Edison of Stockton players run out of their tunnel on Friday prior to taking on Lincoln of Stockton in state-ranked Lincoln’s first game. Edison got the big win, 26-7. Photo: Mark Tennis.
Welcome to the first week of the 2021 fall season, which is still one week out for many schools in Northern California. No. 2 St. John Bosco was the highest ranked team in action and opened with a win over nationally ranked Miami Central. Highest ranked team to lose was No. 12 Alemany (Mission Hills), which lost on Thursday night in Utah.
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 more than 40 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. It’s more than 8,000 words of jam-packed info. 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.
FOR TEAMS THAT HAVEN’T STARTED YET, CLICK HERE FOR PRESEASON STATE TOP 50.
We hope you enjoy this free post on CalHiSports.com. To join our Gold Club to get all new state rankings, state record updates and all of the all-state team announcements, CLICK HERE.
(Rankings based on preseason State Top 50 released last week)
(Through reported results of Saturday, Aug. 21)
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 0-0
Did not play. The Monarchs had their scheduled first game vs. No. 8 Corona Centennial postponed due to a positive COVID test inside the Centennial program. The two will play later in the season during what was supposed to have been a bye week for both. MD’s first game will now be the highly anticipated matchup next Friday in Texas against nationally ranked Duncanville.
2. St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 1-0
Defeated Miami Central (Fla.) 35-14. The visiting Rockets had to be nervous getting on a plane from Florida (where the COVID Delta variant is raging) and some in Bellflower were probably nervous for them coming in. In the game itself, Bosco had TDs on its first three drives (one came after a turnover), but the two-time Class 6A state champs from Florida played much better after that. Jabari Bates scored three TDs to lead the Braves.
Matayo Uiagalelei shows off one of St. John Bosco’s new uniforms by Nike before the Braves played Miami Central of Florida in a national game. Photo: @BoscoFootball / Twitter.com.
3. De La Salle (Concord) 0-0
Did not play. Like all other teams in the CIF North Coast Section, the Spartans are beginning their season next week. For their first game, they will be heading to Stockton to take on state No. 22 St. Mary’s.
4. Servite (Anaheim) 1-0
Defeated Edison (Huntington Beach) 54-14. This game was hastily set up due to both teams having opponents with COVID issues. Servite was supposed to have played Bishop Amat (La Puente). The Friars were led vs. the Chargers by senior QB Noah Fifita with 294 yards passing and three TDs and RB Houston Thomas with 184 yards rushing (4 TDs).
5. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 1-0
Defeated Torrey Pines (San Diego) 28-14. The Dons opened their spring season with a 41-0 win over the Falcons. We’ll see how this score plays out in coming weeks for both teams.
6. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 1-0
Defeated JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 40-14. The Trailblazers gave up a TD on the opening kickoff, but it didn’t matter in this win vs. a Trinity League team. Daniel Duran passed for 301 yards and a pair of scores.
7. Folsom 1-0
Defeated Monterey Trail (Elk Grove) 56-14. This matchup of preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams from the Sacramento metro area was tied at 14-14 early in second quarter. It was Bulldogs after that. QB Tyler Tremain passed for five TDs and ran for another score.
8. Centennial (Corona) 0-0
Did not play. The one scheduled for Friday, Aug. 20 at home vs. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) was called off two weeks ago due to a COVID issue. Next on the schedule for next Friday will be a big one against state No. 5 Cathedral Catholic of San Diego.
9. Serra (San Mateo) 0-0
Did not play. State Coach of the Year Patrick Walsh’s squad starts Friday, Aug. 27 at No. 11 Pittsburg. We’re currently scheduled to be heading over on Highway 4 from Stockton to check it out.
10. Los Alamitos 1-0
Defeated Bakersfield 65-18. If you know BHS is the winningest football school in state history, this margin would be surprising. But the Drillers haven’t been near the top of the CIF Central Section for several years.
11. Pittsburg 0-0
Did not play. Head coach Vic Galli’s club will play No. 9 Serra of San Mateo next Friday in its first game at home that should firmly determine the No. 2 team in the Bay Area behind De La Salle.
12. Alemany (Mission Hills) 0-1
LOST to Lone Peak (Utah) 31-24 on Thursday night in Utah. The winners are No. 3 in Utah and were playing in their second game. We’ll see if this just ends up being a good loss to a good team for Alemany.
13. Mission Viejo 1-0
Defeated Apple Valley 44-21. We’ve seen Apple Valley much higher in other rankings than where we started off the Sundevils (at No. 33). The Diablos are guaranteed to move up in th next rankings.
14. Carlsbad 1-0
Defeated Great Oak (Temecula) 35-14. The era of sophomore QB Julian Sayin for the Lancers has begun.
15. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) 0-0
Did not play. Head coach Stephen Barbee’s club had its scheduled game vs. Leuzinger (Lawndale) moved to Sept. 10 due to a COVID issue within the Poly program. The Jackrabbits will now start out next Friday vs. a Serra (Gardena) club that lost a tough game this week to Orange Lutheran.
16. San Clemente 1-0
Defeated Oceanside 38-0. This edition between the two Camp Pendleton border schools (one on the north and one on the south) was won easily by the Tritons.
17. Norco 1-0
Defeated Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 42-26. This matchup between two of the top three teams in the Inland Empire (Vista Murrieta also was No. 25 in state) featured a big game from Norco’s Kyle Crum (3 TD passes) plus an 85-yard TD run by Jadyn Ott.
18. Clovis 1-0
Defeated Sanger 35-12. The Cougars opened up at Tom Flores Stadium in Sanger, which now carries even more significance with Flores’ recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
19. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 0-1
LOST to Chaminade (West Hills) 48-17. The Lions, who had to go with a freshman starting QB due to a positive COVID case, were killed by two interception return TDs by Marquis Gallegos of the Eagles (one that was 99 yards).
20. Serra (Gardena) 0-1
LOST to No. 31 Orange Lutheran 31-20. The Cavs will try to bounce back next week vs. Long Beach Poly.
21. Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 1-0
Defeated San Juan Hills (SJ Capistrano) 38-14. QB Jaxon Potter and the Eagles looked good against an opponent was in the top 10 of the Orange County Register preseason rankings.
22. St. Mary’s (Stockton) 0-0
Did not play. The Rams were the exception in the Sac-Joaquin Section by not playing during 0 Week. They’ll need the extra time with first game next Friday at home vs. No. 4 De La Salle.
23. Mission Hills (San Marcos) 1-0
Defeated Chaparral (Temecula) 24-13. It should be called a strong opening win for the Grizzlies as Chaparral was in the Inland Empire preseason rankings and was in our own preseason top 50.
24. Buchanan (Clovis) 51-0
Defeated Kingsburg 33-7. Bears beat a foe that has been stubborn the last few seasons against higher-ranked opponents.
25. Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 0-1
LOST to No. 17 Norco 42-26. This loss isn’t going to drop the Broncos out of the top 50, but probably at least into the 30s. Norco might end up that good.
Zan Dosty collected a necklace after scoring the first touchdown of the season for Edison of Stockton in big win over Lincoln. Photo: Mark Tennis.
TEAMS ON THE BUBBLE
Apple Valley 0-1
LOST to No. 13 Mission Viejo 44-21. Step up game for preseason No. 33 squad so it won’t drop that far in next rankings.
Chaminade (West Hills) 1-0
Defeated No. 19 Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 48-17. Oaks Christian transfer QB Amari Powell led the way for the Eagles.
Central (Fresno) 1-0
Defeated Bullard (Fresno) 51-32. It may be a three-team race at the top of the Central Section between the Grizzlies, Buchanan and Clovis.
Eastlake (Chula Vista) 1-0
Defeated Steele Canyon (Spring Valley) 10-6. The Titans were 4-0 last spring and projected to be among top teams in San Diego Section.
Edison (Stockton) 1-0
Defeated Lincoln (Stockton) 26-7. Lincoln was a preseason darling by many (including us at No. 27), but couldn’t get out of its own shadow in this one with high snaps and poor special teams play. Watch out for Edison, too. The Vikings got big plays from junior Zan Dosty, senior Johnathan Taylor and QB Aidan Carr drove the Lincoln defense nuts with his scrambling.
Inglewood 1-0
Defeated preseason state No. 32 Loyola (Los Angeles) 26-24. Sentinels were placed at No. 43.
Lincoln (San Diego) 1-0
Defeated Monte Vista (Spring Valley) 49-0. Hornets revved up in anticipation of next week’s game against Los Alamitos.
Lutheran (Orange) 1-0
Defeated No. 20 Serra (Gardena) 31-20. Congrats to new head coach Rod Sherman for collecting first win in California (he has many in Colorado). Lancers were No. 38 in our preseason rankings.
Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 0-0
Did not play. First game will be next Friday vs. Paloma Valley (Menifee).
Rocklin 1-0
Defeated Turlock 41-0 on Saturday. Game was postponed from Friday. Team could be moving up to No. 2 in Sacramento metro rankings.
San Ramon Valley (Danville) 0-0
Did not play. First game will be next Friday vs. Vintage (Napa).
Valley Christian (San Jose) 0-0
Did not play. Preseason No. 2 team in CCS after Serra (San Mateo) starts season next week vs. Wilcox of Santa Clara.
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:
2 Comments
A little surprised by how low Mission Viejo is ranked… are they that much worse than previous years?
Maybe not. We’ll find out vs. Servite this week. They kind of laid an egg, though, in last game of spring vs. San Clemente so that was definitely going to put them behind Los Al for example to start this fall. Wasn’t sure the OC people would even put Mission ahead or behind San Clemente to start.