Preseason State 50 FB Ranks (26-50)

Norco QB Julian Medina (left) passed for more than 3,000 yards in 10 games last season. At right is running back Nikko Juarez of Manteca. Both of their teams are in the top 30 of preseason state rankings. Photos: norcofootballofficial / Instagram.com & Sean Kahler / Manteca Bulletin.

TO SEE PREVIEWS FOR TEAMS RANKED FROM NO. 1 TO NO. 25, CLICK HERE.
FOR LIST OF ALL-TIME PRESEASON NO. 1 TEAMS AND HOW THEY TURNED OUT SINCE 1979, CLICK HERE.

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26. JSERRA (SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO) 3-7
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth).

Hardy Nickerson (the former NFL LB) has arrived as the new head coach from Bishop O’Dowd of Oakland (which won a lower division CIF state title last season). The Lions are likely to struggle in the Trinity League but like last year against Oak Hills of Hesperia and Leuzinger of Lawndale will have the ability to win games against top teams from other leagues. The top returnees include WR Clark Cokley (51 catches for 694 yards and eight TDs as a junior) and LB Dylan Fenn (second team all-league). The offensive line may be a strength with one of the top junior OLs in the nation with Lincoln Fa’alafi (6-8, 350) plus Colorado State committed Robert Schein (6-7, 290).

Former NFL linebacker Hardy Nickerson actually was the head coach for two different stints at his former school of Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland). Photo: jserra.football / Instagram.com.

There were three teams last season in the San Diego Section that were all in the top 25 for most of the time and pretty much beat each other for a three-way tie. Of those teams — Carlsbad, La Costa Canyon and Mission Hills — the Grizzlies have several top returning players plus a key incoming transfer and have been slotted higher than the other two to start the season. The big transfer is QB Furian Inferrera from Mater Dei of Santa Ana, who has committed to Minnesota. He was a back-up there the past two seasons. Inferrera should make the graduation loss of Troy Huhn (Penn State) a little easier to overcome. New head coach Thomas Altieri also should had some stability after last year’s coaching situation unraveled. There are other notable returnees as well, including WR Brayden Roberson (offers from San Diego State, Cal, Oregon State and more) plus DB De’Mariye Stephen (three interceptions), DE Grant Kuykendall (11 sacks) and OLs Jackson Fader (6-4, 285) and Thomas Dimmick (6-4, 320, junior).

28. NORCO 7-3
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Roosevelt (Eastvale).

This is the only team we’re putting in the top 30 to start that did not make the playoffs last season. But the Cougars’ losses (all in the Big VIII League) were to Corona Centennial, Chaparral and Murrieta Valley. The loss to Centennial also saw them score 49 points in a 59-49 loss. Almost the entire team is back so it made the most sense to us to rank Norco higher than Murrieta Valley as the third team from the Inland Empire. Julian Medina returns at quarterback where he passed for 3,164 yards and 35 TDs last season and he rushed for 438 yards and three scores. The team’s leading recruit is receiver Blake Wong. The BYU commit hauled in 84 catches in just the 10 games for 1,470 yards and 20 TDs. The yards and catches are among the all-time top marks in our state records for a regular season. The Cougars also have their other top receivers back in Tegan Ogas and Jaxon Cuellar. Junior RB Lee White had a 200-yard game as a sophomore, junior LB Henderson Carter (the second leading tackler last year) is getting D1 offers and senior LB Tony Gonzalez (the leading tackler) also are all returning.

29. MANTECA 11-1
First Game: Friday, Aug. 28 at St. Francis (Mountain View).

It’s the 100th year of Manteca football and it should be another very good one. Last year’s team lost to eventual CIF D2-AA state champion St. Mary’s of Stockton, 9-7, in the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D2 semifinals and that was the only loss of the season. We put the Buffaloes at No. 25 overall in the final rankings and they clearly have more back than St. Mary’s. Although WR/DB Quinn Martinez and QB Owen Gully will be missed, Manteca returns one of the top RBs in Northern California with Nikko Juarez. He piled up 1,652 yards and 24 TDs as a junior. Also back is one of the state leaders last season for interceptions as Jayden Harris came up with eight of them. He and twin brother Jaylen both probably will play offense and both are capable of making big plays at any time and on both sides of the ball.

