Stockton-area Top 10 football rankings following Week 0
You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful evening as Friday’s full slate of games marked the opening of the 2023 football season in San Joaquin County.
The Record sports writers are back as well with coverage of more than 40 teams in eight leagues, which include: the Tri-City Athletic League, the San-Joaquin Athletic Association, the Valley Oak League, the Trans-Valley League, the Mother Lode League, the Western League, the Central California Athletic Alliance and the Southern League.
With Week 0 contests in the books, The Record kicks off its weekly Top 10 rankings of the elite schools of the season after voting based on our coverage, coaching interviews and team data entered into MaxPreps. Teams receiving first-place votes earn 10 points, second-place votes are worth nine points, third-place votes eight points, and so on.
1. St. Mary’s (1-0) 30 points
Week 1 game: home vs. Central Catholic
The Rams open atop the rankings right where they left off last season’s final poll, and deservedly so, with a 38-28 statement win over Clovis West, the Central Section’s No. 2-ranked team according to MaxPreps preseason poll, and it wasn’t that close.
St. Mary’s, the No. 3-ranked team in the Sac-Joaquin Section, led 38-14 late in the fourth quarter before the Golden Eagles rallied for two late scores against the Rams reserves.
St. Mary’s hosts this week’s Holy Bowl against the Raiders, the section’s No. 5 ranked team, which enjoyed an easy 42-12 romp over Merced.
2. Manteca (1-0) 27 points
Week 1 game: home vs. Granite Bay
The Buffaloes will be glad to be home after surviving a slow start on the road against Vista del Lago in Week 0. Manteca trailed 28-14 before rallying on senior Bryson Davis’ four rushing touchdowns and two scores by fellow senior Garrison Reis for a 42-35 victory.
This week’s tilt is a rematch of last season’s Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II championship game against the Grizzlies (0-1), which the Buffaloes won 51-48 after holding off a late Granite Bay run. The Grizzlies’ power running attack features junior Carter Jackson and sophomore Isaiah Ene, who combined for 31 rushing scores last year. Granite Bay lost 40-20 to Elk Grove in Week 0.
3. Tracy (1-0) 24 points
Week 1 game: bye
The Bulldogs will be glad to have a break to scrape off the rust they showed against crosstown rival Kimball where they trailed 8-3 at the half in their Week 0 game that saw nine total turnovers between the two squads.
Tracy’s defense was the hero as it snared four interceptions for the Bulldogs, who added three fourth-quarter touchdowns for the 24-14 win.
More: Tracy football outlasts Kimball to win the battle of top dogs in Tracy
4. Escalon (1-0) 21 points
Week 1 game: away at Buchanan-Clovis
The Cougars — a.k.a. the Road Warriors — won the first of seven consecutive road games with a 20-14 Week 0 win in Merced against Golden Valley as Escalon upgrades its field.
Escalon, the section’s No. 10 ranked team, will have its hands full with a rematch at powerhouse Buchanan, the Central Section’s No. 3 ranked team, who won’t be surprised this year.
The stunned Bears had to rally in Escalon last year to beat the Cougars 41-40 in overtime, where a missed two-point conversion by Escalon was the difference. Buchanan won its opener last week at St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy 38-18.
5. Edison (0-1) 17 points
Week 1 game: home vs. Foothill-Palo Cedro
The Vikings didn’t fare well at Central-Fresno in a 48-13 Week 0 loss. Edison led 6-0 but it was all Grizzlies after that.
Edison will be seeking revenge against Foothill after leading 17-14 in last year’s tilt but surrendered a fourth-quarter score to the Cougars in the 21-17 loss.
6. Lincoln (0-1) 15 points
Week 1 game: away at Kimball
The Trojans must be thinking the Knights have their number after dropping their season opener for the third year in a row last week at Downey 50-33.
Junior running back Jordin Thomas was one of the bright lights for Lincoln in the preseason matchup that showed the Trojans what they need to fix. The Trojans will be looking for revenge against the Jaguars, who edged Lincoln in Stockton last season 30-29.
7. Mt. House (1-0) 13 points
Week 1 game: away at Patterson
The Mustangs rallied behind senior quarterback Amare Brooks who threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for two more scores in their 33-21 victory at McNair in Week 0. Mt. House continues to build its program and it looks like the Mustangs are headed in the right direction.
The Mustangs are looking for their first win in program history against the Tigers who whipped Hilmar in their opener 45-20. Anyone who can serve a 40-burger to Hilmar is a team to be reckoned with and will be a good test for Mt. House.
More: Stockton-area football: Find out everything you need to know for the 2023 season
8. Ripon (1-0) 8 points
Week 1 game: away at Sonora
Ripon survived a crazy Linden rally as Xaiden Reyes rushed for three touchdowns in a 49-42 win that saw four ties in the see-saw affair. Xzavier Clark opened the second half with a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give Ripon key momentum.
Ripon will have to reload its road magic as they face last year’s Division V section finalist in Sonora. The Wildcats will be chomping after losing to bitter rival Oakdale 27-20 in their Week 0 battle at The Corral.
9. Stagg (1-0) 7 points
Week 1 game: home vs Rodriguez-Fairfield
The Delta Kings whipped the El Camino Eagles 42-8 in their Week 0 battle and have a chance to get back-to-back wins. Coach Don Norton is Stagg’s winningest football coach for a reason and the Delta Kings should be ready against the Mustangs.
Rodriguez used a balanced offensive attack to get past Sacramento 43-33 in their opener. Mustangs senior Bentley Williams rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown, while junior quarterback Dylan Burke threw a touchdown pass in the win.
10. Kimball (0-1) 2 points
Week 1 game: home vs Lincoln
The Jaguars didn’t look right in their week 0 Cat-Dog fight against rival Tracy after giving up five turnovers in their 24-14 loss.
Kimball played as a team in their 30-29 win at Lincoln last year and will have to replicate that effort as both squads are looking for their first win of the season.
Others receiving votes: Sierra
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Stockton-area Top 10 football rankings following Week 0
