NorCal Pre-Season Top 20

[Rmbr26]

I see NorCalPreps now has made most of their articles available only to paid subscribers including their "Top 20 Teams" pre-season. Once we get closer ALL the various sports web sites ass well as newspapers will publish their own top teams lists at no cost.

For those of you out their without a paid subscription here is a compiled list of the projected TOP 20 TEAMS pre-season for Northern CA. As we all know the list will change drastically within the first few games played, however this list should be a good indicator of most of the better teams.
Any teams fans feel should have been included? Ranked too high or too low? What teams will be much better than last year and which powerhouse teams will see a significant drop?
Of course the big question is those top 3 teams listed and if they'll stay in that order of ranking.

1] Folsom
2] Pitt
3] DLS
4] Liberty
5] Serra
6] Jesuit
7] Central Fresno
8] St. Francis
9] Del Oro
10] Buchanan [Clovis]
11] Oak Ridge
12] Freedom
13] Granite Bay
14] Sheldon
15] San Ramon Valley
16] St. Mary's
17] Valley Christian
18] Placer
19] Tulare Union
20] Inderkum

On the bubble: Antioch, Card Newman, Central Catholic, Mitty, Antelope

 

[colhenrylives]

St. Francis might be a tick too low, Serra a tick too high. Aragon and Menlo-Atherton could be considered as bubble teams.

 

[jordan24]

Central Catholic should be in the lower half of the Top 20.

 

[cashisking18]

I think the top 3 are spot on.

Pitt is going to be great this year.

 

[Rmbr26]

Yes cashisking Pitt is def loaded with talent this season and could be something special. I agree with colhenry in that not that much separates Serra & St. Francis whom both return a large contingent of last years' teams. The difference between the 2 teams is that Serra returns their starting QB for his 3rd year on varsity - both teams will be very good.

 

[jordan24]

Serra hosts SF in the last league game of the season - could decide the title!

 

[Renegade4Life]

top 3 agree, but DLS third? Ya’ll crazy, they #1 until day they aint, and jesuit at 6 no way not even top 10, and these based on 2017 so where’s mcclymonds, oakdale, del campo?

 

[DCOJD]

Antioch and Cardinal Newman on the bubble but no mention of Marin Catholic. Antioch visits MC in September which should be really interesting.

 

[DCOJD]

Oh, and Liberty at 4 seems really generous. I would think Serra would handle them fairly easily.

 

[BayReporter]

Until somebody beats the champ DLS has to stay at the one spot for me, followed closely by Folsom and Pitt. I agree that Liberty needs to slide down and Clayton Valley needs to be on here somewhere.

 

[Renegade4Life]

ya’ll correct on MC, always good, experienced coaches, playoff team, kinda like del oro who has talent tho new hc is suspect, they’all too high, fo sho shoyldnt be above oak ridge, trojans are gonna be good lotsa talent too

 

[cashisking18]

I'd put DLS ahead of Pitt but it's close. Folsom #1 for sure.

 

[feedback1]

Until somebody beats the champ DLS has to stay at the one spot for me, followed closely by Folsom and Pitt.

Seems reasonable. I would also rank DLS at #1 until they are beaten.

 

[WWHS44]

Seems reasonable. I would also rank DLS at #1 until they are beaten.

Damn you Feed, now I can't hate on you!!!!!

 

[Califfbfan]

How can you say "Folsom #1 for sure".? They should not be ranked #1 until they beat somebody good, like the DLS game coming up.

Remember, other then DLS, Folsom has chosen not to play any really great teams. You can't just name them #1.

 

[cashisking18]

How can you say "Folsom #1 for sure".? They should not be ranked #1 until they beat somebody good, like the DLS game coming up.

Remember, other then DLS, Folsom has chosen not to play any really great teams. You can't just name them #1.

I didn't rank them #1.

I do agree though.

You should express your concern with the mod or creators of the ranking.

 

[Rmbr26]

Some good comments & some clarification on the "projected Top 20 Rankings".

Starting with the Top 3 teams:

#1 Folsom finished 2017 at 16-0 undefeated with a state championship ranked 4th in state. The team Folsom beat in the state championship was Helix, who was ranked higher than any team DLS beat in 2017. Folsom returns most of their players on both offense and defense and is projected to be better this season than last.

#2 Pitt finished 9-3 last season and returns like Folsom loaded with skill players and returning starters. Pitt should be a force this season and is projected better than last season when it finished ranked 14th in state.

#3 DLS as many fans state is THE NorCal team to beat and until that happens many will keep DLS #1. DLS finished 2017 at 11-2 with 2 lopsided losses to 2 highly ranked teams and was ranked 5th in state. While DLS should be solid on defense they lost many of their starters on offense including 4 OL and their top RB which will be hard to replace. DLS is projected to be down from last season upcoming.

