SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KTXL) — The California Interscholastic Federation State championships in high school football will be decided this weekend and a trio of Sacramento-area teams are looking to finish their seasons on top.
Grant, Escalon, and Hughson high schools will play for a State championship and host their games on Saturday night.
The Grant Pacers and Escalon Cougars are two of 10 teams who have won a State championship before. Grant is playing for their second state title while Escalon is playing for their third State championship.
The Hughson Huskies are looking for their first State title, as they’re one of 16 teams making their first appearance in a CIF State Championship Bowl Game.
Grant vs. San Jacinto
The Pacers are hosting the San Jacinto Tigers in the CIF State Division 3-AA Bowl Game. The Pacers are in the State title game after defeating the El Cerrito Gauchos 36-7 in a NorCal Regional Bowl Game on Dec. 2.
Grant (11-2) looks to add a state title to their Regional and Sac-Joaquin section titles from their turnaround season after going 1-8 in 2021. The Pacers defeated the Christian Brothers Falcons 20-12 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 3 game at Sacramento City College on Nov. 25.
It was the program’s first section title since 2014. Grant is 1-0 in state title games.
As for San Jacinto (13-2), the Tigers are making their way to Sacramento from Riverside County. The Tigers are making their first appearance in the state finals and made it to the game after a 49-45 victory over University City-San Diego in the SoCal Regional championship.
The Tigers made it to the Division 3-AA state bracket after winning the CIF Southern Section Divison 6 championship.
Grant takes on San Jacinto at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Escalon vs. Northwood
The Cougars are welcoming the Northwood Timberwolves, which is making the trip to San Joaquin County from Irvine.
Escalon (12-3) made it to the State title game after defeating Pleasant Valley-Chico 42-20 at home in the Division 4-AA NorCal Regional Bowl game on Dec. 2.
The Cougars are looking to finish their season, which also includes a Sac-Joaquin Section Division 5 championship. Escalon defeated Sonora 35-34 in the Section title game.
Escalon is 2-0 all-time in state title games.
Northwood (14-1) is making its first State championship appearance after defeating Kennedy-Delano 10-7 in the SoCal Regional Bowl Game on Dec. 2.
The Timberwolves entered the state playoffs as the Southern Section Division 8 champions.
Escalon plays Northwood at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
Hughson vs. Muir
The Huskies are hosting the Muir Mustangs, who are making their way to Stanislaus County from Pasadena.
The Division 5-AA game is a matchup between two programs looking to win their first state title and are appearing in a championship bowl game for the first time.
Hughson (12-2) is in the state title game after defeating fellow Sac-Joaquin Section program Ripon Christian 31-28 in the NorCal Regional finals on Dec. 2. The Huskies entered the state playoffs as the Section’s Divison 6 champion after defeating Summerville 41-13 on Nov. 26.
Muir (9-6) is in the State title game after defeating Palo Verde Valley-Blythe in the SoCal Regional finals on Dec. 2. The Mustangs entered the Regional Bowl game as the Southern Section Division 10 champion.
Hughson takes on Muir at 6 p.m. on Saturday.
