Malachi Roby celebrates after making a play for No. 1 Mater Dei in its win on Friday vs Kahuku of Hawaii. Photo: Mater Dei Football / Facebook.com.
In weeks in which we are not able to get out to a game, we will be offering a roundup of scores, highlights and previews of which teams are going to be making the biggest rankings moves for the coming week. Saturday winners now updated. For Friday Sept. 5, the SoCal/NorCal showdown between Mission Viejo and Folsom turned out to just be a rude introduction for Folsom about the level of football played by the elite programs in the CIF Southern Section.
Note: Look for a brand new State Top 50 set of football rankings that won’t simply be a list on Monday. We’ll have insights and breakdowns based on 47 years of going to Friday night games with an overview of the state’s top teams and what’s coming up that just can’t be matched. Each new set of rankings will be for Gold Club members only. The late Friday/Weekend Scoreboards will continue to be free posts and will provide snippets of info, comments and more. We will only be doing scoreboards this year on weeks in which we aren’t going to a game.
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FOR LAST WEEK’S FIRST 25 IN TOP 50 STATE RANKINGS, CLICK HERE.
(Rankings based on previous State Top 50)
(Through reported results of Saturday, Sept. 6)
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 2-0*
Defeated Kahuku (Hawaii) 21-18. *Asterisk is because forfeit win vs Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) not included. Head coach Raul Lara’s team was only ahead 8-7 at halftime playing team that had lost 38-0 in previous game to Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas. No need to rank Gorman higher nationally as the two are playing in two weeks in Nevada.
2. St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 3-0
Defeated St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 21-14. The go-ahead TD came on a 2-yard TD pass from Koa Malau’ulu to Carson Clark with 4:09 left in the game. That score was set up on big catch by Madden Williams, who had eight catches for 193 yards, one TD.
3. Mission Viejo 3-0
Defeated No. 4 Folsom, 53-14. We’ll see if this is a sign the Diablos are going to be challenging the big two of the CIFSS this season, but we sure know that head coach Chad Johnson knows the level that he has to get his team to play at to get there. QB Luke Fahey posted at 21 of 31 for 326 yards and five TDs by Orange County Register’s Mike Huntley.
4. Folsom 2-1
LOST to No. 3 Mission Viejo, 53-14. The first time that the Bulldogs have played one of the top two SoCal public schools (or any of the big-time SoCal programs) did not go well. The defense that gave up 42 in win vs Serra (San Mateo) couldn’t slow down the Diablos and the offense couldn’t slow down Mission’s pass rush (J.D. Hill had four of eight sacks to lead that unit).
5. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 3-0
Defeated Punahou (Hawaii) 45-0 on Saturday. Punahou had a 57-29 loss to No. 10 San Diego Lincoln, so this win by Trailblazers not a shock. They do now have three straight shutouts to start season.
6. Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 2-1
Defeated Highland (Palmdale) 42-6. The team’s earlier 7-3 loss to Mission Viejo in which it was stopped inside the 10-yard line for a possible game-winning score sure looks a lot better than how Folsom fared in its game vs the Diablos.
Jeron Jones leaps up to make a play for Mission Viejo during win on Friday at home against Folsom. Photo: Jeremy Westerbeck / JP West Media.
7. De La Salle (Concord) 2-0
Defeated No. 37 Serra (San Mateo) 26-0 on Saturday. Spartans had a 12-0 lead at halftime but had two TDs called back and missed a short field goal. QB Brayden Knight had a TD run in third quarter for more breathing room, then Brady Smith had a 65-yard TD run to ice it early in fourth. It clearly was a stronger win for DLS at Serra than Folsom had (56-42 and it was tied 42-42 with four minutes left) at Serra last week.
8. Centennial (Corona) 2-1
Defeated Bingham of Utah, 42-6, on Saturday. Huskies rolled after OT loss to No. 6 Santa Margarita in previous game.
