FB: Sac-Joaquin pairings reactions

Students at Lincoln of Stockton were joking earlier this week how they’d like to see their football team perhaps play nationally ranked Folsom in the first round of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs.

It’s no joke. The Bulldogs did get placed into the Division I bracket of the section playoffs (unlike D2 from the last few seasons) and will host the 4-6 Trojans in a first-round game.

For all of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section pairings, go to this page on the section website. CLICK HERE.

More D1 – It will take a major upset for Folsom (10-0) to lose in this bracket and prevent the team from an expected berth in the CIF NorCal Open Division bowl game. It’s hard to fathom how Stagg of Stockton (9-1) was seeded second ahead of Oak Ridge (9-1), but the Delta Kings will have a hard time getting to the semis with an expected quarterfinal game against Pleasant Grove (8-2). Watch out for Jesuit (7-3) as a No. 12 seed going up against No. 5 Merced (8-2) in the first round.

Division II – Too bad Rio Linda (9-1) got jumped up into this division because the Knights would have had a great chance in D3. They aren’t going to beat teams like Del Oro, Grant and Rocklin even as a No. 2 seed. Their loss, after all, was to Roseville. Del Oro looks like the favorite and may have to beat Grant in the semis, which would be a rematch of an overtime game from the regular season. Watch out for St. Mary’s of Stockton as a No. 13 seed playing No. 4 Yuba City. Any team good enough to beat Central Catholic can win at Yuba City.

Division III – American Canyon (9-1) was the big winner in the pairings because it’s hard to see how the Wolves could have been the No. 1 seed instead of either Inderkum (8-2) or Manteca (9-1). Now, Inderkum and Manteca will probably meet in the semis instead of the final.

Division IV – Top seed and defending champion Central Catholic (9-1) opens against Marysville and is a bigger favorite this year than last year. While the Raiders don’t seem as strong as last year, this division last year included unbeatens in Ripon and Placer. Hilmar (10-0) is Central Catholic’s likely opponent in the final. Watch out for Escalon (6-4) as a No. 10 seed playing No. 4 Amador of Sutter Creek.

Divisions V & VI – It should be cakewalk city for LeGrand (10-0) in Division V and Bradshaw Christian (8-2) in Division VI. Bradshaw would then have no chance to go the regional bowl game ahead of LeGrand. For LeGrand, it’s chance of playing beyond the section level likely rests with the possibility of Central Catholic being moved up to the D3 NorCal regional bowl game.