State's No. 3 ranked team plays in overtime for second consecutive week, but this time the Seraphs go down against Bishop Amat of La Puente. Top-ranked Oaks Christian and No. 4 L.A. Crenshaw roll to victory while state No. 2 Grant of Sacramento set to play on Saturday night.

Make sure you follow us at twitter.com/calhisports as we'll do our best to give you live updates from the big games we attend all season long. You can also follow us on Facebook. Please join our Facebook group byCLICKING HERE ) 

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

With the implementation of the CIF state bowl games in 2006, many of the state's top prep football teams have scheduled tough non-league competition to bolster their chances of selection. While all the top teams certainly can't play each other, the common opponent factor has certainly played a big role in the selection process.

That common opponent factor played a role in St. Bonaventure dropping from No. 2 to No. 3 in the CalHiSports.com overall state top 25 rankings this past week. The Seraphs dropped behind Grant of Sacramento following a 42-41 overtime victory over state-ranked Crespi of Encino. In a previous game, the Celts had trailed Servite of Anaheim, 31-0, before losing 38-28, so when Servite was dominated by Edison of Huntington Beach last Friday it meant that St. Bonaventure had to drop a spot in our rankings system.

For the second consecutive week, the two-time defending CIF Div. III state champions went into overtime, but unfortunately for the Seraphs it won't be the common opponent factor that drops them in the next rankings. They will tumble because they lost to a fired-up Bishop Amat of La Puente club, 24-23.(Read full post)

Lions complete journey to Northwest on Friday night with 28-25 win over Skyline of Sammamish, Wash., in nationally-televised matchup. They ended Skyline's 30-game win streak and beat a team that was No. 9 in the nation. But will it still be enough to quell the critics who say they don't play anyone?
 
By Mark Tennis, Executive Editor
 
SAMMAMISH, WASH. – Oaks Christian High's 28-25 win on Friday night over Skyline High of Sammamish is perhaps the biggest win by a California high school football team ever against a team from Washington.
 
That claim is due to Washington teams owning a 10-6 record in games against California schools since 1911 and because none of the California teams had ever won before in a hyped up showdown on the road.

Still, both Lions' coach Bill Redell and quarterback Nick Montana know that even beating a team like Skyline, which has won two straight Class 4A Washington state titles and had a 30-game win streak broken with two All-Americans in its lineup, won't be enough for some in the media who question whether the team should be No. 1 in the state (its current position in the CalHiSports.com rankings) or No. 6 in the nation, according to the ESPN RISE FAB 50.
 
"A lot of people doubt us, but that is a great team we just beat,” Montana said. "They showed a lot of heart and made a lot of big plays. We did too and came out with a big win.”
&nb...

(Read full post)

More than half of the state's top teams have already begun their seasons and there's a handful already charging upward in the rankings, especially Servite of Anaheim and Crenshaw of Los Angeles. There are no newcomers to the top 25 from the preseason, but plenty of shuffling after the first three teams.

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

(First regular season rankings; Preseason ranking in parentheses; After games of Monday, Sept. 7; This is the 31st year in which CalHiSports.com and Cal-Hi Sports have been compiling weekly state football rankings; You can now follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/calhisports or on Facebook by CLICKING HERE )

1.  (1)  Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 1-0
The opening game for the Lions resulted in a solid win if you believe that Alemany of Mission Hills is a top-level team, but might raise some questions if you don't. Alemany kept the score respectable throughout before settling for a 28-17 loss to the state's No. 1-ranked squad. Malcolm Jones was sensational in his senior debut for Oaks  Christian with 37 carries for 277 yards and three TDs. Nick Montana didn't complete a high percentage of passes, but ended up 12 of 28 for 152 yards and one score. Head coach Bill Redell's team hosts Muir of Pasadena in this week's game and will be looking to build some momentum heading into the Sept. 18 nationally-televised showdown against Skyline of Samammish, Wash. In this week's ESPN RISE West Region top 20, Oaks Christian is No. 1 and Skyline is No. 2.

2.  (2)  St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 1-0
Like Malcolm Jones of Oaks Christian, Devon Blackledge of the Seraphs is a running back who began his senior season with a bang. For Blackledge, one of several key returnees from last year's team that went 14-1 and won its second straight CIF Division III state bowl game, his hot start consisted of all five St. Bonnie touchdowns plus 170 yards rushing in a 34-10 victory vs. St. John Bosco of Bellflower. This week, head coach Todd Therrien's team takes on Long Beach Poly, which was the only team to hand St. Bonaventure a loss last season. That score was 12-7 and if Poly has a chance the score will likely have to be similar. Three scores for the Seraphs could be plenty.

