Junior Michael Protheroe and senior Joey Protheroe greet each other after their Clayton Valley of Concord team swamped Concord in game that was aired on the Comcast Hometown Network. Photo by Harold Abend.
Note: The top 10 teams that would be ranked by CalHiSportsFootball for the CIF Open Division in Northern California would be:
1. De La Salle (Concord); 2. Franklin (Elk Grove); 3. Folsom; 4. Elk Grove; 5. Bellarmine (San Jose); 6. Serra (San Mateo); 7. Buhach Colony (Atwater); 8. Luther Burbank (Sacramento); 9. Placer (Auburn); 10. St. Mary’s (Stockton) 6-2.
With assistance from Harold Abend and Paul Muyskens, here are the Week 9 rankings for each of Northern California’s CIF bowl game divisions (previous ranking in parentheses; after games of Saturday, Oct. 20):
DIVISION I NORTH
1. (1) De La Salle (Concord) 8-0
2. (3) Franklin (Elk Grove) 8-0
3. (4) Folsom 8-0
4. (2) Elk Grove 7-1
5. (5) Bellarmine (San Jose) 6-1
6. (6) Serra (San Mateo) 6-1
7. (9) Buhach Colony (Atwater) 6-2
8. (8) Luther Burbank (Sacramento) 8-0
9. (10) St. Mary’s (Stockton) 6-2
10. (12) Oak Grove (San Jose) 7-0
11. (11) Monte Vista (Danville) 6-2
12. (14) Granite Bay 5-3
13. (15) California (San Ramon) 7-1
14. (13) Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) 7-1
15. (NR) St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 6-1
Drops: Previous No. 7 Deer Valley (Antioch) lost to Pittsburg 42-29.
Bubble Teams: Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 5-2, Deer Valley (Antioch) 6-2, Del Oro (Loomis) 3-5, Foothill (Pleasanton) 4-4, Freedom (Oakley) 6-2, Grant (Sacramento) 3-5, James Logan (Union City) 7-1, Lincoln (Stockton) 5-3, Pittsburg 5-3, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 6-2, San Ramon Valley (Danville) 4-4, Stagg (Stockton) 8-0.
No. 1 Team Result: De La Salle (Concord) defeated Monte Vista (Danville) 41-9.
Race for No. 1: De La Salle’s win over Monte Vista was similar to the team’s 41-7 win over No. 5 Bellarmine to open the season except for the one touchdown allowed against the Bells. The key to a fourth straight CIF Open Division title may be how well junior quarterback Chris Williams plays in the bigger games down the stretch. We’ve now seen DLS, Franklin and Folsom and with turnovers being even it’s hard to see how either Franklin and Folsom could beat the Spartans. Next year maybe for Folsom, but probably not this year. And while Franklin and Folsom certainly deserve a high ranking for what both have done so far this year, there’s just a sense that this year’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs in Division I and Division II will be like last year in that there will be no unbeaten champion. Buhach Colony was one team to get a bump for continuing to win after that one-point loss to San Mateo Serra. The team’s other loss to Clovis North is looking better as well since Clovis North is now No. 1 in the CIF Central Section after its impressive 50-7 win last week against Central of Fresno.
DIVISION II NORTH
1. (1) Placer (Auburn) 8-0
2. (2) Oakdale 7-1
3. (3) Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) 8-0
4. (5) Yuba City 7-1
5. (NR) Clayton Valley (Concord) 7-1
6. (6) Northgate (Walnut Creek) 7-1
7. (9) Vista del Lago (Folsom) 8-1
8. (8) Inderkum (Sacramento) 6-2
9. (4) Cosumnes Oaks (Elk Grove) 6-2
10. (NR) Paradise 6-2
Drops: Previous No. 7 Concord lost to Clayton Valley (Concord) 49-8; No. 10 Casa Grande (Petaluma) had to go behind Paradise due to common opponent (Napa).
Bubble Teams: Casa Grande (Petaluma) 6-2, Center (Antelope) 7-1, Chico 5-3, Concord 7-2, Enterprise (Redding) 5-3, Foothill (Palo Cedro) 5-3, Sierra (Manteca) 7-1, Washington (Fremont) 5-3.
No. 1 Team Result: Placer defeated Lincoln 10-7.
Race for No. 1: With new coach Tim Murphy (formerly at Clovis East and Ygnacio Valley) and brothers Joe and Mikey Protheroe leading the charge, Clayton Valley smashed previous No. 7 Concord 49-8 last week in front of both Harold Abend and Paul Muyskens (our two primary correspondents). The Eagles play No. 6 Northgate this week, but go in front of the Broncos since Northgate’s previous win over Concord was 27-20. Clayton Valley’s only loss is to D1 Pittsburg in the first game. If No. 3 Rancho Cotate loses this week to unbeaten D3 ranked Cardinal Newman and the Eagles get another big win, they could be in the top three next week and pushing for the No. 1 position if Placer gets reclassified for the start of the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs.
Note about CIF Central Coast Section teams: Once the playoff brackets are announced, we expect several quality teams from CCS “A” leagues that are not going to be in the CCS Open Division to be placed in the section’s Division I or Division II brackets. Examples could be a third-place team from the West Catholic Athletic League or a second-place team from the De Anza League (Palo Alto, Los Gatos, Milpitas, etc.). At that point, those teams would then get placed into our D2 North bowl game rankings (they are all considered Division I now) and it’s possible one or more of those teams will be ranked near the top.