30. CARDINAL NEWMAN (SANTA ROSA) 11-2
First Game: Friday, Aug. 28 at Folsom.

It was only a one-year stay for former Mater Dei head coach Frank McManus at Cardinal Newman, but new head coach Kenny McMillan and the administration are continuing in the push to raise the level of the program so it can compete with De La Salle and Pittsburg at the top of the CIF North Coast Section. Instead of complaining about the new situation that came about due to a new playoff format that started two years ago, the plan has been to charge forward. The program isn’t there yet (lost to Pitt last year in D1-A semis) but scheduling Folsom, De La Salle (second game) and Archbishop Riordan this year is another sign of its long-range goals. We also weren’t going to start out Newman this season in front of Manteca due to a 30-0 loss to the Buffs last season. The team still has junior QB Tino Retamoza, a starter as a freshman two years ago but who got hurt and missed most of last season. The biggest news has been the arrival of transfer James Curoso, a junior who was an all-state sophomore last season at Clovis. Curoso is a power RB who also was one of the top sophomore wrestlers pound-for-pound in the state as well. Two of those blocking for Curoso will be 400-pounders Eazy Crichton (ineligible last year) and Colin Dorreen. The Cardinals also have 285-pound DL Kahlio Vaetoe, who has been a four-year standout and has numerous D1 offers, plus they have two top skill position players coming back with Kavaughn Penney (six interceptions as a junior) and Kordell Strane.

31. LOS ALAMITOS 12-3
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Inglewood.

The Griffins are coming off of a CIFSS D2 championship. While they will have a new head coach with Rory Schoonmaker (formerly at El Segundo) taking over for Ray Fenton (now at Orange Lutheran) and while they have a lot of players that have graduated, we still wanted to start them out not way much lower than the No. 15 spot where they finished last season. The main returnee is senior RB Kamden Tillis, who is one of the top RBs in Southern California. He rushed for 1,543 yards and 19 TDs as a junior. Ashton Gogue (caught 37 passes as a junior) and LB Koa Marasco (second on the team with 111 tackles) are two other top returnees.

32. PALOS VERDES (PV ESTATES) 10-4
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Serra (Gardena) at El Camino College.

For the teams in the South Bay region of the CIF Southern Section, the two teams with the most impressive returnees are the Sea Kings and league rival Inglewood. Since PV had a win over the Sentinels last year, we put those two next to each other in our rankings but we know that the Sea Kings had a loss in the first game last season to Serra (Gardena). Ryan Rakowski (Nevada commit) is going to be leading the team for the fourth season and he already has 6,718 yards passing and 71 TD passes for his career, including a state record six TD passes in that win in the CIF D2-A state final two seasons ago. Leading tackler Weston Reis, who also started as a freshman in that state final two years ago, also is back. The top recruit may be junior Jalen Flowers, who has multiple D1 offers. Flowers caught 34 passes for 503 yards as a sophomore and he had 50 tackles and five interceptions on defense.

Inglewood will be known this season for its defensive line, but QB Lincoln Jahn also returns after a standout season. Photo: Hudl.com.

We’ll find out right away with their game vs Los Al if the Sentinels are closer to their team from two years ago (went 10-0 in regular season, got moved up to CIFSS D1 bracket and then lost right away to Santa Margarita) or closer to their 6-6 squad of last season. Our thought is that they’re going to be a lot better. They will have perhaps the best pair of d-linemen in the state with Myels Smith (Texas A&M) and Elija Harmon (Oklahoma). Elija was out all last season with an injury. With those two together, watch out. Head coach Mil’von James also has junior QB Lincoln Hahn, who passed for 2,795 yards and 25 TDs as a sophomore, plus senior RB Semaj Welch, who rushed for 1,275 yards and 10 TDs as a junior.

34. CARLSBAD 11-3
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Arbor View (Las Vegas, Nev.).

The Lancers also have a decent number of returning players among those three teams from the San Diego Open Division we mentioned earlier. We’re going with Mission Hills higher than the other two to start this season with Carlsbad next. La Costa Canyon lost too much in our evaluations and is on the bubble to start. Kai Brown just missed rushing for 1,000 yards at RB, but fellow senior Darian Webb has been getting a lot of buzz for his efforts during the spring and summer. Webb also had 35 catches last season. The top receiver, Travis Jeffrey (who had 38 catches for 704 yards), also is back. On defense, second leading tackler Dylan Sims is back along with DB Tadd Mitchell (two interceptions).

