With The Bee preparing a flood of previews next week in print and online, including a regional Top 20, here's a peek at The Bee's preseason Sac-Joaquin Section rankings with last year's record (the beauty of the early schedule shows a lot of heavies taking on heavies, and we'll learn a lot more about the top of these rankings after the season's first three weeks):
1. Lincoln-Stockton (11-2)
QB Zack Greenlee and RB Justin Davis form 1-2 punch; open against Elk Grove and Pleasant Grove.
2. Elk Grove (12-1)
Wing-T sprint team includes RB Robert Frazier, fast D; open at Lincoln.
3. Del Oro (13-2)
RB Brandon Monroe could rush for 2,000 yards; early games against Oaks Christian, Westlake, Grant, Burbank.
4. Nevada Union (7-4)
QB Kyle Cota, LB aces Hank Humphers, Tanner Vallejo are vets; new LB Cole Hannum a boost. At Grant in Week 1.
5. Grant (8-4)
Pacers eye section-best 22nd straight playoff berth; WR/S Trayvon Henderson a recruit. NU, Del Oro, Burbank early games.
6. Pleasant Grove (12-2)
Eagles are as fast as ever and tough with DL/OL Nick Terry and FB/LB Tyree Hanson; Lincoln and NU early games.
7. Vacaville (13-1)
Bulldogs have won 12 in a row and return RB Curtis Goins; play Granite Bay early.
8. Granite Bay (12-2)
Defending D-I champs break in new QB, RBs, linemen; loaded early schedule includes Westlake and Oaks Christian.
9. Franklin-Elk Grove (8-4)
Section-best 17 starters return; fast team could go 10-0, though Grant and Elk Grove loom in league play.
10. Placer (9-3)
Hillmen could bolt to 10-0 start behind wing-T express and USC commit DL Eddie Vanderdoes.
11. Central Catholic (10-3)
Small-school bruisers find out what they have in Placer opener.
12. Oakdale (13-1)
Mustangs fell to Del Oro in D-III section finals last 2 years; army of starters return.
13. Folsom (11-3)
Bulldogs usher in new QB, linemen but defense is stout with LB Derek Stiles, DB Phillip Carter.
14. Oak Ridge (7-5)
Trojans new QB ace is Jason Samuels; loaded lines; early schedule includes Grant.
15. St. Mary's-Stockton (9-3)
Rams are spread-option gurus, well coached, skilled. De La Salle early game.
16. Buhach Colony-Atwater (12-1)
Thunder return five leading rushers and 6-6, 360-pound OL Aaron Cochran.
17. Burbank (9-2)
Uber-quick Titans could soar up these rankings with wins early against Napa, Grant.
18. Napa (7-4)
Indians have QB ace in Zach Jones, also a DB; open vs. Burbank.
19. Cosumnes Oaks (8-4)
Huge on the lines, fast skill players, rising program indeed; vs Franklin early.
20. Inderkum (10-2)
Major injuries early hurt; early game vs Pleasant Grove is monster track meet.
21. Del Campo (8-4)
Another brutish running game, linemen and hitters; vs. Elk Grove early.
22. Jesuit (5-6)
New coach Marlon Blanton works with old QB Thomas Sperbeck.
23. Antelope (6-5)
Titans have WR/DB ace in Tyler Winston; eye another league title.
24. Pitman-Turlock (10-2)
Pride return top three RBs and have easy nonleague/league.
25. Casa Roble (10-3)
Rams could climb here fast; RB Kody Jones ran for 1,500 yards.
Added note: For a refresher/crash course to the Sacramento-area high school football season, we suggest four courses of action to satisfy your curiosity:
The Bee
Stay tuned for a flood of Bee previews next week in print and online, including:
- Area Top 20 rankings
- Top 25 top players to watch
- Top returning players with stats, comments (more than 100 players total)
- League-by-league previews and projections, with comments
- Overview story on the state of high school football with the haves and have-nots, fundraising issues, concussion concerns and the expansion of the playoffs.
- Point-counter-point between The Bee's Bill Paterson and me on topics such as the good/bad of regional games, transfers, etc.
SureWest Sports
Go to SureWestSports.com for a countdown rankings shows with host Mike Finnerty and yours truly as we offer:
- Interviews with coaches
- Interviews with athletes
- A breakdown of top players
- Big-picture commentary on prep football topics
ESPN1320
Go to ESPN1320.net Friday morning for a link to the SureWest Sports Radio Show kickoff preview show that I co-host with Finnerty. Topics include:
- Can Del Oro three-peat?
- Is Grant a factor again?
- How good is Franklin?
- Does Folsom have a new QB ace?
- The biggest transfer in the region in years
- Can Granite Bay repeat?
- How fast is Pleasant Grove?
- Top players
- Top leauges
- Predictions
The show will also air each Saturday from 9-10 a.m. on ESPN1320, including this week.
Fox 40
Tune into Fox 40's Final Quarter Prep Football Preview Show on Friday from 11-11:30 p.m. During the season, Jim Crandell and Kristina Werner will break down highlights each Friday night, from 11-11:30 p.m. in the Final Quarter.
The Final Quarter this Friday includes:
- A visit with Del Oro
- A visit with national recruit lineman Eddie Vanderdoes of Placer
- A peek back at last year's top talents in Grant's Shaq Thompson (now at Washington) and Pleasant Grove's Arik Armstead (now at Oregon).
- A visit with Sac-Joaquin Section preseason No. 1 Lincoln-Stockton.
- A feature on retired legendary coach Ed Lombardi.
- An interview with Sac-Joaquin Section Commissioner Pete Saco.
- A story on concussions
- Five questions in a 2-minute blitz session with yours truly in breaking down the region in quick, big-picture form.
In short, football season is here.
- Joe Davidson
Follow on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD
Follow on Facebook: sacbeepreps
Email to jdavidson@sacbee.com
Bee photo by Brian Baer: Pleasant Grove High School's, Tyree Hanson, #23 losses his helmet as he is tackled by Oak Ridge High School's Preston Dean, #3 as Oak Ridge High School hosts Pleasant Grove High School, Friday Oct. 21, 2011.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.