High school football top-10: San Ramon Valley, Monte Vista on a roll
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They evidently teach tackle football very well in Danville.
The two public school teams there - No. 3 San Ramon Valley and No. 8 Monte Vista - each are 4-0 and moved up a spot in the Chronicle's weekly Top 10 Metro Area rankings after resounding nonleague home wins on Friday.
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Third-ranked San Ramon Valley, which lost to Clovis North 43-14 in 2025, turned the tables on that team with a 42-7 win as senior Cole Dawes completed 18 of 19 passes for 296 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Colton Fitzgibbon (five catches, 92 yards) and one each to Xavier O'Guinn (5, 96) and tailback Owen Power (3, 44), who also rushed 13 times for 86 yards and two scores. Power has 10 touchdowns for the Aaron Becker-coached team that has outscored opponents 189-41. The defense recorded six tackles for loss, including sacks from Jake Ninekirk (team-high seven tackles) and Tyler Costello, while giving up 154 yards.
"Last year we started nine sophomores down there (in Clovis) and while we competed we just didn't have enough to make a four-quarter game of it," Becker said. "This year, they are all back and playing like seniors. … I'm most pleased with our team chemistry. It's exceptional and real."
Eighth-ranked Monte Vista, under second-year coach Joe Wingert, continued to be one of the surprise teams of the region with a 41-21 win over James Logan-Union City as junior QB Jimmy Lagios, a transfer from Piedmont, accounted for five touchdowns. Caden Boscia caught two of the scoring passes and the Mustangs scored at least 40 points for the first time this season. They've won games by 17, 16, 28 and 20 points.
The Danville schools, which play in the East Bay Athletic League's Mountain Division, are scheduled to play at Monte Vista on Nov. 6. San Ramon Valley has won six straight in the series, including 28-10 last season, and 11 of the past 12. The Wolves now lead the 65-game series 33-31-1.
Considering the city loses considerable top-end talent annually to top-ranked De La Salle, a private school just up the road in Concord, it's a credit to youth programs, the coaching staffs and the rich history of the programs to be ranked among the region's Top 10 programs.
Among those to have played in the programs before NFL stints were San Ramon Valley's Mike Caldwell, Jeff Kopp, John Gesek, Roy Helu, Dru Samia and J.J. Koski, and Monte Vista's Zach Ertz, Nate Landman, Jack Endries, Jake Haener, Ryan Whalen, Casey Merrill and Kyle Wright.
De La Salle coach Bob Ladouceur, the winningest coach in California history with the highest winning percentage in national history, is a San Ramon Valley graduate.
"It's great for town" for all the success, said Becker, a 1997 San Ramon Valley graduate, a former college quarterback in his 14th season leading the program. "It brings a lot of excitement to Friday nights and a lot of anticipation for the big game at the end of the season."
Becker is very impressed with the job Wingert has done in a short time.
Monte Vista had three straight losing seasons before he took over in 2025, went 8-6 and won the school's eighth North Coast Section crown, but first since 2016 when Haener and Landman led the way. San Ramon Valley has won four NCS titles, all since 2004 including two under Becker.
Wingert "is a great guy," Becker said. "We've spoken a lot about a lot of topics, football and non-football related. I have the utmost respect for how he is running their program and the team he has."
No. 1 De La Salle-Concord (4-0, No. 1 last week):UCLA-bound Duece Jones-Drew needed just two carries to go for 79 yards and a touchdown, three others - Jamal Johnson-Lucas (10, 70), Zian Crockett (4, 46) and Judah Pape (10, 35) - also rushed for TDs and Bradley Facteau had 3.5 sacks as the Spartans went on road to beat defending Division 2-AA state champion St. Mary's-Stockton 44-7. Next: Saturday vs. Centennial-Corona (3-2) at Cal.
No. 2 Pittsburg (2-2, No. 2 last week):A 46-yard fumble return for touchdown by Isaiah Harrison midway through the fourth quarter gave the Pirates the lead 35-34, but Mission Viejo's Carson Vandermade scored on a 9-yard run with 41 seconds left to give the host Diablos a 42-35 lead. It was the second loss in three weeks for Pittsburg against a Southern California/national power. Pittsburg junior QB JaVale Jones was 27-for-45 for 304 yards and four touchdowns, including two scoring passes to Kenny Ward (six catches, 123 yards). Mission Viejo outgained Pittsburg 430-357. Next: Oct. 2 vs. #10 Los Gatos (3-1).
