Final rankings: Oakdale, Orestimba finish No. 1; top-10 battles galore in playoffs.

Large Schools

Comprised of teams from the Central California Conference, Modesto Metro Conference, Valley Oak League and Western Athletic Conference.

1. (1) Oakdale (9-1, 7-0): Bronson Harmon and Cameron Cherry were brilliant in the Mustangs' come-from-behind 27-21 win over No. 2 Central Catholic. Harmon rushed for more than 100 yards and picked off two passes, while Cherry scored the game-winning TD on a 44-yard burst with 21 seconds left. The VOL title was Oakdale's 13th in the last 16 seasons. Thursday: vs. McNair.

2. (2) Central Catholic (8-1, 6-1): The Raiders had another VOL title within grasp, but couldn't quite finish off the Mustangs. Central Catholic led 14-0 at the half and 21-7 going into the fourth quarter, but the four-time state champions were doomed by turnovers and injuries. Starting QB Kyle Jackson left the game with a grotesque leg injury. His status is unknown. Thursday: vs. Stagg.

3. (3) Manteca (8-2, 5-2): Taken out of the running for a VOL title early in the season, the Buffaloes captured the city championship with a 46-17 victory over rival East Union. Beyer High transfer Carter Williams' return after a leg injury could catapult Manteca in the Division III playoffs. He is a touchdown-maker with seven TDs in seven games, including two against the Lancers. Thursday: vs. Rio Americano.

4. (4) Gregori (10-0, 6-0): The Jaguars completed a historic regular season, capping a 10-0 campaign with a come-from-behind victory over five-time defending champion Downey. The MMC crown is the first in school history and came packaged with the school's first home playoff game. Gregori, which overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter. Thursday: vs. Elk Grove-Franklin.

5. (5) Turlock (8-2, 6-0): Jonah Kosakeiwicz was 11 of 17 for 174 yards and three total touchdowns as the Bulldogs clinched their second straight CCC title with a 39-27 Harvest Bowl victory over rival Pitman. It was Turlock's fourth straight win in the series. Thursday: at Tracy.

6. (6) Patterson (9-1, 5-0): The Tigers scored 62 points for the second consecutive week, blitzing Livingston in their regular-season finale 62-8 to wrap up the WAC championship. Patterson scored 48 points in the second quarter. The barrage was triggered by wide receiver James Perez, who opened the scoring. Thursday: vs. East Union.

7. (7) Modesto (7-3, 5-1): Zaire Eugene rushed for 100 yards and Blake Brasil led all tacklers with 13 stops as the playoff-bound Panthers stopped Beyer's season with a 24-14 victory. Saturday: at Jesuit.

8. (10) Buhach Colony (7-3, 5-1): The Thunder broke open a close game with rival Atwater with a 22 unanswered points in the third quarter. Christian Quirarte started the spree, finding the end zone on a 10-yard run. Thursday: at Del Campo.

9. (8) Downey (8-2, 4-2): The Knights were unable to protect an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter and had their five-year reign in the MMC halted in the final season of the conference. Downey was trying to tie Davis' mark in the 1990s with six consecutive city league titles. Thursday: at Rocklin.

10. (9) East Union (7-3, 4-3): Quarterback JoJo Espinosa shined as a dual-threat on a night when everything else went wrong for the Lancers, who were beaten soundly by rival Manteca. Espinosa completed 16 of 24 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 84 yards and a score. Thursday: at Patterson.

Small Schools

Comprised of teams from the Central California Athletic Alliance, Mother Lode League, Southern League and Trans-Valley League.

1. (1) Orestimba (10-0, 7-0): The Warriors took control of the Battle for the Chief and Southern League with two touchdowns in a 19-second span in the fourth quarter against Gustine. Orestimba completed its third straight undefeated season in the SL, a record. Thursday: vs. Colfax.

2. (2) Sonora (8-2, 6-0): The Wildcats secured a fourth consecutive MLL title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Division V bracket with their eighth straight win, a 70-15 triumph over Bret Harte. Sonora scored 63 points in the first half, inducing a running clock. Thursday: vs. Highlands.

3. (3) Calaveras (9-1, 5-1): Calaveras blanked Linden in its regular-season finale, 49-0, and earned the No. 2 seed in the DV bracket. Some reward, though. Calaveras opens the playoffs against a TVL tri-champion -- Ripon. Calaveras is 2-0 against the TVL's other champions. Friday: vs. Ripon.

4. (4) Ripon (7-3, 4-1): The Indians outlasted Hilmar, 34-28, to complete a three-way championship in the TVL with Modesto Christian and Escalon. Ripon was awarded the No. 1 seed based on a tiebreaker, but it wasn't enough to warrant a home game. Friday: at Calaveras.

5. (5) Escalon (6-4, 4-1): The Cougars qualified for the postseason in coach Mark Loureiro's final season and have a favorable path through the D-VI bracket. To get here, Escalon won its final two games by a combined score of 85-14. Thursday: vs. Mariposa.

6. (7) Summerville (8-2, 4-2): The Bears qualified for the postseason for the first time under coach Sean Leveroos, completing their turnaround season with a 35-10 win over 2016 D-VI champion Amador. Friday: vs. Hilmar.

7. (8) Modesto Christian (5-5, 4-1): One of the few 5-5 teams in the postseason, the Crusaders punched their ticket by winning four of their final five games, including last week's shutout of Mountain House. Modesto Christian opens with a team coming off its own shutout. Thursday: vs. Gustine.

8. (6) Gustine (8-2, 6-1): Gustine will get a chance to avenge one of its two losses in the first round of the D-VI playoffs. Before that, though, Gustine must address its performance in the SL championship game. Gustine moved the ball between the 20s against Orestimba, but failed to score. Thursday: at Modesto Christian.

9. (9) Hilmar (5-5, 2-3): The Yellowjackets return to the postseason, but it's been an up-and-down season in Hilmar. Frank Marques' team is coming off a 34-28 loss to Ripon and hasn't won consecutive games since Week 1. Friday: at Summerville.

10. (nr) Stone Ridge Christian (9-1, 5-0): The Knights won their second CCAA title in three seasons with a 24-14 victory over previously unbeaten Big Valley Christian. Luke Jenkins added to his league-leading sack total of 15 with a sack and fumble recovery against the Lions. Thursday: vs. Brookside Christian.

This story was originally published November 6, 2017 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Final rankings: Oakdale, Orestimba finish No. 1; top-10 battles galore in playoffs.."