Top 25 California high school football rankings (9/22/2024)

Orange Lutheran's comeback, Leuzinger's upset of Santa Margarita and Oaks Christian's stirring win over Gardena Serra highlight a big week of football in the Golden State

Orange Lutheran 4-star QB TJ Lateef (9), a Nebraska commit, with one of the country's most sought-after sophomores, DE Richard Wesley (99) supplying pressure from Sierra Canyon. Orange Lutheran won the game 33-26 on 9/21/2024 / Photo: Rene Morales

One of the more interesting and competitive weeks of the California high school football season took place Thursday throughout Saturday up and down the Golden State.

There were big wins against out-of-state teams from No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 3 Mission Viejo and No. 7 Corona Centennial; stiring upsets by previous honorable mention squads Leuzinger and Oaks Christian, and a challenging North vs. South tussle, pulled out by No. 2 St. John Bosco.

Add in No. 14 Folsom's lopsided victory over previous No. 25 Rocklin in a battle of the Sac-Joaquin Section's top two teams and LA City No. 1 Narbonne's stunning 35-31 win over previous No. 19 Cathedral, and it was an eventful week to be sure.

CALIFORNIA WEEK 5 FOOTBALL SCORES

SCORES BY DAYS: Thursday | Friday | Saturday

SCORES BY SECTIONS: San Diego | Southern | LA City | Central | Central Coast | San Francisco | Oakland | North Coast | Sac-Joaquin | Northern

FOOTBALL HEADLINES OF THE WEEK

• Orange Lutheran scores 23 unanswered to shock Sierra Canyon
• Corona Centennial goes on road to beat Arizona's top team
• Junior Riordan QB commits to SEC school
• Mission Viejo gets 4 TD passes from Trudeau in win over Arizona power
• Controversial call helps Mission Viejo to win
• Stockton St. Mary's puts majore scare into NorCal #1 De La Salle
• No. 2 St. John Bosco pitches 2nd half shutout in win over No. 8 Pittsburg
• NFL Stadium to host St. John Bosco-Servite Trinity League showdown
• Top ranked Mater Dei races to 22-0 lead, breezes past St. Frances Academy
• Southern Section Week 4 scoreboard
• Washington commit, Monte Vista RB is big, fast and loyal
• Oregon coach Dan Lanning in SoCal to recruit
• CIF's Rich Shearer talks 'competitive equity' on CIF Southern Section Sitdown
• California's top uncommited 2025 recruit Madden Faraimo in no hurry
• How Top 15 CIF SJS teams fared
• How Top 15 CS teams fared
• How Top 15 NCS teams fared
• Now Top 15 CCS teams fared

CALIFORNIA TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS (9/22/2024)

1. Mater Dei (4-0)

Previous rank: 1
Last week results: Beat St. Frances Academy, 25-14
Next: Oct. 4 at Santa Margarita

2. St. John Bosco (5-0)

St. John Bosco junior QB Matai Fuiava runs for a big gain in his team's 56-17 win at San Mateo Serra on 9/14/2024 / Photo: Dennis Lee

Previous rank: 2
Last week results: Beat Pittsburg, 35-14
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Orange Lutheran

3. Mission Viejo (4-0)

Mission Viejo hosts Santa Margarita on Saturday in a California high school football Southern Section showdown. /

Previous rank: 3
Last week results: Beat Basha (Ariz.), 31-28
Next: Friday vs. Chaparral

4. JSerra Catholic (4-0)

Previous rank: 4
Last week results: Beat Damien, 49-21
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Servite

5. Orange Lutheran (4-1)

Orange Lutheran sophomore Chris Flores hauls in long pass over heavy contest by Myles Baker in the Lancers' 33-26 comeback win over Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth. Orange Lutheran scored 23 unanswered 4Q points. Photo by Rene Morales.jpg / Photo: Rene Morales

Previous rank: 7
Last week results: Beat Sierra Canyon, 33-26
Next: Oct. 4 at St. John Bosco

6. De La Salle (4-0)

Previous rank: 5
Last week results: Beat Stockton St. Mary's, 38-35
Next: Friday at El Cerrito

