Pick the Preps: Predicting the Sacramento area’s biggest high school football showdowns
Two weeks into the high school football season, and already it’s been a good start. If we could only back it up as a foursome of prep forecasters.
Last week, we all blundered on the biggest game, none of us picking Oak Ridge to beat Grant in El Dorado Hills as we were reminded that senior-heavy teams do tend to beat younger ones more often than not. Grant’s youth showed and Oak Ridge’s savvy did as well in prevailing 21-18.
We all whiffed on Pleasant Grove topping Christian Brothers as well. Then again, none of us knew the Eagles would trot out a 6-foot-5 soccer star, still learning this grand game of football, to hammer home a 47-yard field goal for a 36-35 victory. His name is Carter Tseu — pronounced Zhay-who. We applaud you, young sir.
We all picked Northern California No. 1 Serra of San Mateo to top Bee No. 1 Folsom, and the Padres won 21-14. Serra is a senior-heavy team while Folsom is not, though the Bulldogs showed a lot in making it a game after trailing 21-0 in the first quarter.
There are only two meetings of Bee-ranked teams this week but plenty of intriguing games otherwise.
Our panel of prep enthusiasts joining me in the prediction fun: Matthew Bessette of ABC Jam Productions with NFHS, which livestreams games near and far; Nick Pecoraro, a Bee correspondent and a longtime area media guy; and Scott Tedmon, a recently retired basketball coach at Sacramento Adventist Academy who is running last in our running tally but is in better shape than the rest of us as he is training for California International Marathon.
The best road trip this week is Oak Ridge’s trek to San Diego as part of the Southern California portion of the Honor Bowl, a series of games that honor those who served and sacrificed. Before The Trojans take on San Diego powerhouse Madison, the team will visit Camp Pendleton and also meet with Wounded Warriors, men who have lost limbs in battle.
On Sept. 9, Oak Ridge will host the Northern California version of the Honor Bowl.
All games kickoff between 7 and 7:30 p.m. Friday, unless noted.
Pittsburg (1-0) at No. 4 Granite Bay (1-1)
JoeD: The Pirates of the North Coast Section have history, including the last team in that section to beat De La Salle, way back in 1991. Pittsburg topped Granite Bay in Placer County in a CIF NorCal Division I-A playoff game in 2018, which means nothing now except that it’s a flashback. Granite Bay expects to get back on track after falling 15-0 to powerhouse Manteca, and it does here, in a tight one, 14-13.
MatthewB: Pittsburg has a roster loaded with juniors and is coming off a 49-13 win over Sacred Heart Prep. Expect Granite Bay to bounce back offensively, but it won’t be enough. Pittsburg wins, 41-31.
NickP: Pitt is good, no doubt, but there’s already an MLB team named the Pittsburgh Pirates. Where’s the originality? Granite Bay bounces back from an uncharacteristic shutout to win a close one, 24-21.
CoachT: GB and Pitt have terrific skill players, but it starts at the line of scrimmage and the Pirates are huge up front. Pitt wins the physical battle, 20-17.
No. 7 Vacaville (2-0) at Cardinal Newman (1-0)
JoeD: The Bulldogs have had close, intense games with the Cardinals of Santa Rosa, a storied program dating back to the 1970s when they owned state records for winning streaks. Vacaville has it rolling behind QB Brody Fortunati and RB Cristian Diosado. Bulldogs win 24-21.
MatthewB: Vacaville’s defense has only allowed six points, a unit led by Massimo Menicou and Noa Siaosi. The Bulldogs defense shines again, 27-13.
NickP: San Jose State commit Noa Siaosi is a menace off the edge, leading a Vacaville defense that’s surrendered just six points. Bulldogs prevail, 20-10.
CoachT: Vacaville’s V stands for victory. The Bulldogs go on the road and take care of business, 27-20.
Menlo-Atherton (0-1) at No. 9 Elk Grove (1-1)
JoeD: A year ago, MA rolled EG 40-20, though the Thundering Herd recovered to run the table in the Delta League. QB David Hale is on a roll, having rushed for five touchdowns last week in a 55-32 win over Antelope. When the Herd’s flex-bone option is humming, head for cover. Herd wins, 38-31.
MatthewB: Menlo-Atherton is coming off of a defensive struggle with Bellarmine. The Herd exploded on offense against Antelope. Something has to give. We will see some points in this one with the Bears prevailing, 31-28.
NickP: Last week’s rushing totals for each team: Elk Grove 338, Menlo-Atherton 5. I’m going with the Herd, 42-21.
CoachT: Herd is still the word! EG will hype up the home crowd, running over MA in dominating fashion, 45-14.
