Ohio State-committed QB Brady Edmunds (left) and team at Huntington Beach qualify as medium schools and also are No. 1 in first medium schools state rankings of the season. For small schools, players for initial No. 1 Hilmar make a tackle during game early this season vs Los Banos. Photos: @HBHSFootball / X.com & shotby.jolo & hilmarhighfootball / Instagram.com.
It’s time to start looking at which football teams in the state have been the most impressive so far this season for what would be considered medium and small schools. A few of these placements as medium/small or large could change based on competitive equity-based section playoffs, but as of now we have Huntington Beach, Carson and Bakersfield Christian on top for medium with Hilmar, Crespi of Encino and Liberty Ranch of Galt as the top three for small.
Note: This is a free post at CalHiSports.com. All future medium/small school state football rankings this season, however, will be for our Gold Club members only. To check out getting a Gold Club membership to see all of these rankings plus all of our updated state record lists, totally authentic historical features, recruiting player ratings and more, CLICK HERE.
(All based on section by section playoff formats, updated computer rankings, plus combination of enrollment and traditional placement into state rankings that we have done for nearly 50 years)
(There also will be final five divisional state rankings done after the season so that we continue to have an archive of them going back to the early 1980s)
MEDIUM SCHOOLS TOP 15
(After games of Saturday, Oct. 10)
1. Huntington Beach 7-0
Since they are in the Delta League of the CIF Southern Section (as opposed to Alpha or Bravo), the Oilers qualify as a medium school for these rankings. They also are currently sitting at No. 24 overall in our State TOP 50 rankings. QB Brady Edmunds (Ohio State) still have already beaten both El Modena and Dana Hills in league.
2. Carson 6-1
All L.A. City Section teams have been considered medium or small in recent seasons. Carson has L.A. City folks pumped up since its only loss has been to Palos Verdes (large) and there’s been a big win vs San Diego Lincoln.
3. Bakersfield Christian 5-1*
Last year’s runner up in the CIF D2-AA state final is still considered medium by our standards. The Eagles have a forfeit win not counted in their record. Their only loss came in the first game to Faith Lutheran of Las Vegas by one point. There is a chance that head coach Darren Carr’s team will be in the top division of the CIF Central Section playoffs, but we’ll wait to find out for sure.
4. Santa Fe Christian (Solana Beach) 7-0
Going down our teams in the top 50, the Eagles were would be next in line. Last year, they were small schools but won in a lower division of the San Diego Section playoffs. They are going to be most likely in D1 this time. They have a 38-6 win over Helix and are going to be 10-0 entering the playoffs. A run in D1 (assuming no Open Division) is going to be one of the most intriguing storylines to watch this season.
5. Los Gatos 5-1
Team’s recent 28-27 upset win over Pittsburg pushed it way up into the NorCal pecking order. The Wildcats traditionally have been medium as opposed to large (where the West Catholic Athletic League teams in the CCS are always placed). We still have it that way even though Los Gatos could be in the Open Division mix in the CCS playoffs.
Head coach Mario Millan from Kennedy of Delano, whose team won 2025 CIF D3-A state title, reacts after this year’s team posted a big win vs Tulare. Photo: delanonow.com.
6. Westlake (Westlake Village) 6-1
The Warriors are not in the Marmonte League like some of the other top teams in Ventura County (Pacifica of Oxnard, St. Bonaventure, etc) so they qualify as medium schools for these rankings. Westlake has a loss to Tustin of Orange County’s Bravo League (large) with a win over Newbury Park (also Marmonte League).
7. Acalanes (Lafayette) 5-1
It very well could be that the Dons will be in the top division of the CIF North Coast Section playoffs (same as De La Salle), which would be too bad. As for now, we have the traditional medium school squad just inside our TOP 50 overall state rankings. That’s due to having just a 42-38 loss to St. Ignatius and a win over Marin Catholic of Kentfield.
