MaxPreps Top 25 Southern California high school football rankings

This is the final edition of the rankings that will include teams with no games played, and it's also the first one that will include many teams that have benefited from other teams' losses.

All eyes should be on Oceanside this weekend, as the Honor Bowl will host a handful of ranked teams in a spectacular event that honors American armed forces. Great football and a great cause - a winning combination.

We have four new teams in the rankings this week, with two from the Southern Section and one each from the San Diego and Central sections. Movement at the top was limited to Mater Dei going up one spot, but the shakeups came down low. As some more marquee games get played in the coming weeks, there is sure to be more movement up top.

This was a big week at MaxPreps, as we unveiled two metro sites for areas that are in these rankings. Be sure to visit the Fresno metro site and the San Diego metro site - and don't forget that the Los Angeles metro site has been up and running for a week now.

MaxPreps Top 25 Southern California High School Football Rankings

1. (1 last week) St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 1 state, 1 national, 6 Xcellent 25

The first play of the Braves' 40-7 victory over Dominguez (Compton) may have set the tone for the nation's top team, as Josh Rosen found Jaleel Wadood for a 40-yard scoring strike on the opening play from scrimmage. They had a 27-0 lead at the half and three of those touchdowns came on the opening play of a drive. It gets tougher this week as Clovis North will come to town for a Friday contest after winning the Central Section Division I title last season.

2. (2) Centennial (Corona), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Inland), State I
Ranks: 5 state, 11 national, 9 Xcellent 25

A 60-42 win over Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) was just another night at the office for the high-scoring Huskies. Tre Watson went off for five touchdowns from his running back spot and that came with 30 carries and 274 yards. Centennial racked up 576 yards as a team. Henderson, one of Nevada's better teams, stayed within 12 points in the fourth quarter but Barry Ware put things away with a 36-yard touchdown catch with 8:53 left. Their Honor Bowl game Saturday against St. Bonaventure at Oceanside is one of the national Top 10 Games of the Week.

3. (3) Serra (Gardena), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Western), State II
Ranks: 2 state, 2 national, 11 Xcellent 25

Serra showed its explosiveness Saturday at the Brothers in Arms Classic in San Diego. But it also showed some weaknesses in a 28-22 triumph over Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.). The Cavaliers recovered the opening kickoff downfield and Adoree' Jackson immediately rushed for a touchdown only to have it called back. Serra put up all four touchdowns in the first half and then got a scare as the methodical and physical Desert Ridge attack wore the defense down. Jackson did score two touchdowns through the air but the Serra rushing game showed it needs work. The Cavaliers have a brutal task on the road Friday at Oceanside in the Honor Bowl.

4. (4) Long Beach Poly), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 3 state, 7 national, 21 Xcellent 25

As we saw last season, the Jackrabbits aren't fast starters - but they are winners. They showed it Friday in a 28-15 win over Crenshaw (Los Angeles). Poly led 8-7 at halftime and had to get two touchdown passes from Tai Tiedemann to Christian Pabico to forge the winning margin in the fourth quarter. John Smith was big in the return game and had five receptions for 78 yards. Up next for the Jackrabbits is a road game against Servite (Anaheim).

5. (6) Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 4 state, 9 national

The Monarchs are all over the place when it comes to national rankings. Perhaps their 44-13 whacking of Upland will get more people to come around, or the fact that they scored on six of their first seven possessions might. Or maybe that they yielded zero rushing yards in the first half will do the trick. Chase Forest connected on eight of 11 passes in the first half for 159 yards then sat out the second half with his team totally in control. Mater Dei, now No. 9 in the nation in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings but not in the Xcellent 25, hosts St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) on Friday.

6. (5) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta)
Classifications: Southern (Inland), State I
Ranks: 8 state, 28 national

The Broncos finally get to begin their season, as they will host Downey, which is coming off a 38-0 blowout of Mayfair. It's time to stop speculating and start seeing what this team will do on the field. If recent history repeats itself, there should be lots of winning.

7. (7) Mission Viejo, 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 9 state, 29 national

The Diablos earned a 49-20 victory in Hawaii over Baldwin (Wailuku, Hawaii) and they shared the wealth, as seven different players scored touchdowns. Want to talk more about sharing the ball? The Diablos rushed for 334 yards, yet the team leader was Tony Williams with just 68. Mission Viejo will host Santiago (Corona) on Friday after the Sharks dropped a thrilling 56-49 contest to Hart.

