The section championships are complete, and the CIF pairings have been announced. Prep2Prep will have a complete in-depth analysis later in the week by senior contributor Harold Abend, after talking to the coaches and breaking down each match-up. For now, we take a quick look at the week to come in each NorCal bracket.
DIVISION 1-AA
Freedom (11-1) at St. Mary’s-Stockton (13-1), Friday, 7:30 pm
The Falcons’ lone loss was in the NCS Open title game to De La Salle, while the host Rams won the Sac-Joaquin Division 1 title convincingly over Folsom, and have a lone loss to Southern Section Division 1 champion St. John Bosco.
This game features two dynamic running backs – Freedom’s Ronnie Rivers and St. Mary’s Dusty Frampton, along with a pair of explosive passing games. Freedom quarterback Jonathan Pierce, and receivers Baylei Coston and Giles Jackson, will be opposed by the Rams’ Jake Dunniway, with receivers Dewey Cotton and Keaton Hampton.
DIVISION 1-A
Bakersfield (11-1) at Del Oro (12-2), Saturday, 7:30 pm
The Drillers will make the long haul up to Loomis to face the Golden Eagles, who captured the Sac-Joaquin Division 2 championship. Quarterback Stone Smartt, running backs Dalton Gee and Camrion Davis, and receiver Mason Hurst lead the Golden Eagles. Bakersfield is averaging over 470 yards per game offensively, and beat Central-Fresno for the Central Section Division 1 title.
DIVISION 2-AA
Cardinal Newman (12-1) at Valley Christian (12-1), Friday, 7:30 pm
The visiting Cardinals got bumped up to face the Warriors, and that creates an intriguing match-up between NCS and CCS powers. Jordon Brookshire and Miles Kendrick are a pair of athletic and explosive quarterbacks in this game, and both offensive lines feature size, ability, and veteran leaders who have dominated all season long.
DIVISION 2-A
Serra (9-4) at Sanger (13-0), Saturday, 7:30 pm
The Padres head south to face Sanger. Serra has won nine straight since opening 0-4, meaning these two teams have combined to win 22 straight games this year. Sanger defeated Ridgeview for the Central Section Division 2 title, but will face a Serra team with two tremendous options at quarterback – dual-threat Leki Nunn and prolific sophomore passer Luke Bottari.
DIVISION 3-AA
Manteca (12-1) at Menlo-Atherton (11-2), Friday, 7:30 pm
Quarterback Gino Campiotti and the strong Manteca run game were tested little in their run to the Sac-Joaquin Division 4 championship, but will face a Bears defense which did not allow a point in their last two games, shutout wins over Bellarmine and Milpitas. Aajon Johnson and Jordan Mims lead a balanced attack for Menlo-Atherton’s offense.
DIVISION 3-A
Sutter (13-0) at Oakdale (12-2), Saturday, 7:30 pm
Basically, it was a season of waiting to see where Sutter would wind up, after the Huskies raced past Palma in their season-opener, 52-31. They cruised to the Northern Section championship, pitching seven straight shutouts before a 42-7 win over Lassen in the section title game. Dual-threat quarterback Tyler Reynolds orchestrates Sutter’s fast-paced Wing-T attack, with plenty of misdirection thrown in.
Oakdale, meanwhile, has won five straight since a loss to Manteca, and defeated Christian Brothers in the Sac-Joaquin Section title game. Will Semone emerged as a force on the ground for the Mustangs this season, who are more of a grind-it-out style of Wing-T offense.
DIVISION 4-AA
Campolindo (10-3) vs Palma (10-3) at Salinas Rabobank Stadium, Friday, 7:30 pm
Two consistently successful programs meet, as running back Emilio Martinez and the Chieftains play host to quarterback Jacob Westphal and the Cougars. Campolindo is seeking a return to its third straight state title game, but offensive lineman Drew Dalman figures to anchor a Palma offense intent on keeping the Cougars off the field.
DIVISION 4-A
Milpitas (10-3) vs Pleasant Valley (9-3) at Oroville Harrison Stadium, Saturday, 7:30 pm
The Bracy twins lead the Trojans on the road, as Milpitas advanced as a section runner-up for the second straight season. Pleasant Valley struggled early, with losses to Del Oro, Valley Christian, and Paradise, but rebounded to beat Paradise in the Northern Section championship game, and enter on a six-game winning streak.
Pleasant Valley senior quarterback Kyle Lindquist has thrown for 23 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season.
DIVISION 5-AA
Capital Christian (11-2) at Bishop O’Dowd (13-1), Friday, 7:30 pm
The visiting Cougars have won nine straight since early season losses to Aptos and Del Oro, while O’Dowd’s only loss is to Freedom. The host Dragons put forth one of their most impressive performances of the season in the NCS Division 3 title game, holding Marin Catholic to 133 yards of total offense.
Capital Christian is led by quarterback Jacob Norville and sophomore running back D’Marcus Ross, but faces an O’Dowd defense which has held its opponents to single digit point totals in eight of its 14 games.
DIVISION 5-A
East Nicolaus (13-0) vs McClymonds (11-1) at Chabot College, Saturday, 7:30 pm
The visiting Spartans cruised to the Northern Section Division 4 title, and have rushed for 4,400 yards this season. The explosive duo of quarterback Steven Brown and running Nolan Goyet has combined for 42 touchdowns on the ground. But they have faced nothing like the swarming defense of McClymonds, led by Cal commit Paul Scott at middle linebacker.
DIVISION 6-AA
Mendota (13-0) vs Amador (13-1) at Calaveras, Friday, 7:00 pm
Central Section Division 5 champion Mendota scored less than 40 points just once in the last 10 games this season, led by senior Junior Cardenas, and his 42 passing touchdowns. Amador, meanwhile, beat Lincoln-SF in the play-in game for its ninth straight win, as senior running back Daylan Thetford has continued to shred opposing defenses.
DIVISION 6-A
Brookside Christian (9-4) at St. Patrick-St. Vincent (11-3), Saturday, 7:30 pm
Brookside Christian was the other play-in winner, beating Biggs, and has won eight straight. That streak includes a section title game over Stone Ridge Christian, which avenged one of the earlier losses. The Knights face an SPSV team that started the season with six straight wins, lost three in a row during TCAL-Rock play, and is now on a five-game winning streak.
