Bee’s section football rankings: Escalon remains clear No. 1 after win over Downey
Each week Bee reporters Joe Davidson and Julian A. Lopez release their CIF Sac-Joaquin Section rankings for Large Schools (Division I-IV) and Small Schools (V-VII). This week, Oak Ridge, Turlock, and Buhach Colony all moved up.
After scoring over 35 points per game in their previous three games, No. 3 Turlock held Sheldon to only six points in a 14-6 win last week. The Bulldogs didn’t allow a single point after the first quarter and had a couple of goal-line stands. The Bulldogs have a big test this week when they host Central-Fresno, which is 4-0 and has outscored its opponents 179-35.
No. 2 Hilmar and No. 5 Ripon face off in a gauntlet of a Trans-Valley League game this week. Of course, the win over Downey has Escalon as the favorite right now.
-Julian Lopez
Meanwhile, there was no change at the top of The Bee’s large-school rankings despite Folsom falling to De La Salle 42-27. De La Salle has plowed through every Northern California team north of Fresno since the start of the 1992 season, an unbeaten streak of 302 games (with two ties).
The run also includes a 15-0 showing against the Sac-Joaquin Section this decade - 4-0 against Folsom, 4-0 against St. Mary’s, 3-0 against Del Oro, 2-0 against Central Catholic and 1-0 over Granite Bay and Jesuit.
Turlock and Buhach Colony inch up in the large-school rankings at No. 3 and No. 4 after previous No. 2 Monterey Trail was upset by unranked Cosumnes Oaks 36-35 in the section’s biggest upset this early season.
- Joe Davidson
THE BEE’S TOP 20
Sac-Joaquin Section
Football
Large Schools
1. Folsom (2-1)
2. Oak Ridge (3-0)
3. Turlock (3-1)
4. Buhach Colony (4-0)
5. Inderkum (3-0)
6. St. Mary’s (1-2)
7. Monterey Trail (3-1)
8. Del Oro (3-1)
9. Davis (4-0)
10. Rocklin (3-1)
11. Elk Grove (2-1)
12. Capital Christian (2-2)
13. Vacaville (2-2)
14. Granite Bay (2-2)
15. Sheldon (2-2)
16. Edison (2-1)
17. Oakdale (2-2)
18. Manteca (3-1)
19. Pleasant Grove (3-0)
20. Lodi (3-0)
- Joe Davidson/Julian Lopez
THE BEE’S TOP 10
Sac-Joaquin Section
Football
Small Schools
1. Escalon (4-0)
2. Hilmar (4-0)
3. Bear River (4-0)
4. Center (4-0)
5. Ripon (4-0)
6. Ripon Christian (2-1)
7. Woodland (1-2)
8. Colfax (2-1)
9. Bradshaw Christian (2-1)
10. (TIE) Denair (2-1)
10. (TIE) Highlands (3-0)
- Joe Davidson/Julian Lopez
This story was originally published September 16, 2019 at 6:00 AM.