DIVISION III NORTH
1. (1) Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 8-1
2. (2) El Cerrito 8-0
3. (3) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 8-0
4. (5) Sutter 8-0
5. (4) Seaside 7-0
6. (6) Campolindo (Moraga) 7-1
7. (8) Ripon 9-0
8. (9) Los Banos 7-1
9. (NR) Analy (Sebastopol) 9-0
10. (NR) Escalon 6-2
Drops: Previous No. 7 Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) lost to Hayward 14-13; No. 10 Soquel lost to Aptos 32-21.
Bubble Teams: Aptos 6-2, Argonaut (Jackson) 8-0, Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 6-2, Calaveras (San Andreas) 7-1, Carmel 6-1, Menlo School (Atherton) 6-1, Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 6-1, Salesian (Richmond) 7-1, Soquel 5-2, St. Helena 8-0, West Valley (Cottonwood) 7-1.
No. 1 Team Result: Marin Catholic (Kentfield) defeated Drake (San Anselmo) 52-8.
Race for No. 1: As mentioned last week, Sutter can now lay claim to being the No. 1 team in the CIF Northern Section regardless of class after it topped D2 North bubble team Enterprise of Redding 34-27. The unbeaten Huskies get a bump up to No. 4 after that win as well, but their CIF NorCal D3 regional bowl chances possibly hinge more on what happens with Placer of Auburn being D2 or D3 once the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs start. Another CIF North Coast Section D3 team to watch is unbeaten Analy. While the Tigers haven’t played too tough of a schedule, they are averaging 53 points per game and certainly look good enough to be in the top 10. This week’s other newcomer, Escalon, has lost only to Los Banos (by two points) and Ripon (by one score) and just beat Hilmar 33-7. Hilmar was the same team to halt Escalon’s 27-game win streak in last year’s CIFSJS D4 championship.
Note about CIF Central Coast Section teams: Once the playoff brackets are announced, we expect several quality teams from CCS “A” leagues that are not going to be in the CCS Open Division to be placed in the section’s Division III or Division IV brackets. At that point, those teams would then get placed into our D3 North bowl game rankings and it’s possible one or more of those teams will be ranked near the top.
DIVISION IV NORTH
1. (1) Central Catholic (Modesto) 6-2
2. (2) McClymonds (Oakland) 4-3
3. (3) Ferndale 7-1
4. (4) Le Grand 7-1
5. (5) Pierce (Arbuckle) 8-0
6. (6) Capital Christian (Sacramento) 7-1
7. (7) Portola 8-0
8. (8) Valley Christian (Dublin) 6-2
9. (10) Foresthill 7-1
10. (NR) California School for the Deaf (Fremont) 7-1
Drops: Previous No. 9 Upper Lake lost to Calistoga 10-6.
Bubble Teams: Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) 3-5, Brookside Christian (Stockton) 6-2, Calistoga 5-3, Maxwell 5-3, Modesto Christian (Modesto) 5-3, St. Vincent de Paul (Petaluma) 6-2, Upper Lake 5-3.
No. 1 Team Result: Central Catholic defeated Livingston 77-7.
Race for No. 1: Correspondent Harold Abend went to practice this week at McClymonds and says according to the coaches and the school that its enrollment is 274, which makes the Warriors D4 for sure for the bowl games. Mack does need to win the Oakland Section title, of course, to get eligible and took another step toward that last week with a 50-0 romp past Castlemont. This week’s only newcomer, CSD of Fremont, cracks the chart after defeating Stellar Prep of Hayward 57-7. Coach Warren Keller’s team does have a 20-3 loss to Upper Lake, but a 35-29 win over Calistoga. Upper Lake los last week to Calistoga 10-6.
Comments or corrections? Email markjtennis@gmail.com.
5 Comments
One more reason we need a playoff system! Sutter’s fate depends on whether or not Placer is DII or DIII for their Sac Joaquin playoffs? Redonkulous! Just follow CalPreps playoff system and we are good! We are one of only a few states that do not have a playoff system. Sad.
Actually it’s D3 or D4 for Placer in the SJS playoffs, but see your point. No guarantee, though, that Placer can win D4 in SJS. Yes, they beat Central Catholic early in the season but haven’t impressed in recent weeks. And by the way, Nelson Tennis did a playoff system for the state for us 30 years ago that would still work today.
I remember the proposal that Nelson did! Any system would be better than what we do now! It isn’t fair to the schools and the kids. Get rid of the section titles and have a playoff system in place. If 48 other states have figured this out, why can’t California? Politics and laziness, if you ask me. Oh, and stubborn. The good old boy network is alive and well in Cali!
Scott
I have worked out a playoff system that would work, politics aside. It’s a 6 week system with 7 divisions and 2 divisions for 8man. There’d be a minimum of travel until the semi finals and even less travel in two of the divisions. The divisions are roughly based on enrollment, but past overall league strength would be the main factor. What’s more, the northern schools would not be playing noticeably larger southern schools in the same division as they do now.
If you, or anyone else is interested, I would be happy to email you a copy of my “prospectus”.
Shoot me a copy! I just hope the powers that be could get on board as well. I know California is huge, but there has to be a way to have a legitimate playoff system that doesn’t take too long.