9. Lutheran (Orange) 2-1
LOST to Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) 30-24. The Lancers trailed 24-0 in the second half, but came all the way back to tie on a pick six and two-point conversion with 8:22 left. The Arizona school, playing at home, took the lead on a 7-yard TD run with 2:44 left and then got a fourth down stop in the red zone to beat the Lancers.
10. Lincoln (San Diego) 3-0
Defeated Arbor View (Las Vegas, Nev.) 43-31. Hornets avenged a loss from last season. They are going to face No. 3 Mission Viejo next so let’s see how they do compared to how Folsom did.
11. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 3-0
Defeated Chandler of Arizona, 24-23. The Dons had a 7-6 lead at halftime playing one of top teams in Arizona. They were down 17-10 in the third quarter.
12. Serra (Gardena) 2-1
LOST to No. 21 Los Alamitos, 41-21. The Cavaliers have to play Orange Lutheran next week and they’ll play Sierra Canyon very early on in the Mission League.
13. Servite (Anaheim) 2-1
Defeated No. 41 Chaminade (West Hills) 46-3. Friars blew out the team that had an upset win over Oaks Christian in its first game. QB Kale Murphy had three TD passes. Loss was to No. 8 Centennial in opener.
14. La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 3-0
Defeated Del Norte (San Diego) 56-13. Quinn Roth had three TD passes for the Mavericks, who are looking to be in the San Diego Section Open Division for the second straight season.
15. San Juan Hills (SJ Capistrano) 3-0
Defeated Chino Hills 42-21. We had slid in Chino Hills at No. 49 this week, but the Stallions kept up their early-season dominance.
16. Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) 2-0
Defeated Monte Vista (Danville) 34-0. The Crusaders’ first win vs McClymonds of Oakland (41-18) also looks better with Mack getting a win on Friday vs St. Francis (Mountain View). We’re planning to see them next Saturday at home vs Pittsburg.
17. Grant (Sacramento) 1-2
LOST to Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 15-7. Pacers played on the road for the first time and were stunned by team that had lost its first game to Manteca, 40-7. Grant’s other loss was to No. 4 Folsom (which may not be in the top 10 next week).
18. Pittsburg 2-0
Defeated Bishop Manogue (Reno), 31-23, on Saturday in Reno. Pirates are playing next Saturday as well and that one will be at No. 16 Riordan (San Francisco).
19. Yorba Linda 3-0
Defeated San Jacinto 31-21. After their big win in previous game vs Edison of Huntington Beach, Mustangs beat a team they to on the field last season (a result later changed to a forfeit win).
20. Mission Hills (San Marcos) 3-0
Defeated Oceanside 42-6. This win came after topping an Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) squad that has been No. 2 or No. 3 in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. The Grizzlies get Granite Hills (El Cajon) next.
21. Los Alamitos 3-0
Defeated No. 12 Serra (Gardena) 41-21. Lenny Ibarra continues to make big plays for the Griffins, who are in the same Alpa League as Mission Viejo, Edison (HB) and San Clemente.
22. Damien (La Verne) 3-0
Defeated St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) 38-28. Malachi McFarland tied a state record by scoring on a 99-yard run. We saw the film and it was indeed from the 1-yard line.
23. Central East (Fresno) 2-1
Defeated Turlock 44-20. The CIF Central Section’s No. 1 team will be dropping in the state rankings since its loss came to a Sacramento Grant squad that just lost to Cardinal Newman.
24. Clovis 2-1
LOST to Frontier (Bakersfield) 27-26. This was an upset since Clovis had a big win last week vs Salinas and Frontier had a loss to Liberty of Brentwood. It also was Frontier’s first win of the season.
25. Granite Hills (El Cajon) 2-0
Defeated Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 26-20 on Saturday. Eagles had a blowout win in previous game vs Mater Dei Catholic.
Alijah Royster reached the end zone five times for Pacifica of Oxnard in win Friday against Newbury Park. Photo: X.com.