(Read full post)

This year, for the first time ever, we gathered our top four state rankings compilers into one room to come up with the preseason pecking order. Oaks Christian of Westlake Village grabs the No. 1 ranking and will play another top 25 squad in its first game. Check back tomorrow for teams ranked from No. 26 to No. 50 and for other teams on the bubble.

By Mark Tennis, Ronnie Flores, Harold Abend & Steve Brand
Contributing: Paul Muyskens, Greg Biggins, Brian Stumpf

Note: All teams listed with win-loss record from 2008 season. An asterisk (*) refers to a team's on-the-field record. These rankings also represent the official start of our coverage for the 2009-2010 school year, which is our 31st year under the name Cal-Hi Sports, CalHighSports.com or CalHiSports.com. We consider our preseason rankings to be more of a starting point to the season instead of a prediction as to which teams we think will be the best at the end. Due to deadlines, we also do not have the opportunity to consider how the state's local newspapers have ranked the teams in their area. Once the regular season starts, the CalHiSports.com state rankings would include local consensus as part of the criteria. All content is free on CalHiSports.com and our state rankings have more experience behind them than any other free or subscription-based site.

You can now follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/calhisports or on Facebook by CLICKING HERE

To view teams ranked 26-50 in our preseason football ratings, CLICK HERE

1. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 14-0
Going with the Lions at the top of the state to start 2009 makes sense on a number of fronts. First, they're loaded with top players returning from an unbeaten team, including running back-linebacker Malcolm Jones, the 2006 state freshman of the year and 2007 state sophomore of the year, and quarterback Nick Montana, a Washington commit who passed for 2,404 yards and 33 TDs last season. Second, they are playing a much more challenging schedule than any previous team in school history. This includes an opening game vs. No. 22 Alemany of Mission Hills, a high-profile ESPNU-televised matchup on Sept. 18 vs. Skyline of Sammamish, Wash., and some potential showdowns in the CIF Southern Section Northwest Division playoffs. Beating Skyline would make the Lions a more solid No. 1 in the state overall since the Spartans are a two-time defending state champ and are No. 9 in the preseason ESPN RISE FAB 50. Oaks Christian, which is No. 6 in the preseason FAB 50, also will be led this season by all-state underclass defensive tackle Cassius Marsh, all-state candidate offensive tackle Erik Kohler, BYU-bound linebacker Zac Stout and Division I college prospect defensive end Alani Fua.(Read full post)

Only one player in the past two decades, current Denver Broncos linebacker D.J. Williams, has won Mr. Football State Player of the Year honors after winning state junior player of the year honors the season before. Read below for some of the reasons the state's best underclass players over the last twenty years haven't been able to avoid the Cal-Hi Sports Junior Jinx. Can last year's winner, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame quarterback Ryan Kasdorf, buck the trend?

By Ronnie Flores, Senior Editor

Note: CalHiSports.com will kick off its preseason football coverage for the 2009 season beginning on July 6. We'll first review the past quarter century of prep football in the Golden State with a detailed look at each season dating back to 1985. We'll then move on to our team previews -- coaches can email ronnie@studentsports.com or call (800) 660-1334 Ext. 4414 for details on how to get your team included -- release our various preseason all-section teams and finally our preseason state rankings for 2009. It's the kind of prep football coverage you just can't kind anywhere else of the Internet.

Following the 2007 season, quarterback Matt Barkley from Mater Dei High School of Santa Ana was not only named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, he was also named the Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year. He was the first non-senior ever to win either prestigious award.

While the media attention bestowed on Barkley following a junior campaign that saw him throw for 3,560 yards and 35 touchdowns in only 11 games was a bit over the top, he definitely deserved state junior player of the year honors from CalHiSports.com. But, if you follow California prep football as close as we do, it would have been hard to make an argument he was the best player in the state two seasons ago. Perhaps if the Monarchs had won the CIF Southern Section Pac-Five title, he could have been the choice. Still it would be hard to convince a die-hard California football fan or a prep sportswriter that Barkley was more important to his team that season anymore than Corona Centennial's Ryan Bass, Napa's John Boyett or eventual Mr. Football Milton Knox of Van Nuys Birmingham.