7. Corona Centennial (3-2)

Previous rank: 10
Last week results: Beat Peoria (Ariz.) Liberty, 63-39
Next: Oct. 3 at Roosevelt

8. Servite (4-0)

Previous rank: 11
Last week results: Idle
Next: Friday vs. St. Paul

9. Sierra Canyon (2-3)

Sierra Canyon celebrates a touchdown against Oaks Christian on Friday, August 30, 2024. / Samuel Mawanda

Previous rank: 9
Last week results: Lost to Orange Lutheran, 33-26
Next: Oct. 4 at Chaminade

10. Pittsburg (3-1)

Pittsburg senior Marley Alcantara isn't just nimble on his feet, as shown in last year's CIF Northern California Division 1-AAA 28-25 loss at Folsom, but he has a big, accurate arm which had led to three wins and No. 10 state ranking following a tough 35-14 loss at No. 2 St. John Bosco on Friday. Alcantara threw for 222 yards and two TDs in Friday's game. / Photo: Dennis Lee

Previous rank: 8
Last week results: Lost to St. John Bosco, 35-14
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Los Gatos

11. Oaks Christian (3-2)

Previous rank: HM
Last week results: Beat Gardena Serra, 13-6
Next: Friday at Oxnard Pacifica

12. Leuzinger (4-0)

Previous rank: HM
Last week results: Beat Santa Margarita, 14-13
Next: Friday vs. Hawthorne

13. Chaparral (5-0)

Previous rank: 13
Last week results: Beat Great Oak, 42-0
Next: Friday at Mission Viejo

14. Folsom (3-1)

Previous rank: 14
Last week results: Beat Rocklin, 51-14
Next: Friday vs. Davis

15. Santa Margarita (3-2)

Previous rank: 6
Last week results: Lost to Leuzinger, 14-13
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Mater Dei

16. Gardena Serra (2-21)

Previous rank: 12
Last week results: Lost to Oaks Christian, 13-6
Next: Friday vs. Los Alamitos

17. San Diego Lincoln (2-2)

Akili Smith Jr., an Oregon commit, leads Lincoln to a huge cross-section game at Grant Union Friday night. / Bodie De Silva

Previous rank: 15
Last week results: Idle
Next: Friday at Grant Union-Sacramento

18. Oak Hills (5-0)

Previous rank: 19
Last week results: Beat St. Bonaventure, 45-24
Next: Oct. 3 vs. Hesperia

19. Murrieta Valley (3-1)

Previous rank: 16
Last week results: Beat King, 62-6
Next: Friday vs. San Clemente

20. Newbury Park (4-0)

Previous rank: 17
Last week results: Idle
Next: Thursday at at Ventura

21. San Mateo Serra (1-2)

Previous rank: 21
Last week results: Bey
Next: Friday at St. Ignatius

22. Los Alamitos (4-1)

Previous rank: 20
Last week results: Beat Clovis North, 35-14
Next: Friday vs. Gardena Serra at Westminster

23. Inglewood (5-0)

Previous rank: HM
Last week results: Beat Oxnard Pacifica, 54-21
Next: Oct. 4 at Leuzinger

24. Central (5-0)

Previous rank: 22
Last week results: Beat Bakersfield Liberty, 41-14
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Clovis North

25. Clovis East (5-0)

Clovis East senior WR-DB Harold Duvall eyes way down field in game vs. Grant Union; The Timberwolves have a week off before opening rugged TRAC play Oct. 4 vs. Clovis West. / Photo: Bobby Medellin

Previous rank: 24
Last week results: Beat Lemoore, 38-7
Next: Oct. 4 vs. Clovis West

HONORABLE MENTION: Cathedral (4-1), Cathedral Catholic (4-1), Damien (3-0), Downey (4-1), Los Alamitos (4-1), Millikan (3-2), Narbonne (3-2), Pacifica Oxnard (3-1), San Clemente (3-2), San Juan Hills (4-1), San Ramon Valley (4-0), St. Bonaventure (3-0), Upland (2-1), Vista Murrieta (4-1), Yorba Linda (5-0).