Prep football picks: Placer hosts West Park, SFL showdowns

With just two weeks remaining in the regular season, league races and playoff pictures are starting to take shape. The Foothill Valley League and Capital Valley Conference championships will likely be decided with key matchups this week. 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: West Park (7-1, 3-0 FVL) at Placer (4-4, 3-0) Jordan: Don't overthink this one. West Park has a solid squad, but Placer has won nine of the last 10 league championships and has beaten the Panthers in the only two meetings between the schools. The Hillmen clinch another league title here. Placer 35, West Park 31. Matt: Placer has a chip on its shoulder after losing its first four games this season. You think they're going to allow the up and coming West Park Panthers to come to their home field and win a league title? I don't. Placer 35, West Park 14. Bill: West Park goin' to Placer, gon' have themselves a time. West Park 41, Placer 27. Folsom (6-2, 3-0 SFL) at Del Oro (5-3, 0-3) Jordan: Quite possibly the two best players in the Sac-Joaquin Section are facing off here in Folsom's Ryder Lyons and Del Oro's Caden Pinnick. The pieces around those quarterbacks will decide this game, advantage Bulldogs. Folsom 45, Del Oro 17. Matt: I think the Bulldogs are done losing regular season games this season. Well, I think they won't lose for quite awhile now, Folsom 55, Del Oro 21. Bill: Del Oro has a shot in the playoffs. In the SFL? There's always Whitney. Folsom 38, Del Oro 21. Rocklin (7-1, 2-1 SFL) at Granite Bay (5-3, 2-1) Jordan: This one is going to be a great chess match between Granite Bay's high-powered backfield and Rocklin's stonewall defensive line. I say the Thunder have the big bodies to get the push needed to win this one in the trenches. Rocklin 21, Granite Bay 17. Matt: Rocklin had no trouble with Del Oro, while Granite Bay lost to Oak Ridge. That's enough to lead me to pick Rocklin to win this game, 35-14. Bill: Rocklin impressed me by winning last week following its loss to Folsom. Rocklin 31, Granite Bay 27. Oak Ridge (7-1, 2-1 SFL) at Whitney (2-6, 0-3) Jordan: Whitney needs to win out to clinch a playoff spot, but do the Wildcats have the juice to upset Oak Ridge and Del Oro? As much talent as Whitney has, it's crazy to think that it will likely miss the postseason. Oak Ridge 34, Whitney 21. Matt: Oak Ridge travels to Whitney for this game it could be the last time they play away from home for quite awhile. Trojans 35-7. Bill: Oak Ridge also impressed me by bouncing back following its loss to Folsom. Easy ride here. Oak Ridge 48, Whitney 14. Nevada Union (4-4, 1-2 FVL) at Oakmont (0-8, 0-3) Jordan: The Vikings lost a heartbreaker last week in the final seconds at Lincoln. Nevada Union made some big plays (and had a few lucky bounces) to push Placer to the brink of an upset. Miners get back in the win column here after consecutive losses. Nevada Union 41, Oakmont 21. Matt: It pains me to say it, but Oakmont had its shot at winning a game against Lincoln. Nevada Union 45, Oakmont 13. Bill: All NU here, 49-6 over Oakmont. Twelve Bridges (8-0, 4-0 PVL) at Colfax (5-3, 2-2) Jordan: This is a dangerous game for Twelve Bridges and Colfax is a better team than the 2-2 league record shows. The Falcons rolled the Rhinos in Lincoln last year and look to bring the same physicality at home this year. In the end, Chris Bean gets the win over his alma mater but this one goes down to the wire. Twelve Bridges 28, Colfax 27. Matt: Twelve Bridges heads to Colfax with an undefeated record and will return to Lincoln still unbeaten, 28-13. Bill: 12B wins big, but Colfax lands a few blows as well. Twelve Bridges 41, Colfax 24. Lincoln (1-7, 1-2 FVL) at Ponderosa (3-5, 1-2) Jordan: The Fighting Zebras have been putting things together offensively and finally got into the win column last week. Lincoln is playing for pride right now and has a chance to play spoiler to Ponderosa's playoff hopes. While the Zebras are picking things up, I still give the nod to the Bruins. Ponderosa 35, Lincoln 24. Matt: Ponderosa isn't the best team around, but they don't have to be the best in this game. Bruins 28, Lincoln 7. Bill: Surprise, Lincoln scores an upset. Lincoln 24, Ponderosa 21. Inderkum (7-1, 4-0 CVC) at Roseville (7-1, 4-0) Jordan: Roseville is a very sneaky 7-1 this season but it has edged out some close wins in league play. Inderkum has outscored its last two opponents 138-0, including an 83-0 win last week. Inderkum secures another league title here. Inderkum 48, Roseville 28. Matt: I want to pick Roseville to win this game, but they've looked shaky against teams that they should be blowing out and that's not a good look. Inderkum wins it here, 31-21. Bill: All Inderkum all the time, 41-27 over Roseville. Woodcreek (7-1, 3-1 CVC) at Bella Vista (3-5, 1-4) Jordan: Woodcreek is coming off of an impressive blowout win over Antelope, which is the first win over the Titans in program history. Timberwolves stay rolling. Woodcreek 49, Bella Vista 10. Matt: Woodcreek just finds ways to win games and this one will be no different, 35, Bella Vista, 7. Bill: All Woodcreek all the time, too - 48-13 over Bella Vista. Woodland Christian (8-0, 2-0 SMAL) at Valley Christian (5-3, 2-0) Jordan: This one promises to be a great small school battle in Roseville, but I think the Cardinals have just a little too much for VCA to handle. Woodland Christian takes this one 35-20. Matt: After last week's loss to Argonaut, I don't see Valley Christian hanging too long with Woodland Christian. WC 55, VC 14. Bill: Or a lot too much. Woodland Christian 56, Valley Christian 20. Records: Bill 72-18, Matt 68-22, Jordan 66-24