With Del Oro going up to the top in D2 North, all three No. 1 teams from Northern California in D1, D2 and D3 are from the Sac-Joaquin Section. They are all likely to be in the same section playoffs, too, meaning only one will be eligible for the CIF bowl games.

By Mark Tennis & Steve Brand
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Harold Abend, Ronnie Flores

(Previous ranking in parentheses)
(After games of Saturday, Sept. 19)
(Listed with result of most recent game)

Division I South
1. (2) Oceanside 3-0 def. Mira Mesa (San Diego), 38-0
2. (3) Lakewood 2-1 def. Mayfair (Lakewood) 35-7
3. (4) Edison (Huntington Beach) 3-0 def. Dana Hills (Dana Point) 34-17
4. (5) Mission Viejo 3-0 def. Corona 45-14
5. (8) Rancho Cucamonga 3-0 def. Carter (Rialto) 49-18
6. (9) Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 2-0 def. San Gorgonio 56-10
7. (12) La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 3-0 Chula Vista 38-21
8. (14) Carson 1-1 lost to Serra (Gardena) 27-17
9. (1) Centennial (Corona) 2-1 lost to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 31-13
10. (7) Chaparral (Temecula) 1-1 def. Paloma Valley, 40-14
11. (6) Taft (Woodland Hills) 1-1 lost to Notre Dame (SO) 45-27
12. (10) Valencia 2-0 def. Birmingham (Van Nuys) 56-31
13. (11) Bullard (Fresno) 3-0 def. Clovis 48-14
14. (13) Escondido 3-0 def. El Camino (Oceanside) 31-7
15. (15) Buchanan (Clovis) 2-0 def. Redwood (Visalia) 43-21
16. (16) Los Alamitos 2-0 def. Fremont (L.A.) 55-0
17. (17) Fountain Valley 3-0 def. Temescal Canyon 34-10
18. (18) Poly (Long Beach) 1-2 def. Narbonne (Harbor City) 28-14
19. (19) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 2-0 def. Santiago (Corona) 35-7
20. (20) Cajon (San Bernardino) 3-0 def. Sultana (Hesperia) 41-0

On the bubble: Compton 2-0, Dana Hills (Dana Point) 2-1, El Camino Real Woodland Hills) 3-0, Etiwanda 2-1, Hart (Newhall) 2-1, Roosevelt (Corona) 2-0, Narbonne (Harbor City) 1-1, Newport Harbor (Newport Beach) 2-0, Upland 3-0, Vista 2-0, Westlake (Westlake Village) 2-0.

Breakdown: Corona Centennial's shockingly lopsided loss (31-13) to Mater Dei of Santa Ana drops the Huskies seven spots, which is still better than they fared in the State Top 25. Now the focus turns to Oceanside, a Division II powerhouse that moved up when the state redrew the CBED lines. The Pirates haven't lost a game in their last 28 starts (one tie) and captured the state Division II bowl title two seasons ago. It won't take long to see if Oceanside, the first San Diego Section team to lead this division in decades, deserves the lofty rating as it hosts Long Beach Poly Friday. A loss would not be shocking, as the Pirates are the smallest of the small in this division but loaded with talent. The Jackrabbits' two losses, remember, are to St. Bonaventure of Ventura and Servite of Anaheim. There are really very few DI vs. DI headliners this week but some great cross division games like No. 4 Edison (Huntington Beach) vs. DII No. 1 Servite (Anaheim) Friday at Huntington Beach High, DII Alemany (Mission Hills) is at No. 6 Taft (Woodland Hills) and DII No. 9 Charter Oak (Covina) hosts No. 9 Rancho Cucamonga among the Top 10 teams.

Division I North
1. (1) Grant (Sacramento) 3-0 def. Bellevue (Wash.) 14-0
2. (2) De La Salle (Concord) 1-1, idle
3. (3) Monte Vista (Danville) 2-0 def. Pittsburg 45-25
4. (4) Granite Bay 3-0 def. Burbank (Sac.) 22-6
5. (5) Serra (San Mateo) 2-1 def. Encinal (Alameda) 28-13
6. (8) Foothill (Pleasanton) 2-0 def. Logan (Union City) 35-20
7. (NR) Vacaville 2-0 def. Laguna Creek (Elk Grove) 57-20
8. (13) Lincoln (Stockton) 2-0 def. Edison (Stockton) 13-6
9. (14) Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) def. Roseville 39-15
10. (7) Pittsburg 1-2 lost to Monte Vista (Danville) 45-25
11. (10) Milpitas 3-0 def. Newark Memorial (Newark) 37-2
12. (11) Berkeley 3-0 def. Castro Valley 46-14
13. (9) Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 1-1 lost to St. Mary's (Stockton) 34-10
14. (12) Deer Valley (Antioch) 2-0 def. Sac. Heart Cathedral (SF) 62-21
15. 15) Heritage (Brentwood) 3-0 def. Kennedy (Fremont) 28-9

