DIVISION 1-AA: FOLSOM VS. PITTSBURG
Records: Folsom 12-1, Pittsburg 11-2
Kickoff: Friday at Pittsburg, 7:30 p.m.
Series history: Pittsburg is 0-3 against Folsom in the MaxPreps era (2004 to present), losing on the road to the Bulldogs 28-25 in the Division 1-A regional title game last season, plus 38-17 at Folsom in 2021 and 28-15 at home in 2022.
Storylines: This is a rematch of a terrific regional title game between the teams last season, except the venue has switched from Folsom’s blue turf to Pirates Stadium. … Many of the key players from last year’s game are back for this one, including quarterbacks Marley Alcantara (Pittsburg) and Ryder Lyons (Folsom). … Lyons, a five-star junior, has passed for 2,874 yards and 44 touchdowns. He also has run for 556 yards and 12 TDs. … Alcantara has been brilliant himself, passing for 2,598 and 36 touchdowns with zero interceptions. He also has scrambled for 234 yards and a TD. … Alcantara passes to a receiving group that includes Makari Kenion (607 yards, eight TDs) and Kenneth Ward (543 yards, eight TDs). … Lyons’ top receiving targets include Jameson Powell (887 yards, 16 TDs) and Taniela Tupou (566 yards, 11 TDs). … Washington State-bound Jamar Searcy leads the Pittsburg rushing attack, averaging 9.4 yards per carry. He has run for 1,414 yards and 18 touchdowns on the season. Elijah Bow has added 432 yards and six TDs on the ground. … Carter Jackson (910 yards, nine TDs) and Daymion Rivera (653 yards, five TDs) are Folsom’s top runners. … Folsom has won 11 in a row since a stunning 22-21 loss at home to Serra in Week 1. The Bulldogs average 47 points and allow 10 points per game. … In the playoffs, they have beaten Downey 68-28, Inderkum 45-0 and Oak Ridge 41-0. … Pittsburg’s playoff run hasn’t been as dominant, largely because of the competition. After beating Clayton Valley 35-14, the Pirates lost to De La Salle 10-7 in the North Coast Section Open Division final, then held off San Ramon Valley 35-28 for the section’s Division I title. … In regional championship games, Pittsburg is 2-2 and Folsom is 5-4.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Folsom to win 40-26.
– Darren Sabedra
DIVISION 1-A: ST. IGNATIUS VS. CENTRAL-FRESNO
Records: St. Ignatius 10-2, Central-Fresno 11-2
Kickoff: Saturday at Central-Fresno, 6 p.m.
Series history: The teams have not faced off in the MaxPreps era (since 2004).
Storylines: St. Ignatius has had an extra week to prepare for regional play after defeating St. Francis 10-7 in the CCS Open Division title game. … The San Francisco program, in its second year under coach Lenny Vandermade, is playing in only its second NorCal game in program history. The Wildcats fell 45-17 to Granite Bay in the Division I regional in 2012. … St. Ignatius knows how to win far away from The City, having defeated San Diego powerhouse Cathedral 16-14 earlier this season. … Catholic Central defeated Clovis East 33-24 in the Central Section’s 1-AA championship. … The Grizzlies have a storied history and have played in four NorCal championship games, winning the 2019 1-AA regional title against Oak Ridge and the state crown with a victory over Sierra Canyon. … St. Ignatius’ top offensive weapon is senior running back Jarious Hogan, who scored the game-winning touchdown against St. Francis. He has run for 20 touchdowns and caught four more scores this season. … He runs behind mauling tackle and Washington signee John Mills, who flipped from Texas. … Quinn Folk and Zui Shelton both have around 500 receiving yards for the balanced SI attack, which is led by quarterback Soren Hummel. … Seniors Gui Gallegos-Hunkin and Daniel Leupold are SI’s leading tacklers, and pass-rusher Happy Rosenberg has double-digit sacks. … Odhran Kenny is a reliable kicker who has proven he can make kicks in bad weather conditions. … Central ran through its section’s gauntlet in the playoffs, beating perennial power LIberty-Bakersfield 35-14 in the first round and then avenging both of its regular-season losses by taking down Clovis North and Clovis East in the next two rounds. … Sophomore quarterback Jelani Dippel has thrown for 38 touchdowns and junior running back Brandon Smith has tallied 1,638 rushing yards and 22 scores on the ground. Wideouts Daylon Scott and Bayon Harris have combined for 24 receiving touchdowns. … Aidan Chavez has 155 tackles and Marcus Nolen has seven sacks for a Central defense that is well-tested. … St. Ignatius has developed a well-earned reputation for pulling out improbable victories thanks to a series of impressive second-half comebacks this season, but the Wildcats will need to play a clean four quarters to win on Saturday. … The winner will play Granite Hills-El Cajon or Edison-Huntington Beach for the 1-A state title.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Central-Fresno will win 34-17.
