Sac-Joaquin Section Division III football playoffs: Live scores, bracket updates, preview
The 2023 CIF Sac-Joaquin Section high school football playoffs kick off Friday, November 3, and you can follow all of the action on SBLive Sports.
Here is everything you need to know about the first round of the SJS Division III football playoffs, including how to watch games, live scoreboards, bracket updates and matchup breakdowns.
CIF Sac-Joaquin Section 2023 football playoff brackets: Scores, matchups, game times
The matchup breakdowns were written by CIF Sac-Joaquin Section assistant commissioner Will DeBoard, who covered California high school sports for 17 years (1992 to 2009) for the Modesto Bee, before joining the SJS as its first Director of Communications in 2009. He was promoted to assistant commissioner in 2017.
During his time as a scribe, he was considered at the top of his craft and won numerous state and national awards for his coverage. His notes, facts and analysis of all things high school sports is flawless.
THE DIVISION III BRACKET
This division features three league champions, led by No. 2 seed Woodcreek (CVC), No. 3 Vanden (MEL) and No. 5 Merced (CCC). … Teams with byes: No. 1 Grant, No. 2 Woodcreek, No. 3 Vanden, No. 4 Oakdale.
No. 9 Golden Valley (6-4) at No. 8 Linden (8-2): Golden Valley is in the playoffs for the fifth straight season and 10th time in school history. The Cougars got here after placing fourth in the CCC. Their last playoff win was all the way back in 1999, when they advanced to the D1 Section championship game, losing 33-13 to Grant. Linden returns to the postseason for the third time in the last four years. The Lions, SJAA runners-up, are in the playoffs for the 15th time in school history.
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No. 12 Bella Vista (4-6) at No. 5 Merced (7-3): Bella Vista returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2009 and only the third appearance in the 2000s. The Broncos, who placed sixth in the CVC, are in the postseason for the seventh time in school history. Merced is in the postseason for the fifth straight year and is coming in as the Central California Conference champion. The Bears have two Section title banners hanging in their gym, back-to-back D1 titles won in 1989 and 1990.
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No. 11 Mountain House (6-4) at No. 6 Roseville (7-3): Mountain House is in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, and that was the only other such appearance in school history for the Mustangs. Mountain House is here by virtue of its fourth-place finish in the Western Athletic Conference. Roseville is here for the fourth straight year and the 22nd time in school history. The Tigers took third place in the CVC and boast one previous Section championship: the 1987 D2 title.
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No. 10 Yuba City (4-6) at No. 7 Christian Brothers (6-4): Yuba City is in the playoffs for the 11th straight year and 21st time in school history. The Honkers took fifth place in the CVC. Christian Brothers is in the playoffs for the 10th straight season and 24th time in school history. It finished in fourth place in the CAL. The Falcons won Section titles in 1981 and 1983 and are looking to advance to the second round for the second straight year. These teams have met twice before in the SJS postseason, with Yuba City winning both times. The Honkers won 30-28 in a 2018 D3 first-round game and 54-19 in the same round in 2019.