#4 Liberty finished 2017 at 11-2 and ranked #18 in state. For this season Liberty is loaded at the skill positions and rated considerably higher than last season. Liberty will be hard to stop on offense.

Clayton Valley should have been listed as "on the bubble". They had a respectable season last year at 8-3 though projected to be down slightly this season.

Marin Catholic finished 2017 at 12-1 although with a very weak schedule. The Wildcats lose most starters on both sides of the ball including their top skill players. MC is rated down considerably from last season, though have an extremely weak schedule again with the one exception of McClymonds.

McClymonds "Mack" finished 14-0 in 2017 and with a state championship in their respective division. Mack will have a number of very good players this season, but overall is projected to be down from 2017. First up will be Marin Catholic whom Mack should take down. Game 2 however Mack gets to face Liberty and we will see who is for real. The rest of Mack's schedule of 10 games is in their favor with the exception of San Leandro who should give them a game.

 

[remc]

Oh, and Liberty at 4 seems really generous. I would think Serra would handle them fairly easily.

That shocked me as well. #4 based on what?

 

[ILOVETROJANFOOTBALL]

1] Folsom
2] Pitt
3] DLS
4] Liberty
5] Serra
6] Jesuit
7] Central Fresno
8] St. Francis
9] Del Oro
10] Buchanan [Clovis]
11] Oak Ridge
12] Freedom
13] Granite Bay
14] Sheldon
15] San Ramon Valley
16] St. Mary's
17] Valley Christian
18] Placer
19] Tulare Union
20] Inderkum

On the bubble: Antioch, Card Newman, Central Catholic, Mitty, Antelope

That's a lot of SFL love there. My sense is that its a bit too much.

 

[Rmbr26]

That shocked me as well. #4 based on what?

Read post prior to yours:

#4 Liberty finished 2017 at 11-2 and ranked #18 in state. For this season Liberty is loaded at the skill positions and rated considerably higher than last season. Liberty will be hard to stop on offense.

The Top 20 list I compiled is based upon MaxPreps/Freeman-CalPreps ratings and data on players. If there is a "lot of love for the SFL" it is by the computers & not myself, Lol!

 

[MC415]

Some good comments & some clarification on the "projected Top 20 Rankings".

Starting with the Top 3 teams:

#1 Folsom finished 2017 at 16-0 undefeated with a state championship ranked 4th in state. The team Folsom beat in the state championship was Helix, who was ranked higher than any team DLS beat in 2017. Folsom returns most of their players on both offense and defense and is projected to be better this season than last.

#2 Pitt finished 9-3 last season and returns like Folsom loaded with skill players and returning starters. Pitt should be a force this season and is projected better than last season when it finished ranked 14th in state.

#3 DLS as many fans state is THE NorCal team to beat and until that happens many will keep DLS #1. DLS finished 2017 at 11-2 with 2 lopsided losses to 2 highly ranked teams and was ranked 5th in state. While DLS should be solid on defense they lost many of their starters on offense including 4 OL and their top RB which will be hard to replace. DLS is projected to be down from last season upcoming.

#4 Liberty finished 2017 at 11-2 and ranked #18 in state. For this season Liberty is loaded at the skill positions and rated considerably higher than last season. Liberty will be hard to stop on offense.

Clayton Valley should have been listed as "on the bubble". They had a respectable season last year at 8-3 though projected to be down slightly this season.

Marin Catholic finished 2017 at 12-1 although with a very weak schedule. The Wildcats lose most starters on both sides of the ball including their top skill players. MC is rated down considerably from last season, though have an extremely weak schedule again with the one exception of McClymonds.

McClymonds "Mack" finished 14-0 in 2017 and with a state championship in their respective division. Mack will have a number of very good players this season, but overall is projected to be down from 2017. First up will be Marin Catholic whom Mack should take down. Game 2 however Mack gets to face Liberty and we will see who is for real. The rest of Mack's schedule of 10 games is in their favor with the exception of San Leandro who should give them a game.

MC has a weak non conference schedule? Campo, Mack, Antioch, St. Bernard ? That doesn’t scream “weak” to me but maybe those teams are trash this year besides Mack ?

 

[Rmbr26]

MC has a weak non conference schedule? Campo, Mack, Antioch, St. Bernard ? That doesn’t scream “weak” to me but maybe those teams are trash this year besides Mack ?

