California Top 25 high school football rankings (8/19/2024)

Mission Viejo, Sierra Canyon go to Islands to record victories in only games involving ranked teams last week

Mission Viejo breaks on the field at Saddleback College before its state Division 1-AA football championship game against De La Salle Dec. 8, 2024. The Diablos won the game 27-14. / Photo: Joe Bergman

Only two teams from SBLive’s preseason Top 25 California list played games in Week 0 minus 1 last week and both those squads — No. 5 Mission Viejo and No. 6 Sierra Canyon — won handily in Hawaii. 

That left those rankings all intact, heading into Week 0 games, which open in five of the CIF’s 10 sections: San Diego, Los Angeles, Southern, Central and Sac-Joaquin Sections. 

A healthy dose of Top 25 matchups take place, starting with the big showdown of No. 1 Mater Dei hosting No. 2 Corona Centennial at the Santa Ana Bowl. There are six more of those matchups either Friday or Saturday. 

CALIFORNIA TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS 

No. 1: Mater Dei (0-0)

Last week rank: 1
This week: Thursday vs. No. 2 Corona Centennial at Santa Ana Bowl

Monarchs have won five straight in series vs. Huskies — including 28-14 last season — after losing eight of 11. 

2. Corona Centennial (0-0)

Last week: 2
This week:  Thursday vs. No. 1 Mater Dei at Santa Ana Bowl

Last beat the Monarchs 42-36 in 2015

3. St. John Bosco (0-0)

Last week: 3
This week: Saturday at Chaminade-Madonna (Fla) 

With a first-year starting QB — either junior Matai Fuiava or freshman Koa Malau’ulu — the Braves might rely heavily on the ground game in a big matchup at Florida’s No. 2 team. 

4. Folsom (0-0)

Last week: 4
This week: Friday vs. No. 18 Long Beach Poly

Hard to believe junior QB Ryder Lyons has two more full seasons of high school football.

5. Mission Viejo (1-0)

Mission Viejo quarterback Luke Fahey (3) combined with Draiden Trudeau to throw for more than 250 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-7 win at Kapalama on Saturday. / File photo: Joe Bergman

Last week rank (result): 5 — defeated Kamehameha Kapalama, 41-7
This week: Saturday vs. No. 12 Santa Margarita

According to scoreinglive.com, Draiden Trudeau completed 9 of 14 for 172 yards and two touchdowns, Vance Spafford had five catches for 102 yards and two scores and the Diablos scored three unanswered touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win going away. 

6. Sierra Canyon (1-0)

Sierra Canyon QB. Wyatt Becker threw for 217 points and a touchdown in an impressive 30-7 win over Punahou Saturday in Hawaii. / File photo: Heston Quan

Last week rank (result): 6 — defeated Punahou, 30-7
This week: Friday at No. 11 JSerra Catholic

Dane Dunn rushed for 135 yards and a touchdown and Wyatt Becker threw for 217 yards and another score in the win at Punahou. 

7. Orange Lutheran (0-0)

Last week: 7
This week: Friday at No. 13 Serra-Gardena

With a healthy TJ Lateef, RB Steve Chavez and TE AJ La, the Lancers are loaded offensively. 

8. Lincoln-San Diego (0-0)

Last week: 8
This week: Saturday vs. Arbor View (Nev.)

Oregon bound QB Akili Smith primed for a huge senior season. 

9. De La Salle (0-0)

Last week: 9
This week: Idle, first game Aug. 30 vs. No. 15 Grant

Blessed with returners at all the skill positions, including third-year QB Toa Fa’avae and RBs Derrick Blanche and Dominic Kelley, look for Spartans to run plenty of no-huddle.

10. Pittsburg (0-0)

Last week: 10
This week: Idle, first game Aug. 30 at Monterey Trail

Senior QB Marley Alcantara threw for nearly 2,900 yards and 37 touchdowns in his first year as starter last season. 

11. JSerra Catholic (0-0)

Last week: 11
This week: vs. No. 6 Sierra Canyon

Second-year coach Victor Cruz has a lot to be excited about including first-year starting quarterback Ryan Hopkins. 

12. Santa Margarita (0-0)

Last week: 12
This week: Saturday at No. 5 Mission Viejo

Trent Mosley is one of the top junior playmakers in the state.

13. Gardena Serra (0-0)

Last week: 13
This week: Friday vs. Orange Lutheran

Longtime coach Scott Altenberg is excited about this squad

14. Murrieta Valley (0-0)

Last week: 14
This week: Friday at No. 21 Rancho Cucamonga 

Stanford-bound quarterback Bear Bachmeier has piled up more than 6,800 total yards and 73 touchdowns. 

15. Grant Union (0-0)

Last week: 15
This week: Friday at Edison

Quarterback Luke Alexander can’t wait for a big senior after getting hurt in the state-title game of 2023. 

16. Los Alamitos (0-0)

Last week: 16
This week: Friday vs. Western

The Griffins lost Anthony League to Millikan, but return just about everything else along skill lines, including QB Alonzo Esparza. 

17. San Clemente (0-0)

Last week: 17
This week: Friday at Chaparral

The Tritons may have the best set of linebackers in the state in Puka Fuimaono, Matai Tagoai, Zeke Rubinstein and Kaden Raymond. 

18. Long Beach Poly (0-0)

Last week: 18
This week: Friday at No. 4 Folsom

Rugged nonleague schedule starts against Northern California’s best

19. Loyola (0-0)

Last week: 19
This week: Friday at Cathedral

Back in the Mission League, the Cubs looked primed for a big 2024 helped by transfers Markus Keir, a wide receiver from Mission Viejo and quarterback Ashton Pannell, from St. John Bosco.

20. Archbishop Riordan (0-0)

Last week: 20
This week: Bye, open Aug. 30 at McClymonds

With the biggest and probably best offensive line in Northern California, combined with third- year starting QB Michael Mitch and playmakers Chris Lawson and Cynai Thomas, look for Crusaders to pile on the points. 

21. Rancho Cucamonga (0-0)

Last week: 21
This week: Friday vs. Murrieta Valley

Look for the dynamic QB tandem of Emiliano Villarreal and Jacob Chambers. 

22. Oaks Christian (0-0)

Last week: 22
This week: Friday at Chaminade

QB Axel Eason and RB Deshonne Redeaux should be a lethal 1-2 punch.

23. Warren (0-0)

Last week: 23
This week: Friday vs. Kamehameha (Hawaii)

Don’t be surprised if UCLA-bound QB Madden Iamaleava hits the 4,000-yard passing plateau after throwing for 3,626 yards and 43 TDs as a junior. 

24. Fresno Central (0-0)

Last week: 24
This week: Friday at Garza

Expect the Grizzlies to start on the slow side, but use its tremendous team speed to finish fast. 

25. San Mateo Serra (0-0)

Last week: 25
This week: Bye, first game is Aug. 30 at Folsom

It’s good the Padres have a few more weeks to help with replacing 17 starters after another Central Coast Section Open Division power.