News Summary
As California high school football teams prepare for the upcoming season, they navigate a mandatory break before resuming practice. Teams like Grant High School are planning a challenging nonleague schedule with matchups against top-tier opponents. The excitement for the season builds as schools strategize their gameplay and prepare to elevate competition levels across the state.
Sacramento, California – High school football in California is gearing up for an exciting 2025 season with a highly competitive nonleague schedule. As schools prepare for the upcoming season, they are currently navigating the mandatory “dead period” mandated by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), which runs from July 1 to July 14. This period prohibits coaches from engaging with athletes on campus to allow for a necessary break from offseason workouts.
Starting July 15, high school football programs may resume limited activities, including conditioning, drills, and weight training. However, full contact practices, including the use of helmets and shoulder pads, will not commence until the official kickoff of practice on July 28. Intrasquad scrimmages will be held on August 8, leading up to game-like scrimmages scheduled for August 15 and 16.
Among the prominent programs gearing up for the season is Grant High School, located in the Greater Sacramento area. Grant is set to open their 2025 season at home against Folsom on August 22. The school’s nonleague schedule boasts a lineup featuring competitive matchups against several top-tier teams, which includes:
- Fresno powerhouse Central on August 29
- Fresno powerhouse Clovis East on September 12
- Cardinal Newman in Santa Rosa on September 5
- De La Salle of Concord on September 19, which was initially scheduled and later unbooked but has now been confirmed
- Defending CIF state champion Lincoln in San Diego on September 27
Grant’s plans for the season were influenced by recent developments within the Metro League, as two teams opted out of the league, leading to a need to fill their nonleague slate with a total of six games to enhance competitive play. The Metro League teams that Grant will face this upcoming season include Antelope, Destiny Christian of Sacramento, and West Park of Roseville.
Folsom High School, another leading program in California, has also announced its nonleague schedule. Folsom will kick off their nonleague campaign against Serra of San Mateo on August 30, followed by a matchup with Mission Viejo on September 5. The teams’ efforts to strengthen their schedules align with a focus on elevating competition levels in California high school football.
To facilitate this preparation and seasonal transition, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section member schools voted in favor of implementing the dead period. This initiative aims to provide coaches and players a designated time to rest and recuperate from the intense offseason activities. All teams will be allowed to participate in limited practice sessions starting July 15, encouraging a more organized return to the gridiron before the official season kickoff.
The anticipation for the upcoming season is palpable, with numerous top-tier teams eagerly preparing to compete against one another in nonleague games. As football schools across California actively prepare for kickoff, the competitive landscape is expected to reach new heights this season, particularly in the greater Sacramento area.
As Grant High School and its peers gear up for the 2025 football season, fans and players alike are eager to witness the excitement and action that high school football brings to communities throughout California.
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Additional Resources
- Sacramento Bee: High School Football Excitement
- Visalia Times Delta: CIF Playoff Scores
- High School Football America: California Top 25 Rankings
- Reuters: High School Athletes Lawsuit
- High School Football America: Trinity League Schedules