8. (8) Oceanside, 1-0
Classifications: San Diego (Open), State II
Ranks: 13 state, 49 national

The Pirates blasted their way to a 28-0 halftime lead over St. Augustine (San Diego) and registered a 47-28 triumph. But the lead did get down to seven in the second half just to make things interesting. Oceanside alternated quarterbacks Matthew Romero and Dakota Miller, and both played well, so it will be interesting to see how the Pirates approach their Honor Bowl tilt against Serra on Friday, another national Top 10 Game of the Week.

9. (9) Chaminade (West Hills), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Western), State II
Ranks: 10 state, 32 national

The Eagles staged a second-half comeback to thwart Venice 57-33 in a matchup that the Los Angeles Times mentioned was the only game in Southern California featuring two FBS-committed quarterbacks. Venice actually led 21-0. Cory Watkins scored four touchdowns for Chaminade and Brad Kaaya finished 20-for-31 with 269 yards. They're not ducking anybody out there in West Hills, as their next game is also against a ranked team, Hart. Expect lots of points again.

10. (10) Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 12 state, 45 national

The Lions did score 51 points last week against Bakersfield. And they did manage to hold the Drillers to one completed pass for 30 yards. Brandon Dawkins threw six touchdown passes as well. But there were also plenty of alarming facts that came from their 51-50 triumph. Bakersfield missed a 29-yard field goal attempt with 6 seconds left that would have won the game, and the Drillers ran for 589 yards. Also, Oaks Christian had a 21-0 lead at one point. Regardless, it's a win over a ranked team, and that will help in the preparation to face Upland Saturday in Oceanside at the Honor Bowl.

11. (11) Edison (Huntington Beach), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Southwest), State II
Ranks: 17 state, 109 national

The Chargers' trip to Compton ended with a 27-18 victory. It wasn't a blowout and it wasn't a tight contest - just a game that Edison won by a little more than a touchdown. That triumph featured 19 rushes for 142 yards from Marcus Swanigan and 10 tackles by Manase Time. Edison will host 0-1 Garfield (Los Angeles) Thursday night at Huntington Beach High.

12. (12) St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 7 state, 21 national

Speaking of Garfield, the Bonnies had little trouble in a 42-14 triumph over Garfield at Ventura High. They led 28-0 in the third quarter and got two touchdowns each from Bryce Dixon and Marcus Chambers to give John Muller his first coaching victory after taking over for Todd Therrien. Now comes a titanic task: Centennial on Saturday at Oceanside High in the Honor Bowl.

13. (13) Alemany (Mission Hills), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 15 state, 91 national

The Warriors worked their way to a 30-7 triumph at Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga). In opening a 23-0 lead, the Warriors got a rushing touchdown from quarterback Alif Grayes and he threw for scores to Marquis Lawson and Quentin Tartabull. Carlos Garrido kicked a field goal as well. Alemany will hit the road to play Muir (Pasadena) on Friday.

14. (NR) Bishop Amat (La Puente), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 26 state, 207 national

The Lancers were left off the preseason list, and according to local media, that may have been an oversight. The LA Times has Bishop Amat at No. 9 and the San Gabriel Valley Tribune has Amat as the top team in its area. They beat a ranked Santa Margarita team 38-28 last week, overcoming a 14-7 halftime deficit to do so. Koa Haynes spread the ball around, racking up a 20-for-30 day with 261 yards and finding six different receivers. Adrian Ortega was spectacular on defense, ripping down three of his team's five interceptions and taking one for a score. Next up is a huge matchup Friday with Chino Hills, a rematch of last year's contentious tie and the top teams in the SGV Tribune rankings.

15. (14) Narbonne (Harbor City), 1-0
Classifications: Los Angeles (I), State I
Ranks: 19 state, 116 national

Wow. That's all that can be said after seeing how the Gauchos managed to beat defending Northern Division champion Palos Verdes, 27-23. Snapping the ball with 4.4 seconds left and down two points, Dallas Lopez caught a desperation pass from Roman Ale then turned and got into the end zone. That 29-yard scoring pass elicited a wild celebration and kept Narbonne undefeated. Ale was the backup quarterback, taking over for injured Eban Jackson. The euphoria will continue in Friday's home opener against Gahr (Cerritos).

16. (15) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 16 state, 106 national

The Knights romped to a 42-6 victory over Mira Costa at home last week, allowing just two field goals. Chris Colarossi's 193 yards on 11 carries included an 85-yard scoring run. Now comes a Saturday trip to Oceanside and the Honor Bowl to face NorCal power Del Oro (Loomis), which played for a state title two years ago and is ranked No. 8 in the MaxPreps NorCal Top 25.

