The high school football regular season for 2025 has concluded, and four local teams are now focused on the North Coast Section playoffs. The Vallejo Redhawks and St. Patrick-St. Vincent Bruins have earned spots in Division VII, coming in as the No. 4 and No. 7 seeds, respectively. Meanwhile, Benicia holds the No. 2 seed in Division IV, and American Canyon is positioned at No. 6 in Division II.
Despite their lower seed rankings, both St. Pat”s and American Canyon will host first-round playoff games due to their respective league championships. The Redhawks, with a record of 7-3 and a league standing of 3-2, will kick off their playoff campaign against Concord in a 4-5 matchup this Friday. According to MaxPreps, Vallejo is ranked 609th in California, just ahead of Concord at 623rd. Each team has demonstrated a potent offense, scoring over 35 points in five games this season.
Vallejo”s success is anchored in their robust offensive line, led by seniors Vernus Ragsdale and Llogan Franklin, who combined for six sacks in their recent 37-20 victory over Saint Mary”s. The Redhawks” top receiving threats are Marquise Collier and Elijah Peace, who have accumulated 570 and 455 receiving yards, respectively. The offense is directed by sophomore quarterback Julio Ramirez, who has amassed 1,798 passing yards and 17 touchdowns this season.
The Bruins, seeded seventh with a 7-3 overall record and an undefeated league record of 5-0, are entering the playoffs riding a six-game winning streak. They will face the challenge of top-seeded Piedmont on Friday. The Bruins will benefit from playing at home at Dante Magnani Field, where they have a strong record of 4-1 this season, averaging an impressive 31.4 points per game.
Senior Dylan Santos leads the Bruins offense, having rushed for 947 yards and scored 11 touchdowns on 118 carries throughout the first nine games. Defensively, Baron Laxa and Myles Ramos have been pivotal, with 47 and 43 tackles, respectively.
For Benicia, the mantra this season has been about finishing strong. After losing their first three games, the Panthers rallied to win six out of their last seven, concluding the season with a 6-4 record and clinching the Diablo-Valley League title in C.J. Anderson“s inaugural year as head coach. They will host seventh-seeded Mt. Diablo this Friday, looking to maintain their momentum.
Benicia”s offense is powered by senior running backs Anthony Jordan and Thomas Jouvenot-Sells, while junior Kareem Washington has emerged as a defensive standout, highlighted by a four-sack performance on October 31.
Lastly, American Canyon enters the playoffs after winning the NCS Division IV title last season and has moved up to Division II for this postseason. With an impressive 9-1 record, the Wolves will face third-seeded California on Friday. The Redwood Empire – Valley League champions boast a formidable rushing attack, featuring Andre Lopez, Isaac Anderson, and sophomore quarterback Kameron Hunter, all of whom have exceeded 400 rushing yards this year. Defensively, American Canyon counts on a strong linebacker core consisting of Anderson, Jona Budu, and Evan Emmons, each contributing over 50 tackles, with Emmons leading the unit with five sacks.
