By John Todd | Rio Linda Online
The lights come on and a new season begins Friday night as the Rio Linda High School varsity football team hosts Marysville in the Knights’ 2026 home opener.
The junior varsity game begins at 5 p.m., followed by varsity at 7 p.m. at Marion Adams Memorial Stadium. General admission for the varsity game is listed at $10, plus a $1 online fee, through GoFan.
Friday’s opener gives Rio Linda an immediate opportunity to measure its progress—and settle a score. Marysville shut out the Knights 21-0 in last year’s varsity meeting, although Rio Linda’s junior varsity team earned a convincing 46-14 victory.
Building on a Playoff Return
The Knights enter their second season since Jack Garceau returned as head coach. Rio Linda improved from 3-7 in 2024 to a 5-5 regular-season record last fall, finished 3-3 in the Golden Empire League and qualified for the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division V playoffs.
The season ended with a 41-13 first-round loss at Hilmar, leaving the Knights with a 5-6 overall record. Still, reaching the postseason represented a meaningful step forward for a program that had not posted a winning season since 2019.
The next step will require replacing several of last year’s most productive players. Running back Joseph Corey, Rio Linda’s leading rusher, and receiver and defensive back Imara Bell have graduated. Bell also recorded seven interceptions, while linebacker Joseph Kalanui led the team in tackles.
That turnover makes Friday night particularly important. The Knights will use their non-league schedule to establish new leaders before Golden Empire League play begins Sept. 25 at Dixon.
Experience Up Front
Rio Linda’s most obvious strength may be its size and experience along the line.
The current MaxPreps roster includes senior linemen Ronald Pruitt, Jessie Miralrio, Maurice Jackson, Victor Montano, Brendon Beaugez, Carlos Acero, Alex Pintado and Kevin Stewart. Junior linemen Juan Yahuaca, Mason Yang and Brayden Potter add more size to the group.
Pruitt is listed at 6-foot-4 and 300 pounds, Potter at 6-foot-5 and 300 pounds, and Yahuaca at 300 pounds. Sophomore Makai Mata’afa is listed at 325 pounds.
Miralrio is one of the most important returning players after leading Rio Linda with 6.5 sacks last season. Pruitt and Jackson also received player-of-the-game recognition during the 2025 campaign.
That veteran group could give Garceau the foundation to maintain Rio Linda’s traditional physical, run-oriented identity while new players take over the primary offensive roles.
Among the skill-position players listed on the 2026 roster are senior quarterback and linebacker Brandon Motley, senior receiver and defensive back Caden Brown, senior receiver and defensive end Jasiere Ellis, junior running back and linebacker Rayvon Green and senior running back and linebacker Ace Perez-Solorio. (Roles may continue to develop during the opening weeks.)
Garceau’s Second Chapter
Garceau’s association with Rio Linda football stretches back more than two decades. He began with the program as a junior varsity defensive coordinator in 2001 and later served as a varsity assistant before becoming head coach in 2017.
During his first three seasons leading the Knights, Rio Linda compiled a 29-10 record and reached the playoffs each year. The high point came in 2018, when the Knights captured the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship and the CIF Division 5-AA state title.
That championship team featured running back Cameron Skattebo, whose punishing style made him one of the most accomplished players in school history. After starring at Sacramento State and Arizona State, Skattebo was selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft. He scored seven total touchdowns during an injury-shortened rookie season and is currently listed as the starting running back on the Giants’ unofficial depth chart. His rise from Rio Linda to the NFL remains a visible example of how far talent developed within the Knights’ program can go.
Garceau returned to lead the program before the 2025 season and is also serving as one of Rio Linda High School’s co-athletic directors. His current coaching staff includes Michael Morris II, Rick Collier, Larry Hebel, Krishun Kumar, Josh Caton, Tyrel Martin and James Garceau.
The improvement during Garceau’s first season back established a foundation. The challenge in 2026 is turning that progress into a winning record and moving closer to the top of the Golden Empire League.
That will not be easy. Casa Roble went undefeated in league play last season, while Sutter finished 5-1. Woodland placed third at 4-2, one game ahead of Rio Linda.
The Knights host Natomas to begin the home portion of league play Oct. 2. After their Oct. 9 bye, they face difficult consecutive road games against Casa Roble and Sutter. The regular season concludes with home games against El Camino and Woodland.
2026 Rio Linda Knights Football Schedule
- Aug. 28: Marysville at Rio Linda — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.
- Sept. 4: Rio Linda at Center — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7:15 p.m.
- Sept. 11: Foothill at Rio Linda — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.
- Sept. 18: Rio Linda at Placer — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7:30 p.m.
- Sept. 25: Rio Linda at Dixon — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.*
- Oct. 2: Natomas at Rio Linda — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.*
- Oct. 9: Bye
- Oct. 16: Rio Linda at Casa Roble — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.*
- Oct. 23: Rio Linda at Sutter — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7:15 p.m.*
- Oct. 30: El Camino at Rio Linda — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.*
- Nov. 6: Woodland at Rio Linda — JV 5 p.m.; varsity 7 p.m.*
*Golden Empire League game.
The schedule was confirmed through Rio Linda High School Athletics and MaxPreps. Dates and kickoff times remain subject to change.
Friday night’s opener is more than the first game on the schedule. It is the first indication of whether last year’s playoff return was simply a promising beginning—or the start of Rio Linda football’s next sustained climb.
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