Perennial powers Davis and St. Francis find themselves in unique spots entering this week's Sac-Joaquin Section girls soccer playoffs.
Davis (19-2-2), which beat St. Francis in last year's Division I final, finished second to Franklin (16-4-2) of Elk Grove in the Delta Valley Conference this season.
So the Blue Devils, winners of four section titles and playing for new coach Sara Yudin, are the DVC's No. 2 seed and will play host to Napa (10-7-2), the Monticello Empire League runners-up, 3:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Still, the Blue Devils are better positioned than St. Francis, winners of a section-best 12 titles.
The Troubadours (4-7-4) barely made the playoffs this season, edging out Ponderosa for third place in the Delta River League with a 2-1 win over the Bruins on Wednesday. Folsom (13-0-3) and Oak Ridge (6-9-5) finished first and second, respectively.
St. Francis plays Tuesday at Wood (10-5-5) in Vacaville.
The winner of that match plays Franklin in Elk Grove on Thursday.
Either St. Francis (seven times) or Davis (twice) has won the last nine D-I section finals.
Last year's six other divisional champions also return to the postseason.
The run-down:
• Defending D-II champion Granite Bay (8-4-3) is the No. 3 seed from the Sierra Foothill League and will play at Bella Vista (10-4-3), the Capital Valley Conference champion, on Tuesday, May 15.
• Defending D-III champion Rio Americano (11-1-4), looking to make its sixth consecutive appearance in that division's section final, is the top seed from the Capital Athletic League. The Raiders will play host May 15 to the winner of Thursday's Vanden at Yuba City Game.
• D-IV champion Sierra (15-5-3) is the No. 3 seed from the Valley Oak League. The Manteca squad will play at Sierra Valley Conference champion Vista del Lago (12-2-2) May 15.
• West Campus (17-6-1), which beat Calaveras 3-0 for last season's D-V title, returns to the postseason as the No. 2 seed from the Golden Empire League. The Warriors play host to Escalon (11-4-4) on May 15.
• D-VI defending champ Bradshaw Christian (12-8-2) enters the postseason as the top seed from the Sierra Delta League. The Pride plays host May 15 to the winner of Thursday's Gustine at Delta match.
• Millennium of Tracy is back to defend its D-VII title. It opens play May 15 against the winner of Thursday's Buckingham Charter vs. Big Valley Christian match.
Here's a look at the first-round matchups:
Sac-Joaquin Section girls soccer playoffs
First round
All matches 3:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted
TODAY
Division I - St. Francis at Wood; Beyer at Tokay, 6 p.m.; Stagg at Grace Davis, 5 p.m.; Merced at Lincoln-Stockton; Franklin-Stockton at Pitman, 4 p.m.
THURSDAY
Division I - Wood-St. Francis winner at Franklin-Elk Grove; Oak Ridge at Vintage, 5 p.m.; Tokay-Beyer winner at Turlock; Grace Davis-Stagg winner vs. Tracy; Lincoln-Stockton-Merced winner at St. Mary's; Pitman-Franklin-Stockton winner at Enochs; Laguna Creek at Folsom; Napa at Davis.
Division II - Rosemont at Oakmont.
Division III - Vanden at Yuba City; Natomas at Rodriguez; El Camino at Lincoln; Bear River at Antelope, 6 p.m.
Division V - Hughson at Summerville.
Division VI - Gustine at Delta.
Division VII - Sacramento Country Day at Elliot Christian.
FRIDAY
Division IV - Liberty Ranch at Central Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY, MAY 15
Division II - Oakmont-Rosemont winner at Del Oro; Casa Roble at McClatchy; Kennedy at Woodcreek; Granite Bay at Bella Vista.
Division III - Yuba City-Vanden winner at Rio Americano; Natomas-Rodriguez winner at Colfax; El Camino-Lincoln winner at Benicia; Antelope-Bear Rvier winner at Inderkum.
Division IV - Central Catholic-Liberty Ranch winner at East Union; Sierra at Vista del Lago; Livingston at Manteca, 6 p.m.
Division V - Summerville-Hughson winner at Dixon; Calavaras at Hilmar; Escalon at West Campus; Capital Christian at Amador.
Division VI - Delta-Gustine winner at Bradshaw Christian; Victory Christian at Mariposa; Vacaville Christian at Waterford; Golden Sierra at Forest Lake Christian.
Division VII - Elliot Christian-Sac Country Day winner at Trinity Prep; Big Valley Christian-Buckingham Charter winner at Millennium.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 16
Division IV - Cosumnes Oaks at Patterson, 6 p.m.
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