– Joseph Dycus
DIVISION 2-AA: GRANT-SACRAMENTO VS. ST. FRANCIS
Records: Grant 10-3, St. Francis 10-3
Kickoff: Friday at St. Francis, 7:30 p.m.
Series history: The teams have not faced off in the MaxPreps era (since 2004).
Storylines: St. Francis will have its work cut out if it wants to make a state championship game for the first time since defeating Grace Brethren-Simi Valley 22-13 in the 2017 2-A state title matchup. Grant boasts a high-powered offense led by senior quarterback Luke Alexander, who has thrown for 2,853 yards with 60.4% completion. Brandon Lambert is the Pacers’ leading rusher with 1,287 yards on 7.4 per carry. Leading receiver Koby “Cheese” Shabazz, a sophomore, has compiled 978 yards on 64 catches. St. Francis will need another strong performance from senior quarterback Aaron Knapp to balance out its rushing success. Knapp came through for the Lancers in the CCS Division I championship game against Los Gatos, throwing for 156 yards with an efficient completion percentage of 71.4%. He got some help from junior receiver Perrion Williams, who hauled in multiple long receptions, including a 36-yard touchdown. Senior superstar running back Kingston Keanaaina is questionable for the game after aggravating a shoulder injury originally suffered against St. Ignatius in the CCS Open Division championship game. In his stead, St. Francis turned to two backups: junior Loa Tuiileila and sophomore Motu Keanaaina, Kingston’s younger brother. Both performed well behind St. Francis’ massive offensive line and should be featured if Kingston cannot go or is significantly limited.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Grant will win 40-17.
– Christian Babcock
DIVISION 2-A: WILCOX VS. TWELVE BRIDGES-LINCOLN
Records: Wilcox 11-2, Twelve Bridges 13-0
Kickoff: Saturday at Twelve Bridges, 6 p.m.
Series history: First meeting.
Storylines: Wilcox is 2-0 all-time in NorCal games, winning a 3-A championship in 2018 and 2-A title in 2021. Its opponent Saturday night, Twelve Bridges, had only two varsity seasons before this one. Yet, the Sacramento-area school will come in as a favorite, maybe even a heavy favorite, when it plays host to the Santa Clara school for a spot in next weekend’s 2-A state championship game. Twelve Bridges has won 25 of its past 26 games, including all 13 this year. The Raging Rhinos average 51 points and allow 15 points per game. They have had just one close call, winning at Reed of Sparks, Nev., 39-36 on Aug. 30. On Saturday, they beat Patterson 55-7 to capture the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV title. In that game, Braeden Ward ran for 275 yards in 24 carries and scored four touchdowns. That was nothing new for the 5-11, 195-pound senior. He has rushed for 2,409 yards and 24 TDs to this point. QB Connor Flaherty, who has dedicated the season to his late stepfather, threw for 147 yards and three TDs against Patterson. … Wilcox has its own Brayden who carries a heavy load. Brayden Rosa did it all for the Chargers in the second half Saturday as they overcame a 20-7 halftime deficit to beat Palma 35-26 for the Central Coast Section Division II crown. Rosa lined up at quarterback, running back, receiver and safety. He ran for 202 yards in 22 carries, scored two TDs, returned punts and kickoffs and had a key pass breakup on a two-point attempt. The Chargers’ best defense Saturday could be their offense. If Rosa & Co. can control the clock with the veer-option attack, maybe they’ll be the team traveling to Southern California for a shot at a state title.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Twelve Bridges to win 38-20.
