Prep football picks: Showdowns rule opening weekend

The high school football season has arrived and opening night has a loaded slate, ranging from two of the Sac-Joaquin Section's best playing on ESPN to small-school powers facing off. Each week, Gold Mountain California News Media will pick 10 games from local high schools to showcase, as reporters Jordan Georgeson, Matt Long and Bill Poindexter give their 2 cents on what they expect: Here are this week's games: Lincoln at Rio Linda Jordan: It's great to be back for another year as the reigning co-champion of these picks. Maybe I will take the title outright this season! Lincoln returns a load of starters and has league championship aspirations. I think the Fighting Zebras are going to be a force to be reckoned with, and that starts Friday night as they look to spoil Rio Linda's first game in its renovated stadium. Give me the Zeebs! Lincoln 42, Rio Linda 17. Matt: My first pick of the 2025 football season. I've been close, but I've yet to win in the first two years of this contest. Let's hope this is the first step. I'm picking Lincoln to beat Rio Linda 28-7. Bill: Well (cue evil laugh track), Jordan boasts of being the reigning co-champ and Matt hopes to finally bring home the big prize, so I don't have to say who's going for a 3-peat in this fun-first, no-competition-at-all pick 'em league. Now bow to your prognosticating king, you two!!! Lincoln 27, Rio Linda 12. Placer at Casa Roble Jordan: Every time these two meet, it is a showdown. Placer and Casa Roble are section championship contenders in their divisions and will be looking to make a statement on opening night. The Hillmen will need to shut down Casa's prolific passing attack while the Rams will need to find a way to thwart Placer's run game behind what could be its strongest offensive line in years. The home team has won this matchup every year since this home-and-home started in 2021, so let's break the cycle this time. Placer 45, Casa Roble 42. Matt: I think Placer is the better team and I pick the Hillmen to win a barnburner 35-28. Bill: Now in our third year of reading these predictions, I've concluded Jordan is to Sean Salisbury as Matt is to Bill Belichick. Placer 38, Casa Roble 34. Antelope at Roseville Jordan: Roseville is another team that has a chance to compete for a league title and I know it will be looking to make a statement on opening night. If you aren't familiar with the names Mason Susnara or D'Marcis Gresham yet, you will be soon. Tigers earn their stripes here. Roseville 35, Antelope 14. Matt: The Tigers have many players back from a very good team last year. I think this will be their year to compete for a section championship. Roseville 35, Antelope 21. Bill: I was not familiar with Susnara and Gresham, but I am now. Thanks, Jordan. Roseville 28, Antelope 12. Twelve Bridges at Christian Brothers Jordan: Twelve Bridges hasn't lost a game in the regular season since October 2022 and it looks to be loaded once again. The Rhinos had a wake-up call in their scrimmage against Woodcreek on Friday night, but there is too much talent on this team for me to think they will carry that over into this week. Twelve Bridges 38, Christian Brothers 21. Matt: From what Jordan tells me, 12 Bridges will be good again. So with that being said, let's go 12 Bridges 40, Christian Brothers 28. Bill: Since Matt is referring to the Rhinos as "12" Bridges, can we just shorten it to 12B? 12B 27, CB 24. Whitney at West Park Jordan: These two faced off in a defensive slugfest to open last season, which West Park won in overtime. I have a feeling there will be more fireworks, as Whitney quarterback Carson Floyd and West Park quarterback Jaden Jackson can stretch the field. I think the Panthers take this one at home. West Park 31, Whitney 24. Matt: West Park didn't look so good in their scrimmage against Vista del Lago, so now I'm not as sure on this game as I originally thought. Still got to go with West Park, but a little closer this time, 21-14. Bill: For those who don't remember my predictions from last year - and shame on you all if you don't - if I was starting over with children, I'd want them to play for Jason Tenner at West Park. West Park 38, Whitney 20. Del Oro at Modesto-Downey Jordan: If you had asked me about this game three weeks ago, I would have picked Downey, which has won 10 games in each of the last three seasons while Del Oro is coming off a 2-8 campaign. After seeing how much Del Oro has improved this offseason, I am going to roll with the Golden Eagles pulling an upset in Modesto. Del Oro 21, Downey 20. Matt: Coming off a 9-2 season, Downey had a pretty good team last year. I say they're still good enough to beat Del Oro, 28-14. Bill: This is a toughie because Downey the past several years blows through Modesto competition at 10-0 or 9-1, gets an upper-half seed and home game for the first round of the playoffs and promptly gets belted into the offseason. But for this opener? Not sure what to think about DO so ... Downey 31, Del Oro 21. Jesuit at Woodcreek Jordan: Woodcreek really impressed me in its scrimmage against Twelve Bridges and I think the Timberwolves will be a force in the CVC. Kyle Stowers has scheduled a great test for the Timberwolves here, but I think Jesuit has a little too much firepower. Jesuit 24, Woodcreek 17. Matt: This game could be interesting. At first you think Jesuit will roll, except that everything that Woodcreek has done since new coach Kyle Stowers took over in January has looked golden. I think Woodcreek will score some points, but I'm picking Jesuit 35-21. Bill: If Woodcreek pulls this off, I'm not picking against the Timberwolves again this season ... unless I'm in the running to 3-peat. Jesuit 27, Woodcreek 14. Turlock at Rocklin Jordan: This could be the best quarterback battle of the week with Rocklin's Reeve Slone and Turlock's Scout Silva squaring off. The Thunder are replacing a lot of pieces but still have a trio of Division I commits and added a formidable weapon on the outside in Greyson Smith from Destiny Christian. This one goes down to the wire, but I think the Thunder will roll. Rocklin 28, Turlock 27. Matt: Turlock made a nice run to the Division I section semis a year ago, while Rocklin did the same in Division II. So, who do I pick? Let's go Turlock 21-20. Bill: There has been drama at the Turlock school Colin Kaepernick did not attend, but I would have picked Rocklin anyway. Rocklin 30, Turlock 18. Oak Ridge at Bakersfield-Frontier Jordan: The Trojans will have to find a way to stop New Mexico State commit Brady Campbell, which won't be easy on the road. Casey Taylor always has a way of scheduling these tough nonleague games to prepare for the daunting SFL slate, and this is no exception. Oak Ridge will win plenty of games, but I am taking Frontier at home. Frontier 31, Oak Ridge 21. Matt: Last year, the Trojans bit off more than they could chew with three really tough nonleague games to start the season. The schedule is just as tough this year. Got to go with Frontier on this one, but I hope I'm wrong. Frontier 28, Oak Ridge 24. Bill: Oak Ridge will be in the mix 12 weeks from now, but this is this week. Frontier 28, Oak Ridge 21. Folsom at Grant (Sat.) Jordan: All eyes will be on this Saturday night as ESPN comes to town to showcase the two best teams in the section facing off in Del Paso Heights. There is some serious starpower at play here with Grant's Zo Edwards and Koby Shabazz and Folsom's Ryder Lyons and Jameson Powell. The Pacers are hungry to prove they are the area's top dog, but I think the Bulldogs have more bite this time. Folsom 41, Grant 34. Matt: Folsom has a very tough schedule again this year, starting with this game against Grant. Last year, Folsom coach Paul Doherty admitted the Bulldogs' offense never hit its rhythm. With Ryder Lyons now a senior, there's no reason not to think Folsom's offense will be better than ever. I say Folsom wins this one 42-28. Bill: The biggest opponent here will be holier-than-thou ESPN. And get ready for my 10 straight weeks of Folsom yawners, though Grant will be in the playoff hunt in November. Folsom 49, Grant 20.