8. Hart (Newhall) 6-1
We just elevated the Hawks into the top 50 overall for the state as well. They have a win over Newbury Park with a loss to Pacifica of Oxnard (both top 50 as well) and have been dominating in the Foothill League.
9. Apple Valley 6-1
Shyan Biswas scored on a kickoff return to help the Sundevils knock off previous state No. 48 Oak Hills, 20-7, in a Mojave River League matchup from last Friday. They also have a 28-7 win over Vista Murrieta.
10. St. Joseph (Santa Maria) 7-0
There haven’t been any close games for the Knights and it hasn’t been possible yet to move them up inside the top 50. They are considered one of the top four or five teams in the CIF Central Section and would be medium schools by our criteria.
11. Oak Hills (Hesperia) 4-3
The Bulldogs just lost to Apple Valley, but before that were inside the top 50 for the state with a win over Rancho Cucamonga. Their other two losses are to JSerra and Bishop Amat.
12. Woodcreek (Roseville) 6-0
Last year’s CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D4 champions have not dropped at all despite some key players moving on. The Timberwolves avenged their loss to Sonora in the CIF NorCal D2-A regional final last year with a 62-13 win over the Wildcats in their second game.
13. San Jacinto 7-0
Wins over Chino Hills and Great Oak of Temecula (both large schools) pushed the Tigers upward in local rankings and increased their odds of going unbeaten in the regular season. Not sure why one computer model we saw said they have an almost 60 percent chance of finishing the regular season unbeaten when one of San Jacinto’s remaining games is against very strong San Diego Section school Granite Hills of El Cajon. Maybe the computer thought it was the other Granite Hills in Apple Valley.
14. Destiny Christian (Sacramento) 6-0
The Lions are playing state No. 26 Grant of Sacramento on Friday. They are in the same league, but Grant is D1 for the Sac-Joaquin Section (therefore large) while Destiny Christian is D3 (medium).
15. Dana Hills (Dana Point) 6-1
The Dolphins and the next team in line for our medium schools rankings, El Modena, both played Huntington Beach in competitive, close games over the past two weeks. Dana Hills’ loss last Friday to the Oilers was 21-16.
16. El Modena (Orange) 6-1
Huntington Beach also had a hard time getting past the Vanguards when they played two weeks ago. Instead of 21-16 like it was with Dana Hills, it was 24-21. El Modena won last week, 21-14, over Laguna Beach.
17. Kennedy (Delano) 6-1
Last year’s CIF D3-A state champs who beat Carson and McClymonds of Oakland to get that done have just one loss so far this season. That one was 26-7 to Bakersfield Christian. The Thunderbirds won last week, 63-6, over Delano.
18. Soquel 4-1
The Knights lost a lot of top players from last season, but they’ve been pretty good so far in 2026. They lost their first game, 24-0, but that was to Los Gatos. They won their fourth straight last week, 14-7, over North Salinas.
19. Paraclete (Lancaster) 3-4
The Angelus League in the CIFSS is medium schools (not like the old days) and we have the Spirits as highest ranked from that group. Their losses are all to large schools (St. Bonaventure, Bakersfield, La Habra, Valencia) and they’ve started out in the Angelus League with wins of 56-36 vs St. Paul and 58-0 vs Bishop Montgomery.
20. Bonita (La Verne) 7-0
The Bearcats have started out their league schedule with wins of 35-0 over Colony of Ontario and 45-16 over Northview of Covina.
Teams On The Bubble
Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 5-1
Cajon (San Bernardino) 4-3
Charter Oak (Covina) 7-0
Eastlake (Chula Vista) 8-0
Laguna Beach 4-3
Los Altos (Hacienda Heights) 7-0
McClymonds (Oakland) 3-3
Northgate (Walnut creek) 6-0
Oakdale 4-3
Orange 7-0
Point Loma (San Diego) 6-1
San Pedro 5-1
Tulare Western (Tulare) 7-0
Ukiah 7-0
Windsor 5-1
SMALL SCHOOLS TOP 10
1. Hilmar 7-0
Coming from the same league as 2025 D2-A state champion Sonora, the Yellowjackets just beat the Wildcats in a Trans-Valley League game, 35-29, and they also had a win in their first league game, 36-32, over powerhouse Escalon. Mark Santos has done a good job in first year after longtime head coach Frank Marques retired.