Going into Barkley's senior season in 2008, Mater Dei had to replace a talented group of receivers and its offensive line wasn't nearly as strong. Despite Barkley's obvious talents, he struggled throwing the ball to his new crop of receivers, partly because he had less time to throw and partly because he pressed to make the spectacular happen on many of his passes. The result was a 23-touchdown, 18-interception campaign that again came to an end in the CIFSS Pac-Five quarterfinals. Barkley was not chosen for the all-state team and wasn't an all-Orange County selection, either.

Barkley, for various reasons, was the latest victim of the Cal-Hi Sports Junior Jinx. Since 1999, every player named state junior player of the year has not been selected Mr. Football the next year. In fact, only one player in the last 20 seasons has won he coveted award and we think that particular player, De La Salle of Concord running back-linebacker D.J. Williams, is the best all-around player in the state since the dawn of the Internet. In fact, Williams was class player of the year in each of his three seasons at De La Salle between 1997 and 1999. Even as an underclassman, Williams showed signs of becoming what he is today: a starting linebacker for the NFL's Denver Broncos.(Read full post)

Our 2008 football season parade of honors continues with 30 more first team and 30 more second team from medium schools. Player of the Year Tyler Gaffney is one of five honored from Cathedral Catholic of San Diego. Oaks Christian also ends up with five honored players.

Selections coordinated by Mark Tennis, Executive Editor

Contributing: Paul Muyskens 

This is the 30th year of the CalHiSports.com all-state football teams and these teams will be published in the all-time state record book. We will have our seventh printed edition coming this spring and thanks to a sponsorship from Power Bar every school in the state will be sent multiple copies without charge.

The medium schools squad is for players from schools that are Division III in our traditional state rankings plus a handful of other bigger schools. These are not the same enrollment-based divisions of the CIF, but do correspond to league strength and section playoff divisions.

Thanks to all members of the media who contributed information and for all coaches and parents who sent in nominations. It's never easy to complete any all-state team and some of the final selections are very difficult.

First Team Offense
WR Diante Jackson (Las Lomas, Walnut Creek) 6-3, 205, Sr.
WR James Johnson (Valley Center) 6-1, 205, Sr.
TE Chris Coyle (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-3, 230, Sr.
OL Nik Abele (Irvine) 6-5, 265, Sr.
OL Everett Benyard (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) 6-6, 320, Sr.
OL Thomas Kilgore (San Joaquin Memorial, Fresno) 6-5, 295, Sr.
OL Zack Purdy (Miramonte, Orinda) 6-6, 265, Sr.
OL Jacob Williams (Morro Bay) 6-3, 290, Sr.
QB Tyler Bernard (Valley Center) 6-1, 180, Sr.
RB Tyler Gaffney (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) 6-0, 215, Sr.
RB Zach Graves (Whitney, Rocklin) 5-9, 170, Sr.
PK Roman Ferreira (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) 5-7, 145, Sr.

First Team Defense
DL Josh Fields (Rio Linda) 6-3, 235, Sr.
DL Cassius Marsh (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-6, 270, Jr.
DL John Sua (St. Joseph, Santa Maria) 6-1, 275, Sr.
DL Sione Tuihalamaka (Serra, Gardena) 6-3, 275, Sr.
LB Mike Mulas (Sonoma Valley, Sonoma) 5-11, 210, Sr.
LB Zac Stout (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-2, 220, Jr.
LB Pat Su'a (Highland, Bakersfield) 6-2, 210, Sr.
DB Andre Allen (Mayfair, Lakewood) 6-1, 180, Sr.
DB Anthony Carpenter (Serra,  Gardena) 6-1, 185, Sr.
DB Robert Refsnyder (Laguna Hills) 6-0, 200, Sr.
DB Cougar Williams (Hanford) 6-1, 175, Sr.
P Josh van de Vrupt (Santana, Santee) 6-0, 185, Sr.

First Team Multi-Purpose
QB/RB Jonathan Brown (Encinal, Alameda) 5-11, 200, Sr.
WR/RB Randall Carroll (Cathedral, Los Angeles) 5-11, 190, Sr.
RB/LB Malcolm Jones (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-0, 215, Jr.
RB/LB Tra Sumler (Rosemead) 5-11, 205, Sr.
RB/DB Cierre Wood (Santa Clara, Oxnard) 6-1, 210, Sr.
WR/DB Robert Woods (Serra, Gardena) 6-1, 180, Jr.