Vanden (1-1) at No. 12 Vista del Lago (1-1)
JoeD: VDL lost its opener 42-35 to Manteca, which is coming off of a 15-0 win over Granite Bay, so there’s that. And there’s this: QB John Koett’s connection with WR Matt Long, as good of a 1-2 punch as there is in Northern California. VDL wins, 35-21.
MatthewB: Vista’s offense has shown its versatility and now the defense is coming off of a shutout. Vanden has had two battles so far. The Eagles fly high in this one, 37-20.
NickP: If the Eagles start pairing their Koett-to-Long air attack with a solid ground game (Xavier Bryan rushed 27 times for 162 yards and three touchdowns last week), look out. Vista wins, 28-17.
CoachT: VDL is legit, playing Manteca tough at home and then taking it out on Ponderosa last week. The Eagles notch their first home win in impressive fashion, 38-17.
No. 13 Inderkum (1-1) at Sacramento (0-2)
▪ Saturday, 1 p.m.
JoeD: This is a trap game if there ever was one, and you can bet the Inderkum coaches will urge their guys to not take the Dragons lightly. Sacramento can score, but it has not prevented teams from doing so, falling to Rodriguez 43-33 and Wood 35-32. Inderkum wins 35-21.
MatthewB: I am fired up to see RB Lamar Radcliffe in person for the first time as I will be covering this one on the NFHS Network. Both teams can put up points in bunches. As the president of the Ricky Cole fan club, I believe the Inderkum quarterback will lead the Tigers to a win, 45-39.
NickP: Dragons star Lamar Radcliffe is due to bust out any minute now, but a deep Inderkum squad has impressed in a 1-1 start. I’ll take the Tigers, 42-31.
CoachT: The Dragons have the best player in Radcliffe, but Inderkum has the better team. Tigers roar on the road, 38-24.
No. 14 Pleasant Grove (2-0) at No. 20 West Park (1-1)
JoeD: The growing pains for a young PG team last season included a 50-7 loss to West Park, which graduated a ton of talent but is still capable of another playoff run. PG lost to Christian Brothers 33-7 last season and avenged that nicely, and will do the same here, winning 30-21.
MatthewB: What a difference a year has made for Pleasant Grove. West Park has to get Westin Wade going and this might be the week to do it as PG gave up 263 yards rushing to Ezekiel Castex last week. The Panthers pull it off with a strong ground game, 34-28.
NickP: Pleasant Grove got us all last week. I’m hoping the Eagles don’t get me again this week — “Bold strategy, Cotton, let’s see if it pays off” — as I’m rolling with West Park to rebound, 28-21.
CoachT: Pleasant Grove shocked Christian Brothers last week and carries a ton of momentum into this tilt. I’m an Eagle Believer. PG over West Park in another down to the wire win, 31-30.
No. 22 Laguna Creek (1-1) at No. 19 Roseville (2-0)
JoeD: LC won a fun one over Roseville last season, 24-19, and we can see something similar again, only it’ll be reversed. Go with the home-team Tigers, 21-20.
MatthewB: Laguna Creek has some playmakers with five different players getting into the end zone in two weeks. Roseville held on for dear life against Placer last week. The Tigers haven’t started 3-0 since 2016, but they break that streak this year, winning 28-24.
NickP: Things seem to be lively again on the football field at “The Orange School.” Gimme the Tigers to win, 23-17, and enjoy their first 3-0 start in seven years.
CoachT: There’s a football renaissance going on at Roseville. Wake up the echos of Tedy Bruschi as the Tigers stay unbeaten, topping LC 27-21.
River City (2-0) at Del Campo (1-1)
JoeD: These teams are led by upstart coaches full of energy and charisma. RC coach Marcus Tribble wears a Sesame Street T-shirt just because, and Matt Costa of DC has Notre Dame things tattooed onto his body. Neither will admit that they are entirely sane, but their teams are ready to make a playoff march. DC wins at home, 24-23.
MatthewB: River City’s defense has come to play this season. Del Campo’s Jordan Wiley is 13th in the section in rushing with 257 yards. The Cougars hand it to Wiley early and often on the way to the victory, 31-21.
NickP: Marcus Tribble thinks JoeD harps too much on the Sesame Street shirts. He fires back with, “Sesame Street’s 2-0!” But Del Campo QB Angel Reyna has one of the best WR trios to throw to in the section with Kerry Braggs III, Richard Johnson and Niko Wedderburn. Cougars win a close one, 30-28.
CoachT: Maybe the Norte Dame Leprechaun will show up at Del Campo wearing a Cookie Monster shirt. We can only hope. This is an entertaining matchup with the Cougars dynamic offense spelling the difference, 34-31.
Season totals
JoeD: 7-4
MatthewB: 8-3
NickP: 7-4
CoachT: 4-7
