The Serra defense harassed Folsom QB Ryder Lyons throughout the Saturday game in San Mateo, but the Bulldogs made it interesting in the fourth quarter. Photo: Willie Eashman / Cal-Hi Sports.
No. 1 St. John Bosco, No. 2 Mater Dei & No. 5 Serra (San Mateo) all victorious in Saturday games. On Friday night, the biggest winners were No. 7 Sierra Canyon and No. 10 Orange Lutheran. Both are guaranteed to move up more than one spot next week since No. 4 Long Beach Poly was routed by national top 10 Bishop Gorman. Big wins as well for top 50 teams Helix of La Mesa and Pacifica of Oxnard.
Note: Look for a brand new State Top 50 set of football rankings that won’t simply be a list on Monday night. We’ll have insights and breakdowns based on 45 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.
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(Rankings based on previous State Top 50)
(Through reported results of Saturday, Aug. 26)
(Thanks to Northern California correspondent Daniel Poulter for contributions)
1. St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 2-0
Defeated St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 20-7 on Saturday at the Broward County Classic in Florida. It was a huge win for head coach Jason Negro’s squad since the Raiders had a 27-game win streak snapped, it was on the ESPN Network and they were a top 10 team nationally. Caleb Sanchez passed for 349 yards and two touchdowns. TayTay Lockett, the sophomore who was a freshman All-American last year at University City (San Diego), had his first career interception for the Braves.
2. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 2-0
Defeated Bingham of South Jordan, Utah, 48-14, on Saturday in a game played in Utah. It was another day of the two schools that dominate California just doing the same when they go outside of the state. Elijah Brown tossed three touchdown passes and sophomore Therman Williams came up with a pick six and a punt return touchdown.
3. Centennial (Corona) 1-1
Defeated No. 18 Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 35-21. Cornell Hatcher rushed for three TDs and 155 yards for the Huskies, who lost 28-14 in their first game to Mater Dei.
Corona Centennial RB Cornell Hatcher had a strong outing Friday vs Santa Margarita. Photo: Hudl.com.
4. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) 1-1
LOST to Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) 60-15 Friday in Oregon. The Jackrabbits fell behind early 22-0 kind of like they did in their first game in Hawaii but this was a national top 10 team they were playing. Next two games will be vs Mission Viejo & Serra (Gardena).
5. Serra (San Mateo) 1-0
Defeated No. 13 Folsom 21-14 on Saturday in home opener. We were told just as the game started by the Chick Walsh, the father of head coach Patrick Walsh, as we happened to be standing next to him to watch out for a trick play on the first play of the game. It happened and it worked as Nano Latu took a lateral out of the backfield and then hurled a pass to Charlie Willey that was caught for an 82-yard touchdown. Serra also scored on a 60-yard deep ball from Maealiuaki Smith to Cole Harrison, but had to hold on in the fourth quarter. Serra hosts De La Salle of Concord next Saturday.
6. Mission Viejo 2-0
Citrus Valley held it close for a half, but a 17-point fourth quarter burst was enough for Mission Viejo to power past the Blackhawks 38-14 on Friday evening in Redlands. Underclassman Vance Spafford had nine catches for 125 yards for Mission Viejo.
7. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 2-0
Defeated No. 15 Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 30-14 on Friday. Wyatt Becker threw for two TDs, one that went to USC commit Xavier Jordan (who didn’t play in the Trailblazers’ first game). Dane Dunn also ran for two TDs.
8. Los Alamitos 2-0
Defeated La Serna (Whittier) 25-6 on Friday. The Griffins took the opening kickoff back to start the contest and never trailed, but La Serna intercepted Los Alamitos three times on the night. The defense didn’t give up a score as the Aztecs’ only score came on a pick six. The Griffins welcome Timpview (Provo, Utah) to town next week.
Steve Chavez did some hurdling and stiff-arming on this play for Orange Lutheran, which ended with a 59-yard TD during 35-14 win at De La Salle. Photo: Willie Eashman.