Second Team Offense
WR Greg Allen (Eureka) 6-2, 180, Sr.
WR Jeff Divine (Colfax) 5-11, 180, Sr.
WR DeAngelo Williams (Central Valley, Ceres) 6-1, 185, Jr.
OL Jordan Austin (Highland, Bakersfield) 6-3, 285, Sr.
OL Fono Founati (Mayfair, Lakewood) 6-5, 280, Sr.
OL Nick Gardner (Manteca) 6-2, 235, Sr.
OL Eric Kohler (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-5, 280, Jr.
OL Jeff Quigley (Laguna Hills) 6-3, 285, Sr.
QB Nick Montana (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-2, 185, Jr.
RB Robbie Rouse (Madison, San Diego) 5-6, 170, Sr.
RB Adam Mullen (Tehachapi) 5-8, 190, Sr.
K Matt Lloyd (Miramonte, Orinda) 6-2, 190, Sr.

Second Team Defense
DL Brendan Birdsell (Beckman, Irvine) 6-4, 230, Sr.
DL Morgan Breslin (Las Lomas, Walnut Creek) 6-3, 220, Sr.
DL Anthony Cox (Foothill, Sacramento) 6-1, 255, Sr.
LB Ryan Downing (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) 6-1, 170, Sr.
LB Andrew Fanucchi (Garces, Bakersfield) 6-0, 195, Sr.
LB Nick Law (Whitney, Rocklin) 6-1, 180, Sr.
LB Emre Titizer (Lynbrook, San Jose) 6-3, 240, Sr.
LB Michael Turner (Sierra, Manteca) 6-1, 205, Sr.
DB Mike Polvere (Novato) 5-10, 175, Sr.
DB Michael Pulley (Golden Valley, Bakersfield) 6-0, 175, Sr.
DB Tyler Rittenour (Campolindo, Moraga) 6-2, 180, Sr.
P Bobby Maldonado (Rosemead) 5-11, 185, Sr.

Second Team Multi-Purpose
RB/WR Nicky Batteate (Oakdale) 5-10, 180, Sr.
QB/RB Parker Hipp (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego) 6-2, 190, Sr.
QB/RB Jesse Lownsbury (Yosemite, Oakhurst) 6-2, 200, Sr.
RB/WR Xavier Milton (Encinal, Alameda) 6-1, 170, Sr.
FB/LB Gage Mortesen (El Segundo) 5-11, 190, Sr.
QB/RB Jeff Stephens (Novato) 5-11, 175, Sr.

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say.

 

According to divisions broken up by league strength and playoff divisions, your 2008 honorees are Corona Centennial (D1), Grant of Sacramento (D2), Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (D3), Hilmar (D4) and Bakersfield Christian (D5).

By Mark Tennis & Ronnie Flores 

For years before there was even a whisper about state bowl games, we did our own state rankings in divisions. Instead of dividing these teams according to enrollment, however, our divisions have always been classified by league strength plus section playoff divisions.

There are a few exceptions, but for more than 90 percent of schools in the state the policy is simple: Teams in a particular section playoff division stay together as far as state rankings are concerned. This is much different than enrollments, which sometimes can split teams from the same league into different playoff divisions.

This year, due to new responsibilities being part of ESPN and ESPN RISE, it was not possible to compile state rankings in our traditional five divisions every week. Since we have a new state record book coming out, however, we still wanted to at least put together a final version of these rankings,

Congratulations to our five mythical state champions: Centennial of Corona (Div. I), Grant of Sacramento (Div. II), Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (Div. III), Hilmar (Div. IV) and Bakersfield Christian (Div. V).

Centennial and Grant, of course, won CIF state bowl game titles last weekend. We have the two in different divisions for our state rankings because Grant plays in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs instead of Division I. If Grant was in Division I in the section, it would be Division I in our divisional state rankings.

In Division III, it was a close call between Oaks Christian and Cathedral Catholic, the CIF Division II bowl winner. Oaks Christian swamped a 13-0 team in its section final, Serra of Gardena, 63-28, and has now won 25 straight playoff games. Both teams were seen in person by staff and the difference, although slight, was Oaks Christian's talent, led by super junior Malcolm Jones, who had 302 total yards against Serra.

In Division IV, Hilmar gets the nod for upsetting Central Catholic of Modesto, 17-7, in the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. V championship. The Yellowjackets also avenged their only loss in getting that win and broke a streak of six straight section titles won by the Raiders. Central Catholic also had a win over St. Mary's of Stockton during the season, which helped Hilmar in comparison to CIF small schools bowl winner St. Margaret's of San Juan Capistrano.  While St. Margaret's was 15-0, the Tartans did not play any opponent nearly as strong as Central Catholic.