On the bubble: Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 2-0, Folsom 2-0, Franklin (Elk Grove) 2-0, San Benito (Hollister) 3-0, Shasta (Redding) 3-0, Sheldon (Sacramento) 2-0.

Breakdown: Grant cemented its No. 1 ranking with the ultra-impressive blanking of Bellevue, Wash., on the road. If the Pacers repeat as CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II champs (with St. Mary's in that division this year), there should be no anxious moments this time about being picked for the bowl game. De La Salle continues to play a national schedule as it hosts ESPN RISE FAB 50 No. 10 Lakeland (Fla.) at Diablo Valley College on Friday night. The game is on national TV (ESPN2). The Dreadnaughts (don't you love that nickname) are coming off a 60-0 victory. It's an opportunity for the Spartans to regain some of that magic. A Northern California showdown between No. 7 Pittsburg and No. 9 Berkeley in Berkeley also has big implications in the rankings.   

Division II South
1. (1) Servite (Anaheim) 3-0 def. Crespi (Encino) 38-28
2. (2) Crenshaw (Los Angeles) 3-0 def. A.B. Miller (Riverside) 59-12
3. (3) Moorpark 3-0 def. Ventura 31-7
4. (4) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 2-1 def. Taft (Woodland Hills) 45-27
5. (6) Lutheran (Orange) 1-1 def. Tustin 46-20
6. (7) Alemany (Mission Hills) 2-1 def. Knight (Palmdale) 45-16
7. (5) Crespi (Encino) 2-1 lost to Servite (Anaheim) 38-28
8. (9) Charter Oak (Covina) 3-0 def. Diamond Bar 48-0
9. (NR) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 2-1 def. Centennial (Corona) 31-13
10. (10) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 3-0 def. Helix (La Mesa) 41-19
11. (8) Norco 1-1 def. Etiwanda 37-27
12. (11) Tulare Union 2-0 def. Lemoore 35-13
13. (12) Citrus Hill (Perris) 2-0 def. Great Oak (Temecula) 30-20
14. (14) St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 2-1 def. Cabrillo (Long Beach) 47-0
15. (NR) Bishop Amat (La Puente) 2-0 def. West Covina 21-7

On the bubble: Barstow 2-0, Helix (La Mesa) 2-1, Kingburg 2-0, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach) 1-2, Monrovia 3-0, San Jacinto 2-0, Santa Margarita (RSM) 2-1, Valhalla (El Cajon) 2-1, Westlake (Westlake Village) 2-0

Breakdown: Orange County will be rocking Friday night, especially at Huntington Beach High, when Servite and DI No. 3 Edison (Huntington Beach) square off in what is certain to be a hard-hitting contest. There are no breathers on Servite's schedule, considered by many the toughest for any team in years. The Top 10 in this division is so tough that No. 10 Cathedral Catholic, just the defending state bowl champ here, beat No. 15 Helix (La Mesa) and couldn't move up. That's because Mater Dei had to jump way up after it beat defending Div. I state champ Corona Centennial. There are a half-dozen opportunities for ranked DII programs to prove this division stronger than DI this week.

Division II North
1. (2) Del Oro (Loomis) 2-0 def. Cardinal Newman 49-14
2. (9) St. Francis (Mountain View) 2-1 def. Los Gatos 24-14
3. (3) Del Campo (Fair Oaks) 2-0 def. Davis 35-13
4. (4) Paradise 2-0 def. Lassen (Susanville) 34-7
5. (8) Oakdale 2-0 def. Novato 34-22
6. (1) Los Gatos 1-1 lost to St. Francis (Mountain View) 24-14
7. (6) Inderkum (Sacramento) 3-0 def. Wood (Vacaville) 51-7
8. (7) Whitney (Rocklin) 2-0 def. Woodland 29-7
9. (5) Novato 1-2 lost to Oakdale 34-22
10. (10) Foothill (Palo Cedro) 2-0 def. Union (Vancouver, Wash.) 15-9

On the bubble: Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 3-0, Casa Roble (Orangevale) 2-0, Enterprise (Redding) 3-0, Placer (Auburn) 2-0, Rocklin 2-0.

