The Sports Informant

The 2009 Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs are looming, but before the postseason could begin, Sacramento area high school football teams had to complete their regular season schedules, which in some instances saw a final game decide who won league titles and who was eliminated from playoff contention.

Division I

Delta River League:

Folsom (9-1, 4-1) finished the regular season atop the Delta River League with a dominant win over Sheldon (7-3, 2-3) on Nov. 13, 63-28. In a first-half shootout that saw 70 total points scored, 42 by Folsom, the two teams battled back and forth before the Folsom Bulldogs took over big in the second half.

Quarterback Dano Graves simply played with Sheldon’s emotions, taking part in seven touchdowns in the game. He threw 24 for 30 passing for 466 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing 11 times for 75 yards and four touchdowns.

Folsom quarterback Dano Graves runs in for one of his four rushing touchdowns in the game. (Photo courtesy Tom Paniagua)

Graves started the game’s scoring with a 20-yard touchdown run. Sheldon’s Burnis Chambers (19 rushes for 103 yards) returned with an 11-yard touchdown run of his own, only to be followed by a Graves 47-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jordan Richards (five catches for 128 yards). Sheldon scored after on a 30-yard touchdown run by Chambers, but Folsom took over again and scored on a 2-yard run by Graves to go up, 21-14.

Chambers equalized the game with a 32-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Raymond Dickerson (8 for 18 passing for 156 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception), but Folsom again took the lead, this time on a 10-yard touchdown run by Richards.

Sheldon tied it up at 28-28 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Dickerson to receiver Jordan Escorcia, but it was the closest the Huskies would come to keeping up in the game. Folsom took over after, scoring twice on runs by Graves (12 yards and two, respectively) to go up 42-28 at half.

The Bulldogs had fun the second half, starting scoring with an 89-yard touchdown pass from Graves to receiver Tyler Trosin. Later in the third quarter Folsom scored again on the Graves-Trosin combination, this time from three yards out. In the fourth quarter, backup quarterback Tanner Trosin took over, throwing a 22-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Trosin to make the final score 63-28.

The win gave Folsom a No. 4 seed going into the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs this weekend. The loss left Sheldon with a No. 11 seed heading into the Division I playoffs.

Monterey Trail (8-2, 4-1) and Pleasant Grove (7-3, 4-1) stayed right there with Folsom in the standings, winning their final affairs. Monterey Trail beat Florin (1-9, 0-5) on Nov. 13, 40-6, to earn a No. 4 seed in the Division I playoffs. Pleasant Grove beat Jesuit (4-6, 1-4) on Nov. 14, 21-14, to earn a No. 7 seed in the Division I playoffs.

Delta Valley League:

Nevada Union (9-1, 5-0) wrapped up a perfect Delta Valley League campaign with the title, beating Davis (2-8, 1-4) on Nov. 13, 56-0. Quarterback Broughan Jantz threw 10 for 11 for 176 yards and three touchdowns, as seven different Miners scored in the rout. Nevada Union earned a No. 3 seed in the Division I playoffs.

Franklin (6-4, 4-1) beat Laguna Creek (3-7, 2-3), 38-22, to earn a No. 10 seed in the Division I playoffs. Elk Grove (4-6, 3-2) beat Valley (0-10, 0-5), 49-0.

Division II

Metropolitan Conference:

The showdown for Metropolitan supremacy took place over last weekend, as undefeated Grant (10-0, 6-0) hosted Burbank (6-4, 5-1), the only other undefeated league team and the only team with a shot to dethrone the Pacers.

While Burbank battled, scoring more points in one game than Grant had allowed all season long (13 points in nine previous games), the Pacers proved too tough, pulling out a 40-22 win. Superstar running back Devontae Butler rushed 34 times in the win, grinding out 305 yards and scoring four touchdowns to lead the way.

Still, the disrespect for Grant continued, as the defending state champions only earned a No. 3 seed in the Division II playoffs. Burbank earned a No. 12 seed in the Division I playoffs.

Kennedy (2-8, 1-5) beat Johnson (0-10, 0-6), 39-6. Sacramento (6-4, 3-3) beat McClatchy (2-8, 2-4), 28-14. Sacramento earned a No. 12 seed in the Division II playoffs. Rosemont (6-4, 4-2) lost to Union Mine, 23-3. Rosemont got a No. 11 seed in the Division II playoffs.

Sierra Foothill League:

Rocklin (10-0, 5-0) finished a perfect regular season with a 51-27 win over Roseville (2-8, 0-5) on Nov. 13. Back Jackson Cummings rushed 28 times for 337 yards and a whopping six touchdowns while quarterback Jimmy Laughrea threw 9 for 19 for 205 yards and a score in the win. Rocklin’s dream season continues as the No. 2 seed in the Division II playoffs.

Granite Bay (8-2, 3-2) beat Woodcreek (4-6, 3-2), 34-10, and will be a No. 5 seed in the Division II playoffs. Woodcreek will be a No. 13 seed in the Division II playoffs. Del Oro (8-2, 3-2) beat Oakmont (5-5, 1-4), 56-8, and will be a No. 8 seed in the Division II playoffs.

Sierra Valley Conference:

Oak Ridge High School (7-3, 6-0) silenced all critics after taking an 0-3 start to the season and finishing with a Sierra Valley Conference title, using a seven-game winning streak to end the regular season. The Trojans finished their campaign with a 31-28 victory over rival Ponderosa (3-7, 2-4) on Nov. 13.

Quarterback Connor Benander led the Trojans with 15 for 21 passing for 280 yards and two touchdowns, as the Trojans turned away from its usually dominate run game to pass for the victory. Receiver Robbie Beyer caught six passes for 109 yards and two scores. Benander also rushed for a touchdown in the game. The Trojans enter the Division I playoffs as a No. 6 seed.

Christian Brothers (7-3, 4-2) finished the season strong with a 29-14 win over Vista del Lago (5-5, 3-3). Christian Brothers will enter the Division II playoffs as a No. 9 seed.

Galt (5-5, 2-4) beat Cordova (3-7, 1-5), 28-8. Union Mine (5-5, 3-3) beat Rosemont, 23-3.

For scores from the Division III-Division VII games, visit www.MaxPreps.com.