Mix Of Experience And New Talent Gives California-San Ramon, Oak Ridge Opportunities To Surprise Within A Pair Of Super-Competitive Leagues •
This is the third of five releases this week debuting the opening 10 teams to our expanded 2019 Fit Pro Go! NorCal Preseason Rankings. California-San Ramon has proven to be a perennial contender in the East Bay Athletic League. A strong junior class should set the Grizzlies up for a good two year run. Meanwhile, Oak Ridge will have more new faces than usual. However, the talent is still there to finish near the top of the Sierra Foothill League.
26. OAK RIDGE-EL DORADO HILLS (8-4)
The Oak Ridge football team takes the field prior to a 2016 home game. (James K. Leash photo)
FINAL 2018 NORCAL RANK: NA
OUTLOOK: The Trojans have been regular playoff contenders under coach Eric Cavaliere, but the competition in the SFL could be rough. Oak Ridge will rely on junior QB Justin Lamson, the 6-foot-2 brother of UC Davis lineman Colton Lamson. Protecting Lamson’s blind side will be 6-6, 295-pound tackle Nick Scalise, a two-star recruit with offers from Idaho and San Diego so far. Lamson’s weapons of choice will likely be RB Mitchell Anderson and WR Avant Jacobs. Defensively, OL/DL Anthony Whiting returns after recording 70 tackles and three sacks a year ago..
KEY GAMES: BISHOP MANOGUE-RENO, 9/6; FOLSOM, 9/20; @ Rocklin, 9/27; DEL ORO-LOOMIS, 10/11
25. CALIFORNIA-SAN RAMON (8-4)
Eric Billeci will begin his 11th season of leading the California-San Ramon football team. (Phillip Walton photo)
FINAL 2018 NORCAL RANK: NA
OUTLOOK: One of a handful of good teams in the uber-competitive East Bay Athletic League following the addition of Clayton Valley, the Grizzlies will look to make another run at the playoffs, this time without senior standout Jahmal Cornwell. All-EBAL two-way lineman Austin Anderson returns to help pave the way for RB Belal Alatasi and All-League WR Gary Wendschlag. Close to two-thirds of the Grizzlies roster last year was made up with juniors or sophomores. That eight-win group will be reinforced by members of a 2018 JV team that went 8-2 and was the only team to score more than 21 (27) on an undefeated De La Salle JV squad.
KEY GAMES: @ Antioch, 8/30; CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER-CONCORD, 10/4; @ De La Salle-Concord, 10/11, @ Monte Vista-Danville, 10/18; SAN RAMON VALLEY-DANVILLE, 10/25