Prep football picks: Small-school showdowns take center stage

After another wild week of local football, our trio is back with predictions for what might be the most pivotal slate of games yet. League title races are heating up, playoff positioning is on the line, and even the 8-man ranks feature a potential postseason preview. From top-10 showdowns to small-school battles with big implications, here's how we see Week 8 playing out: Foresthill (5-0, 3-0 CVCL) at Valley Christian (5-1, 1-0) Jordan: This is normally the part where I would brag about going 10-0 last week, but after humbling performances from my Raiders and Seminoles, I think it is best if I don't conjure any bad football karma. This game could be for the top seed in the 8-man playoffs and these two schools are very familiar with one another. I am going to role with the Wildfires in this one. Foresthill 37, Valley Christian 34. Matt: This is the game. It's a huge game in the world of 8-man football, a battle of teams with only one combined loss. Jordan covers Foresthill and is picking Foresthill. I cover Valley Christian and am picking Valley Christian. Valley Christian 36, Foresthill 31. Bill: You could watch another Folsom blowout or you could give the 8-man game a try, and this is the game to see. Something has to give here, and for me, it's Foresthill's 29-26 victory over Vacaville Christian. That's the Falcons' only loss, and further, Foresthill is the only team to score on them this season. Foresthill 34, Valley Christian 27. Placer (4-2, 1-0 FVL) at Twelve Bridges (6-0, 1-0) Jordan: These two went at it twice last year, and the Rhinos walked away with both wins, which the Hillmen certainly haven't forgotten. Whenever Chris Bean and Joey Montoya face off, you can expect the scoreboard operator to be getting overtime pay and there to be league championship implications. The Rhinos have just found ways to win no matter what, so I expect that to be the case here as well. Twelve Bridges 38, Placer 31. Matt: Twelve Bridges, in my opinion, is the better team and because of that will win this game. Twelve B, 34, Placer 21. Bill: Twelve Bridges' regular-season win streak has to end sometime, but this ain't the week. 12B 38, Placer 28. West Park (4-3, 3-0 Metro) at Grant (3-4, 1-0) Jordan: This one should decide the Metro title and while the Panthers have started to kick things into gear, the Pacers have played possibly the toughest schedule in NorCal so far. I think that pays off with a big win here. Grant 35, West Park 27. Matt: West Park has been playing better of late, but can they beat Grant? I'd like to think so, but I'm not so sure. Perhaps if they play their absolute best, but how often does that happen? Grant 35, West Park 21. Bill: Have blowout losses to Folsom, De La Salle and San Diego-Lincoln made Grant a better team? We won't know until the playoffs. This is the Metro League, and while young West Park is already an established winner ... Grant 38, West Park 24. Oak Ridge (4-2, 2-1 SFL) at Jesuit (4-2, 1-1) Jordan: Jesuit turned heads in SFL play after beating Rocklin. Lucky for the Marauders, they get to stay home again when Oak Ridge rolls into town. Unfortunately for them, the Trojans are showing up fresh off a loss and want to get back on track. Oak Ridge's defense looks a little too tough in this one. Oak Ridge 27, Jesuit 14. Matt: This game could be interesting, considering the Trojans are coming off a loss to Folsom, while the Marauders are coming off a bye week following a huge win over Rocklin. I say the Trojans rebound to win, what should be a close, low-scoring game. Oak Ridge 17, Jesuit 15. Bill: Tossing out Folsom and Whitney, the SFL's middle five is as brutal as it gets. I don't know what to think about Jesuit with its loss to Granite Bay, followed by its win over Rocklin. More so, I don't know what to think about Rocklin now. Anyway ... Oak Ridge 27, Jesuit 21. Folsom (5-1, 2-0 SFL) at Del Oro (4-2, 1-2) Jordan: Things don't get any easier here for the Golden Eagles, who have two league losses by a combined five points. While Del Oro has stood tall against Oak Ridge and Granite Bay, Folsom is a whole different beast. The Bulldogs have had a few slow starts in SFL play but they still get the job done here. Folsom 41, Del Oro 20. Matt: Likewise to the game above, I now believe this game will be closer than originally thought since Folsom has struggled in the first half in wins over Rocklin and Oak Ridge. Del Oro hasn't played a competitive game against Folsom since the epic playoff game in 2009. Could this be the first one? I say yes. Folsom 38, Del Oro 30. Bill: Another big test for Del Oro, which will fight to the finish. Folsom 34, Del Oro 20. Center (3-3, 0-2 PVL) at Colfax (1-5, 0-3 PVL) Jordan: Remember what I said last week? The first rule of high school football is don't lose on homecoming. The Falcons are dedicating