35. CLOVIS WEST (FRESNO) 8-4
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Bishop Manogue (Reno, Nev.).

For which team should be No. 2 to start out in the CIF Central Section behind Central East, the most consensus thoughts are that it should be Clovis West. Clovis High, the runner up last season, lost a lot of top seniors plus its top sophomore left for another school in the CIF North Coast Section. Clovis West doesn’t have leading receiver Relando Jefferson (now at Central East), but the Golden Eagles still have talented QB J.J. Howard. The junior dual threat QB threw for 2,251 yards and 32 TDs last season and has several major D1 offers. The team’s most versatile player, Major Lee, who led the team in rushing with 651 yards and who can plays on defense, also is back. WR A.J. Williams (Fresno State commit) and sophomore Aamir Wright, who plays on both sides of the ball, also is getting D1 offers.

36. ST. MARY’S (STOCKTON) 13-2
First Game: Friday, Aug. 28 at Bishop Manogue (Reno, Nev.).

Our 2025 State Coach of the Year, longtime St. Mary’s head coach Tony Franks, is going to have his work cut out for him this season. The Rams pretty much lost every major contributor from their team that topped Serra of San Mateo to win the CIF NorCal D2-AA title and then beat Bakersfield Christian for the program’s first state crown. St. Mary’s has tended to be able to rebuild quickly in these situations in the past, however, and there are some good players returning. Twins Jake and Luke Lucatello can both make plays at defensive end and Micah Mandracken is a junior linebacker to watch. On offense, St. Mary’s will have to find a new QB, but will have Fresno State committed TE Rene Garcia (transfer from Lincoln of Stockton) plus OL Damien Anyasodo (6-3, 300), who has committed to Utah.

37. CHAMINADE (WEST HILLS) 5-6
First Game: Already played (won in Hawaii on Thursday, Aug. 13).

Similar to No. 23 San Clemente, the Eagles opened their season last Thursday with a 38-9 win over Leilehua of Hawaii and then got the hell out of there the next day before the hurricane was beginning to come in. Chaminade plays its second game this Friday vs. Oaks Christian. We are going along with the L.A. Daily News in placing Chaminade inside the top 50 since it ranked the team No. 2 in its preseason lineup behind Sierra Canyon. The Eagles have an impressive offensive line led by Notre Dame commit Jackson Hill (6-6, 330). Sophomore QB Jeremy Mellalieu already has varsity starting experience and DL Kingston Williams has a commitment to UNLV. LB Josiah Rand also has committed to Washington State.

38. BISHOP AMAT (LA PUENTE) 7-5
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 at St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs).

The second year of head coach Kory Minor (a former All-American player at the school) should continue to see the Lancers improve. Could they end up being the second-best team in the Mission League behind Sierra Canyon? Maybe. The offensive line has most of its pieces back, including first team all-league picks Jesus Hernandez and Cruz Acosta. Minor had a junior QB last year with Domenico Duran, but there’s also junior Dylan D’Epifanio, an incoming transfer from Northwood of Irvine who has D1 offers. Bishop Amat also had one of the top freshman defensive line players in California with Siave Seti. Other transfers from Orange Vista, Servite of Anaheim and Cathedral of Los Angeles also are expected to contribute.

Cole Dawes is the returnng QB at San Ramon Valley of Danville. Photo: X.com.

Head coach Aaron Becker had teams that went 12-3, 10-3 and 11-2 from 2022 to 2024 but last year the Wolves slipped to 6-5. All indications are that they will be closer to the level they were at those previous three seasons. Cole Dawes is back at QB after he passed for 24 TDs as a junior. Leading receiver Colton Fitzgibbon had 44 catches for 805 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore and has D1 offers from Cal, Oregon and more. Aden Owolabi also is back to lead the offensive line. The 6-foot-6, 280-pounder has a bunch of offers, including those from Stanford, Cal, UCLA and BYU. Stanford and Cal and others also are in on DB Dietrick Burkes.

