Sierra Foothill

Schedule/Scores

Week 1 Scores
Granite Bay 30, Pittsburg 20...Roseville 20, Rio Linda 36
Woodcreek 7, Casa Robles 23...Rocklin 40, Oakridge 32
Del Oro 28, California 21...Oakmont 12, Foothill 16

Week 2 Scores
Burbank 6, Granite Bay 22...Pleasant Grove 39, Roseville 15
Nevada Union 36, Rocklin 41...Woodcreek 35, Placer 49
Pitman 34, Oakmont 35...Del Oro 49, Cardinal Newman 14

Week 3 Scores
Granite Bay 31, Vacaville 13...Del Oro 62, Franklin-Elk Grove 12
Roseville 27, Nevada Union 51...Oakmont 34, Mesa Verde 13
Rocklin 62, Las Lomas 35...Woodcreek 34, Bear River 35

Week 4 Scores
Granite Bay 22, Point Loma-San Diego 12...Del Oro 38, Merced 13
Roseville 21, Woodland 14...Oakmont 28, Antioch 14
Rocklin 42, Skyline 19...Woodcreek 27, Del Campo 23

Week 5 Scores
Granite Bay 40, West 0...Del Oro 60, Vintage 0
Roseville 20, Pioneer 12...Oakmont 27, Davis 14
Rocklin 49, Napa 21...Woodcreek 14, Inderkum 39

Week 6 Scores
Del Oro 27, Granite Bay 21...Rocklin 28, Woodcreek 0
Oakmont 35, Roseville 28

Week 7 Scores
Del Oro 49, Roseville 0...Rocklin 14, Granite Bay 7
Woodcreek 28, Oakmont 6

Week 8 Scores
Rocklin 46, Oakmont 7...Woodcreek 16, Del Oro 9
Granite Bay 70, Roseville 28

Week 9 Scores
Rocklin 24, Del Oro 21...Woodcreek 16, Roseville 7
Granite Bay 51, Oakmont 14

Week 10 Schedule
Rocklin (9-0, 4-0) @ Roseville (2-7, 0-4)
Del Oro (7-2, 2-2) @ Oakmont (5-4, 1-3)
Woodcreek (4-5, 3-1) @ Granite Bay (7-2, 2-2)
 

THESE GUYS ARE GOOD

September 26, 2009

With some big matchups and impressive victories, there are a few teams that will certainly be moving up the rankings list this week. However, there are two teams in particular that wont be moving up, but flying up. With a 69-26 victory over previously unbeaten Sacramento High, the Folsom Bulldogs proved for a third time this year just how potent and deadly their offense truly is. Although the Bulldogs looked unstoppable Thursday night, they were not the most impressive team of the weekend. That honor must go to Del Oro, a team with perhaps the section's most brutally efficient running game and a defense that makes old linebackers like myself...well lets not go there.

If the five touchdown passes, 330 plus yards, and 35-0 lead at the half against Davis week one and the 54 points against Oak Ridge last week were not enough to convince everybody that the Folsom Bulldogs had by far the best passing offense in the section, then their performance Thursday night certainly should be. The Dragons entered the contest coming off of back to back blowout wins over Woodside and Florin, respectively. The point here is that they are by no means a bad team, and yet after thursday's game one could only make one of two plausible arguments. Either A). The Dragons were grossly overrated after victories over sub-par opponents, or B). The Folsom Bulldogs are so good that they make other good teams look downright silly. Anyone lucky enough to have had the priveledge of watching the Bulldogs play this year would tell you without a moments hesitation that the answer is undoubtedly B.

The Bulldogs' opening drive of the season should have been a hint to us all. After a couple of short gains and a couple of "lets let everybody know we're here" penalties by some hanky-happy refs (which has been a disturbing and unwelcome feature of just about every game that I have seen this season), the Bulldogs faced a fourth and four deep in their own territory. When on the opening drive of the season, on the road, facing a fourth down in your own territory, one would think that common sense and pure reason would lead one to punt the ball and play some defense. However, the Bulldogs and their coaching staff acted like a bunch of cowboys and went for it. Of course, Folsom converted. Then they proceeded to march straight down the field with a handful of perfectly executed plays, culminating with a touchdown pass from quarterback Dano Graves to wide receiver Mac Carlsen. The simple fact is that no matter what the circumstance, the Bulldogs just know that they will succeed. Their cowboy play-calling and cavalier attitude is the product of an inherent confidence of the sort that can only be found in the hearts of champions. Anyone watching should have known right then and there that this Folsom Bulldogs team is destined to do some serious damage this season.

That same swagger was present this thursday night, but to an even greater degree. After two lopsided victories, the Bulldogs know to their very core just how good they truly are. After a nice return, Folsom started from their own 38 yard line. Two Dano Graves runs later and the Bulldogs were celebrating their first of many touchdowns. After shutting the Dragons' offense down on three plays, Folsom got the ball back and did something truly evil; they started throwing. Although it would prove to be one of the Bulldogs' more difficult drives of the game, the three straight Dano Graves completions, including the final 15 yard touchdown pass to junior wide receiver Kori Babineaux, sure seemed impressive at the time. After another three and out, the Bulldogs had the ball back with a 13-0 lead. A couple plays later, Babineaux caught his second touchdown pass, a 29 yarder in the back of the end zone after quarterback Dano Graves delivered a rocket while scrambling to his left! Just a few minutes into the first quarter it was 20-0 and the rout was on.