their new turf field to former head coach Tony Martello on Friday night as a part of their homecoming festivities. That, combined with the fact Colfax has won four of the last five meetings between these two, tells me it will soar to its first league win here. Colfax 24, Center 21. Matt: Center played Oakmont really close last week, losing by one. Oakmont probably should have won more easily but didn't. Colfax is still looking for its first win in league play. They will get it here. Colfax 19, Center 18. Bill: Since I went 9-1 last week, and still finished behind Jordan and Matt, I agree. And congrats to Tony Martello on a well-earned honor. Colfax 28, Center 20. Vista del Lago (2-5, 1-2 CVC) at Woodcreek (6-0, 3-0) Jordan: Woodcreek just keeps on finding ways to win and has shown it can light up the scoreboard and slug out a defensive battle. Vista is better than its record shows, but the Timberwolves just have something special this season. Woodcreek 31, Vista del Lago 17. Matt: Vista can't catch a break. After a brutal non-conference schedule in which they struggled, they were upset by Rio Americano, got a much-needed win over Christian Brothers, but then had to play the two best teams in the league back to back, Inderkum and now Woodcreek. Woodcreek is coming off its best game of the season. Woodcreek 35, Vista 23. Bill: What does it show when my hometown Laguna Creek gets belted by Vista del Lago in its opener but is now 2-1 in the Delta League? Only that the Delta is no longer the Delta. Meanwhile, back in the CVC ... Woodcreek 42, Vista 21. Oakmont (3-3, 2-1 PVL) at Lincoln (5-1, 2-0) Jordan: Two years ago, these teams went a combined 1-19 with Lincoln's only win coming over Oakmont. It's great to see both programs turn it around so quickly and the players stick it out through the growing pains to find success on the other side. This is a pivotal game in determining the PVL title and the Fighting Zebras are on a roll. Lincoln 27, Oakmont 20. Matt: I like Oakmont and I think Cory Wilson's already done a great job in his first season. Ocean Munoz is an incredible player but can't win the game by himself. Lincoln should win this one. Lincoln 28, Oakmont 22. Bill: Oakmont has had some big games, but its offense can be stopped when looking at its losses to Bella Vista (... Bella Vista!), Roseville and Bear River. Lincoln 42, Oakmont 14. Monterey Trail (5-1) at Rocklin (4-2) Jordan: This is a doozy of a nonleague contest that will be a fun battle between former SFL foes. I would like to see these two play more often, as both have been among the top programs in the Sac-Joaquin Section in the last decade. The Thunder have had some ups and downs in the last few weeks and this should be a good measuring stick of where they are at heading into the home stretch. I like Rocklin at home here. Rocklin 28, Monterey Trail 24. Matt: An interesting nonleague match-up at this point in the season, Monterey Trail is marching along at 5-1 and coming off back-to-back shutout wins over Sheldon and Pleasant Grove, outscoring both teams 97-0. Rocklin overcame a loss to Jesuit by pounding Whitney. Not sure what to think about this one. If Rocklin plays its game they will win, but will they? Monterey Trail 29, Rocklin 28. Bill: This game actually comes at a perfect time for each team. Did the Jesuit loss just come on a bad night for Rocklin? Hey, it happens to the best of them (except Folsom). The Thunder will find out here against a good Trail team that otherwise is running roughshod through the Delta League. TJ Ewing, the only football coach Monterey Trail has ever had, has developed another disciplined unit - and this team is young, loaded with sophomores and a handful of freshmen. Monterey Trail 28, Rocklin 21. Nevada Union (2-4, 0-1 FVL) at Roseville (5-1, 1-0) Jordan: Roseville is another team that can light up the scoreboard and grind out an ugly win. While last week's 8-0 victory over Yuba City is a head scratcher, it still counts the same in the standings. If this game were in Grass Valley I would consider taking NU here with all that Miner Magic, but since it's at Roseville I think the Tigers find a way to win again. Since the Tigers like to have weird scores, lets go Roseville 19, Nevada Union 11. Is that a high school scorigami? Matt: I will be at this one. Nevada Union is better than their record indicates. In fact, if this game was being played in Grass Valley, Nevada Union wouldn't be a back pick. Alas, I'm picking Roseville at home. Roseville 28, Nevada Union 13. Bill: You read it here, sports fans. Matty Long in the house. He'll sign autographs and pose for pictures between the JV and varsity tilts. Meanwhile, Jordan will be ... at the top of our standings after this week, too. But there's hope. Roseville 34, Nevada Union 21. Last week: Jordan 10-0, Bill 9-1, Matt 10-0 Total: Jordan 54-14, Bill 49-19, Matt 45-23