New State Top 25 Rankings (Part 2)

Granite Bay players whoop it up after winning second straight Sac-Joaquin Section Division I title.

13. (12) CHAMINADE (WEST HILLS) 12-2
Why This Ranking: For this week anyway, the Eagles drop down behind Edison and Oceanside in both the top 25 and for Division II South. If Serra were to win the D2 state bowl title, though, Chaminade would then likely come back up in front of Edison and Oceanside because the team had a win over the Cavaliers from earlier in the season.
Weekend Result: Despite leading 24-21 in the third quarter, the Eagles fell short in their bid to beat league rival Serra for the second time this season. The 30-28 loss gave Serra the CIFSS Western Division title and ended the season for Chaminade. Terrell Newby again shined with 31 carries for 178 yards and two touchdowns. Donovan Lee added a 78-yard punt return. For the season, Newby ended with 45 TDs and 2,307 yards. He also ends with 105 career TDs. All of those totals make Newby a top Player of the Year candidate for the L.A. Daily News and L.A. Times.
Up Next: Season complete. Coach Ed Croson’s team obviously can still move up in the final state rankings depending on how Serra does in its bid for a state crown.

14. (17) MISSION VIEJO 11-1
Why This Ranking: The Diablos’ placement is readjusted upward three spots for the second straight week based on strength of schedule and the fact that the Long Beach Poly team they lost to three weeks ago is in the CIF SoCal Division I regional bowl game against No. 15 Clovis North. It’s hard to figure at this point how a Poly win would affect them in next week’s rankings but the boys from Fresno are staring them down from the next spot below.
Weekend Result: Season complete. Did not play.
Up Next: Season complete. Receiver/defensive back Max Redfield is one Diablo to watch for in all of the local, state and national honors that are currently being compiled.

15. (23) CLOVIS NORTH (CLOVIS) 12-1
Why This Ranking: Of the teams remaining in the race to Carson, the Broncos get the biggest bump in the rankings, prancing up eight spots after a win in the CIF Central Section Division I title game over crosstown Central. Once they hit the board at the commissioners meeting, there was little doubt coach Cory Hall and his top-ranked section team would get the nod over the only other eligible team on the board — 9-3 Chula Vista Eastlake.
Weekend Result: Trying to beat a quality team twice in a season is hard enough, and it’s even harder to put a licking on them twice in the same season. In the title game rematch with Central, Clovis North didn’t win 50-7, but did take the crown with a solid 27-10 victory in which the Broncos were almost as dominant as the first meeting, outgaining their opponents 355-128 in yards while holding the Grizzlies to three first downs. Quarterback Christian Rossi threw for two TDs and orchestrated a 21-7 halftime lead, and the defense and running game closed it out.
Up Next: The Broncos’ big bump could get lassoed if they lose in the SoCal Division I Regional final against Long Beach Poly, or they could jump up again if they win, or they could play real well and lose a close game and stay in the rankings that way. The fans don’t care about the rankings right now, and those that make the 500-mile round trip to Veterans Stadium in Long Beach will be screaming for a victory. They will face a Jackrabbits’ team that is bolstered with confidence after pulling off upsets to win the CIFSS Pac Five title. There are Broncos faithful that will say Poly has a loss to three-loss Bakersfield that lost to Central, but this is not the same Poly team as in week four. If it is and SoCal is weaker than the Valley, then Clovis North will be making a return trip down south in two weeks.

16. (NR) GRANITE BAY 11-3
Why This Ranking: Despite being favored by many to win the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship, we had to have the Grizzlies behind previous No. 18 Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills (only loss to Folsom) and just outside of last week’s Top 25. That’s no longer the case after a 35-23 win over the Trojans on Friday night. With Bellarmine of San Jose losing, the Grizzlies went from likely being ranked No. 4 in NorCal behind the Bells to being No. 3 behind De La Salle of Concord and Folsom, which are playing in the CIF NorCal Open Division Bowl Game. During their 10-game game winning streak, the other big win was against Franklin of Elk Grove, which was 12-0 at the time. Granite Bay has now won two straight SJS D1 titles and for that it gets extra rankings points from us as well.
Weekend Result: On a slightly rainy night in Sacramento, it was the Grizzlies’ running game that dominated as they rushed for 549 yards to capture the blue championship banner. Taft Partridge led the way with 235 yards on 11 carries while scoring on runs of 86 and 47 yards in the second half. Tony Ellison rushed for 195 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries while John Cooley ran for 126 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries. Grant Caraway wasn’t asked to pass much but he did complete six passes for 57 yards and a score.
Up Next: Coach Ernie Cooper’s squad will face St. Ignatius of San Francisco on Friday night at Sacramento State in the NorCal Division I regional final. Our early prediction is that the Grizzlies will win and then head to Carson to play in the Division I state bowl game the following Friday against either Long Beach Poly or Clovis North.

