Top 15 CIF North Coast Section high school football rankings; Games of the Week (9/24/2024)

Top-ranked De La Salle gets major scare from St. Mary's-Stockton; Pittsburg gives national No. 2 St. John Bosco a tussle; Cardinal Newman gets huge performance from freshman QB to beat previous No. 8 Bishop O'Dowd, 56-0

San Ramon Valley QB Rhett Thompson in an opening 2024 season win over St. Ignatius. / Photo: Jim Malone

It was an eventful high school football week in the North Coast Section, with some thrilling games, big upsets and tough tussles.

At the top, the De La Salle Spartans, who were nearly flawless in their first three games of the season, could not shake host St. Mary's of Stockton, but held on for a wild 38-35 win. Derrick Blanche Jr. (15 carries, 113 yards) and QB Toa Favaaia each rushed for two touchdowns and Jaden Jefferson ran back the opening kickoff 93 yards for another score as the Spartans overcame a 312-yard, three-TD passing performance from Jaden Galvin. The Rams held a 462-300 edge in total yards.

No. 2 Pittsburg also went out of town, challenging themselves to a 400-mile trip at St. John Bosco Braves of Bellflower, the No. 2 team in the nation. The Pirates hung with the Braves for a half and actually held a 222-183 yard-advantage. But Bosco's defense stiffened and really put pressure on quarterback Marley Alcantara, who was sacked five times. He threw for more than 220 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-14 defeat.

Third-ranked went to Oakland and used its power and depth to defeat McClymonds, 51-14 as senior quarterback Rhett Thompson completed 10 of 13 passes for 195 yards and five touchdowns, two caught by Evan Economos.

Eight of the top nine teams in the SBLive North Coast Section rankings are 4-0, while Pittsburg's defeat in Bellflower being the only blemish. No shame in dropping a competitive game against the Braves.

The combined score from ranked teams No. 4 El Cerrito, No. 5 Cardinal Newman and No. 8 Windsor in three wins was 153-7. The most shocking score of the week was Newman's 56-0 drubbing of presious No. 8 Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland. Newman got 158 yards passing and three touchdowns from freshman QB Tino Retamoza and 134 yards rushing on just seven carries by Jamari Gentry. Retamoza also rushed five times for 86 yards and two more scores.

Watch out for the Cardinals (4-0), who have outscored foes 201-45. Windsor, another North Bay powerhouse, has outscored its four foes, 171-28. The two teams collide on Oct. 11.

Games of the week: No. 1 De La Salle at No. 4 El Cerrito; Pleasant Valley at No. 5 Cardinal Newman; No. 13 Clayton Valley Charter at No. 11 Liberty

TOP 15 NORTH COAST SECTION FOOTBALL RANKINGS (9/24/2024)

1. De La Salle (4-0)

Jaden Jefferson, who finished fourth in the state 100-meter dash (10.40 seconds), scored on a 43-touchdown run in the third quarter during De La Salle's 39-10 win over Serra on Sept. 6, 2024 at Owen Owens Field. the Spartans improved to 4-0 with a tough 38-35 win at St. Mary's-Stockton on Friday and now face unbeaten El Cerrito this week. / Photo: Dennis Lee

Previous rank: 1
Last week results: Beat Stockton St. Mary's, 38-35
Next: Friday at El Cerrito

2. Pittsburg (3-1)

Previous rank: 2
Last week results: Lost to St. John Bosco, 35-14
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Los Gatos

3. San Ramon Valley (4-0)

San Ramon Valley LB Marco Jones (23) on another tackle vs. St. Ignatius. Jones is a four-star linebacker headed to Texas A&M. / Photo: Jim Malone

Previous rank: 3
Last week's results: Beat McClymonds, 51-14
Next: Friday at Hayward

4. El Cerrito (4-0)

Previous rank: 6
Last week's results: Beat Campolindo, 49-0
Next: Friday vs. De La Salle

5. Cardinal Newman (4-0)

Previous rank: 5
Last week's results: Beat Bishop O'Dowd, 56-0
Next: Friday vs. Pleasant Valley-Chico

6. San Marin (4-0)

Previous rank: 4
Last week's results: Beat Casa Grande, 39-37
Next: Friday at Ukiah

7. California (4-0)

Previous rank: 7
Last week's results: Beat Antioch, 47-18
Next: Friday at Granada

8. Windsor (4-0)

Previous rank: 10
Last week's results: Beat Dublin, 48-7
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Eureka

9. Las Lomas (4-0)

Previous rank: 14
Last week's results: Beat Alhambra, 54-7
Next: Friday vs. College Park

10. Monte Vista (3-1)

Previous rank: 9
Last week's results: Beat James Logan, 38-20
Next: Friday at Antioch

11. Liberty (3-1)

Previous rank: 11
Last week's results: Beat Amador Valley, 35-28
Next: Friday vs. Clayton Valley Charter

12. Acalanes (3-1)

Previous rank: 12
Last week's results: Beat College Park, 63-28
Next: Friday at Amador Valley

13. Clayton Valley (2-2)

Clayton Valley WR Isaac Valdivia (18) fends off a San Ramon Valley defender in a 9-14-2024 game. / Photo: Jim Malone

Previous rank: 12
Last week's results: Beat Northgate, 34-17
Next: Friday at Liberty

14. Marin Catholic (2-2)

Previous rank: 15
Last week's results: Beat Tamalpais, 42-0
Next: Friday at Stockton Edison

15. Bishop O'Dowd (2-2)

Previous rank: 8
Last week's results: Lost to Cardinal Newman, 56-0
Next: Friday at Tennyson

HONORABLE MENTION: Amador Valley (1-3), American Canyon (4-0), Casa Grande (2-2), Heritage (3-1), Miramonte (3-1), Rancho Cotate (3-1), Salesian (4-0), St. Bernard's (4-0), St. Vincent de Paul (3-1), Vintage (3-1).