2. Crespi (Encino) 6-1
The Celts are looking good in the Del Rey League behind junior QB Chase Curren (already has school record for TD passes). They lost their first game by a respectable 31-24 to Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, which is now up to 7-0 and large schools. Crespi’s last four wins have been 64-0, 40-0, 51-3 and last week 49-0 over Harvard-Westlake.
Chase Curren is the young QB from Crespi of Encino who already has set new school record for career TD passes. Photo: Hudl.com.
3. Liberty Ranch (Galt) 6-0
Computer rankings by MaxPreps has the Hawks ahead of Hilmar, but we have Hilmar from the Trans-Valley League higher. Liberty Ranch has everyone back from a team we saw last year beat Bradshaw Christian and got a big win in the very first game over Escalon. It’s been blowout city after that.
4. Sutter 6-0
The Sac-Joaquin Section has been the epicenter of top state small school teams in recent seasons and another one running roughshod through its competition and with some top-level players is the Huskies. Sutter RB Losi Asiata has 1,233 yards rushing and 21 TDs. Cal committed DL Troy Bowens has missed games with injuries but is averaging more than 10 tackles per game.
5. Immanuel (Reedley) 7-0
The Raiders won last week, 28-14, over Dinuba and in two weeks will be playing unbeaten Kerman in a big league game. They have 5-2 Kingsburg first this week, however.
6. Mary Star (San Pedro) 7-0
A 42-26 win from two weeks ago vs St. Monica is the one that really stands out for the Stars. QB Ian Ditch just threw for six TDs last week in 63-6 win vs. Bosco Tech.
7. Redding Christian (Palo Cedro) 5-0*
Are the Lions the best team overall in the CIF Northern Section? Even ahead of those like Pleasant Valley and Chico? The computer thinks so. They definitely haven’t been challenged so far and two of the wins were by default (7-0 record counting those outcomes). Redding Christian also has longest current win streak in state at 20 games (not counting forfeits).
8. Ferndale 6-0
It’s not the insane shutouts and scoring margins of last year, but the Wildcats have been beating good teams, including St. Bernard’s of Eureka, 27-24, two weeks ago.
9. Half Moon Bay 6-0
It’s that time of the year when the HMB Cougars are winning football games and they are weighing giant pumpkins near the beach. The best win so far has been 49-28 over Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton.
10. Escalon 4-3
Two of the three losses came in close games to teams above (Liberty Ranch and Hilmar). Another was by 27-22 to large school Chavez of Stockton. The Cougars alsoo have a 21-14 win over Oakdale and a 39-7 win over Ripon Christian.
NEXT FIVE TEAMS IN ORDER
11. Desert Christian Academy (Bermuda Dunes) 7-0
12. Kerman 7-0
13. Sonora 4-3
14. St. Monica (Santa Monica) 5-2
15. Escondido Charter (Escondido) 7-0
Teams On The Bubble
Aquinas (San Bernardino) 3-4
Bishop’s (La Jolla) 5-2
Chowchilla 7-0
Coalinga 6-1
East Nicolaus (Nicolaus) 7-0
Fortuna 5-1
Holtville 5-2
Imperial 6-1
King City 7-0
King-Drew (Los Angeles) 4-3
King’s Academy (Sunnyvale) 2-4
Maranatha Christian (San Diego) 6-1
Moreau Catholic (Hayward) 4-2
Rio Hondo Prep (Arcadia) 5-2
Shafter 6-1
St. Vincent de Paul (Petaluma) 4-2
Winters 6-0
Note: For questions about placing teams in medium or small, feel free drop a message through email.
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.