17. (21) UPLAND 12-1
Why This Ranking: Ranked in the top 10 before the season ended with a 46-36 loss to Centennial of Corona, the Highlanders could continue to move up higher as the Huskies keep winning. Centennial plays No. 2 Narbonne this week in the CIF SoCal Open Division regional final.
Weekend Result: Season complete. Upland’s best win probably was the one against talented Rancho Cucamonga that gave the team a Baseline League title.
Up Next: Season complete. Look for Upland players to gain recognition in our own all-state football package as well as from the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

18. (20) SANTA MARGARITA (RANCHO SM) 9-3
Why This Ranking: After moving up one spot last week, the Eagles get a two spot bump. However, they fall in behind Upland instead of ahead of the Highlanders due to comparing how the teams both Santa Margarita and Upland did in last week’s playoffs.
Weekend Result: Did not play. Season complete.
Up Next: Season complete. The Eagles can’t move up too much any more in the rankings, but a big win by L.B. Poly this week would help.

19. (7) CRENSHAW (LOS ANGELES) 11-2
Why This Ranking: The Cougars drop 12 spots after getting blanked by No. 2 Narbonne in the L.A. City Section Division I final. Had the Cougars played ‘Bonne a bit closer, they could have been a few spots higher.
Weekend Result: Crenshaw’s offensive explosion never came against Narbonne as two thrown interceptions by QB Ajene Harris contributed to The Shaw’s 10-0 halftime deficit. A late third quarter fumble Crenshaw lost inside the red zone killed any thoughts of Crenshaw climbing back into the game.
Up Next: Season complete. Crenshaw will finish higher in the ratings than No. 25 Oaks Christian, whom they beat, but similar to several other teams its final rating will depend on how well Narbonne fares this week – and potentially next. Still, it was a successful season for a program supposedly rebuilding with a roster of approximately 30 players.

20. (22) ALEMANY (MISSION HILLS) 9-3
Why This Ranking: With the teams the Warriors beat and those that they lost to, it’s not likely they’re going to move up or drop down too much as we head to the final rankings. One of the losses, though, was in the close game to Corona Centennial so if Centennial does well this week then that might be good for Alemany.
Weekend Result: Season complete. Did not play.
Up Next: Season complete. There are a number of honors teams for Warrior fans to look for, including those from the L.A. Daily News, L.A. Times and our own from Cal-Hi Sports.

21. (NR) MARIN CATHOLIC (KENTFIELD) 13-1
Why This Ranking: With previous No. 9 Bellarmine upset by a new No. 22 St. Ignatius team that Marin Catholic defeated 28-21 in week two, the Wildcats jump into these rankings, move up to the No. 2 spot in the Bay Area and ahead of the West Catholic Athletic League teams. There were those that questioned their staying at No. 1 in the CIF NorCal D3 Bowl Game rankings after their loss to Vacaville and No. 2 El Cerrito going along unblemished, including a win over last year’s state finalist, Campolindo of Moraga, however Marin Catholic proved themselves in driving rain, and in what was pretty much a home game for El Cerrito at Pinole Valley High.
Weekend Result: El Cerrito gave the Wildcats all they could handle but the game came down to a handful of plays, an interception by Jared Lazor with 2:49 left, a fourth-and-four 12-yard pass from Cal-bound quarterback Jared Goff to Colton Hanley with 55.4 seconds remaining, and a 27-yard field goal into the wind with 22.2 seconds left by Chris Hill that pulled out a 31-28 victory. Goff had a little trouble in the wind and steady downpour throughout the game, but for the second-straight week he showed he has legs besides a rocket arm that makes him one of California’s top quarterbacks. His 30-yard scamper on the first play of the fourth quarter gave MC a 28-21 lead. “The greyhound was loose tonight,” Marin Catholic coach Mazi Moayed said.
Up Next: The Wildcats now face 13-0 Sutter (10 miles west of Yuba City) for the right to represent the North in the CIF Division III Bowl game in Carson. The Sac-Joaquin Section had submitted Napa Stadium, and the Marin Catholic administration would have liked that venue, but the CIF chose Oroville and Harrison Stadium for the game based on an inability to vet Napa and the other locations submitted. “We would have liked to play more locally but we’re just excited to be playing in a regional football game,” Marin Catholic Athletic Director Adam Callan told Cal-Hi Sports. As for the game itself, Marin Catholic has already scouted Sutter and is preparing for their wing-T offense that uses multiple running backs and averaged just under 300 yards rushing per game. Whether Sutter knows what its getting into facing the 6-foot-5, 195-pound Goff remains to be seen, but the Wildcats will be favorites regardless of where the game is played.