Breakdown: Previous No. 1 Los Gatos got knocked off the top perch by St. Francis of Mountain View as the Lancers bounced back from an early 14-0 hole to grab a 24-14 victory. Del Oro, which contended for bowl berths in both 2006 and 2007 but struggled to a 4-6 record last year, moved up into the No. 1 position. And with St. Mary's of Stockton at No. 1 in D3 North, that means that all three No. 1 teams in NorCal – Grant, Del Oro and St. Mary's – will likely be battling each other in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II playoffs. Del Campo is not in that division, but the Cougars will be rooting for Granite Bay to beat all of them. Granite Bay is D1 for the bowl games. This week's key game sees No. 7 Whitney of Rocklin and No. 5 Oakdale squaring off. Oakdale jumped up this week after it beat Novato 34-22. Since Novato has a head-to-head win over Foothill of Palo Cedro, Oakdale's win prevented Foothill from moving up after it knocked off 2008 Washington Class 3A state finalist Union of Vancouver in a game held just before Grant took the field to play Bellevue.

Division III South
1. (1) Oaks Christian (Westlake Vill.) 3-0 def. Skyline (Wash.) 28-25
2. (2) St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 3-0 def. Jordan (L.A.) 42-21
3. (3) Serra (Gardena) 2-0 def. Carson 27-17
4. (5) St. Joseph (Santa Maria) 2-0 def. Paso Robles 28-13
5. (6)  JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 3-0 Idle
6. (4) Paraclete (Lancaster) 2-1 lost to Barstow 20-10
7. (7) Chowchilla 2-0 def. LeGrand 14-7
8. (9) Templeton 3-0 def. Pacifica (Oxnard) 46-7
9. (10) Morro Bay 3-0 def. Oak Park (Agoura Hills) 28-13
10. (NR) St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) 2-1 def. Pioneer (Whittier) 55-0
 
On the bubble: Bakersfield Christian 2-1, Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood) 3-0, Notre Dame (Riverside) 2-0, Sierra (Tollhouse) 2-0, Taft 2-1.

Breakdown: Oaks Christian soared to No. 6 in the ESPN RISE FAB. 50 and was just one vote from No. 5 after the huge win over previous national No. 9 Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.) Now the Lions get an extra week to revel in their 3-0 start, giving players with minor dings a chance to get healthy. No such luck for St. Bonaventure, which faces a dangerous Crespi of Encino team coming off a 38-28 loss to Servite of Anaheim. Previous No. 8 Bakersfield Christian dropped out after a 28-19 loss to Central Valley Christian of Visalia. St. Paul and legendary coach Marijon Ancich went in. Ancich now has 346 all-time coaching wins (not including forfeits) and has moved back in front of De La Salle's Bob Ladouceur as the winningest in state history. Two weeks ago, Ladouceur was one in front of Ancich, but since then DLS has gone 0-1 while St. Paul has gone 2-0.

Division III North
1. (1) St. Mary's (Stockton) 2-0 def. Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 34-10
2. (2) Central Catholic (Modesto) 2-0 def. Sutter 27-0
3. (3) Palma (Salinas) 2-1 Idle
4. (4) Valley Christian (San Jose) 2-0 def. Menlo (Atherton) 30-17
5. (5) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 0-2 lost to Del Oro (Loomis) 49-14
6. (7) Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 2-1 def. Riordan (SF) 42-13
7. (8) Escalon 2-0 def. Patterson 30-13
8. (NR) Hilmar 2-0 def. Hughson 38-13
9. (9) The King's Academy (Sunnyvale) 3-0 def. Marshall (SF) 53-6
10. (NR) Scotts Valley 2-1 def. Pajaro Valley (Watsonville) 50-6

On the bubble: Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland) 0-1-1, Colfax 1-1, Ripon 2-0, Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 2-1, Sutter 2-1

Comment: Cardinal Newman has played the Division III Northern California equivalent of Servite's murderous schedule in the south in losses to No. 2 Central Catholic of Modesto and DII No. 1 Del Oro. Up next for the Cardinals is a Palma of Salinas team that is coming off a 31-14 win over St. Francis of Mountain View from two weeks ago. Previous No. 6 Bishop O'Dowd (lost to St. Ignatius of SF 44-2) and previous No. 10 Colfax (lost to Tahoe Truckee 34-7) were the two teams that dropped out from last week's rankings.

