Yuba City, Sutter projected top-3; Lindhurst, Wheatland on the bubble

It’s nearly playoff-time in the Sac-Joaquin Section and MaxPreps.com is delivering its weekly projections with the help of its computer and editorial rankings thrown together with Sac-Joaquin postseason criteria.According to the SJS bylaws, the new postseason formula has each league earning one automatic qualifier in the playoffs set to open Nov. 13.After the automatic bids, at-large selections are determined based in part on MaxPreps division computer rankings updated twice-weekly through the season. Most divisions will get 3-5 automatic bids announced first; followed by at-large spots to fill each of the eight 8-team brackets.Teams ranked No. 9-16, and those who narrowly miss the playoffs, will be bowl eligible, according to the MaxPreps and SJS criteria.MaxPreps reiterates that today is only a projection and things can change through the final weeks of the regular season that cap for most squads on Nov. 6.Division IV– Yuba City, fresh off its first win at Placer last week, moved to 7-1 overall and in the two-seed position, MaxPreps projects on Sunday. The Honkers sit No. 2 behind top-seed Twelve Bridges in both the projections and rankings heading into a massive clash opening at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Honker Stadium.The last time Twelve Bridges came to Yuba City it won 56-0 during its run to the 2A state final. YC is projected this week to host East Union (Manteca) in a No. 2-7 matchup in the first round.Division V– Sutter continues its assault on the Golden Empire League with a 40-7 win over Rio Linda, once the home of Giants running back Cam Skattebo. The Huskies (8-0) received a massive performance in its run game, led by 339 total yards from senior Losi Asiata against the Knights. Head coach Ryan Reynolds called Asiata’s performance a milestone in his 30-plus year career at Sutter Union High.Sutter, this week, is projected a No. 3 seed in the D-V playoffs where it will open at home against Foothill (Sacramento), of the Greater Sacramento League if the postseason began today. The Huskies trail Trans Valley at-large Escalon (2) and TVL automatic qualifier Hilmar (1) as of the Oct. 25 MaxPreps projections.Division VI– Wheatland won its second straight game over Marysville, 32-9, Friday at War Memorial Stadium on the campus of MHS to become playoff eligible at 4-4.The Pirates remain on the outside looking in the top-8 bracket at No. 12 – a spot ahead of Lindhurst. Both area squads are playoff eligible and should the Blazers sneak into the top-8 bracket over the next two weeks it will be the school’s first postseason bid since 2010, according to the Appeal-Democrat archives.Lindhurst had a stretch under former head coach Mike Mason when it won back-to-back Sac-Joaquin D-VI titles and three Golden Empire League championships in six years from 2002 to 2007, according to A-D archives.