goularte, Jeremy Haynes and Maxwell Laird each rushed for a touchdown against Downey.

The next 5:

11. Granite Bay (3-2)

12. Inderkum-Sacramento (4-1)

13. Casa Roble-Orangevale (3-1)

14. Escalon (4-1)

15. Patterson (4-0)