Pick the Preps: The Bee offers predictions for Sacramento-area high school football games

Is it time for kickoff?

We’re ready. You’re ready. Are the teams ready? We had so much fun predicting Sacramento-area high school football games last season that we’re firing up a new band for a fresh go. Four of us will predict the outcomes of a handful of games without boring you with defensive schemes and cover this and cover that.

What do we know? Well, we know what we don’t know, which is a great deal.

You know the drill. We’re all experts until proven otherwise, which is usually in quick order. I am in my 34th year at The Bee, pre-dating the internet, and I’ll be joined in our weekly picks by a trio who know their stuff.

Matthew Bessette is the guru of ABC Jam Productions as part of the NFHS Network. He broadcasts a boatload of games each week, knows his stuff and is never short on insight. Nick Pecoraro has covered local prep sports for years, be it for The Bee, Gold Country Media or Cal-Hi Sports on TV. He’s a fine writer, but can he project games?

And we have Scott Tedmon, who hasn’t covered a game in his life, but he’s coached and won more than the rest of us combined, piling up championship seasons as the basketball boss at Sacramento Adventist Academy. He’s now retired from that gig and setting his sights on the regional football scene. He has for decades studied prep games and attends them, so he fits right in.

All games are Friday, starting from 7 to 7:30 p.m.

No. 1 Folsom at No. 7 Monterey Trail

JoeD: Folsom rolls, right? Well, the Bulldogs didn’t roll or bark much in the 2019 Division I playoffs, an inspired, stunning semifinal win for MT. That has nothing to do with now, of course, except that Folsom coach Paul Doherty will remind his guys of the point. Folsom prevails, 42-28.

MatthewB: I need to have a chat with my agent if this is the best gig I can get. Top-seeded Folsom is never shy about scheduling tough games and opening the season at Mark Macres Memorial Stadium certainly fits the bill. With Serra looming eight days after this one, could this be a trap game for the Bulldogs? We know TJ Ewing’s guys are always ready to play. A lot of new faces on offense leads to a low-scoring game, but Folsom hangs on, 24-13.

NickP: First off, are they really letting me pick games for The Bee? We all knew Joe D. had a few screws loose, but this confirms it. As for this game, major credit to the Mustangs for always loading up a heavy nonleague slate. But given the Bulldogs haven’t lost a season opener to anyone not named De La Salle since 2011, gimme Folsom, 35-20.

CoachT: A hoops guy picking pigskin? Why not! So here goes: Love how MT always schedules the heavies early, so here comes mighty Folsom in the opener. The physical Mustangs won’t blink, but Bulldogs get it done, 38-21.

No. 8 Elk Grove at No. 4 Granite Bay

JoeD: This sure looks like a Granite Bay victory with the Grizzlies returning more starters, but remember this is football and these are high school players, and anything goes. Yes, and there goes Carter Jackson, the speed burner for the Grizzlies. He bolted for four TDs against EG in 2022. GB wins again, 28-20.

MatthewB: Star power all over the place in this one. David Hale runs the option for Elk Grove as well as any QB I’ve ever seen. Granite Bay might very well have the best returning players on both sides of the ball in the entire section in Carter Jackson and Frank Cusano. Grizzlies win in a high-scoring contest, 35-28.

NickP: I’ll be covering this Delta-SFL banger. Elk Grove is in the mix every year, but Granite Bay has perhaps the section’s top returning backfield in Carter Jackson and Isaiah Ene. Add Washington State-bound linebacker Frank Cusano into the mix and the Grizzlies hold the Herd, 27-20.

CoachT: NickP will be there covering this beauty of an opener and he has all the stats, insight, stars and D1 signees. As for me, I have nothing except this ... Herd is the Word! They win, 31-27.

No. 16 Placer at No. 11 Casa Roble

JoeD: This has been a barn-burner of an opener for years, including Placer prevailing 37-35 in 2022, and someone call the fire department for this one, too. The Rams will win behind QB Connor Campbell and WR ace Cole Owens over another stout Hillmen bunch, 40-35.

MatthewB: Casa Roble’s only two losses last year came in its first and last games. The Rams have a chance at redemption in their first game against a Placer team that returns a lot of firepower, but Josh Craycraft leads the Hillmen to a narrow win, 42-41.

NickP: I love what coach Joey Montoya does with the Hillmen each year, but this could be the Rams’ time for a section title. Linebacker Evan Combs was top five in the section last year in tackles (145) AND sacks (15). I’m going with Casa this week, mostly so I don’t upset my fellow Orangevalians. Rams, 42-35.

CoachT: A clash of classy coaches and championship caliber programs with a blue banner dancing in their heads. It promises to be a close contest with the Rams prevailing, 34-31. This is Casa’s year.

No. 18 Sheldon at No. 17 Capital Christian

JoeD: The host Cougars suddenly have a lot more incentive with the encouraging news of Trevor Loveall’s progress. The Capital Christian lineman collapsed during a Saturday scrimmage and spent four nights in the ICU before awakening on Wednesday in good spirits. Soon, he held up a hand-written sign that read, “BEAT SHELDON!” Both teams lost a ton to graduation, but Sheldon ushers in the Zayden Learson era, a QB and defender, and Sheldon wins a close one, 24-21.

MatthewB: Get well soon, Trevor. Both of these teams will look quite a bit different than they did last year. With the more recent changes at Capital Christian, Sheldon has the edge and comes away with the victory, 34-27.

NickP: As Joe mentioned, we’re all hoping for a full and speedy recovery for young Mr. Loveall. Sheldon lost a ton of talent to graduation and transfers. A section finalist from a year ago, Capital Christian plays inspired for its recovering teammate in Week 1. Cougars win 21-17.

CoachT: First and foremost, thoughts and prayers for Trevor in his recovery to full strength and health. On the field, coach Aaron Garcia will provide a proper perspective and a steady hand to motivate and maneuver the Cougars to an inspired win, 28-27.

No. 25 Bradshaw Christian at Woodland Christian

JoeD: We dig the small schools. Both are powerhouse programs and superbly coached. BC will run until their legs fall off, and they win here at WC’s cozy field, 30-24.

MatthewB: Both squads have talented young athletes coming back. BC has a group of class of 2025ers that even big schools would envy. WC looks to pass the torch and hand the ball to young RB Noah Hinkle. WC feeds off the energy of the home crowd to win it, 31-28.

NickP: Bradshaw returns its top four rushers from last year (Mateo Mojica, Brandon Burden, Nathan Zeppieri and QB Ethan Rickert), who combined for over 3,500 yards and 47 TDs on the ground. Pride wins, 33-17.

CoachT: Small-school ball rocks. Bradshaw runs left, right, middle ... repeat. WC continues to build a dominant small-school program. This is a great matchup with BC’s vaunted running game prevailing, 34-24.