Friday Night Forecast: SFL, FVL rivalries highlight weekend

It's hard to believe, but the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs are less than a month away. For many teams, the final stretch of the regular season is a chance to fine-tune before the postseason, but there's still plenty left to settle. Rivalries remain up for grabs, league championships hang in the balance and every game carries added significance. This week is no exception, with pivotal matchups spanning the Sierra Foothill League's heavyweights to the eight-man football ranks. Our sports team of Jordan Georgeson, Matt Long and Bill Poindexter make their weekly picks, highlighting 10 games from across the area and giving their two cents on who has the edge. This is our Friday Night Forecast: Wheatland (2-4, 0-3 PVL) at Colfax (4-2, 1-1 PVL) Jordan: Going into the season I thought this would be one of the games that decides the PVL. It still can be for Colfax, but Wheatland has fallen out of the mix. Make no mistake though, the Pirates are still a very good team that can win this game if Colfax isn't careful. That being said, I like the Falcons' QB-WR connection of Adam Amatangelo and Brady Stowers a lot and I think they lead them to victory here. Colfax 35, Wheatland 27. Matt: Colfax will win this game and win it easily. Colfax 41, Wheatland 12. Bill: Colfax is in midseason form after taking care of business in a big way against Marysville. Colfax 35, Wheatland 14. Valley Christian (2-4, 1-2 SMAL) at Adventure Christian (5-1, 1-1 SMAL) Jordan: Adventure has been banged up, so their bye week came at the right time. We will see if the week off last week allowed the Warriors to heal because if not, the Lions could pounce. I am still rolling with Adventure here though. Adventure Christian 34, VCA 24. Matt: Valley Christian will have to play a clean game to pick up a win here. I'm not sure they can do it. Adventure Christian 20, VCA 14. Bill: Adventure is a scoring machine but a sieve on defense, having allowed 71 against Foresthill. Valley held the Wildfires to 28 in a loss so who knows where this one goes. Somewhere in the middle maybe? Adventure Christian 35, Valley Christian 28. Folsom (6-0, 3-0 SFL) at Oak Ridge (4-2, 2-0 SFL) Jordan: This has all the makings of being the game of the week and is the top two teams in our rankings and virtually every other media outlet's. Folsom has won 25 straight in this rivalry, with some games being close and some being blowouts. Make no mistake, the Trojans are good enough to win this game, but Rob Larson being back makes the difference here. Folsom 27, Oak Ridge 24. Matt: I've given this game a lot of thought over the last two weeks, and if we're being honest, for a lot longer than that. Folsom has not lost to the Trojans in 20 years, a span covering 25 games. There's no way Folsom loses this game, right? Oak Ridge 19, Folsom 18. Bill: OK, I won't yawn this time. Give Oak Ridge credit for not losing to anyone in this vicinity. Rocklin had its chance at Folsom and didn't get it done. The Trojans will have their chance as well – but won't get it done either. Folsom 31, Oak Ridge 29. Foresthill (5-0, 2-0 SMAL) at Mira Loma (6-0, 3-0 SMAL) Jordan: Once again, these two are emerging as the top two teams in 8-man football this season and the winner basically has the top seed wrapped up. Mira Loma won both matchups last year, the first one was close but the second was not. This will be closer than the championship game, but I know better than to pick against the Matadors. Mira Loma 38, Foresthill 31. Matt: The big battle between two of the best. Home team gets the win. Mira Loma, 41, Foresthill 31. Bill: Mira Loma is an absolute 8-man machine, and Foresthill is slobbering at the opportunity. Mira Loma 37, Foresthill 35. Oakmont (5-2, 3-0 PVL) at Center (6-0, 2-0 PVL) Jordan: Center may be 6-0 but it has only faced one