9. De La Salle (Concord) 0-1
LOST to No. 10 Orange Lutheran 35-14 at home on Friday. We knew that DLS was hosting the Lancers in the first game and ranked them accordingly. For a second, the Spartans looked like they might challenge OLu on a pass inside the 30-yard line and still only down 21-14 late in the third quarter. Wes Barksdale got a strip and fumble recovery for OLu, however, and then a 59-yard TD run by Steve Chavez pushed the lead quickly to 28-14. Both teams scored on their first two drives of the game with DLS scoring on a 16-yard run by QB Toa Faavae and on a 3-yard run by Dominic Kelley.
10. Lutheran (Orange) 2-0
Defeated No. 9 De La Salle (Concord) 35-14 on Friday. Steve Chavez also scored on runs of two and 19 yards in the big win over the Spartans. Head coach Rod Sherman says he was at the game “as a fan” in 2015 when DLS defeated OLu 41-3 in the schools’ only other matchup. Junior QB T.J. Lateef also threw for a pair of scores. The Lancers have Eastside Catholic of Washington at home next week.
11. Lincoln (San Diego) 2-0
The 2022 season only had one blemish for the Lincoln Hornets, a late August 14-7 defeat at the hands of Alemany (Mission Hills). The San Diego Section power left no doubt this season, as the Hornets blew past Alemany 58-6. Oregon quarterback commit Akili Smith Jr. had four first half touchdowns in the rout.
12. Carlsbad 1-0
Defeated Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista) 48-14 on Saturday in an ESPN national TV game that came on right after St. John Bosco played in Florida. A juggling catch in the end zone by Will Cianfrini on a pass from Julian Sayin (the Alabama commit who is the main reason the game was chosen to be on ESPN) was definitely fun to see. The Carlsbad-Lincoln debate in the San Diego Section hopefully will just build up over the coming weeks until they play each other both unbeaten in the Open Division final.
13. Folsom 1-1
LOST on Saturday, 21-14, to No. 5 Serra (San Mateo). The Bulldogs showed a lot of resiliency and fight in coming back from a 21-0 deficit to score twice in the fourth quarter and forced the Padres to fall on an onside kick and then get a first down on offense to clinch the win. Sophomore Ryder Lyons epitomized the effort as he was chased around all day by the Serra defense. He had one TD run and one TD pass. He didn’t throw 10 touchdown passes as a sophomore in his first game like Jake Browning did at Folsom in 2012, but in many ways this performance was more impressive.
14. JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 1-1
It was a bounce back showing for JSerra this week, as the Lions cruised past Aquinas (San Bernardino) 45-13 after a week 0 defeat to No. 7 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth). Butter Tollefson opened the scoring with a 6-yard touchdown burst off the edge and the Lions never trailed in the rout.
15. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 1-1
LOST to No. 7 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 30-14 on Friday. It could have been worse for the Lions except one of the TDs coming on a pick six by top-notch junior LB Christian Knoos.
Sophomore QB Akili Smith Jr. tossed four TD passes in the first half for San Diego Lincoln in its 58-6 triumph vs Alemany. Photo: @THEHIVEFB / Twitter.com.
16. St. Mary’s (Stockton) 2-0
The Rams needed 15 unanswered fourth quarter points to push past Central Catholic (Modesto) 42-33, as Asante Carter rushed for the final two scores for the victory. It won’t be any easier next week as 2-0 Manteca comes to town.
17. Rancho Cucamonga 1-0
Defeated Servite (Anaheim) 34-31. Servite’s Leo Hannan scored a rushing touchdown with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter and the Friars wouldn’t trail until a wild fourth quarter. The Cougars stormed down the field and scored on a passing play in the final minute to pull off the victory.
18. (19) Santa Margarita (Rancho SM) 1-1
LOST on Friday to No.3 Centennial (Corona) 35-21. Eagles led 21-20 at halftime. Trent Mosley had two TDs for SMC and Logan Hirou had two interceptions, one that he returned for a score.
19. Liberty (Bakersfield) 2-0
Defeated Ridgeview (Bakersfield) 34-7 in a game played on Thursday night. It was a milestone night for head coach Bryan Nixon, who won the 200th game of his career. Mehki Delouth at RB and Cole O’Brien at QB are playing great to start the season and TreJon Fulton scored on a 60-yard punt return.
