Bosco's stunning comeback win over Mater Dei vaults Braves into the top spot; No. 6 Corona del Mar exacts revenge with decisive Southern Section D3 title win over previous No. 9 Grace Brethren.
Video: Top 25 high school football rankings
California's top two teams switch places at the top.
For the first time this season, on the second day of December, there is a new team at the top of the California Top 25 football rankings.
As surprising as the result, the new No. 1 is no shocker.
With its 39-34 Southern Section Division 1 championship victory over previous No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), St. John Bosco (Bellflower) moves up a spot to the top position, not only in the California rankings, but the national rankings as well.
A Bosco victory wasn't as shocking as how it did it, fighting back from a 28-5 deficit near the end of the first half to score 34 unanswered points before holding on as a Hail Mary, 50-yard bomb on the game's final play was intercepted by
Kris Hutson.
Clemson-bound quarterback
DJ Uiagalelei threw for 444 yards and five touchdowns and
Logan Loya caught two TD passes and kicked a field goal for the Braves. Mater Dei, which got 406 yards passing and five touchdowns from
Bryce Young, finished 12-1, a play or two short of its third straight Southern Section crown.
Bosco now plays third-ranked De La Salle (Concord) for the CIF Open Division Bowl Championship on Dec. 14 at Cerritos College in Norwalk. De La Salle had no such struggles in a 49-7 victory over No. 15 Pittsburg to win its 28th consecutive North Coast Section Division 1 championship.
There were no major upsets among the Top 25 teams — 10 teams saw their seasons come to an end already — though previous No. 21 Monterey Trail (El Grove) lost to unranked Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) 35-27 in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 1 championship. Oak Ridge is now ranked No. 23.
In another top game,
Ethan Garbers threw for 294 yards and four touchdowns and No. 6 Corona del Mar scored on all eight of its possessions to down previous No. 9 Grace Brethren 56-28 in the Southern Section D3 championship. The Sea Kings reversed the results after losing to Grace Brethren in last year's championship game.
Ethan Garbers, Corona del Mar
File photo by Vince Pegliese
1. (Last week 2) St. John Bosco (Bellflower)Record: 12-1
Last week: Beat Mater Dei 39-34
Next game: Dec. 14 vs. De La Salle (Concord) at Cerritos College
Record: 12-1
Last week: Lost to St. John Bosco 39-34
Next game: Season over
3. (3) De La Salle (Concord)Record: 12-1
Last week: Beat Pittsburg 49-7
Next game: Dec. 14 vs. St. John Bosco at Cerritos College
4. (4). Centennial (Corona)Record: 9-3
Next game: Season over
6. (6) Corona del Mar (Newport Beach)Record: 14-0
Last week: Beat Grace Brethren (Simi Valley) 56-28
Next game: Dec. 7 vs. Oceanside
Record: 13-0
Last week: Beat Buchanan (Clovis) 28-21
Next game: Dec. 6 at Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills)
12. (14) Serra (San Mateo)
Record: 12-1
Last week: Beat Valley Christian (San Jose) 17-0
Next game: Dec. 7 vs. San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno)
13. (12) La HabraRecord: 10-3
Next game: Season over
Record: 9-2
Next game: Season over
15. (15) PittsburgRecord: 11-2
Last week: Lost to De La Salle 49-7
Next game: Season over
21. (24) Pacifica (Oxnard)Record: 13-1
Last week: Beat Serna (Whittier) 42-41
Next game: Dec. 7 at Birmingham (Lake Balboa)
Record: 11-2
Last week: Beat Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 35-27
Next game: Dec. 6 vs. Central (Fresno)