– Darren Sabedra
DIVISION 3-AA: MCCLYMONDS VS. AMADOR VALLEY
Records: McClymonds 8-4, Amador Valley 9-4
Kickoff: Friday at McClymonds, 7:30 p.m.
Series history: The teams have not played each other in the MaxPreps era (since 2004).
Storylines: Two East Bay teams with starkly different amounts of experience at the regional level will match up in Oakland. … McClymonds is making its 11th appearance in a NorCal game and is aiming to reach a seventh state title game. Mack is the Oakland Section’s sole representative in regional competition, having defeated Oakland in the Silver Bowl. … Amador Valley is playing in its first NorCal game after defeating another team from The Town – Bishop O’Dowd – 42-18 to capture the NCS Division II title. … McClymonds rolled through its league but was tested in non-league play by St. Francis, San Ramon Valley, Archbishop Riordan and O’Dowd. The team is led by longtime coach Michael Peters and has a roster of just 19 varsity players. They make up the majority of the best players in Oakland, though, with workhorse running back Sharky Tamale among the standouts. Offensive lineman Sione Vailea and RB Dom Davis also make the Mack ground game hard to stop. But unlike the Warriors of the past few seasons, junior QB Berell Staples and receivers Ugene Jackson and Desmond Sparks give the program an explosive passing attack. The defense, led by CB Rahsjon Duncan and DL Nehemiah Cody, will have its hands full against Amador’s offense. … Oregon State commit Tristan Tia has thrown for 3,452 yards and 29 touchdowns. He has rushed for 16 TDs as the leading runner for coach Danny Jones. Tia’s top passing target, Anthony Harrington, has accumulated 1,391 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. Ismael Duenas averages 102 rushing yards per game, too, for the explosive AV offense, which scored 42, 38 and 42 points in its NCS playoff victories. … The winner will play Murrieta Mesa-Murrieta or Frontier-Bakersfield for the Division 3-AA state title.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Amador Valley will win 38-27.
– Joseph Dycus
DIVISION 5-AA: ACALANES VS. CARMEL
Records: Acalanes 10-3, Carmel 13-0
Kickoff: Friday at Monterey Peninsula College, 7:30 p.m.
Series history: The teams have not faced off in the MaxPreps era (since 2004).
Storylines: Acalanes is aiming to win its second consecutive regional championship under coach Floyd Burnsed, this time on the road in a lower division. The Lafayette program captured the 3-AA title 49-14 at home against Escalon in 2023 en route to a state championship victory. This season, the Dons defeated rival Campolindo 20-17 to advance to qualify for NorCals. … Carmel took down Aptos 62-35 in the CCS Division III title game to win its second section title in program history and advance to its first regional game. … Acalanes is expected to rely on several key players from last season to make a difference against the Padres. Wide receiver Niko White has pulled in 13 touchdowns and Deonte Littlejohn is a standout at both outside linebacker and running back. Both sat out with injuries against Campolindo, but are expected to play on Friday. Senior Drew McKenzie has 12 sacks and is also a steady presence on the line too. … First-year starters have also made their mark during the Dons’ run to another NorCal game. Quarterback Tyler Winkles (32 passing TDs) and lineman-turned-RB Joshua Elerts (813 rushing yards) are offensive stars, and DT Bethel Imasuen (five sacks) and sophomore DB Finley Rivera (seven interceptions) have stood out on defense. … Expect a high-scoring affair at MPC. Carmel, which has Alabama commit Jackson Lloyd on the offensive line, averages 46 points per game, but gives up 26 on average, including 36 a game over its last four. … Acalanes’ defense has been far stingier, allowing over 30 points only once all season, and holding each of its three playoff opponents under 20 points. … The winner will take on Silverado-Victorville or El Capitan-Lakeside for the 5-AA state title.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Acalanes will win 42-31.
