Sac-Joaquin Section Divisions 4-7 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 Divisions 4-7 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.
DIVISION 4
There are three league champions in this division. They are No. 1 Escalon (TVL), No. 2 Vista del Lago (CAL) and No. 4 Placer (FVL). … Three teams each from the CAL and FVL are in this bracket. … Teams with a bye: No. 1 Escalon, No. 2 Vista del Lago, No. 3 Patterson, No. 4 Placer.
No. 9 Sacramento (4-6) at No. 8 Sierra (4-6): Sacramento returns to the postseason for the second time in the last three years. The Dragons, in the postseason for the 14th time, are here for the 14th time in school history. They finished their season on a tear, winning their final four games to place second in the CAL. Sierra returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, when it won the D4 championship. The Timberwolves, the VOL fifth-place team, are in the playoffs for the 11th year.
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No. 12 Will C. Wood (4-6) at No. 5 West Park (8-2): Will C. Wood is in the playoffs for the third straight year after placing sixth in the Monticello Empire League. The Wildcats are in the postseason for the 10th time in school history. They are playing in honor of head coach Jacob Wright, who passed away after a team meeting during this season. West Park is in the playoffs for the third straight time and also, third time in school history. The Panthers took second place in the FVL.
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No. 6 Kimball (5-5) at No. 11 Nevada Union (6-4): Kimball is in the playoffs for the fourth straight season and, also, the fourth time in school history. The Jaguars took fourth place in the Valley Oak League to get here. Nevada Union is here for the fourth straight year and 29th time in school history. The Miner, which finished third in the FVL, last won a Section championship in 2009 (D1). Nevada Union is hosting this game because Kimball didn't complete it’s application to host form.
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No. 10 Rio Americano (8-2) at No. 7 Fairfield (6-4): Rio Americano returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. The Raiders took third place in the CAL and are in the playoffs for the eighth time in school history. Fairfield returns to the postseason for the first time since 2009. The Falcons are in the playoffs for the 12th time in school history. Neither one of these schools has won a Section championship.
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DIVISION 5
There are four league champions in this division, led by No. 1 seed Twelve Bridges (PVL) and No. 2 Casa Roble (GEL). ... Two teams with three wins - Dixon and Ceres - were added to complete the field after only 10 eligible teams in the division won at least four games. … The GEL and WAC each have three teams in this field.
No. 9 Dixon (3-7) at No. 8 Rosemont (5-5): Rosemont is in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and the 11th time in school history. The Wolverines placed fourth in the Sierra Valley Conference to qualify. Dixon is in the postseason for the third straight year and 23rd overall year. The Rams placed third in the Golden Empire League. They boast two Section championship banners, with the last one coming in 1974 (D3).
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No. 12 Mesa Verde (4-6) at No. 5 Center (6-4): Mesa Verde returns to the Section postseason for the first time since 2001. The Mavericks are here for the fifth time in school history, and have a unique playoff history. They won Section titles in each of their first three playoff appearances (1986, 1998, 1999) and have an 8-1 career record. Center is here for the 11th straight time and 21st time in school history. The Cougars took third place in the Pioneer Valley League.
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No. 11 Ceres (3-7) at No. 6 Pioneer (7-3): Ceres returns to the SJS postseason for the second time in a row and third time since 2004, it's the seventh such appearance in school history. The Bulldogs took sixth place in the Western Athletic Conference and are looking for their first playoff win since 1994. Pioneer is here for the third straight time and 9th appearance in school history. The GEL runner-up Patriots are looking to snap a seven-game playoff losing streak that dates back to 2006.
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No. 10 Foothill (7-3) at No. 7 Lathrop (7-3): Foothill is in the playoffs for the fourth straight year and 19th such appearance in school history. The Mustangs won the Greater Sacramento League title and are looking for their first playoff win since 2019. Lathrop returns to the postseason for the second time in school history. The Spartans' only other appearance came in 2015, a 30-29 D4 first-round loss to Los Banos.
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DIVISION 6
Notes: There are two league champions in this bracket: No. 2 Sonora (MLL) and No. 3 Bradshaw Christian (SVC). … The Mother Lode League has four teams represented in this bracket. … Teams with first-round byes: No. 1 Sutter, No. 2 Sonora, No. 3, Bradshaw Christian, No. 4 Hughson.