MC415 - McClymonds will clearly be the best team Marin Catholic faces this season unless I am wrong. You're correct in that Antioch & Campo are not weak teams, but they are projected "down" from last season [but still should field respectable teams].. St. Bernard's will not duplicate the success of their 2017 season and the other 6 games should not pose a challenge to MC with most of those teams expected to have losing records this coming season.

 

[remc]

Read post prior to yours:

#4 Liberty finished 2017 at 11-2 and ranked #18 in state. For this season Liberty is loaded at the skill positions and rated considerably higher than last season. Liberty will be hard to stop on offense.

The Top 20 list I compiled is based upon MaxPreps/Freeman-CalPreps ratings and data on players. If there is a "lot of love for the SFL" it is by the computers & not myself, Lol!

Just not used to seeing Liberty in such lofty company I guess.

 

[Paloma]

Just not used to seeing Liberty in such lofty company I guess.

Their new head coach is doing a good job of over hyping the program. They have a good young quarterback with a lot of returners and won an extremely watered down NCS division 1 playoff. They still haven’t beat anyone significant so we will see what this year brings.

I am intrigued to see what happens at Heritage. Former Liberty AD Nate Smith is the new AD at Heritage. This should pave the way for Hartwig to become the new coach next year.

 

[EastBayFan]

Their new head coach is doing a good job of over hyping the program. They have a good young quarterback with a lot of returners and won an extremely watered down NCS division 1 playoff. They still haven’t beat anyone significant so we will see what this year brings.

I am intrigued to see what happens at Heritage. Former Liberty AD Nate Smith is the new AD at Heritage. This should pave the way for Hartwig to become the new coach next year.

I think Partridge has done a great job at both his stops. Had the most successful year at Livermore in over 50 years, and then comes in and wins a section title in first year. Don’t remember Liberty ever being a team to fear prior to his arrival. Liberty embarrasses a Hartwig led Freedom team in the final last season.

I believe Nate Smith was the Liberty HC not AD before Walters. Not sure him being an AD at that school will do much tomchange the landscape in Brentwood. Butterfield is a once in a generation player. The Najee effect will be in play at Liberty for the next two seasons.

 

[ThunderRam]

While I'll be rooting for Folsom on 8/17, it's premature to have them #1 over DLS (or Pitt above them at #2). I'm not usually one for using history to decide current day rankings, but when one team is unbeaten North of Fresno for the past 26 years and counting -- they've got to start out #1 until proven otherwise.

It should be:

1- DLS
2- Folsom
3- Pitt

If that's wrong, we'll know it around the 10 O'clock hour on 08/17 and Folsom will have earned it.

 

[14U2ALLNV]

The way they do these rankings the first three are right on. But in real life it’s:
1 DLS
2 Pitt
3 Folsom
Just due to the fact Pitt stepped up there schedule last year. But the way they do these rankings they got the first three right. It will all work it self out.

 

[cashisking18]

Folsom
Pitt
DLS

Spot on until week 0.

 

[14U2ALLNV]

Folsom
Pitt
DLS

Spot on until week 0.

Yeah but then you will be dead. Be a man and be on this board after 8/17. It won’t happen. But I’m challenging your man hood G61 or whatever you want to call yourself.

DLS 35-21
And G61 will run

 

[Calispectator]

Yeah but then you will be dead. Be a man and be on this board after 8/17. It won’t happen. But I’m challenging your man hood G61 or whatever you want to call yourself.

DLS 35-21
And G61 will run

Tripping over a hs game lol

 

[HereWeGo2019]

Their new head coach is doing a good job of over hyping the program. They have a good young quarterback with a lot of returners and won an extremely watered down NCS division 1 playoff. They still haven’t beat anyone significant so we will see what this year brings.

I am intrigued to see what happens at Heritage. Former Liberty AD Nate Smith is the new AD at Heritage. This should pave the way for Hartwig to become the new coach next year.

Over-hyping? More like doing his job. The only people doing the over-hyping are the sports writers. Which may be the case. Giving props to his players and promoting his program through social media aren't over-hyping..

 

[berdooman]

What sportswriters ... what are there, 3 left in the Bay Area?

 

[HereWeGo2019]

What sportswriters ... what are there, 3 left in the Bay Area?

Unfortunately you are correct. Nate Smith was first to pump up the LHS program tho,,,,

 

[HereWeGo2019]

I think Partridge has done a great job at both his stops. Had the most successful year at Livermore in over 50 years, and then comes in and wins a section title in first year. Don’t remember Liberty ever being a team to fear prior to his arrival. Liberty embarrasses a Hartwig led Freedom team in the final last season.
.

