MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 High School Football Rankings

The Southern California tradition of pitting the best teams against each other in the early going is going strong, and judging by this week's slate, it won't be slowing any time soon.

It makes it hard to inject new teams into the fray when so many teams lose to fellow ranked foes. However, two new squads have arrived - though one is old in a way. Tesoro is back after it became the first team to score on Upland this year and won 28-14. The Titans lost in the first week to fall out but are back.

The other new team is Bishop Amat, a team that lost a tight one to Santa Margarita in Week 1, then went to Texas to beat Aledo before coming back home and knocking off No. 24 Rancho Cucamonga.

We said goodbye to then-No. 15 Vista Murrieta after its loss to Del Oro (Loomis) and Rancho Cucamonga, though Vista Murrieta is a team that could easily be back soon.

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1. (1 last week) St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 1 state, 5 national, 5 Xcellent 25

The Braves continued their roll Friday with an impressive win against Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.), 42-14. What was most impressive is the 35-7 sprint they went on in the second half against a very deep program that is one of the best (maybe the best) in Oregon. Bosco will take this week off before its titanic nationally televised game against Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas on Sept. 26.

2. (2) Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 2-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 2 state, 6 national, 8 Xcellent 25

The Monarchs took the week off, and on Friday, they will host an Upland team that hung onto its rankings spot by a tiny margin.

3. (5) Alemany (Mission Hills), 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 8 state, 27 national

The Warriors got all they could handle - and then some - against Narbonne in Harbor City, but they found a way to turn it on late and win 51-30. Don't think it was that close. Narbonne, the top team in the Los Angeles City Section, led after each of the first three quarters before Alemany went on a 30-7 run in the final 12 minutes. The Warriors grabbed two interceptions and recovered a fumble. They head to Dorsey, another City Section foe, for a Friday night game.

4. (6) Long Beach Poly, 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 5 state, 9 national, 22 Xcellent 25

The Jackrabbits were yet another ranked team with a big second half, erasing a halftime deficit to Westlake and winning 34-24. Josh Love tossed four touchdowns to go with his 347 yards, and seven different players caught his 27 completions, including Dae'john jeffrey Logan with nine grabs for 128 yards and two scores. So far Poly has passed every big test, and gets another at Centennial (Corona) on Friday.

5. (5) Chaminade (West Hills), 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 7 state, 25 national

The Eagles continued their great start, registering a 38-20 triumph over a Valencia team that was good last season. Edward Sias was a big hitter at quarterback, unleashing 344 passing yards on just 13 completions. Dymond Lee caught five balls for 143 yards and a score, while Jordan Chin only caught two passes but they were both touchdowns: 86 yards and 26 yards.

6. (7) Servite (Anaheim), 2-1
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 6 state, 21 national

The Friars stuck it to La Mirada in a 56-14 blowout that they led 35-0 at halftime. After their loss to Bishop Gorman to start the season they appear to be getting on a roll and will look to continue that when they host Edison (Huntington Beach) Friday night.

7. (9) Serra (Gardena), 2-1
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 22 state, 147 national

The Cavaliers bounced back from their loss in the Honor Bowl and dispatched Carson, 31-6. They haven't exactly been blasting teams out of the water early but are showing the typical talent that comes through their program each year. Khalil Tate ran 11 times for 117 yards and a pair of scores and Akinyele Turner intercepted a pass. Serra will battle Narbonne on Friday.

8. (4) Westlake (Westlake Village), 2-1
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 21 state, 133 national

The Warriors dropped a 34-24 contest to Long Beach Poly, although they led 17-14 at halftime. Chase Jasmin was stellar running the ball, registering 137 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries. Theo Howard caught five balls for 114 yards and a score as well. They are off this week and then will host Dominguez (Compton) on Sept. 26.

9. (10) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 20 state, 119 national

The Knights got a nice test against Serra (San Mateo), a Bay Area stalwart, and won 24-12. The defense came up huge with four interceptions, and held Serra to 74 rushing yards on 29 carries. Leo Lambert III handled the load on offense with 182 yards on 26 carries and a touchdown. They will take this week off before facing another Serra - the one from Gardena - on Sept. 26.

10. (11) Helix (La Mesa), 2-0
Classifications: San Diego (I), State I
Ranks: 14 state, 56 national

The Highlanders took the week off and are still the top team in the UT San Diego rankings. A big-time tilt with Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) is Friday.

11. (12) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 9 state, 31 national

The Lions are scoring lots of points this year and doing a good job of not allowing many. A 63-17 victory over Huntington Beach was the latest in a string of big wins, and Edward Vander started things off with two rushing touchdowns early on. Rankings makers still should be in a wait-and-see mode when it comes to moving the Lions much higher, and their test against St. Bonaventure Friday will be a chance to see just how good the Lions are.

12. (13) Edison (Fresno), 3-0
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 18 state, 110 national

The Tigers had little trouble early in a 44-34 triumph over Merced, as they led 34-7 at halftime, and continued the good vibes after beating Bakersfield the week before. Tyler Horton returned a punt 86 yards for a score and Juwan Murphy tallied a defensive touchdown. Up next is what should be a telling game against Clovis North on Friday.

