Jesuit Banking on Experienced Backfield to Navigate Brutal Sierra Foothill League

The Marauders return a veteran group of playmakers but face another daunting schedule in California's Sierra Foothill League.

Jesuit High School linebacker Brayden Quinn celebrates in a 2025 game against Rio Americano. Quinn will lead the Marauder defense this season. | Jesuit Football

Jesuit High School returns 13 seniors and one of the Sierra Foothill League's deepest backfields as the Marauders look to improve on last season's 6-5 finish.

Jesuit Sierra-Foothill League Head Coach: Marlon Blanton
2025: 6-5 (3-3, 5th SFL)

In the always difficult Sierra-Foothill League, Jesuit will lean on its experience players to navigate the first half of the season.

Experienced Backfield Leads the Offense

On the offensive side of the ball, Jesuit will have quarterback Jeremiah Brannon, who played 21 snaps last year, and a trio of running backs, Brody Quinn (507 yards, 6.4 avg.), junior Kwanna Smith (349 yards, 7.3 avg.) and junior John Giovannettone (305 yards, 6.6 avg.).

On the offensive line, two key linemen return. Center Austin Haynes and Lolo Mabalot, who recorded 31 pancake blocks in 2025.

“We're kind of inexperienced in the offensive line, but that's kind of always the case,” said Jesuit head coach Marlon Blanton. “We always have a few guys returning, and that's the same.”

Defensive Leaders Return

Defensively, Jesuit has a few good pieces on the chessboard. Linebacker Brayden Quinn led the team in tackles last year with 69, and junior free safety Colton Dewar led the unit with three picks. On the defensive line, they’ll have Mabalot (25 tackles) and junior Elias Cherry (20 tackles).

“We got a few returners in some key spots which I believe will help us,” Blanton said. “So we're banking on that. And I think some of the key factors, if we get them worked out, are kind of always the same: Teamwork. If we can get to that point where we're really working as a unit, I think we have a good chance to be successful just like anybody else.”

But it is the SFL, where victories do not come easy or cheap.

Blanton Embraces Another Tough Schedule

“If we didn't have to play some of these teams that we've played, we might have had more success over the years,” Blanton said. “We've been to seven division semifinals. And of those seven semifinals, we've faced Folsom, Saint Mary's, all those really good teams. And one of these years we are going to get over that hump though.”

Despite the schedule, Blanton welcomes the challenge.

“We want to find a way to compete. Compete in every game…That's where we are one game at a time. We revel in the challenge of our schedule and playing whoever we get to play. I think it's awesome playing teams that are good teams that you're comparable to. Teams that are better than you. All that stuff is good.”

Games That Will Define the Season

Jesuit's postseason hopes could hinge on three key Sierra Foothill League matchups.

vs. Granite Bay-9/25

vs. Oak Ridge-10/23

vs. Folsom-11/6