No. 3 San Ramon Valley (4-0, No. 4 last week): With Friday's almost perfect performance, Dawes is up to 75% completion rate on the season (41-for-55) for 754 yards, 12 touchdowns and no interceptions. His 156 QB rating leads the NCS. Next: Friday vs. Foothill-Pleasanton (2-2).
No. 4 Serra (2-1, No. 3 last week): Like the rest of the West Catholic Athletic teams, the Padres took a week off to prepare for the gantlet of arguably the top league in Northern California. Next: Friday vs. Bellarmine (3-0) at San Jose City College.
No. 5 St. Ignatius (3-0, No. 5 last week): The Wildcats have been a model of consistency offensively, with 42 points in each of their three wins. Next: Friday vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral (2-1) at Kezar Stadium.
No. 6 Acalanes (3-1, No. 6 last week): Quarterback Tyler Winkles was at it again, completing 27 of 36 passes for 429 yards and three touchdowns and running for a score in a 42-37 home win over Marin Catholic-Kentfield. Winkles ranks ninth in the state with 1,410 passing yards and has completed 96 of 144 passes with 15 TD throws. Next: Friday vs. American Canyon (3-1).
No. 7 Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa (2-2, No. 7 last week): Clovis transfer running back James Caruso took over after host Clayton Valley Charter-Concord held a 7-0 lead, rushing 19 times for 202 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-7 victory. He had five TDs of 4 yards or fewer to go with a 76-yard scamper. Next: Saturday at Punahou-Honolulu, Hawaii (1-3-1).
No. 8 Monte Vista (4-0, No. 9 last week): The Mustangs exploded for four touchdowns in the second quarter against Logan, including TD receptions by Grant Maina and Justin Grisham. Senior linebacker Kyle Domde isn't really big (5-10, 170) but he leads the team in tackles. Next: Friday at Dublin (1-3).
No. 9 Riordan (1-2, No. 10 last week): Still licking its chops since a 31-0 loss at Cardinal Newman on Sept. 11. Look for a much more active Adonyae Brown, the 6-foot, 225-pound tailback headed to UNLV, during the WCAL season. He's barely averaged 10 carries per game in nonleague games. Next: Friday at St. Francis (1-2).
No. 10 Los Gatos (3-1, NR): Following a 24-7 loss to Central Section power Clovis, the Wildcats looked much more like themselves in a 35-7 win at previously unbeaten San Mateo, racing to a 35-0 halftime lead behind two touchdown passes from Jack Siri to Shane Harmer and TD runs by Devonte Troutt, Sam Petke and Siri. Next: Oct. 2 at Pittsburg (2-2).
Statement wins: North Bay power Windsor (4-0) moved closer to the Top 10 by topping previously unbeaten Hayward 42-39 in the Chronicle Game of the Week. Carter Vose III threw for 275 yards with four touchdowns passes, two each to Larson Wall and Blayke Ferronato (five catches, 152 yards) to hold off the Farmers, who got 256 yards rushing and five total touchdowns from Fresno State-bound running back Lamont McDonald. Vose also ran for a score. … Maximus Cantrell had four touchdown passes, two each to Bryce Ballard (5, 92) and Najee Akuluze, as Northgate-Walnut Creek improved to 4-0 with a 47-17 win at previously unbeaten Miramonte-Orinda. Micah Anum also rushed 12 times for 143 yards and two scores for Northgate. … Ukiah (4-0), under former Cardinal Newman head coach Paul Cronin, downed previous No. 8 Bishop O'Dowd-Oakland 38-21 as Dante Giacomini rushed for 190 yards and four touchdowns. … Kaleb Jacobs rushed 13 times for 192 yards and four touchdowns and added three receptions as Analy-Sebastopol (4-0) knocked off visiting Montgomery-Santa Rosa 39-29. It was the first time Analy scored less than 40 points this season. … Luke Pimentel rushed 16 times for 130 yards and scored six touchdowns, leading Half Moon Bay (4-0) to a 49-28 win at Sacred Heart Prep-Atherton (2-2). The Cougars piled up 440 rushing yards. . … Mark O'Grady threw three touchdown passes, all to Will Armstrong, leading Burlingame (4-0) to a 59-6 home win over Hillsdale-San Mateo, which entered 3-0. … Moreau Catholic (3-1) handed Balboa, the two-time defending 7-A state champion, its second straight home loss to a Hayward team, 22-19. But it was a vast improvement from the 67-7 loss to Hayward on Sept. 12.
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