HOW SOME OF TEAMS RANKED FROM NO. 25 TO NO. 50 FARED
26. Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 1-1
Did not play this week with a bye. Team has a loss to No. 13 Servite with a win over No. 38 Rancho Cucamonga.
28. Rocklin 3-0
Defeated Lincoln (Stockton) 41-22. Team’s were at home vs Turlock, then on the road at Bishop Manogue (Reno, Nev.).
30. JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 1-2
Defeated Kamehameha (Honolulu) 38-20. This was a late, late score since Lions played in the Islands. Their first win after losses to No. 5 Sierra Canyon and No. 22 Damien.
33. St. Mary’s (Stockton) 3-0
Defeated Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 28-7. It wasn’t 50 points for the offense like the first two wins but Wildcats always a quality opponent. SM is playing at No. 31 Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) next Friday. Trojans were idle this week.
38. Rancho Cucamonga 1-2
Defeated No. 44 Oak Hills (Hesperia) 14-3. Cougars lost their first two games to higher ranked Murrieta Valley and Orange Lutheran.
48. San Clemente 2-1
Defeated No. 27 Chaparral (Temecula) 35-34. The Pumas missed a possible game-winning field goal at the end. Tritons have a loss to Tustin, win vs Riverton of Utah.
50. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) 1-2
Defeated No. 35 Tustin 28-27. Jackrabbits came from behind to knock off the Tillers, who fell to 2-1. Their losses are to higher ranked No. 34 Leuzinger (forfeit win Friday vs Bishop Montgomery) and No. 10 San Diego Lincoln.
BUBBLE TEAM FROM LAST WEEK MOST LIKELY TO MOVE IN
Pacifica (Oxnard) 3-0
Defeated Newbury Park 56-35. With Oaks Christian’s recent struggles, Tritons could get up there and win the Marmonte League title this season.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle:
3 Comments
I have to agree with Mark. My Bulldogs at this time may not be serving of a spot in the Top 10. I was worried watching the Grant game to see Grant moving the ball fairly easily at the beginning of the game. Grants numerous penalties and the issues the quarterback was having showed me the Bulldog defense needed some work. The Serra game only showed even more holes in the Bulldog defense. And Mission Viejo just treated them like they were not even there. The Bulldog defense is young and will only get better, but right now they are not a Top 10 team.
Folsom doesn’t have the defense this year to be ranked so high in the two games I saw. I guess you’re waiting to drop them based on DLS games against Grant, and St Mary’s and Capital Christian. Having seen DLS twice against Lakeland and looked better than Riordan in the scrimmage and against Serra, I think DLS should be higher than Folsom. Riordan has the talent to also be top NorCal team if they run the table and reduce some errors (Serra will be a good benchmark). The two So Cal teams below Folsom deserve to be higher and maybe even the next two socal teams. DLS defense is very good and offense should iron out its mistakes. They have balance on offense this season with a good passing QB and good receivers and lots of speed. The offense at some point should click in a big way. I watched one of the Mater Dei games and while they have supreme talent, they just haven’t looked as strong as earlier teams. Maybe SJB is better but they will prove that on the field. MV looked very good on both sides of the ball. Folsom offense is very good but they had Folsom’s Ryder Lyons running around like a deer in headlights. Folsom defense needs to really improve on the line – even Grant’s line looked good against them. Serra San Mateo is a very young team and they will get better.
Great breakdowns to add, thanks. The Folsom team that played Mission probably wouldn’t win a game in the Trinity League, except perhaps JSerra. Servite has looked good last two weeks so put them higher at 11th, knowing probably going to lose some games and if Folsom looks better against Rocklin and Oak Ridge it could go up higher than Servite. Will see Riordan on Saturday and hope DLS doesn’t lose to Cathedral Catholic, which could happen. The CIF also needs to amend its Open Division rules to allow for a San Diego team to be in it instead of NorCal. Should be the top Southern California overall team (which will always be the CIFSS D1 champion) vs the next highest section champion (not just NorCal).