Seems like 50 years, but Livermore was in the mix in the early 90's
with an EBAL Championship in 1993 and a deep run in the playoffs and a 2nd place finish. In 2000 the 10-2 Cowboys made it to the ship before losing to former power house Ygnacio Valley.

Agreed Partridge did a fantastic job. Definitely one of the top up and comers in NCS.

 

[14U2ALLNV]

Tripping over a hs game lol

What are you talking about? Do you even know?

 

[DCOJD]

MC415 - McClymonds will clearly be the best team Marin Catholic faces this season unless I am wrong. You're correct in that Antioch & Campo are not weak teams, but they are projected "down" from last season [but still should respectable teams].. St. Bernard's will not duplicate the success of their 2017 season and the other 6 games should not pose a challenge to MC with most of those teams expected to have losing records this coming season.

I do not think it is clear (Antioch) and I don't agree that Mack "should take down" MC. The Mack MC game is a toss up at this point imho.

 

[DLSPop1314]

Some good comments & some clarification on the "projected Top 20 Rankings".

Starting with the Top 3 teams:

#1 Folsom finished 2017 at 16-0 undefeated with a state championship ranked 4th in state. The team Folsom beat in the state championship was Helix, who was ranked higher than any team DLS beat in 2017. Folsom returns most of their players on both offense and defense and is projected to be better this season than last.

#2 Pitt finished 9-3 last season and returns like Folsom loaded with skill players and returning starters. Pitt should be a force this season and is projected better than last season when it finished ranked 14th in state.

#3 DLS as many fans state is THE NorCal team to beat and until that happens many will keep DLS #1. DLS finished 2017 at 11-2 with 2 lopsided losses to 2 highly ranked teams and was ranked 5th in state. While DLS should be solid on defense they lost many of their starters on offense including 4 OL and their top RB which will be hard to replace. DLS is projected to be down from last season upcoming.

#4 Liberty finished 2017 at 11-2 and ranked #18 in state. For this season Liberty is loaded at the skill positions and rated considerably higher than last season. Liberty will be hard to stop on offense.

Clayton Valley should have been listed as "on the bubble". They had a respectable season last year at 8-3 though projected to be down slightly this season.

Marin Catholic finished 2017 at 12-1 although with a very weak schedule. The Wildcats lose most starters on both sides of the ball including their top skill players. MC is rated down considerably from last season, though have an extremely weak schedule again with the one exception of McClymonds.

McClymonds "Mack" finished 14-0 in 2017 and with a state championship in their respective division. Mack will have a number of very good players this season, but overall is projected to be down from 2017. First up will be Marin Catholic whom Mack should take down. Game 2 however Mack gets to face Liberty and we will see who is for real. The rest of Mack's schedule of 10 games is in their favor with the exception of San Leandro who should give them a game.

You have a very skewed take, beginning with your first erroneous comment — “Helix was better than any team DLS beat”

Not even close — DLS beat a better team (SJC) than Folsom has ever played (unless you count DLS in 2012 and 2013 before they effectively changed CA playoff system to avoid it)

I think Folsom has a good team and are very capable of beating DLS but it’s silly to rank them there now — we’ll know in 18 days and all evidence points to the contrary

Pitt at #2 is just someone trying to be silly or that has outthought themselves

Again, not saying they can’t win, but DLS won by 17 last year, have beat them about 30x in NorCal 300 game unbeaten streak, and DLS will be up this year

 

[feedback1]

You have a very skewed take, beginning with your first erroneous comment — “Helix was better than any team DLS beat”

Not even close — DLS beat a better team (SJC) than Folsom has ever played (unless you count DLS in 2012 and 2013 before they effectively changed CA playoff system to avoid it)

Calpreps does not agree with you. The highest rated team DLS beat last year was St. Johns (65 on Calpreps). The highest rated team Folsom beat last year was Helix (65.8). DLS lost to higher rated teams (BG 72.5 and MD 97). But the reality is that DLS cannot claim to have beaten a better team than Folsom defeated in 2017. I think it is reasonable to claim that they both beat teams that are relatively equivalent including Central.

 

[cashisking18]

DLS beat a better team (SJC) than Folsom has ever played

Debatable at best.

People try to bash Helix because it's an excuse for why folsom won and shouldn't be rated very high. The reality is Helix was a good team. They're line was twice the size as that of Folsoms and they got pushed around. They had one of the best corners in the country who was abused by Joe Ngaga and Elijah Badger.

But like you said- none of that really matters. We will find out in just under 3 weeks.

Folsom 42-35

 

[SpartanzRule]

Not sure what ranking poll you guys are looking at, but this site has DLS#1 Folsom #2 and Pitt #3. Cash’s ranking is FAKE as he’s promoting his Folsom agenda.