The Sierra Foothill League sits outside of Sacramento on the way to Reno. It has always been a tough league, in every competition. It is considered to be one of the toughest ALL PUBLIC SCHOOL leagues in the west. About 5 years ago it was a D2 league. That is 4A in Utah. The six schools in that league won 80-90% of the Section titles. The Sac Joaquin Section has more high schools than Utah so it is basically a state title elsewhere. In any sport from Water Polo to Football to Basketball to whatever, most titles came home to the SFL.

The Section decided to move the SFL up to D1 in all sports, add in two D1 powers and move a smaller school to another league. In return it promised the league 4 spots in the Football playoffs. The Section takes the top 32 FB teams at the end of the season then divides them by size, biggest schools go D1 the rest go D2. Same with the smaller divisions except D7. Basketball goes by size, everything else goes by league, D1, D2, D3, etc. So if you are a smaller school in the SFL, you still play D1 and go to the D1 playoffs in everything but FB and BB.

So now you have a murderous league schedule like the SFL. It is a battle every week. You have to have two wins in league to even be considered for playoffs so forget preseason patsies. Outside of the league these teams play the likes of De La Salle, St John Bosco, Reed of Sparks, etc. When it is league time, same hard stuff, just with guys and teams you know. The schools run very disciplined versions of the Fly Sweep, the Wing T, the Pistol (one of the first schools to adopt it from UNR), ProSet, etc. Washingtons frosh QB helped Folsom win the title last year. Oak Ridges QB this year is off to Notre Dame. So there is talent, but there is also discipline, structure, coaching, etc.

Back to this years playoffs. 5 of the 32 teams in D1 and D2 playoffs were from the SFL. After Week 1, 5 of the 16 teams were from the SFL. After Week 2, 5 of the 8 teams were from the SFL. Last night each semifinal had a SFL team and one game had the 4th and 5th place teams facing off. The 5th place team having knocked off D2 #1 Grant Union Pacers at Grant.

Next week the D1 final will feature SFL #1 Folsom vs Elk Grove (they beat SFL #2 Oak Ridge). The D2 final will be the third time since 2006 SFL#3 Rocklin has faced SFL #4 Del Oro for the title. Rocklin and Del Oro are a massive rivalry, their boundaries touch and they compete in every public league from little league to soccer as Rocklin vs Del Oro.

This could be the second time in three years that teams from one 7 member school public league win both the D1 and the D2 titles. Since 2009, the SFL has represented NorCal in the CA State bowl games 5 of the 6 years.

Now, I hope you are still with me, these are not just football junkies. Here we go with the outside stuff. All the schools send their players to the Character Combine. Want to see a bunch of Alpha Male teenagers cry with sincere emotion, attend some of these events, some powerful messages. One school sponsors a ball for kids that typically would not get to go to a high school ball. The football players plan, decorate, and are the dates for many of the girls. Remember Pay If Forward? One team spread 5,000 arm bands throughout their town by paying it forward and leaving an arm band with the person to do the same. Those bands are still seen and used 6 years later. Most of these schools have required hours of community service for graduation. If you go out for a team, you will complete those hours in one season. At one school, if you want to play freshman football, once you get out of school at 2:30, you hightail it to study hall. 4-5 coaches work with you until 5 pm when you are allowed to suit up for practice. That starts day 1 of school. All the schools compete for highest test scores and other academic things. I am happy to say that Rocklin has beaten them every year since 2006.

Thanks for reading, this is why I love High School football more than College and Pros.