The Bulldogs scored 41 first half points on the strength of four Dano Graves touchdown passes and a Tyler Trosin kick return. The Bulldogs amassed 302 total yards of offense in the first half, and that number would have been far larger had they not started most of their drives in Dragon territory. Although Sac High did manage to put up 12 points on a couple of big plays, the Folsom defense was pretty darn impressive too and the outcome of the game was never for a single moment in question.

If you were to call the Folsom game amazing or awe-inspiring, then the Del Oro-Franklin game would have to be described as downright ugly. From the opening kickoff, the Del Oro Golden Eagles took a proud, and by all accounts very talented Franklin team, and beat them into a bloody pulp. While Del Oro running back Bryce Pratt is an extremely talented runner, with both the speed to make big plays and the power to put opposing linebackers on their backs, it is the Del Oro offensive line, collectively, that is most impressive. Tackles Ryan Cope and Jon Root, Guards Travis Doupnik and Nick Zieour and Center Eddie Love form one of the section's best offensive lines. Even against what is supposed to be an extremely talented defense, the big boys up front opened up holes that someone could drive a tractor through. On every running play the line of scrimmage seemed to get pushed a good five or six yards forward, and there was nothing that Franklin could do about it. And if there is some studly run defense out there that wants to go toe to toe with the Eagles, beware of Quarterback Max Magleby and receivers Spencer Butterfield, Freddie Cargile, and Daniel Thomas, any and all of whom can make a big play at any moment.

To make matters worse for the teams in the Sierra Foothill League, and quite honestly, the entire section, Del Oro is every bit as good on defense. There are far too many standout players on that side of the ball to mention. Collectively, the Del Oro defense flies around all over the field, hits you in the mouth, gang tackles, and is both disciplined and fundamentally sound. They shut down and frustrated an offense with a handful of outstanding football players and that came into the game averaging 494 yards and just under 30 points a game. This, of course, all comes on the heels of a 49-14 beat down of perennial powerhouse Cardinal Newman last week. I think it is fair to say that this Del Oro team is as complete as any in the section and they should scare the hell out of anybody who is unlucky enough to be on their schedule.


-Justin Cruise









ROCKLIN STEALS THE MINERS' THUNDER

September 19, 2009

The #3 Nevada Union Miners got off to a terrible start and dug themselves into a hole in their non-conference match-up at Rocklin. Costly penalties and mistakes kept the Miner offense from getting into rhythm early, and Rocklin QB James Laughrea seized the opportunity, throwing two first quarter TD passes to WR Nick Garvella. Rocklin led 14-0 at the end of the first.

The Miners offense got things going in the second quarter as QB Broughan Jantz found Eric Neiderberger from 20 yards out to cut the Thunder lead in half. Laughrea, however, answered with another TD pass, this one a six yarder to RB Sean Moore. The Miners put together another drive to end the half that culminated with a successful field goal attempt, and the Rocklin Thunder went into the locker room with a 21-10 lead.

The story in the second half was similar to that of the second quarter. Broughan Jantz and the Nevada Union offense was able to move the ball and score points, but they couldn't manage to make up any ground. Jantz finished the game 17 of 26 for 264 yards with two touchdowns and Miners RBs Drew Hoskin, Josh Cena, and Jason Slade all ran in second half touchdowns. However, James Laughrea and the Thunder answered every time the Miners got close. Laughrea was phenomenal all game, completing 20 of 30 passes for 375 yards and four touchdowns and rushing for a fifth. Rocklin running back Jackson Cummings added another 102 yards on the ground, and the Thunder finished with just under 500 yards of total offense. Final score: Rocklin 41, Nevada Union 36

-Justin Cruise

GRANITE BAY OUT-WORKS TITANS FOR SECOND WIN

Sept. 19, 2009

Burbank High is the perfect example of a good football team with a ridiculously difficult schedule. The Titans were a playoff team a year ago and returned plenty of talent to go back again this year. The only problem? They had to play three juggernauts to open the 2009 season.

Some say to be the best, you have to beat the best...and Burbank has not been able to beat the best thus far this season.

The Titans opened up the season against a tough East Bay foe in Pittsburg High. The Titans played them tough but turnovers and other costly mistakes, as well as an inability to convert in the red zone, cost the Titans dear, and the Pirates won 27-8.

In week two, the Burbank Titans took on crosstown rival Christian Bros and lost 28-32. Again, the opportunities were there and the Titans squandered them.

This Friday, Burbank headed into Granite Bay to take on the 1-0 Grizzlies. The Titans offense produced 338 total yards of offense, including 300 rushing, against an outstanding Grizzlies defense. Burbank quarterback Tu'ata Inoke carried the ball 17 times for 78 yards, running back Jamon Archie had 76 yards on 14 carries, and team playmaker Terrance Mitchell carried 11 times for 114 yards and caught one pass for 25 yards. Still, the Titans offense bogged down every time they pushed inside the red zone and they were only able to produce six points the entire game.

The Grizzlies, on the other hand, took advantage of every opportunity. Running back Cory Brehm scored two touchdowns and gained 113 yards on 14 carries. Granite Bay converted on every red zone opportunity, adding three field goals to Brehm's two scores. Although the total yardage gained by both offenses was close, with Granite Bay edging the Titans 382 to 338, the game was not. For the second straight week the Grizzlies out-worked and out-disciplined a more athletic team, and for the second straight week they were victorious, winning the game 22-6.