Larry Hicks | OBSERVER Editor

Few high school football teams in the Sacramento region have enjoyed as much success as the Grant Pacers.

These giants of Grand Avenue dominated football from the 1990s through the mid-2010s, winning nine Sac-Joaquin Section titles, the region’s first state championship (adding a second two seasons ago) and sending a truckload of players to major college programs and the NFL.

The Grant High School Pacers defeated the St. Mary’s Rams 28-21 in a thrilling playoff game, extending their winning streak to six games and solidifying their position as a top contender in the postseason.

The Pacers (9-3) face the Rocklin Thunder (10-2) Friday for the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 2 championship. Game time is 7 p.m. at Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium.

A win would give Grant a third consecutive section championship and a shot at advancing to a third consecutive state final. It’s a rematch from a year ago, when Grant defeated Rocklin 41-14 for the Northern California regional title.

Despite victory last year, Coach Carl Reed takes nothing for granted.

“Every year is a new year,” said Reed, a 1997 Grant graduate. “It will be a physical game for sure. They [Rocklin] are a good team. They are well coached. It will definitely be hard-hitting.”

Offensively, Grant is well balanced, featuring quarterback Luke Alexander, running back Brandon Lambert and receiver Koby Shabazz among an armory of weapons. And the Pacers are huge on both sides along the line of scrimmage, including 6-foot-6 tight end Zo Edwards, 6-7 tackle Vincent Morales III, and 6-8 tackle Roger Vanderhoef. Linebacker Jeremiah Tuiileila, a major college prospect, is a mere 6-2, 230 pounds.

“Our line has been our consistent strength,” Reed said.

Another strength is team intelligence, Reed said, with a collective 3.3 GPA. “Our success goes way beyond the field,” he said.

Fri., Nov. 29, 2024 @ 7pm

Location: Sac City College

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