Prep football picks: Teams making final playoff push

With just two weeks left in the regular season, playoff races are tightening across the region and every game suddenly carries more weight. Major matchups in this week's slate range from Del Oro and Rocklin renewing their SFL battle to Lincoln trying to stay perfect in the PVL against an upset-minded Colfax squad. Del Oro (5-3, 2-3 SFL) at Rocklin (5-3, 1-3) Jordan: Picking SFL games this year is basically a coin toss since everyone is playing each other so tight. I expect this to be no different. Del Oro and Rocklin have had a great rivalry throughout the years and could meet twice this season if they match up in the Division II playoffs. The Thunder have taken three straight in this series, but after beating Jesuit on the road and taking some lumps in close games, I am taking the Golden Eagles here. Del Oro 24, Rocklin 23. Matt: It's been a tough year for Rocklin and you think the team would break out of it soon, though I'm not so sure. Del Oro has surprised some teams. Jordan's right when he says picking SFL games is like a flip of the coin. I'm going with Rocklin because they're at home and play there quite possibly for the last time this season. That should motivate them. Rocklin 28, Del Oro 21. Bill: As a guest on an area podcast Monday, I picked Del Oro, so it would only make sense to pick Rocklin here, right? Nah, I honestly believe in Del Oro because of its continued fight, heart and passion following close SFL losses to Oak Ridge and Granite Bay, while there's just something not quite right with Rocklin this season so ... Del Oro 28, Rocklin 21. Nevada Union (3-5, 1-2 FVL) at Placer (5-3, 2-1) Jordan: Placer has been shorthanded for some time, but it proved last week it can win a shootout. Meanwhile, Nevada Union put up 72 last week, so the Miners will look to keep that momentum going. If this were in Grass Valley, I would consider picking the upset but I think Placer pulls it out here. Placer 42, Nevada Union 35. Matt: Placer should win this game, especially considering it's at home. Placer 41, Nevada Union 18. Bill: The Hillmen can find the end zone in a snap, but they also give up points in chunks (49-48 over Yuba City last Friday, WHEW!). Placer 45, Nevada Union 42. Encina (4-4, 1-2 SMAL) at Foresthill (6-1, 1-1) Jordan: Foresthill suffered its first setback of the season last week, but I think that it gets things right in this one. Foresthill 31, Encina 14. Matt: Foresthill has been rolling this season, up until it faced Mira Loma last week. The team should bounce back here just fine. Foresthill 44, Encina 17. Bill: No problem here for the Wildfires here against a team with blowout losses to Valley, Vacaville Christian and Mira Loma. Foresthill 48, Encina 13. Jesuit (5-3, 2-2 SFL) at Folsom (7-1, 4-0) Jordan: Folsom has started slow in a few SFL games and I'm sure Jesuit's stout defense will be able to cage the Bulldogs for a little bit, but players like Ryder Lyons and Jameson Powell find ways to make plays. Folsom wins with its gamebreakers. Folsom 38, Jesuit 24. Matt: These last two games for the Bulldogs will be interesting to see how they play out. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I get the feeling the Bulldogs have been just getting by this season. I feel they need a signature Folsom High blowout win like in years past to get the team rolling again, but that's going to be tough to do against either Jesuit or Granite Bay. I say Jesuit's loss to Del Oro is still in their heads a bit. Folsom 38, Jesuit 28. Bill: Another yawner for Folsom. Just come out of this game healthy, Marauders. Folsom 42, Jesuit 21. Vista del Lago (2-6, 1-3 CVC) at Ponderosa (5-3, 2-2) Jordan: This rivalry has a little juice to it this year as Ponderosa enters the game as the projected eight seed in D-III and Vista is ranked ninth. Essentially, the winner is in the playoffs and the loser will be bowling. I like what Pondo has bruin up in Shingle Springs. Ponderosa 21, Vista del Lago 20. Matt: This is the Bruins last chance at a win this (regular) season (they play Inderkum next week) and it's their final game at home, so they should be hyped up. Vista del Lago has struggled all season, but I'm picking them only because they're coming off a bye and if they can't win this game, what game are they going to win? Vista 35, Ponderosa 22. Bill: Interesting how these rankings work: Pondo the 8 seed at 5-3, Vista the 9 seed at 2-6. Anyway, Ponderosa 28, Vista del Lago 21. Lincoln (7-1, 4-0 PVL) at Colfax (3-5, 2-3) Jordan: This has trap game written all over it for Lincoln. The Fighting Zebras are going on the road, in a tough place to play, against a surging Colfax team that wants to spoil a league title and get revenge on the team that essentially eliminated them from the playoffs last week. I think Lincoln still wins the PVL, but the Falcons pull an upset here. Colfax 31, Lincoln 27. Matt: Lincoln hasn't lost a league game this season so I see no reason why they'd lose this one. Lincoln 40, Colfax 10. Bill: Golden opportunity to gain another game on Jordan (I gained three on the leader last week, heehee!). Credit to Colfax for believing and marching onward, but this is Lincoln's year. Lincoln 30, Colfax 20. Oakmont (3-5, 2-2 PVL) at Marysville (4-4, 2-2) Jordan: A win here basically guarantees a top-three finish in league, which should be enough to at least make a bowl game for either team. This will be close, but I think the Vikings send Marysville to Valhalla. Oakmont 27, Marysville 24. Matt: I like Oakmont and I'd love to pick them here, but they've lost two games in a row and seems to have lost a bit of its mojo in recent weeks. I hope Oakmont proves me wrong. Marysville 30, Oakmont 26. Bill: I checked out common opponents and on Oakmont's page, I had one question: Who in the world is St. Genevieve? Marysville 28, Oakmont 21. Roseville (6-2, 2-1 FVL) at Del Campo (2-6, 0-3) Jordan: Don't sleep on Roseville as a contender in Division IV. The Tigers gave Twelve Bridges all it could handle last week and I don't think they'll have any problems on the road here. Roseville 41, Del Campo 21. Matt: Del Campo hasn't won a league game yet and plays the two best teams the last two weeks of the season. Roseville better show up ready to play. The Tigers are coming off a heartbreaking loss to Twelve Bridges and that still could be on their minds. Lets hope it's not. Roseville 28, Del Campo 6. Bill: Having weathered the early season injury storm, it's all Tigers here. Roseville 42, Del Campo 20. Yuba City (4-4, 1-2 FVL) at Twelve Bridges (8-0, 3-0) Jordan: Yuba City showed it can score last week, hanging 48 on Placer. That's one less than the Rhinos scored on them the week before. Does that mean anything for this game? Probably not, high school football is just weird sometimes. Give me 12B. Twelve Bridges 49, Yuba City 21. Matt: I picked Yuba City to beat Placer last week and they let me down. The heck with the Yonkers. Twelve Bridges 42, Yuba City 19. Bill: I agree with Jordan; there's a reason he's leading our three-horse race at this point of the season. 12B 44, Yuba City 14. Valley Christian (5-2, 1-1 SMAL) at San Juan (2-5, 1-2) Jordan: VCA is fighting for a home playoff game, and a win here would inch the Lions a little bit closer to it. Valley Christian 41, San Juan 27. Matt: Valley Christian needs to get back on the winning side of things. I say they will. Valley Christian 40, San Juan 15. Bill: Should be no problem for the Lions this week against a Spartans team that allows 35 points per game. VCA 49, San Juan 12. Last Week: Bill 8-2, Jordan 5-5, Matt 4-6 Standings: Jordan 68-20, Bill 65-23, Matt 56-32