Best performances in Northern California high school football (Aug. 29-31)

Big scores, big numbers set the tone as five NorCal Sections opened play last week
Monte Vista quarterback Brayden Turner, who committed to Fresno State during the summer, opened his 2024 season with 300 yards passing and four touchdowns to earn a spot on the top NorCal performers' list | Photo: Troy Jones
Monte Vista quarterback Brayden Turner, who committed to Fresno State during the summer, opened his 2024 season with 300 yards passing and four touchdowns to earn a spot on the top NorCal performers' list | Photo: Troy Jones /

The second week of the 2024 Northern California high school football season in the Central and Sac-Joaquin Sections produced big individual performances across, as did the opening week in five sections: Central Coast, San Francisco, Oakland, North Coast and Norther.

Here’s a quick look at some of the top stars and best individual performances from Week 1 of games across Northern California.

Note: Entries are based on information provided by coaches, statisticians, media members and high school football fans. Don’t see any details for your team’s game? Email some notes and/or stats to mitch@scorebooklive.com

AUG. 29-31 NORCAL TOP STARS

Bryson Baker, a senior receiver at Sanger, had seven catches for 139 yards and three touchdowns in a 50-34 loss to Hanford. 

Jaxon Bell, a junior RB at Liberty, rushed 21 times for 187 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-7 win over Frontier-Bakersfield. Bell also had a 48-yard catch, setting up a score. 

Braden Busalacchi, a senior WR and LB for Linden, dominated on both sides of the ball in a 42-28 win over Liberty Ranch. Busalacchi had five catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns and added 14 tackles and two pass deflections.  

Steven Byamungu, a senior RB at Piedmont Hills, rushed 13 times for 124 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-28 win over Monte Vista Christian. 

Carson Blair, Miramonte, completed 13 of 20 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns and rushed for 55 yards and two more scores in a 42-6 win over Oakland Tech. 

Aiden Broadnax, a senior running back for San Juan, rushed 18 times for 245 yards and three touchdowns in a 40-26 loss to Mira Loma. 

Carson Brown, a sophomore tailback at Cloverdale, rushed 25 times for 117 yards and three touchdowns during a 35-21 loss to Healdsburg. 

Casey Coga-Dean, Alameda, completed 10 of 14 passes for 210 yards and five touchdowns in a 73-0 win over Ygnacio Valley. 

Jordan Crisp, a junior QB at Tulare Union, accounted for 263 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-15 win over El Diamante. 

Teddy Dacey, a junior QB at Menlo-Atherton, completed 15 of 21 passes for 253 yards and four touchdowns in a 40-10 win over Bellarmine. 

Rayan Daneshvar, a junior linebacker for Sobrato, had 16 tackles in a 21-6 win over North Salinas. 

Jelani Dippel, a sophomore QB at Central-Fresno, completed 22 of 35 passes for 294 yards and six touchdowns in a 49-21 win over East Anchorage (Ala.)

Kellan Ford, Monte Vista, caught eight passes for 103 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Granada. 

Tyler Franklin, a junior QB at Bullard, completed 9 of 10 passes for 344 yards and six touchdowns in a 70-3 win at Buhach Colony. 

Daniel Gomez, a senior QB at Hanford, completed 20 of 30 passes for 345 yards and five touchdowns, and added 10 carries for 126 yards and two more scores in a 50-34 win over Sanger. 

Harrison Hamre, a senior RB for Los Molinos, rushed 12 times for 347 yards and five touchdowns, in a 56-28 win over Coral Academy. 

Jim Jones, a senior linebacker at Berkeley, had seven tackles and four sacks in a 14-10 win over Dublin. 

Jhadis Luckey, California, rushed 22 times for 193 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-34 win over Patterson. 

Gio Martinez, a running back for Rancho Cotate, rushed 11 times for 181 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-22 win over Ukiah. 

Julian McMahan, Monte Vista, rushed for 174 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Granada. 

Max Medina, a junior QB at Patterson, completed 31 of 45 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-34 loss to California. He also rushed nine times for 59 yards and another score. 

Joshua Milani, a senior QB at Terra Linda, completed 12 of 18 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns, all to different receivers, in a 28-8 win over Upper Lake.  

Mikey Mitchell, Riordan, threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns, two in the final six minutes of a 35-34 win over McClymonds. 

Chase Parkinson, a junior QB at Delta, completed 22 of 40 passes for 300 yards and five touchdowns in a 82-42 loss to Rio Vista. 

Omaurie Phillips, a senior receiver at Ukiah, had 18 catches for 257 yards and two touchdowns in a 40-22 loss to Rancho Cotate. 

Tanner Pidgeon, a QB at Ferndale, rushed for 202 yards and four touchdowns and also passed for a score, in a 39-12 win over Fort Bragg. On defense, Pidgeon added two interceptions. 

Dominic Pierini, a senior QB at Monte Vista Christian, threw for 400 yards and four touchdowns in a 49-28 loss to Piedmont Hills. 

Tyrin Pree, a junior WR at Bullard, had four catches for 220 yards and two TDs in a 70-3 win over Buhach Colony. 

Michael Sargent, a junior QB at Sacred Heart Cathedral, completed 12 of 18 for 245 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-0 win at Soledad. 

Daylon Scott, a senior receiver at Central-Fresno, had seven catches for 94 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-21 win over East Anchorage. 

Xavier Tinoco, Patterson, had six catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-34 defeat to California. 

Dylan Thomas, a junior QB at Las Lomas, threw for four touchdowns and recovered a fumble on defense in a 28-14 win over Vintage. 

Brayden Turner, Monte Vista, threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns in a 41-14 win over Granada. 

Kyle Watkins, a RB at Kelseyville, rushed 22 times for 179 yards and five touchdowns in a 50-18 win over McKinleyville. 

Niko White, Acalanes, returned the opening kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, then caught TD passes of 56 and 38 yards in a 49-21 win over Lowell. 

Tanner Wilson, a senior QB and FS at Sunnyside, completed 19 of 21 passes for 250 yards and five touchdowns in a 48-0 win at Reedley.


Published
Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.