Top 15 Sac-Joaquin Section high school football rankings (9/3/2024)

Folsom loses for third straight year to state power Serra-San Mateo but still holds down top spot in SJS
Running back Derrick Blanche (right) of De La Salle attempts to elude Grant linebacker Jeremiah Tuiileila, who had a game-high nine tackles in Friday's 42-14 DLS win.
Running back Derrick Blanche (right) of De La Salle attempts to elude Grant linebacker Jeremiah Tuiileila, who had a game-high nine tackles in Friday's 42-14 DLS win. / Photo by Dennis Lee

The top two teams in SBLive’s Sac-Joaquin Section Top 15 high school football rankings fell to top Bay Area ranked schools on Friday. No shame there. 

In the case of top-ranked Folsom, the game appeared theirs with a 21-13 lead over three-time Northern California Open Division representative Serra until the last three minutes.

When Folsom stopped a two-point conversion try, once again the victory seemed secure. However, the Bulldogs couldn’t secure an onside kick, Serra recovered then moved methodically down field before a 38-yard field goal split the uprights and Folsom, which looked so dominating the previous week in a 63-20 win over Long Beach Poly, lost its third game in a row to Serra to drop to 1-1.

So did previous second-ranked Grant, which was largely overwhelmed on the road by De La Salle, 42-14. The good news for the Pacers, is they can immediately rebound against a very good team Saturday when they host fourth-ranked Inderkum, which shocked defending state 3-A champion and host Marin Catholic by a 26-0 score 

Rocklin moved into the No. 2 spot after an impressive 48-17 win over Bishop Monogue of Reno (Nevada) as Rafi Merino and Derek Keeley each rushed for two touchdowns and QB Reeve Slone accounted for three scores. 

Top 15 Sac-Joaquin Section football rankings

1. Folsom (1-1)

Folsom football
Folsom's Jameson Powell had five catches for 55 yards and a touchdown in his team's 63-20 win over Long Beach Poly Aug. 23 2024. Powell, who had a touchdown catch vs. Serra, is a four-star junior receiver with 16 college offers. / Photo: Todd Shurtleff

Last rank: 1
Last week: Lost to Serra-San Mateo, 22-21
Next: Sept. 13 vs. Turlock

2. Rocklin (2-0)

Last rank: 3
Last week: Beat Bishop Monogue, 48-17
Next: Friday vs. Lincoln-Stockton

3. Grant (1-1)

Last rank: 2
Last week: Lost to De La Salle, 42-14
Next: Saturday vs. Inderkum

4. Inderkum (2-0)

Last rank: 4
Last week: Beat Marin Catholic 26-0
Next: Saturday at Grant

5. Manteca  (1-0)

Last rank: 6
Last week: Bye
Next: Friday at Laguna Creek

6. Granite Bay (2-0)

Last rank: 14
Last week: Beat Vacaville, 17-14
Next: Friday at Overfelt

7. Oak Ridge (0-2)

Last rank: 5
Last week: Lost to San Clemente, 30-23
Next: Saturday at McCallie (Tenn)

8. St. Mary’s (1-1)

Last rank: 8
Last week: Beat Central Catholic, 27-14
Next: Saturday at Marin Catholic

9. Placer (2-0)

Last rank: 9
Last week: Beat Rio Linda, 54-7
Next: Friday at Del Oro

10. Jesuit (1-0)

Last rank: 13
Last week: Beat Rio Americano, 56-7
Next: Friday at Bellarmine-San Jose

11. West Park (2-0)

Last rank: 11
Last week: Beat Casa Roble, 35-30
Next: Friday vs. Roseville

12. Monterey Trail (0-2)

Last rank: 7
Last week: Lost to Pittsburg, 42-13
Next: Friday vs. El Cerrito

13. Vacaville (1-1)

Last rank: 10
Last week: Lost to Granite Bay, 17-14
Next: Friday vs. Cardinal Newman

14. Pleasant Grove (2-0)

Last rank: NR
Last week: Beat Lodi, 41-0
Next: Friday vs. Tokay

15. Downey (2-0)

Last rank: NR
Last week:
Beat Elk Grove, 53-42
Next:
Friday at Merced


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.