ORANGE COUNTY FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLL
Notable this week: Mater Dei defeated Centennial 10-9 last week, but it wasn’t enough to push the Monarchs to No. 1 in this week’s poll. … Santa Margarita (4-0) remains in the top spot. Santa Margarita also has a one-point win over Centennial this season. … San Clemente beat La Costa Canyon last week and moves from No. 9 to No. 7. … Crean Lutheran lost for the second week in a row and drops two positions to No. 9. … Tustin takes the No. 10 spot after beating Damien. … Trabuco Hills enters the Top 25 after a 42-24 win over El Toro.
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1. Santa Margarita 4-0 (75 points)
The Eagles beat Inderkum of Sacramento, 41-0. That’s their second shutout. Freshman receiver Kiyan Callis had eight catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore running back Adrian Petero had 102 yards and four touchdowns including a touchdown run that is recommended viewing on the social media channels.
Previous ranking: 1
2. Mater Dei 4-0 (72)
It’s odd to consider any victory for Mater Dei football an upset. The Monarchs’ 10-9 win last week over Corona Centennial qualified, given that Centennial was the higher-ranked team. Mater Dei passed for only 94 yards and rushed for only 46 yards, but the Monarchs’ defense was great. Linebacker Dailon Clanton had a team-high 10 solo tackles including three sacks. The Monarchs play Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas this week at Santa Ana Stadium.
Previous ranking: 2
3. Orange Lutheran 3-1 (69)
The Lancers’ Ryan Christianson rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in a 35-0 win over Serra of Gardena. Chris Flores had six receptions for 100 yards. Orange Lutheran has won three in a row since a one-point loss to Central of Miami in the season opener. Orange Lutheran on Friday travels to play Sierra Canyon, the No. 3 team, behind Santa Margarita and Mater Dei, in the state rankings by HSratings.com.
Previous ranking: 3
4. Mission Viejo 3-1 (66)
The Diablos bounced back from their loss to Folsom to beat San Diego’s Lincoln, 56-0. Carson Vandermade caught two touchdown passes from Brett Burnor and rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown. Burnor had two rushing touchdowns. Mission Viejo, which is No. 10 in the state rankings by HSratings, is at home against state No. 17 Pittsburg on Friday.
5. JSerra 3-1 (61)
JSerra drubbed Oak Hills of Hesperia, 63-0, last week. It was the Lions’ second 63-0 win this season. Four of Hayes Cloutier’s seven completions were touchdowns. JSerra rushed for 183 yards and averaged 11 yards a carry. The Lions’ defense had four interceptions including one that Mo Habiballa returned for a touchdown.
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Previous ranking: 5
6. Servite 2-2 (60)
The Friars crushed St. Paul, 69-14. That’s certainly not the type of St.Paul team that Servite tussled with in the old Angelus League days, but it was the boost that Servite needed. Gino Wang threw three touchdown passes, two of them to Mataua Niumata. Jorden Wells rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns. Servite’s losses were to Corona Centennial and to Centennial of Arizona.
Previous ranking: 6
7. San Clemente 4-0 (59)
The Tritons remained undefeated with a 31-21 road win over La Costa Canyon. Quarterback Preston Beck threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Ryan Matheson had nine receptions for 158 yards and two touchdowns. Jaxson Rex made his usual contributions, with 10 total tackles and an interception.
Previous ranking: 9
8. Corona del Mar 4-0 (53)
The Sea Kings beat Newport Harbor, 16-6, in the annual Battle of the Bay game. It was Corona del Mar’s closest game this season. Quarterback JD Annette completed 14 of 17 passes for 148 yards and a touchdown. Trejan Nixon rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Previous ranking: 8
9. Crean Lutheran 2-2 (52)
The Saints lost for the second week in a row, and again it was a loss to a good team. Crean Lutheran got beat by Oak Ridge of El Dorado Hills, 28-21. Caden Jones passed for 244 yards and two touchdowns. Braylen Ross had 15 receptions for 167 yards for one touchdown. Crean’s other loss was to JSerra, 37-29.
Previous ranking: 7
10. Tustin 3-1 (47)
Receiver-turned-quarterback Hayden Koo rushed for 110 yards, including a 32-yard touchdown run, on 14 carries in the Tillers’ 21-10 win over Damien. Davyon Curtis scored for Tustin on a 21-yard run.
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Previous ranking: 11
11. Yorba Linda 4-0 (46)
Previous ranking: 9
12. Huntington Beach 4-0 (40)
Previous ranking: 12
13T. La Habra 4-0 (36)
Previous ranking: 13
13T. Villa Park 3-0 (36)
Previous ranking: 14
15. Capistrano Valley 4-0 (35)
Previous ranking: 16
16. Dana Hills 4-0 (29)
Previous ranking: 18
17. San Juan Hills 3-1 (28)
Previous ranking: 17
18. Edison 1-3 (25)
Previous ranking: 15
19. Orange 4-0 (22)
Previous ranking: 19
20T. Laguna Beach 1-3 (17)
Previous ranking: 21
20T. Los Alamitos 0-4 (17)
Previous ranking: 20
22. Cypress 4-0 (10)
Previous ranking: 23
23. Trabuco Hills 3-1 (8)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
24. El Modena 3-0 (7)
Previous ranking: 22
25. Newport Harbor 2-2 (5)
Previous ranking: 25