40. DAMIEN (LA VERNE) 8-3
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Aquinas (San Bernardino).

The key for the Spartans will be to replace three-year standout QB Isaiah Arriaza, who had almost 9,000 yards passing in his career. Indications are that sophomore Anthony Randolph may be fine in the new role. He has D1 offers from UConn, San Jose State and SMU. The rest of the lineup looks loaded. On offense, WR Travon Garrison is a San Diego State commit and RB Malachi McFarland (clocked 10.37 wind-aided in CIF track) is a Boise State commit. The defense will have senior safety Gavin Williams (USC commit and preseason All-CIFSS first team) plus LB Iona Uiagalelei (D1 offers) and DB Dupri Stevenson-Dorsey (a first team all-league pick from last season).

41. CORONA DEL MAR (NEWPORT BEACH) 9-2
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 at Lakewood.

The Bravo League of the CIFSS and Orange County is going to be another top league in which the winning team possibly could get moved up to the vaunted D1 section playoff bracket. Crean Lutheran and Tustin have the most top returning talent, but there’s a lot of folks in the county who have the Sea Kings highly ranked as well. Although QB Brady Arnett has graduated, there’s a lot back everywhere else on the field. The offense will have leading rusher Chase Kuchera back plus most of the offensive line along with all-league WR J.J. Haley. The defense will welcome back all-league honorees Tucker Murray (DB), Nolan Scott (LB) and Henry Birchard (DB).

42. SERRA (GARDENA) 4-6
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Palos Verdes (PV Estates) at El Camino College.

Injuries have tended to wreck the Cavaliers in recent seasons, but they remain one of the most reliable teams to watch in Southern California. They also had top DB/WR Duvay Williams transfer to Inglewood, but it didn’t take long for Pole Moala to come in from Santa Margarita. Moala, a reclassed all-state sophomore from last season from Leuzinger of Lawndale, never played at Santa Margarita. He has committed to UCLA. Serra also has had RB A.J. McBean transfer in from Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach. He has committed to Stanford and has legit track speed. Two more DBs that have multiple D1 offers are Derrick Coleman Jr. and Wesley Ace. Up front, longtime head coach Scott Altenberg also has a top returnee with multi-year starter Larry Shingleton III, a junior who is 6-foot-3, 300 pounds.

43. MURRIETA VALLEY (MURRIETA VALLEY) 9-4
First Game: Thursday, Aug. 20 at Rancho Cucamonga.

Last season’s finalists in the CIFSS D2 playoffs shouldn’t fall too much this season although there were some more than average grad losses. The big plus for the Nighthawks is the return of junior QB Ty Isaia, who passed for 20 TDs as a sophomore and rushed for more than 500 yards. One of the top receivers, Kayden Borden, also is back. WR Jayden Gelin could be another to watch. The offensive line will include senior Vincent Shields (6-6, 275), who has offers from SMU, UCLA, Alabama and more.

44. OAK HILLS (HESPERIA) 8-3
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 at Highland (Palmdale).

We have had the issue in the past of somewhat under-ranking the Bulldogs, who come from a part of the SoCal region that can have players and teams missed. They should be a strong team again this season and if they ever get in a CIFSS playoff division more to their liking (like D3 instead of D2) they could go a long way. The team’s top recruit is senior DL Sione Felila (6-3, 300), committed to Oklahoma. DB Royalton Allen also has committed to Wisconsin and can make plays as a receiver. Sack leader Ritchie Avei (9 sacks in 2025) has committed to Fresno State, OL Epalahame Finau (6-4, 320) has D1 offers as does DB Keyon Yarber.

Before reporting for the start of fall football at Buchanan, junior QB Tommy Devany took part in the Area Code Games for baseball that were held in Long Beach. Photo: X.com.

League rival Clovis West with J.J. Howard isn’t the only team in the Tri-River Athletic Conference that will feature one of the top junior quarterbacks in Northern California. Buchanan also clearly has one with Tommy Devany. He passed for 2,408 yards as a sophomore with 18 TD passes. Devany also has a lot interest from colleges for baseball. The Bears feature additional returnees who shined for them last year, including RBs Carvel Wafer and Gannon Sever, WR/DB Grant Moser and LB Brody Keeslar, and that’s why we’re starting them No. 3 in the Central Section behind Central East and Clovis West.

