After wrapping up its first perfect regular-season run in 19 years and a second straight outright Valley Oak League championship, Manteca was awarded the No. 1 seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section’s formidable Division II playoff bracket.
First-round pairings for Divisions I-VII and eight-man football (Division VIII) were revealed during the section’s annual selection show streamed live on NFHS Network on Sunday. Match-ups for the inaugural SJS bowl games were also unveiled.
No local teams are in any of the one-off bowl games, but five have qualified for the playoffs. Bowl games will be played this Friday, and first-round playoff games are on Nov. 14. East Union and Ripon Christian are joining Manteca in hosting first-round contests in the area, while Western Athletic Conference champion Lathrop and Ripon are on the road.
Manteca (10-0) will revive an old-school rivalry in the opening round when Tracy (5-5) of the Tri-City Athletic League visits Guss Schmiedt Field. These two last met in 2019, a 34-20 win for the Buffaloes, but this is a rivalry that goes back generations. Fourth-seeded St. Mary’s (8-2) the TCAL champion, or No. 5 Jesuit (6-4) will play the winner.
Four teams from the imposing Sierra Foothill League are in this bracket, including No. 2 seed Granite Bay (7-3), which hosts undefeated San Joaquin Athletic Association champion Chavez. SFL rivals Del Oro (7-3) and Rocklin (5-5) square off in the Nos. 3-6 showdown.
In Division IV, East Union (7-3) earned the No. 4 seed and will get to play host to No. 5 Placer (6-4), the third-place finisher in the Foothill Valley League.
FVL champion Twelve Bridges (10-0) is the defending champion in this division and likely semifinal opponent for the winner. The Ranging Rhinos from Lincoln start with Fairfield (5-5). No. 3 Hughson (8-2), No. 6 Pioneer (7-3), No. 2 Roseville (8-2) and No. 7 Escalon (5-5) make up the rest of Division IV.
Lathrop (9-1) got a tough first-round draw in Division V after running the table in the WAC for second consecutive season. The fifth-seeded Spartans head to Placer County to meet Pioneer Valley League titlist Lincoln (9-1) for the first time.
Casa Roble (9-1), which conquered Division V two years ago, is the No. 1 seed and kicks off with Oakmont (5-5). Third-seeded Sutter (9-1) was a finalist last season. Hilmar (6-4) is the No. 2 seed, while No. 6 Rosemont (6-4) and No. 7 Rio Linda (5-5) round out the field.
There’s a potential rematch between local rivals in the semifinals in the Division VI bracket, which features three Trans Valley League schools. Two of them are on the same side, as runner-up Ripon Christian (8-2), the No. 3 seed, welcomes No. 6 Amador (6-4), and No. 7 Ripon (5-4) heads to Galt for a rematch with No. 2 Liberty Ranch (10-0). It was Liberty Ranch that ended the Indians’ 2024 season, 35-0.
TVL champion Sonora (10-0), the reigning Division IV-A state champ, tops the Division VI pool. Joining the Wildcats on their half of the bracket are No. 4 Woodland Christian (9-1), No. 5 Bradshaw Christian (8-2) and No. 8 Wheatland (7-3).
Championship games for Divisions II, IV and VI are on Saturday, Nov. 29 at Sacramento City College. The Division V final is set for Nov. 28.
