There are five high school leagues in South Placer County offering the finest in prep sports. Most schools are, at least, competing in seven different sports this fall, including Flag Football for girls.
South Placer has 16 schools, with one likely near you. This week, Wake Up Placer will begin giving credit to one of Autumn’s more popular sports – Football.
These 16 schools range from Division II to Division VII (student population) and help make up five leagues totaling 31 teams from the surrounding California Interscholastic Federation Sac-Joaquin Section area.
Sierra Foothill League
Perhaps the premier league for sports fans is the SFL. This league includes Rocklin, Whitney, Granite Bay, and Del Oro. They are all Division II schools. Two Division I schools, Folsom and Oak Ridge round out the SFL. The teams in the SFL have a combined 13-5 win-loss record so far this season and, on average, are outscoring opponents 34-14.
With three (non-league) games under their belts, Rocklin, Del Oro, and Oak Ridge sit at the top of the league, all at 3-0. League play is scheduled to get underway at the end of this month.
With two non-league games remaining, the Rocklin Thunder will travel to Oak Ridge in El Dorado Hills for the Honor Bowl, Saturday. They will face the Manteca Buffaloes (2-1) at 4 p.m.
In other contests, the Granite Bay Grizzles will host reigning Capital Valley Conference League champion Antelope at 7:15 p.m., Friday. Although the Titans are 0-3 so far this season and the 1-2 Grizzlies, the game should be a good test for both.
Rounding out this Friday night are the Whitney Wildcats (1-2), hosting Heritage from Brentwood. At 1-1, the Patriots are coming off a tough loss to Granada last week. Kickoff is planned for 7 p.m.
Capital Valley Conference League
In the Division III CVCL, Woodcreek’s Timberwolves sit on top at 3-0 and get this week off after defeating Cosumnes Oaks, 28-16, last week.
The seven-team league is 10-10 this season and has been squeaking by opponents by less than three points a game, on average. Competition inside the CVCL should present a super battle for supremacy this year, but the Woodcreek Pack could well be better than their second-place finish last season.
Also in the CVCL are the Tigers of Roseville (2-1). The orange-and-black will take a trip over to Lincoln to test the Zebras (0-3) this Friday, 7:30.
The Zebras will definitely earn their stripes if they can turn the tables on the Cats.
Foothill Valley League
One step down in division rankings is the FVL. It features South Placer’s West Park, Oakmont, Lincoln, and Placer. The FVL is off to a slow start with a 5-13 record and their non-league foes are averaging 27 points to the league’s 20.
The Hillmen of Placer have been the top dog of this league recently but have had a rough 0-3 start this season. The newest kids on the block are the Panthers of West Park. Standing at 2-1 so far, West Park is tied at the top of the FVL with Nevada Union.
Friday, the Panthers will go on the road to Tokay High (3-0) in Lodi, 7:15 start time, and Placer will try to get back on track in Folsom, visiting Vista del Lago (2-1), 7:30.
Oakmont (0-3) is coming off a heartbreaking 13-12 loss to Davis. The Vikings will seek their first win this week against College Park on the Vikes’ home turf, 7:30, Friday.
As already mentioned, Lincoln will welcome Roseville.
Pioneer Valley League
The seven-team PVL is on the flip side of the FVL compiling an early 13-5 record and a 34-14 points-average edge against the opposition. This Division V-VI league features Bear River, Colfax, and Twelve Bridges.
The Raging Rhinos of Twelve Bridges have been busting through defenses at a 45-11 scoring-average clip. They outscored their last two opponents 93-12. Next on the pachyderms’ hit list is Northgate High in Walnut Creek.
The Broncos of Northgate are winless in two games but have rolled up a total of 52 points. Could be a good night for fireworks starting at 7 p.m., Friday.
But don’t underestimate their Division VI counterparts, Colfax and Bear River.
Taking a week off after a 52-0 smackdown of Kennedy, Aug. 18, the Bruins of Bear River came back to hand Johansen their first defeat, 20-6. The Bears invade Modesto this week for a 7:15 contest against the Spartans of Davis (0-2).
Disappointed in their opener, the 2-1 Falcons put a combined 93-19 hurt on their next two opponents. The historied Colfax football program will take on the undefeated Diamondbacks of Union Mine, Friday, 7 p.m., in El Dorado.
If you’re going to this game, leave early because Union Mine High School is a little tricky to find – gorgeous stadium, though.
Sacramento Metropolitan Athletic League
These are the small schools with, perhaps, the biggest hearts. Many of these athletes play on both offense and defense and give it their all for 48 minutes.
The Division VII SMAL includes Foresthill, Valley Christian (Roseville), and Western Sierra Collegiate Academy (Rocklin). However, the preseason to this league has belonged to Delta (3-0) and Woodland Christian (2-0).
Valley Christian (1-2) will head into Sacramento to play Valley (0-3). The Foresthill Wildfires (0-3) will invite Golden Sierra (1-1) up the hill to play that same evening.
The Wolves of Western Sierra will seek their first win at home against Mira Loma (3-0). The game will be played on the field at Mahany Park, 1545 Pleasant Grove Blvd., in Roseville.
All three of these games begin at 7 p.m., Friday.
Photo by Rick Anderson