High school football: Servite drops to No. 5, looks to rebound in MaxPreps Top 25 California rankings

Maybe it's not fair to drop two spots after a competitive game with the defending national champions. But the Friars of Servite have a big chance to show they didn't deserve to drop at all.

Servite fell from third to fifth in the latest MaxPreps Top 25 California high school football rankings, after dropping a back-and-forth 38-28 game last week at No. 2 St. John Bosco. The Friars have no time to dwell upon it. They play No. 1 Mater Dei on Saturday in another Trinity League showdown at Santa Ana Stadium.

Big games from Jabari Bates (173 yards rushing, 75-yard touchdown) and 6-foot-5, 263-pound sophomore Matayo Uiagalelei (two touchdown catches) keyed Bosco's win, but the Friars were within a field goal, 31-28, with just over five minutes left. A 1-yard sneak by junior quarterback Noah Fifita accounted for one of his three touchdowns and closed the gap. A 15-yard touchdown run by Michael Hayes clinched the Bosco win with just under two minutes remaining.

But Servite, trying to be the first Southern California team St. John Bosco other than Mater Dei in six years, almost pulled it off. Now, the Friars face the Monarchs, who last year beat them 56-11. Servite no doubt remembers that game and score.

Third-ranked Centennial (Corona), which has outscored two opponents 113-6, doesn't figure to get challenged like all those in the Trinity League. Fourth-ranked De Le Salle (Concord) extended its unbeaten streak against Northern California teams to 313 games following a 49-6 home win over San Ramon Valley (Danville) Saturday.

The Spartans, like Centennial, should roll in their all-league schedule. They piled up 577 yards including 390 on the ground during in the win and senior quarterback Dorian Hale, a Sacramento State commit, became just the third DLS player to go over the 4,000-yard passing plateau by completing 3-of-5 passes for 156 yards. Teammate Nico Torrez rushed seven times for 142 yards and two touchdowns.

Buchanan (Clovis) is one of three new teams in the rankings after defeating previous No. 19 Central (Fresno) 31-28. The Bears replaced Central at No. 19.

The other squads to move in were No. 22 Lincoln (San Diego) and defending state Division 2-AA champion Pacifica (Oxnard), at No. 25. In two weeks, Lincoln will take on No. 10 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) for bragging rights of the San Diego Section. MaxPreps Top 25 California Football Rankings

Record: 2-0 | Last week: 1

Result: Beat Orange Lutheran JSerra Catholic, 52-3
Next game: Saturday vs. Servite at Santa Ana Stadium

2. St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 2

Result: Beat Servite, 38-28
Next game: Saturday vs. JSerra (San Juan Capistrano)

3. Centennial (Corona)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 4
Result: Beat Santiago (Corona), 53-6
Next game: Saturday at Norco

4. De La Salle (Concord)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 5
Result: Beat San Ramon Valley (Danville), 49-6
Next game: Thursday vs. Jesuit (Carmichael)

5. Servite (Anaheim)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 3
Result: Lost to St. John Bosco, 38-28
Next game: Saturday vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium

6. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 7
Result: Beat Oaks Christian, 42-0
Next game: Saturday at Garces (Bakersfield)

7. Mission Viejo
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 6
Result: Beat Upland, 38-14
Next game: Friday vs. Tesoro

8. Alemany (Mission Hills)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 8
Result: Beat Bishop Amat 47-35
Next game: Saturday vs. Cathedral (Los Angeles)

9. Los Alamitos (Los Alamitos)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 9
Result: Beat Edison, 27-20
Next game: Friday at Huntington Beach

10. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 17
Result: Beat St. Augustine, 41-14
Next game: April 9 vs. Lincoln (San Diego)

11. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 12
Result: Idle
Next game: Thursday vs. Compton

12. Folsom
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 13
Result: Beat Del Oro, 45-6
Next game: Friday at Whitney (Rocklin)

13. Bishop Amat (La Puente)
Record: 1-1 | Last week: 10
Result: Lost to Alemany, 47-35
Next game: Saturday at Chaminade (West Hills)

14. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 14
Result: Beat JSerra Catholic, 42-0
Next game: April 9 at Mater Dei

15. Loyola (Los Angeles)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 15
Result: Beat St. Bernard, 28-24
Next game: Saturday vs. St. Francis (La Canada)

16. Serra (San Mateo)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 16
Result: Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral, 49-10
Next game: Saturday vs. St. Francis (Mountain View)

17. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 11
Result: Lost to  Sierra Canyon, 42-0
Next game: Saturday vs. Upland

18. San Clemente
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 18
Result: Beat Aliso Niguel, 42-7
Next game: Friday at San Juan Hills (San Juan Capistrano)

19. Buchanan (Clovis)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: NR
Result: Beat Central (Fresno), 31-28
22. Lincoln (San Diego)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: NR
Result: Beat Serra (San Diego, 36-0
Next game: Friday vs. Madison (San Diego)

23. Serra (Gardena)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 24
Result: Beat Cathedral (Los Angeles), 15-14
Next game: Thursday at Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)

24. Edison (Huntington Beach)
Record: 2-1 | Last week: 22
Result: Lost to Los Alamitos, 27-20
Next game: Friday at Fountain Valley

25. Pacifica (Oxnard)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: NR
Result: Beat Channel Islands, 46-7
Next game: Saturday at Ventura

MaxPreps National Football editor Zack Poff contributed to this report.