With a lot of blowouts and games cancelled we only have four Sac-Joaquin Section games of note to recap with two each from the Delta and Sierra Foothill leagues.
In the only game played of the three featured in the NorCal Top Games of the Week it was noted that the key to Prep2Prep Sac-Joaquin Section No. 3 Granite Bay beating No. 2 Oak Ridge would be stopping Trojans senior dual-threat quarterback Marco Baldacchino.
The host Grizzlies bottled him up almost the entire game but in the end Baldacchino and Oak Ridge prevailed 14-7 in overtime to ruin senior night for Granite Bay.
With three minutes left in the game Baldacchino found Parker Barry for a 10-yard touchdown pass to tie it at 7-7 on the only pass reception the senior wide receiver had all night. Then, on the first play of overtime Baldacchino scampered 10-yards for the winning score.
High school overtime allows each team a possession from the 10 yard line for every overtime period so when the Trojans defense held Granite Bay on fourth and inches the game was over.
The Granite Bay faithful had felt almost assuredly that 6-3, 225-pound ramrod-style running back Evan Tattersall would get the equalizer but when he was stopped for no gain the Oak Ridge celebration began.
Baldacchino, the cousin of former Folsom quarterbacking brothers David and Dano Graves, led Oak Ridge (7-0, 3-0 Sierra Foothill League) with 149 yards passing and the one score but he was only 13 of 27 passing, intercepted once and harassed all night by the Granite Bay defense. He did rush for 133 yards but it was on 21 carries and he only found the end zone once but it was when it counted most.
Granite Bay (5-2, 1-2) scored midway through the first quarter, and while their own defense played exceptionally well, they could not score against Oak Ridge the rest of the way. For their part the visiting Trojans helped keep it c lose with three turnovers and three missed field goals from makeable distances.
The win by Oak Ridge helps them keep pace with Folsom, a 42-0 winner over Nevada Union, although Folsom went to 4-0 in league. It doesn’t get any easier for the Trojans the rest of the league season, but they do get Del Oro and Folsom at home.
We did not drop Granite Bay after their loss to Folsom or have them lower than No. 3 in various other rankings and now they’ve proven they’re almost the equal of Oak Ridge. We may or may not drop them below Central Catholic is this week’s rankings but haven’t decided yet.
Beat up Jesuit still unbeaten in Delta League after beating Sheldon
A Jesuit team riddled with injuries still had what it took to get the job done in a battle of Delta League unbeatens that resulted in a 37-29 victory over Sheldon last Friday night at the Sheldon-Pleasant Grove Community Stadium. With the win Jesuit (5-2, 4-0 Delta League) takes over sole possession of first place in the Delta League.
Similar to Granite Bay we kept Jesuit as the top team in the Delta League like they were in most analysts minds to start the season. We also had the Marauders more highly ranked than the other rankings and we have been proven correct again. With the win Coach Marlon Blanton and his boys have won five straight since opening the season with losses to No. 1 Folsom and No. 3 Granite Bay.
Blanton, a former De La Salle player and disciple of legendary Spartans Coach and movie-man Bob Ladouceur, has four players out with season-ending knee injuries, including bruising star senior fullback Lorenzo Burkes and senior defensive back Joseph Hagopian.
Despite being shorthanded Jesuit got it done with the stars they still have in wearing jerseys.
Laiatu Latu, a 6-5, 226-pound junior linebacker and tight end that is starting to get some D1 interest, was all over the field. He blocked a punt for the second time this season only this time he returned it 16 yards for a touchdown. He had a crushing sack and also had an interception he returned to the 4-yard line that set up a TD by Jackson Canaan that gave Jesuit a 34-14 lead in the third quarter. He also had two TD pass receptions called back due to penalties.
Blanton has more than one college level recruit and several of them shined in this game including Isaiah Rutherford. The 6-1, 170-pound junior defensive back and running back that currently has offers from Alabama, Colorado, Notre Dame, Oregon and Oregon State for his defensive prowess, got his second interception of the season but also blew past everyone for a 53-yard TD run.
Sheldon (5-2, 3-1) outscored the visitors 15-0 in the fourth quarter but by then the deal had been sealed by the Jesuit defense. Quarterback Francisco Salinas, running back Ray Brown, and wide receiver Michael Graves all put up offensive numbers but it wasn’t enough to overcome the turnovers.
Rocklin rallies to beat Del Oro
Prep2Prep Sac-Joaquin Section No. 13 Rocklin (5-2, 2-1 Sierra Foothill League) trailed 12-7 midway through the third quarter but proceeded to score 15 unanswered points in a 22-12 home victory over No. 12 Del Oro.
Blayden Brown had two TDs rushing, quarterback Cade Wyant tossed a 15-Yard TD pass to Charlie McBride and Richard Purvis kicked a 29-yard field goal to account for the scoring for the Thunder.
Del Oro (4-4, 1-3) took its 12-7 lead on a 35-yard pass from Carson Jarrett to Matt Smart but from there the Thunder defense shut the door.
Monterey Trail adds to woes of Grant
The faithful in Del Paso Height had another loss added to their woes after No. 22 Monterey Trail invaded their neighborhood and left with a 26-13 win over No. 18 Grant.
Monterey Trail 4-2, 2-2 Delta League) trailed 14-6 midway through the third quarter but scored three times in the final 10 minutes of the contest to secure the victory.
Running back Aztlan Lopez rushed for two TDs and he also led the Mustangs stingy defense by recovering two fumbles and making 11 tackles. Junior Brandon Hwa only had one pass reception but it went for a 39-yard score. Two sophomores came up big on defense as Antonio Williams and Marcus Jones Jr. has 12 and 10 tackles, respectively.
Grant (3-4, 1-3) falls below .500 again and not only is out of the league race but is in jeopardy of not making the playoffs with Sheldon and Jesuit still on their schedule.