– Joseph Dycus
DIVISION 6-A: SUMMERVILLE VS. SACRED HEART PREP
Records: Summerville 12-1, Sacred Heart Prep 7-6
Kickoff: Saturday at Sacred Heart Prep, 12:30 p.m.
Series history: The teams have not faced off in the MaxPreps era (since 2004).
Storylines: Sacred Heart Prep welcomes in Summerville, a team from the town of Tuolumne near Yosemite National Park, for this NorCal matchup. The Gators have won three CCS playoff games in a row since ending their regular season with a 20-17 loss to Menlo School, each by double digits. Senior running back Greg Gamitian, a steady force all season, has led SHP’s ground game, most recently gaining 112 yards on 19 carries in the CCS Division IV championship game against Burlingame. Junior QB Nico Pollioni hasn’t thrown the ball a ton but was efficient when he did so against Burlingame, completing 7 of 8 passes for 61 yards. Gamitian and backup running back Maxime Morelle are key players on defense also, as is lineman Aseli Fangupo. Fangupo is a force on the line of scrimmage and returned a fumble 29 yards for a key touchdown in the win over Burlingame. Sasha Bamdad is a dynamic threat out wide who took a handoff around the outside for a 63-yard TD. Summerville has had a dominant run through the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs, winning each game by at least 26 points. The Bears last defeated Stone Ridge Christian-Merced 38-12 in the Sac-Joaquin Division VII championship game. Junior quarterback Bryce Leveroos ran for four touchdowns in the win, and senior receiver Colton Cash ran in a 77-yard TD.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com projects Sacred Heart Prep to win 22-21.
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– Christian Babcock
DIVISION 7-AA: LELAND VS. MOREAU CATHOLIC
Records: Leland 10-3, Moreau Catholic 9-4
Kickoff: Friday at Moreau Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Series history: First meeting since MaxPreps era began in 2004.
Storylines: This will be the first NorCal regional game for both sides. Moreau captured its first NCS title on Saturday, holding off Ferndale 21-19 for the Division VII championship. … Leland won its fifth CCS crown on Saturday, turning back Sequoia 27-21 in the Division V final. … Moreau needed a big effort on defense to reach this stage, which it got in the section title game as linebacker Eriq Fields jarred the ball loose late in the fourth quarter and recovered the fumble that ended a Ferndale scoring threat. Instead of losing the lead, as possibly the game, Moreau held on for the victory that moved the Mariners into this week’s matchup with Leland. … Moreau has won four in a row and eight of nine. The Mariners run a mostly balanced attack, having passed for 2,567 yards and ran for 1,836 yards on the season. Jeremiah Charles has been sensational behind center, throwing for 26 TDs with only three interceptions. Jayden Bryant (881 yards, 13 TDs) and Peyton Collins (708 yards, seven TDs) lead the rushing attack. … Leland has also won eight of nine, behind a run-heavy offense led by Hudson Vye and Brady Hernandez. QB Jacob Gibson also is a threat in the rushing game. In the section final, Leland was almost perfectly balanced, finishing with 186 yards on the ground and 184 through the air. Gibson ran for two TDs and passed for two scores, and Vye rushed for 114 yards in 12 carries. He also caught a 76-yard scoring pass late in the fourth quarter that broke a 21-21 tie.
Computer projection: Calpreps.com predicts Moreau to win 31-21.
– Darren Sabedra
