Three weeks into the season, some Sacramento-area football teams are starting to make a serious case that they belong in a different conversation than they did when the season began.
Some are undefeated. Some just picked up their first win. Others are simply showing a level of growth that demands attention.
Ponderosa is 3-0 for the third consecutive season, but this feels different. Whitney just erased a 13-point deficit to knock off a team that hadn’t lost a regular-season game in 32 contests. Rocklin has posted back-to-back shutouts. Downey finally got into the win column after opening against three ranked opponents.
And then there’s Antelope, which went from being shut out in Week 1 to scoring 88 points over its last two games.
Here are the Sacramento-area teams whose stock is rising after Week 3.
Antelope
Terry Stark arrived at Antelope with plenty of credibility, and Friday night provided another glimpse of why the longtime coach was such a heralded hire.
The Titans rolled past Oakmont 55-14 for their second consecutive victory after opening the season with a shutout loss to Whitney. Since then, they have scored 88 points in two games.
The offense has found its rhythm, too. Brendan Goudeaux completed just three passes Friday, but two went for touchdowns, while Antelope leaned heavily on its ground game. DeAnte Gray Jr. rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown, while Tyler Linderman added 93 yards and two scores.
Now comes the real test.
Antelope faces Nevada Union this week before games against 2-1 Bella Vista and No. 8 Destiny Christian. If the Titans keep playing like this, those games will tell us just how much Stark has changed the trajectory of the program.
Downey
Downey finally has a win. Considering what it has faced, though, that feels more significant than a simple 1-2 record might indicate.
Downey opened the season against No. 4 Del Oro and No. 9 Monterey Trail before responding Friday with a 60-point offensive explosion against ranked Merced.
Senior quarterback Julian Masaniai delivered his best performance of the season, completing 16 of 21 passes for 322 yards and four touchdowns. It was his second consecutive game with four touchdown passes.
Elias Haynes added three rushing touchdowns and an interception, while Owen Sacuskie went off with six catches for 185 yards and three touchdowns.
The defense showed up, too, recording 13 tackles for loss, including three apiece from Sterling Stokes and Joe Wallace.
They’ve been tested from the beginning. And now they have their first win to show for it.
Ponderosa
There is something different about Ponderosa.
The Bruins are 3-0 for the third consecutive year, but this version has looked more complete and downright dominant.
Ponderosa dismantled preseason-ranked Casa Roble 49-13 on the road, continuing a start in which it has outscored opponents 147-31.
Senior quarterback Colton Ridgley has been outstanding, completing 71.6% of his passes with 10 touchdowns and zero interceptions.
Then there are the weapons.
Ethan Hammersley caught five passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns against Casa Roble. Nearly half of his 12 receptions this season – five – have gone for touchdowns.
Zealand Jenks added two touchdown catches of his own and gives Ponderosa another major target at 6-foot-2.
The defense has been just as disruptive, piling up 25 tackles for loss. Gavin O’Neil leads the team with 4.5, while two other players have at least three.
Now comes the measuring stick. No. 15 Granite Bay visits Friday.
West Park
West Park has responded exactly how you would expect from a program accustomed to winning.
After falling to Whitney in the opener, the Panthers have won two straight, and they’ve gotten better each week.
Against Whitney, West Park scored six points and was outgained by roughly 300 yards.
Then came 28 points and 399 yards against Vacaville. This week, West Park scored 35 points and outgained Roseville 353-133.
The biggest development may be quarterback Drew Browning. The dual-threat quarterback threw for 227 yards and ran for 89 against Vacaville before erupting for 174 rushing yards and two touchdowns against Roseville.
He’s becoming increasingly difficult to defend.
Defensively, Jesiah Brewer was everywhere Friday, finishing with 11 tackles and three tackles for loss.
Jason Tenner’s teams have made winning a habit. West Park has reached two section semifinals since its first varsity season in 2021 and has won at least nine games in three of its first five seasons.
Rocklin schools
Rocklin might be one of the biggest stock risers in the entire section.
The Thunder are 3-0 and have posted back-to-back shutouts, the latest coming in a 45-0 demolition of Pleasant Valley. Before that, Rocklin blanked Bishop Manogue 33-0.
The quarterback is a major reason why. Parker Lively followed a three-touchdown, 200-yard performance against Bishop Manogue with 289 passing yards and two touchdowns against Pleasant Valley. If he keeps playing at this level, the junior has a chance to put himself in the conversation as one of the best quarterbacks in school history.
Ryder Halbert caught four passes for 149 yards Friday, while CJ Taylor added two touchdowns.
And the defense? Four takeaways.
And then there is Whitney…
Whitney has earned its spot on this list – again.
The Wildcats are 3-0 for the first time since 2008 after arguably the most impressive comeback of Week 3.
Down 34-21 to Twelve Bridges, Whitney scored the final 14 points to win 35-34, snapping the Raging Rhinos’ 32-game regular-season winning streak.
Easton Tarble was the difference-maker, scoring three touchdowns and coming up with the game-sealing interception.
Bradley Duncan threw for 310 yards, while Jason Taormino caught three passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns.
But the bigger story is what Whitney has become. This isn’t simply a team that caught Twelve Bridges on the right night. The Wildcats have now beaten West Park, Lincoln and Twelve Bridges to open the season.
Brian Brickey and his staff have this group believing.
At 3-0, Whitney is the real deal. Now can it win some SFL games?