13. (14) Bakersfield, 1-1
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 19 state, 111 national

The Drillers didn't play after their loss to Edison last week, and they've got a tussle with Crenshaw set for Friday.

14. (16) Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 3-0
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 10 state, 41 national

The Eagles earned a 21-10 triumph over Dorsey to stay undefeated, and Kyle Sweet caught 15 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. KJ Costello gobbled up 315 passing yards as well. The first titanic test of the season will be this week in Las Vegas when Santa Margarita goes to Bishop Gorman for a Friday game.

15. (18) Oceanside, 3-0
Classifications: San Diego (I), State I
Ranks: 13 state, 47 national

The Pirates, as they seem to do about every year, are showing the San Diego Section that any title pursuit will require dealing with them. They shut out Chaparral (Temecula) 24-0 and that means just seven points allowed in the last two weeks. Josh Bernard carried the ball 19 times for 145 yards and scored all three of his team's touchdowns. Oceanside is at San Pasqual on Friday.

16. (NR) Bishop Amat (La Puente), 2-1
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 11 state, 42 national

The Lancers have been close many times, and now with last week's 46-17 romp over Rancho Cucamonga, they're officially in. The week before they went to Texas and whacked Aledo by a 42-7 score. Their only blemish is a tight 26-21 loss to Santa Margarita. Amat, part of the Mission League, goes to Chino Hills before embarking upon league play.

17. (17) Centennial (Corona), 1-2
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 12 state, 43 national

The Huskies might just be the top 1-2 team in the nation. They held a solid fourth-quarter lead over Bishop Gorman but things unraveled with a late fumble in the 43-42 setback. That means losses to Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman - no shame in that. Anthony Catalano was 11-for-13 with 168 yards and JJ Taylor scored three times to go with 153 rushing yards. Life isn't much easier this week, as Centennial will battle Long Beach Poly.

18. (19) Orange Lutheran, 2-1
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 29 state, 202 national

The Lancers had no trouble in a 42-6 victory over Yorba Linda, easing the sting from their close loss to Centennial the week before. Quarterback L.J. Northington was a master in accuracy with 14 of 15 passing and 182 yards with a touchdown. Four different players teamed to tally five rushing scores. Friday's game against Cabrillo (Long Beach) seems favorable, and just like JSerra, this team will be one with quite a bit to prove once Trinity League play comes around.

19. (20) St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 2-1
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 24 state, 168 national

The Seraphs took down Redlands East Valley by a 21-10 score, breaking away a bit after a halftime tie. A scoring pass from Ricky Town to Darius Vines after an 11-play, 80-yard drive with 4:21 left sealed the game, according to the San Bernardino Sun. Friday's game at JSerra Catholic should be a great one.

20. (21) Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley), 2-0
Classifications: Southern (Inland), State II
Ranks: 15 state, 59 national

The Mustangs are scoring a ton thus far but should get a good challenge this week as they face Redlands East Valley. Last week's 69-21 win over Great Oak (Temecula) raised their season scoring average to 53 points per game. It's hard to imagine REV giving up that much, though.

21. (NR) Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita), 2-1
Classifications: Southern (West Valley), State II
Ranks: 23 state, 149 national

We welcome the Titans back to the rankings after they downed Upland by a 28-14 score. Their opening-week loss to La Mirada is forgiven for now. Against Upland, they jumped ahead 28-6 at the half to become the first team to score on the Highlanders. Quarterback Devon Modster tallied 288 total yards and three touchdowns and Jake Hudson returned an interception 11 yards for a score, according to the Orange County Register. The host West Covina this week.

22. (8) Upland, 2-1
Classifications: Southern (West Valley), State I
Ranks: 36 state, 269 national

The Highlanders finally yielded some points, and lost 28-14 to Tesoro. Tyler Hilinski passed for 177 yards. The team better find a way to get things back together, because it's at Mater Dei on Friday.

23. (22) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 2-1
Classifications: San Diego (Eastern), State I
Ranks: 17 state, 105 national

The Dons squeaked past Torrey Pines by an 8-7 score, using a Tim Semenza field goal in the last four minutes of the game to earn the victory. A safety earlier in the fourth quarter also turned out to be huge, and in hindsight so was a field goal by Semenza in the second. Cathedral Catholic hosts Helix Friday in a titanic battle down in San Diego.

24. (23) Clovis North (Fresno), 2-1
Classifications: Central (I), State I
Ranks: 38 state, 275 national

The Broncos nearly were ousted despite beating Buhach Colony (Atwater) 36-35, turning in a fourth quarter comeback to beat a program with a solid reputation in the Sac-Joaquin Section. Both the Fresno Bee and Bakersfield Californian had idle Ridgeview of Bakersfield ahead of Clovis North, but we're going to see if they can knock off Edison (Fresno) on Friday.

25. (25) Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 1-2
Classifications: Southern (Pac 5), State I
Ranks: 31 state, 214 national

The Lions have stayed in the rankings all along and finally have a win. They breezed past Venice in a 48-3 rout, their first game against a non-ranked team. They host Antelope Valley (Lancaster) on Friday.

Dropped out: No. 15 Vista Murrieta, No. 24 Rancho Cucamonga.