Small Schools South
1. (1) Francis Parker (San Diego) 2-1 lost to Mission Bay (SD) 43-28
2. (2) St. Margaret's (SJ Capistrano) 2-1 def. Horizon (SD) 41-21
3. (4) Santa Fe Christian (Solana Beach) 3-0 def. Monte Vista (SV) 42-6
4. (6) Rio Hondo Prep (Arcadia) 3-0 def. Brentwood Acad. (LA) 23-13
5. (3) Aquinas (San Bernardino) 1-1 lost to Notre Dame (Riv.) 20-7
6. (5) Christian (El Cajon) 2-1 lost to Olympian (Chula Vista) 21-17
7. (8) Linfield Christian (Temecula) 2-0 def. Army-Navy (Carlsbad) 32-0
8. (7) Brentwood Acad. (LA) 1-1 lost to Rio Hondo Prep (Arcadia) 23-13
9. (NR) Central Valley Chr. (Visalia) 1-1 def. Bakersfield Christian 28-19
10. (NR) Chadwick (PV Peninsula) 2-0 def. Montclair Prep (Van Nuys) 50-18

On the bubble: Bishop's (La Jolla) 2-0, Campbell Hall (N. Hollywood) 1-1, Desert (Edwards AFB) 2-1.

Breakdown: It took one of the state's top athletes, Mission Bay's Dillon Baxter, to expose the difference between a strong DII team and a small school team. Not only was Baxter, who rushed for 308 yards in three quarters (he missed the second quarter with an accelerated heartbeat), unstoppable, the Lancers simply ran out of gas in the fourth quarter against the bigger and deeper Buccaneers, who have their sights set on a San Diego Section Division title.
St., Margaret's bounced back after having its 44-game winning streak snapped by Parker (that's why the Lancers stay No. 1) to down Horizon (San Diego), a team Parker plays later in the Coastal League, 41-21. Santa Fe Christian (Solana Beach) moved up after a convincing victory over Division II Monte Vista (Spring Valley). SFC and Parker play later, too.

Small Schools North
1. (1) Modesto Christian 1-0 def. Capital Christian (Sacramento) 49-21
2. (2) Ferndale 3-0 def. Del Norte (Crescent City) 47-6
3. (3) Modoc (Alturas) 3-0 def. Lost River (Ore.) 37-17
4. (4) St. Vincent (Petaluma) 2-0 def. Lower Lake 34-14
5. (5) Capital Christian (Sacramento) 1-1 lost to Modesto Christian 49-21
6. (6) St. Francis (Watsonville) 2-1 def. Pacific Grove 36-14
7. (8) Portola 3-0 def. Los Molinos 49-0
8. (NR) Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) 1-1 def. Ripon Christian 48-7
9. (9) Hamilton (Hamilton City) 2-1 def. Durham 35-14
10. (10) Quincy 3-0 def. Whittell (Nev.) 52-0

On the bubble:  Burney 3-1, Colusa 2-1, Fall River (McArthur) 2-1, Hoopa Valley (Hoopa) 3-1, St. Bernard (Eureka) 2-1.

Comment: Modesto Christian is clearly the class of this division, but again the Crusaders are going to have to win such a strong Sac-Joaquin Section playoff division (with possibly even Whitney and Oakdale involved) that getting bowl eligible seems like an insurmountable task. Even in the Trans Valley League, Modesto Christian is going to get tested by Escalon, Ripon and others. Like last year, the key in this division is seeing if Ferndale can get through in its North Coast Section playoff division. The Wildcats usually play up and lost last year in the final to D3 school Justin-Siena. If both Modesto Christian and Ferndale are not bowl eligible, it's likely there's going to be another awful rout on the small schools bowl game. This isn't a knock against the other ranked team in this division in the north, but compared to Francis Parker and St. Margaret's that's just another level of football that only MC and Ferndale can even hope to get close to.
 
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