17. (16) Mission Hills (San Marcos), 1-0
Classifications: San Diego (Open), State II
Ranks: 21 state, 138 national

Just like U-T San Diego, we think the Grizzlies are the second-best team in their section. At the Brothers in Arms Classic, they were the No. 1 team against Desert Vista (Phoenix) in a 13-0 victory. Defense was the name of the game, as they only allowed 20 rushing yards on 34 attempts and 123 total yards (with a large chunk coming on the final drive of the game). The offense was less than stellar, but Mission Hills definitely had the game under control. Next up is a road game Friday at Rancho Bernardo.

18. (18) Hart (Newhall), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Northern), State II
Ranks: 20 state, 118 national

The Indians led 14-7 at halftime over Santiago (Corona) at home. Then a track meet ensued, and the final tally was 56-49. Hart's 669 yards set a school record and Brady White's 35 completions also set a mark. Hart's 41-21 lead after three quarters shrunk, but it was enough to escape. White racked up 471 passing yards and Connor Wingenroth rushed 31 times for 195 yards and three touchdowns to go with nine catches, 132 yards and a touchdown. Next up is a home contest against Chaminade, a ranked team.

19. (20) Clovis North (Fresno), 1-0
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 25 state, 181 national

The Broncos fell behind 13-0 to Atascadero at home thanks to four major penalties - then Bolu Olorunfunmi took over in a 47-25 victory. The junior running back scored touchdowns from 80, 67 and 98 yards away to lead his team to the promised land. Now comes a huge task - the Broncos must travel to St. John Bosco (Bellflower) Friday.

20. (NR) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 1-0
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 23 state, 156 national

The Dons laid a 38-6 beatdown on Jordan (Sandy, Utah), which came to the Brothers in Arms Classic with the No. 25 ranking in the MaxPreps National Computer Rankings. Holding star quarterback Austin Kafentzis to such a low total was a statement to the area (and perhaps the nation) that forgetting about this program isn't a good idea, as forfeits ruined last season. Sam Tapia pulled in two interceptions, and the team controlled the clock with 59 rushes for 285 yards. Two of Daniel Plum's six catches went for touchdowns as well. U-T San Diego has Madison ranked ahead of Cathedral Catholic but Madison hasn't played yet, so CC gets the nod. The Dons will play down the street at Torrey Pines on Friday.

21. (22) Villa Park
Classifications: Southern (Southwest), State II
Ranks: 30 state, 249 national

Villa Park will finally get its season started Friday against Valencia (Placentia) at El Modena High. Valencia beat Brea-Olinda 22-7 in its opener last week to move to 1-0.

22. (23) Norco
Classifications: Southern (Inland), State I
Ranks: 18 state, 113 national

The Cougars watched this week's opponent, Rancho Cucamonga, lay a 31-7 whipping on Redlands. Now comes their chance to finally hit the field with a new head coach and new quarterback to show what they can accomplish. The LA Times has Norco at No. 23 in the Los Angeles area.

23. (NR) Crespi (Encino), 1-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 45 state, 427 national

And the Troy Thomas era begins. The Celts just obliterated Taft (Woodland Hills) 67-0 in his debut, and there were two very interesting tidbits taken from the game. First, Thomas did not hold practices on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday as a way to teach a lesson to his players (see more in the LA Times). Second, two touchdowns were scored by defensive linemen. Next up is a very telling matchup at home Saturday with Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.).

24. (21) Bakersfield, 0-1
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 28 state, 243 national

The Drillers' loss to Oaks Christian was a tough one to swallow, as you can read above. Still, the Drillers showed a lot of positives in their tight 51-50 setback. A missed field goal (from a reasonable distance) is all that is preventing Bakersfield from moving up, not down. After rushing for 589 yards (278 coming from quarterback Asauni Rufus), the Drillers get defending Central Section Division IV champion Wasco at home, two weeks before their big game with Long Beach Poly.

25. (NR) Edison (Fresno), 1-0
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 22 state, 149 national

The Tigers mauled Clovis in their season opener, placing a 43-6 triumph on the ledger and upsetting the No. 4 team in the Fresno Bee rankings (Edison was No. 5 coming in). Clovis is known for tight defense, yet Edison had a 31-0 lead in the third quarter, and it gave Matt Johnson a win in his first game leading the Tigers. Quarterback A.J. Greeley rushed for a pair of scores. The Bakersfield Californian and Fresno Bee have Edison ranked behind Bakersfield so 25 seems like the right spot. The Tigers will get a taste of LA City Section football when they travel to Carson on Saturday.

Dropped out:
17. Upland lost 44-13 to Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
19. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) lost 38-28 to Bishop Amat (La Puente)
24. Venice lost 57-33 to Chaminade (West Hills)
25. Helix (La Mesa) lost 10-6 to Punahou (Honolulu)