22. (NR) ST. IGNATIUS (SAN FRANCISCO) 10-3
Why This Ranking: Despite having three losses and tying for second place in the ultra-tough wild and wacky West Catholic Athletic League, coach John Regalia and his boys avenged a regular season loss to Bellarmine by upsetting the Bells in the CCS Open Division title game. As a result, the Wildcats fall in behind their namesakes that beat them 28-21 to open the season. Now, for the first time since Cal-Hi Sports started a Top 20/25 format in 1991, a team from the city of San Francisco is gracing the state football rankings.
Weekend Result: Ending Bellarmine’s 17-game winning streak against WCAL rivals was no easy task. In fact, it took overtime in a 13-10 victory that was tied 7-7 at the end of regulation. After the Bells kicked a field goal in overtime, St. Ignatius got the ball and junior running back Elijah Dale took a first down handoff from quarterback Jack Stinn and sprinted 10 yards around left end virtually untouched before leaping into the end zone – and then getting mobbed by delirious teammates.
Up Next: Despite being Division III enrollment for CIF playoffs, as the CCS Open Division champion and with no other teams on the board for D1 in NorCal at the commissioners meeting, the Wildcats had to receive the NorCal D1 regional berth. With the selection, they face another three-loss team in Granite Bay, but those losses were long ago and since then the Grizzlies have won 10-straight and beaten some very tough teams.

23. (9) BELLARMINE (SAN JOSE) 11-2
Why This Ranking: The Bell landed with a bit of a thud, but at least it landed remaining in the rankings, falling in right behind St. Ignatius after the disappointing overtime loss to their WCAL rivals.
Weekend Result: Bellarmine was in a position to win in regulation after driving 73 yards to the St. Ignatius 3-yard line with 1:19 remaining, but head coach Mike Janda decided to go for it on fourth down rather than kick a field goal. The Wildcats stopped Kenneth Olugbode inches from the goal line, and SI then ran out the clock. Bellarmine played without four players, three of whom (including two starters) were suspended for undisclosed reasons. A fifth player, starting running back Joey SanFilippo, the team’s fastest player, was lost in the first quarter to a calf injury and never returned.
Up Next: Season complete, but depending on what St. Ignatius does against Granite Bay the Bells could rise next week, or possibly drop out of the rankings along with the Wildcats.

24. (24) NOTRE DAME (SHERMAN OAKS) 8-4
Why This Ranking: The Knights’ season has been over for two weeks, but keeping them in the rankings is the fact that all four of their losses were to teams currently ranked in the top 20. One of them was by just 26-23 to No. 6 Serra of Gardena, which could win a state title.
Weekend Result: Season complete. The best win ended up being against Oaks Christian in the playoffs.
Up Next: Season complete. With 2010-11 State Athlete of the Year Khalfani Muhammad having committed to Cal, look for at least a few more Notre Dame players to be on recruiting trips in the coming weeks.

25. (25) OAKS CHRISTIAN (WESTLAKE VILLAGE) 8-3
Why This Ranking: The Lions are another team that has wins and losses to teams inside the top 25 as they lost to No. 10 St. Bonaventure, No. 19 Crenshaw of Los Angeles and No. 24 Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks but will now be behind No. 16 Granite Bay, which they defeated earlier this season.
Weekend Result: Season complete. Another key win for Oaks Christian in the preseason came against No. 13 Chaminade of West Hills.
Up Next: Season complete. Many juniors and sophomores off the Lions’ roster should get a lot of attention in the coming months.

TEAMS THAT DROPPED OUT:

Previous No. 13 Elk Grove; No. 18 Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills); No. 19 James Logan (Union City).

TEAMS ON THE BUBBLE:

Bishop Amat (La Puente) 7-3-1
Buhach Colony (Atwater) 10-3
California (San Ramon) 9-3
Charter Oak (Covina) 10-2
Central (Fresno) 11-3
Citrus Hill (Perris) 14-0
Clayton Valley (Concord) 12-1*
Crespi (Encino) 8-2
Del Oro (Loomis) 7-6
Eastlake (Chula Vista) 9-3
El Cerrito 13-1
El Toro (Lake Forest) 9-2
Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 10-2
Oakdale 13-1*
Palos Verdes (PV Estates) 11-3
Poway 10-3
Rancho Cucamonga 10-3
Serra (San Mateo) 9-3
Serrano (Phelan) 13-1
Villa Park 12-2

*Teams are playing each other in CIF D2 North bowl game. All other bubble teams season complete.