20. San Clemente 2-0
Often over the years when the Tritons have played Torrey Pines of San Diego in a pre-league game it has been close. Not so on Thursday. San Clemente rolled the Falcons, 34-0. Aiden Rubin rushed for 126 yards on 19 carries and scored twice.
21. Madison (San Diego) 2-0
Team had little issue improving to 2-0 as it topped Steele Canyon (Spring Valley) 33-7. Running back Jaylon Brown had three touchdowns in the victory.
22. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 1-1
After last week’s 55-14 shellacking of Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista), it was another high level test for the Dons at Chaminade (West Hills). Unfortunately for Cathedral Catholic, the Eagles had other plans on Friday evening. Central Catholic took a 10-7 lead into the second quarter, but then Chaminade took over. The Eagles went on a 30-0 run before the Dons answered back with a score in the twilight of the third quarter. Central Catholic pulled within 10, but the final score was 40-30.
23. Warren (Downey) 1-1
LOST 27-0 on Friday to No. 25 Serra of Gardena. The Bears were limited on offense with junior QB Madden Iamaleava out with a concussion.
24. Pittsburg 1-0
Defeated Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 49-13 on Saturday in San Francisco. It also is the first win for new head coach Charlie Ramirez. Marley Alcantara threw for four touchdowns.
25. (15) Serra (Gardena) 1-1
It was a solid bounceback win for the Cavs after their 47-19 loss to Orange Lutheran as they blanked No. 23 Warren (Downey) 27-0. LB Tanu Sosa led the defense, including an interception return for a score.
Players from Grant of Sacramento (left) and Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills gather for coin flip prior to Friday game that matched two of the top five ranked teams from the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section. Photo: Joe Davidson / The Sacramento Bee.
TEAMS ON THE BUBBLE
Central Catholic (Modesto) 1-1
For the second straight season, the Raiders fell in the Holy War, as St. Mary’s of Stockton pulled off a 42-33 victory over Central Catholic. Wyatt Drago scored at the end of the third quarter for the Raiders to put Central Catholic up 33-27, but a scoreless final frame was too much to overcome.
Chaminade (West Hills) 1-1
Defeated No. 22 Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 40-30. First game loss was to No. 15 Oaks Christian.
Clovis North (Fresno) 2-0
Defeated Redwood (Visalia) 21-6. Broncos are No. 2 ranked team in CIF Central Section behind Liberty of Bakersfield.
Grant (Sacramento) 1-1
Grant took a 12-0 lead into the halftime break, but the Pacers couldn’t hold on for the full game, as Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) scored 21 points in the third quarter to pull off the 21-18 victory.
Granite Hills (El Cajon) 1-0
Did not play. The Eagles have a bye this week. They play St. Augustine (San Diego) next week.
Helix (La Mesa) 2-0
Defeated Bay Area heavyweight St. Francis (Mountain View) 45-21 on the road. The Helix players got some inspiration before the game during a visit from alum Alex Smith (the former NFL QB).
Oak Hills (Hesperia) 2-0
Defeated Highland (Palmdale) 28-7. This is a team that was 10-0 for the 2022 regular season.
Manteca 2-0
Defeated Granite Bay 15-0. It was a rematch of 2022 Sac-Joaquin Sec D2 final.
Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) 2-0
It appears the Sierra Foothill League is still king in the Sac-Joaquin Section, as the Trojans discord 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to hold off Grant (Sacramento) 21-18 on Friday evening in El Dorado Hills. Jasen Womack had the first score of the game for the Trojans on a six-yard run and connected on a 30-yard touchdown pass to Jadon Anderson in the third quarter.
Pacifica (Oxnard) 2-0
Defeated St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 24-13. There’s a good chance now that the Tritons will go 10-0 for the regular season.
San Ramon Valley (Danville) 1-0
In a rare Friday night game at St. Ignatius (San Francisco), the Wolves rolled to a 42-14 win. QB Luke Baker passed for 307 yards and scored on a short run to get the TDs started.
Upland 2-0
Team improved to 2-0 after blasting Norco 44-7. The Highlanders jumped out to a 37-0 lead during the third quarter and never trailed in the blowout.
Valencia 2-0
Defeated Santa Barbara 45-18. The first win vs Bishop Amat also looking stronger after Amat’s win Friday vs St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs).
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