No. 9 Bear River (5-5) at No. 8 Liberty Ranch (5-4): Bear River returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2019. The Bruins are here for the 21st time in school history and boast three Section titles; their last SJS championship was the 2017 D5 banner. Liberty Ranch is in the playoffs for the fourth straight season and eighth time in school history. The Hawks placed third in the Sierra Valley Conference; their last playoff victory was in 2015, when they advanced to the D4 championship game.
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No. 12 Amador (5-5) at No. 5 Colfax (6-4): Amador returns to the postseason for the first time since 2019. The Buffaloes, which took fourth place in the MLL, are here for the 20th time in school history. They've won one Section championship, the 2016 D4 game. Colfax is here for the seventh straight year and 26th time in school history. The Falcons last won a Section championship in 2018 (D5). These teams have met in the playoffs once before, a 33-28 Colfax win in a D3 first-round game in 2000.
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No. 11 Calaveras (4-6) at No. 6 Union Mine (8-2): Calaveras returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2019; it's the school's 36th appearance in the Section postseason. Calaveras had made it to eight Section championship games - the last one in 2010 - and has yet to take a banner home. Union Mine is here for the seventh straight time and is looking to snap a seven-game postseason losing streak. The Diamondbacks are here for the 11th time in school history. These teams have met in the playoffs once before, a 28-21 Calaveras win in the 2010 D4 semifinals.
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No. 10 Marysville (5-5) at No. 7 Summerville (7-2): Marysville is here for the second straight year and the 15th time in school history. The Indians, the PVL sixth-place team, boast one Section championship: the 2008 D6 crown. Summerville is in the playoffs for the third straight time and the 15th time in school history. The MLL runner-up Bears advanced to the D6 championship game last year, losing 14-13 to Hughson.
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DIVISION 7-A
There are two league champions in this bracket: No. 1 Ripon Christian (SAL and No. 4 Rio Vista (SDL). … The Southern League has five teams represented in this bracket, which is made up solely of schools from the SAL and SDL
No. 8 Golden Sierra (4-5) at No. 1 Ripon Christian (9-1): Golden Sierra returns to the postseason for the first time since 2019. The Grizzlies, the SDL third-palce team, are in the playoffs for the 15th time in school history. Ripon Christian, the Southern Athletic League champion, is here for the fifth straight year. The Knights have one won Section championship - last year's D7 game. These teams have met in the playoffs twice before, both RC wins. In the 2014 D6 first round, the Knights won 34-13; one year later, they won in the first round 42-07.
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No. 5 Gustine (4-6) at No. 4 Rio Vista (7-2): Gustine is in the playoffs for the third straight time and for the 15th time in school history. The Reds placed fourth in the Southern League and last won a playoff game in 2018. Rio Vista is in the playoffs for the third straight time and 13th year in school history. The Rams won the Sierra Delta League title and won their lone Section championship in 2107 (D7).
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No. 6 Waterford (4-6) at No. 3 Le Grand (8-2): Waterford is in the playoffs for the second time in three years and seventh time in school history. The Wildcats placed fifth in the SAL. Le Grand is here for the fourth straight time and 21st time in school history. The Bulldogs took third place in the SAL and are looking to add to their five Section championships (last title was 2021 D7). These teams have met twice before in the postseason, with Le Grand winning both games. The Bulldogs beat the Wildcats 30-12 in the 2012 D5 championship and 31-3 in the 2013 D5 first round.
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No. 7 Highlands (5-5) at No. 2 Orestimba (7-3): Highlands is in the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and 14th time in school history. The Scots took second placein the Sierra Delta League. Orestimba is here for the third straight time and 14th such appearance in school history. The Warriors were the SAL runners-up and have yet to make a Section championship game.
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DIVISION 7-B:
This four-team bracket begins next week. The matchups are No. 4 Delta (7-3) at No. 1 Woodland Christian (10-0) and No. 3 Valley Christian (4-6) at No. 2 Stone Ridge Christian (8-1).