real test to date and that was against Bear River. Oakmont quarterback Elijah Stevens has thrown for over 1,600 yards, 16 touchdowns and two interceptions this year. I am taking the Vikings in this battle of baby blue teams. Oakmont 35, Center 31. Matt: Another game and another battle of the unbeatens. I don't know much about Center, but I like how Oakmont is scoring points in bunches right now. Oakmont 38, Center 28. Bill: This matchup is about as good as it gets as the season gets deeper into October. If Oak Ridge didn't have such a great opportunity to beat Folsom for the first time in forever, I'd suggest checking out this PVL tilt, or Mira Loma-Foresthill. Oakmont 28, Center 26. Granite Bay (3-3, 0-3 SFL) at Del Oro (5-1, 1-1 SFL) Jordan: Granite Bay has had some tough sledding so far in the SFL and it doesn't get much easier here. The Grizzlies have had Del Oro's number in the last few years of this rivalry, but this is the Golden Eagles' chance to land a few licks. Give me Del Oro 34, Granite Bay 24. Matt: Del Oro is getting good at blowing leads in the fourth quarter, but last week's comeback win over Jesuit was impressive. Del Oro knows their history and they better keep that in mind. Del Oro 28, Granite Bay 21. Bill: Rarely is Granite Bay on the bottom looking up in the SFL. But it happens to them all – well, except Folsom. Del Oro 35, Granite Bay 14. Rocklin (4-2, 1-2 SFL) at Whitney (5-1, 1-1 SFL) Jordan: The Quarry Bowl always is exciting, but there is a little extra juice this year as these two battle for playoff seeding and SFL positioning. You can believe that Whitney's crowd will be a factor in a game I expect to go down to the wire. Rocklin 23, Whitney 20. Matt: This game will be spicier than recent games between these two teams, as Whitney would love to avenge some previous losses now that they have a good team. I don't think Rockiin's going to allow them to do it. Rocklin 21, Whitney 14. Bill: Give Rocklin credit for handling its business against Granite Bay after coming up short against Folsom and Oak Ridge back to back. Rocklin 28, Whitney 24. Twelve Bridges (4-2, 1-0 FVL) at Placer (6-0, 1-0 FVL) Jordan: This matchup has been one of the games that has decided the FVL the last few years. The battle to watch will be in the trenches, as Placer is averaging over 300 rushing yards per game but Twelve Bridges has a defensive front that can disrupt even the best ground attacks. One thing is certain, the scoreboard will be lit up in this one. Twelve Bridges 38, Placer 35. Matt: With two losses already, this clearly isn't Twelve Bridges year. Placer 44, Twelve Bridges 21. Bill: I would tout this tilt as game of the year in the FVL, but no way do I want Yuba City honking at me. Placer 34, Twelve Bridges 28. Lincoln (5-1, 2-0 PVL) at Bear River (3-4, 1-2 PVL) Jordan: There really isn't an off week in the PVL and while Bear River may be 1-2, their two league losses have come by a combined 7 points. This has all the makings of a trap game for the Fighting Zebras, and I am calling my upset here. Bear River 24, Lincoln 23. Matt: Lincoln better watch out as Bear River could win this game, but I'm predicting they won't. Lincoln 28, Bear River 27. Bill: Coming off a 10-0 week, Jordan could play it safe here, but the kid has guts, I'll give him that. Me, I have catching up to do, even after my own 10-0 week. Lincoln 28, Bear River 21. Christian Brothers (2-5, 1-2 CVC) at Woodcreek (6-0, 2-0 CVC) Jordan: Woodcreek is rolling and I don't see them slowing down anytime soon. Timberwolves pluck the Falcons here. Woodcreek 31, Christian Brothers 20. Matt: Woodcreek will win this game by at least 30 points or my name isn't Matt Long. Woodcreek 55, CBS 12. Bill: My main man Matty Long, never short on humor. Woodcreek 49, Christian Brothers 18. Last Week: Jordan 10-0, Bill 10-0, Matt 9-1 Overall: Jordan 50-20, Matt 50-20, Bill 48-22