46. WESTLAKE (WESTLAKE VILLAGE) 10-1
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 at Newbury Park.

Head coach Rick Clausen should have a high octane passing attack as the Warriors are coming off their historic season in which they went 10-0 in the regular season after being 0-10 the previous season before losing a first round CIFSS playoff game. Sophomore QB Ford Green passed for 2,195 yards and 30 TDs as a freshman and will have big-time recruit Charles Davis (committed to Cal), returnee Erik Green (55 catches for for 655 yards) and speedy transfer Demare Dezuern (played at Palisades last season) to throw to. Erik Green also had five interceptions on defense.

47. LONG BEACH POLY (LONG BEACH) 5-5
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 at Downey.

Yes, it’s been the first time since 1976 that the Jackrabbits have not won the Moore League title in back-to-back seasons and while both Wilson and Millikan have some good returnees, the ones coming back at Poly seem at another level and ready to get back to at least their winning ways in that league. First-year head coach Travon Patterson also has great place to start with as the team is the only one in the nation with two consensus 5-star recruits. DB Donte Wright is considered the No. 1 corner prospect in the nation. His teammate, JuJu Johnson, is right behind. WR Zion Anderson (a junior) also has offers from major D1 colleges. The QB position is where someone will need to come through and if someone does the Jackrabbits could be back in the top 25.

48. INDERKUM (SACRAMENTO) 9-2
First Game: Friday, Aug. 28 vs Destiny Christian (Sacramento).

The Tigers have a strong nucleus of returnees from last year and it’s enough for us to start them higher than others from the Sacramento metro area from the Sierra Foothill League after Folsom and Oak Ridge. QB Brody Cole passed for 2,279 yards as a junior and can run the ball to escape pressure. His twin brother, Cruise, plays RB and was one of the leading tacklers last season. Inderkum also has DB Raymond Conrad (five interceptions), DL King Concepcion-Copeland (8.5 sacks) and RB Hasani Betts has an offer from Sac State. The top recruit is sophomore OL Preston Pitts (6-5, 270), one of the top-ranked Class of 2029 offensive tackles in the nation.

49. BAKERSFIELD CHRISTIAN 13-1
First Game: Friday, Aug. 21 vs. Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas, Nev.).

It’s going to be good for the Eagles to get back on the field after that heart-breaking loss to St. Mary’s of Stockton in the CIF D2-AA state final. Head coach Darren Carr is losing a lot of key players, but there also are others back. The final No. 34 ranking from last year is therefore converted to No. 49 to start this season (also No. 4 for the Central Section). RB Darriyon Page (rushed for 1,109 yards and 10 TDs) and TE Owen Yurosek (has D1 offers and is brother of NFL TE Ben Yurosek) are the top two returnees. LB David Aguirre also returns as one of the leading tacklers. Another to watch is junior WR/DB R.J. Shehee after his eligibility went through with his transfer from Bakersfield High

50. HUNTINGTON BEACH 8-3
First Game: Thursday, Aug. 20 at Millikan (Long Beach)

Some of the other pieces surrounding Ohio State committed QB Brady Edmunds graduated, but he’s still there. That’s enough plus other reasons for putting the Oilers inside the top 50. Edmunds begins his senior season with 8,637 yards and 92 TD passes in his high school career so far. The team has a lot back on defense, especially on the back end with Dylin Bruce and Jimmel Champion. Another plus may be the arrival of WR transfer Skylar Robinson, who has been at more than one previous school but he’s a legit talent and has committed to North Carolina.

20 MORE TEAMS ON THE BUBBLE

Carson 10-4
Chino Hills 9-4
Clayton Valley (Concord) 5-6
Clovis 10-3
Downey 9-2
Downey (Modesto) 7-4
Edison (Huntington Beach) 7-6
Granite Bay 9-4
La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 9-2
La Habra 11-4
Los Gatos 9-4
Loyola (Los Angeles) 6-7
Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 9-3
Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 6-7
Palma (Salinas) 11-1
Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 9-3
San Juan Hills (SJ Capistrano) 9-3
San Marcos 7-5
St. Francis (Mountain View) 5-6
Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 8-4

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