SBLive's Sac-Joaquin Section Fab 15 football rankings: Sierra Foothill League flexes

The Sierra Foothill League has its imprint at the top of these rankings with No. 1 Folsom, No. 3 Del Oro-Loomis, No. 7 Granite Bay and No. 8 Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills. Rocklin is No. 11.

Party crashers, the whole lot of them.

That's the sort of league it is and what sort of season has unfolded. Folsom is coming off a 42-13 victory at Oak Ridge and will host No. 3 Del Oro on Oct. 14.

Del Oro jumped from No. 7 after beating previous No. 3 Granite Bay 21-10 in an SFL opener.

Jesuit-Carmichael slipped three spots to No. 12 after losing a 35-21 nonleague contest at home to Clayton Valley Charter-Concord. That's a quality loss and why the Marauder did not plummet farther in the rankings.

1. Folsom (5-1)
Last week rank: No. 1
Last week result: Defeated Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills, 42-13
Next game: Friday at Whitney-Rocklin
The Bulldogs extended their winning streak against their rivals to 17, dating back to 2006, thanks to strong offensive line play, 374 yards passing and six touchdowns, Rico Flores, Jr., catching two second-half scoring bombs and the defense pitching a second-half shutout. The loss was 17-12 to Northern California No. 1 Serra-San Mateo.

2. St. Mary's-Stockton (6-0)
Last week rank: No. 2
Last week result: Defeated Lodi, 35-14
Next game: Friday vs. De La Salle-Concord
The Rams warmed up for its showdown with De La Salle by rolling Lodi in Tri-City Athletic League action as Samson Hunkin hit Kenny Moore and Brooks Wheatley for touchdown passes and Asante Carter reached the end zone three times.

3. Del Oro-Loomis (6-0)
Last week rank: No. 7
Last week result: Beat Granite Bay 21-10
Next game: Friday vs. Rocklin
The Golden Eagles led 21-10 at the half behind a punt return by Thomas Graham II, two scores by duel-threat quarterback Caden Pinnick and a strong defense stymied a prolific rival.

4. Monterey Trail-Elk Grove (5-2)
Last week rank: No. 4
Last week result: Defeated Burbank-Sacramento, 56-0
Next game: Friday vs. McClatchy-Sacramento
The Mustangs smothered the Titans in a Metro League game, allowing 11 total yards, and Devon Chism had three sacks. The losses were to Folsom and De La Salle.

5. Vanden-Fairfield (6-0)
Last week rank: No. 6
Last week result: Defeated Armijo-Fairfield, 42-6
Next game: Friday vs. Vacaville
The Vikings have won 13 consecutive games, last losing to Vacavile in the 2021 regular season, and now the rematch for quite likely the Monticello Empire League championship. Tre Dimes is having another MVP season at quarterback.

6. Manteca (5-0)
Last week rank: No. 6
Last week result: Defeated Kimball-Tracy, 55-19
Next game: Friday vs. Sierra-Manteca
The Buffaloes dominated the Valley Oak League contest in avenging a high-scoring loss from a year ago. Hudson Wyatt passed for two touchdowns and Bryson Davis and KP MacDonald each ran for two scores.

7. Granite Bay (5-0)
Last week rank: No. 3
Last week result: Lost to Del Oro, 21-10
Next game: Friday vs. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills
The Grizzlies stalled out in the second half and were held in check for the first time all season. A punt return touchdown was the backbreaker.

8. Oak Ridge-El Dorado Hills (5-1)
Last week rank: No. 8
Last week result: Lost to Folsom, 42-13
Next game: Friday at Granite Bay
Coach Casey Taylor wanted to know what sort of team he had, and he found out he has one that can hang with Folsom but was burned badly on deep-ball touchdown passes. A rematch would occur in the SJS Division I playoffs.

9. Central Catholic-Modesto (2-4)
Last week rank: No. 10
Last week result: Defeated East Union-Manteca, 62-13
Next game: Friday at Kimball-Tracy
At last, a victory amid the most difficult schedule in program history, one that includes a record 20 SJS championships. The losses were to Central Coast Section power Saint Francis-Mountain View, St. Mary's-Stockton, Serra-San Mateo and St. John Bosco-Bellflower. The Valley Oak League is winnable.

10 Downey-Modesto (6-0)
Last week rank: No. 11
Last week result: Defeated Modesto, 76-8
Next game: Friday at Turlock
The Knights said good night to rival Modesto in a Central California Conference game, receiving 292 yards passing and four touchdowns from Conner Stoddard and 145 yards rushing and three scores from Joseph Ramirez, who also caught two scoring passes. Andres Tamayo had two interceptions to pace the defense.

11 Rocklin (5-1)
Last week rank: No. 13
Last week result: Defeated Whitney-Rocklin, 13-10
Next game: Friday at Del Oro-Loomis
The Thunder always get up for the Quarry Bowl with their No. 1 rival, and there was kicker Logan Pandis winning it in the closing seconds with a 39-yard winner.

12 Jesuit-Carmichael
Last week rank: No. 9
Last week result: Lost to Clayton Valley Charter, 35-21
Next game: Saturday vs. Franklin-Elk Grove
The Marauders suffered their first loss, falling to a Bay Area power that ran the ball at will. Jesuit is still the favorite to repeat as Delta League champion.

13 Placer-Auburn (6-0)
Last week rank: No. 12
Last week result: Defeated Rio Linda, 63-7
Next game: Friday at Lincoln
The Hillmen are the favorites in the Foothill Valley League behind a bevy of backs, quarterback Josh Craycraft and two-way standout Josh Maxwell.

14 Sheldon-Sacramento (5-2)
Last week rank: No. 15
Last week result: Defeated Cosumnes Oaks-Elk Grove, 14-10
Next game: Friday vs. Elk Grove
The Huskies sealed a Delta League deal with a late end zone pass breakup by Fereni Fa'anati. The local loss was to Jesuit.

15. Lodi (5-1)
Last week rank: No. 14
Last week result: Lost to St. Mary's-Stockton, 35-14
Next game: Friday vs. Lincoln-Stockton
The Flames were tied with St. Mary's 14-14 in the third quarter before the Rams pulled away with their array of playmakers.

Bubble teams
No. 16 Tracy (5-1)
No. 17 Elk Grove (3-3)
No. 18 Oakdale (5-1)
No. 19 Turlock (3-3)
No. 20 Lincoln-Stockton (4-2)

Around the SJS

* It's been a bad year for teams trying to be cute and funny on social media. Amador-Sutter Creek had its season abruptly canceled after an 0-4 start due to a team chat that included, "Kill the Blacks."

* River Valley-Yuba City had its season ended after an 0-5 start due to a video post of a mock slave auction. Like Amador, River Valley had its season halted by its school district, the Yuba City Unified School District. Amador's fate was decided by the Amador Unified School District. The junior varsity teams of both schools will finish out their seasons.

* Marino Fragata of Johnson-Sacramento leads the SJS in yards passing (2,044) and touchdown passes (26). Johnson could be in the Division I or II playoffs.

* Joe Cowan leads the SJS in rushing, having scooted for 1,252 yards and 12 touchdowns.

* Arthur Draeger of Liberty Ranch-Galt leads the SJS in touchdowns scored, the running back having reached the end zone 19 times.

* Carson Nichols of Oak Ridge made a school-record 48-yard field goal against Folsom. He is also the team's punter.