ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - Following the quarterfinal round of the Sac-Joaquin Section football playoffs, only one local team remains in the hunt for a section title following the elimination of two other local teams. 

Two teams from the Delta League were eliminated from the Division I and Division II bracket following losses on Friday, Nov. 15. 

The Herd’s ground game was limited and so was their offense overall by the No. 1 seed Thunder. 

A team that does not throw the ball too often had to resort to passing as senior quarterback David Hale passed for 101 yards out of their 107 total passing yards for the Herd. 

Early on, Hale threw an interception that led to the Thunder getting an early lead which was followed by a fumble on another offensive drive that led to another Thunder score to dig themselves in a hole early. 

As for their ground game, one of the Herd’s strengths and the way they could get back into the game, they were limited to a total of 62 rushing yards as a team.

This resulted in the Herd being shut out in two of the four quarters and scoring once in each the second and fourth quarters. 

The two scores for the Herd came courtesy of sophomore Lance Lewis on a touchdown reception and a punt return. 

This puts the Herd’s season to bed as they end the season with a 7-5 overall record and a 4-2 Delta League record while graduating 27 seniors. 

The Rocklin Thunder will go on to face the No. 4 seed Manteca Buffaloes in the semifinals while the No. 3 seed Grant Pacers take on the No. 2 seed St. Mary’s Rams to try and move on to the section championship game. 

 The No. 2 seed Trojans defeated the No. 7 seed and Delta League champion Mustangs in their quarterfinals game in the Division I bracket by a score of 45-20 on Nov. 15. 

The Trojans got out to an early lead as they went up 14-0 at the end of the first quarter to gain the momentum in their favor. 

In the second quarter the Mustangs put up 12 to get on the board and go into halftime with life with a score of 21-12 but in the third quarter the Trojans scored 21 to run away with this game. 

The Mustangs defense surrendered 262 passing yards and 129 rushing yards for six touchdowns and 45 total points. 

The Mustangs still put up 20 points thanks to passes from senior quarterback Christian Coronado and even D’Adrien Sanders stepped into the quarterback position to connect to senior Denzell Butler and senior Kharter Turk for touchdowns.

Sanders also rushed for a touchdown and had a total of 186 rushing yards.  

Reflecting on the Mustangs season, they reached the playoffs again and continued undefeated in league play even in their first season back in the Delta League. 

Despite being newcomers, they captured the league title over Delta League powerhouse the Elk Grove Thundering Herd who ultimately finished in second place. 

They closed out their season with an overall record of 8-4 and a perfect 6-0 record in the Delta League and exited out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals round while graduating 11 seniors. 

The playoffs continue with the semifinal games on Nov. 22 between the No. 2 seed Trojans taking on the No. 6 seed Turlock Bulldogs while the No. 4 seed Inderkum Tigers visit the No. 1 seed Folsom Bulldogs to determine who will play the section championship game.