Finally, in Division V, it was an easy choice to go with Bakersfield Christian. The Eagles rolled to the Central Section Division V title and were led by Fresno State-bound QB Derek Carr. Their only loss was to Oaks Christian in their first game.

The complete final CalHiSports.com divisional state football rankings follows:

Division I
1.  Centennial (Corona) 15-0
2.  Poly (Long Beach) 14-1
3.  St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 14-1
4.  De La Salle (Concord) 12-2
5.  Tesoro (Las Flores) 13-1
6.  Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 12-1
7.  Chaparral (Temecula) 12-2
8.  Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 11-1
9.  Valley Christian (San Jose) 10-3
10. Oak Grove (San Jose) 11-1
11. Lutheran (Orange) 10-3
12. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 8-4
13. Junipero Serra (San Mateo) 8-4
14. Rancho Cucamonga 13-0-1
15. St. Mary's (Stockton) 12-3
16. Pittsburg 11-2
17. Lakewood 10-3*
18. Servite (Anaheim) 7-4
19. Clovis West (Fresno) 10-3
20. Mission Viejo 10-2
21. Narbonne (Harbor City) 12-1-1
22. San Pedro 12-1-1
23. Foothill (Pleasanton) 9-3
24. La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 12-2
25. Lincoln (Stockton) 10-2

Division II
1.  Grant (Sacramento) 14-0
2.  Oceanside 12-0-1
3.  Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 13-1
4.  Casa Roble (Orangevale) 13-0
5.  Tulare Union 13-0
6.  Granite Bay 9-2
7.  Citrus Hill (Perris) 14-0
8.  Charter Oak (Covina) 13-0-1
9.  Quartz Hill 13-1
10. Helix (La Mesa) 10-2-1
11. La Habra 12-2
12. Alemany (Mission Hills) 11-2
13. Clayton Valley (Concord) 12-1
14. El Diamante (Visalia) 11-2
15. Inderkum (Sacramento) 11-2

Division III
1.  Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 14-0
2.  Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 14-0
3.  Whitney (Rocklin) 13-0
4.  Laguna Hills 13-0
5.  Encinal (Alameda) 13-0
6.  Valley Center 11-2
7.  Serra (Gardena) 13-1
8.  Novato 11-3
9.  Madison (San Diego) 12-1
10. Campolindo (Moraga) 10-2
11. Miramonte (Orinda) 10-3
12. Placer (Auburn) 9-4
13. Morro Bay 8-5
14. Harvard-Westlake (N. Hollywood) 8-3-1
15. Las Lomas (Walnut Creek) 9-4

Division IV
1.  Hilmar 12-1
2.  Central Catholic (Modesto) 11-2
3.  St. Margaret's (SJ Capistrano) 15-0
4.  Sutter 11-1
5.  Chowchilla 12-1
6.  Paraclete (Lancaster) 11-3
7.  Parker (San Diego) 12-1
8.  Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 11-1-1
9.  Twentynine Palms 10-4
10. Christian (El Cajon) 10-2
11. West Valley (Cottonwood) 9-3
12. Exeter 9-2
13. The King's Academy (Sunnyvale) 10-1-1
14. Coronado 9-3
15. Justin-Siena (Napa) 9-4

Division V
1.  Bakersfield Christian 12-1
2.  Ferndale 10-1
3.  St. Vincent (Petaluma) 11-1
4.  Corcoran 12-1
5.  Hamilton (Hamilton City) 10-3
6.  Mariposa 9-2
7.  Modoc (Alturas) 12-0
8.  Rio Hondo Prep (Arcadia) 10-3
9.  Riverside Christian 12-2
10. Fowler 10-2

Corrections or comments? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say. 

Although Oaks Christian may come up short in CIF Bowl Game bid, the Lions capture their sixth consecutive Southern Section title with a resounding 63-28 victory over previously unbeaten Serra of Gardena. Junior Malcolm Jones shined with 302 total yards and four touchdowns while fellow junior Nick Montana threw four TD passes.

By Ronnie Flores, CalHiSports.com Managing Editor

Westlake Village, Calif. -- On paper, Friday's CIF Southern Section Northwest Division championship game was a matchup of two 13-0 clubs featuring two of the best juniors in the state in Westlake Village Oaks Christian's Malcolm Jones and Gardena Serra's Robert Woods. On the field, however, the difference was the battle in the trenches as the Lions were able to wear down the Cavaliers after a fairly even first quarter.

The score was tied 14-14 at the beginning of the second period, but to say the Lions dominated thereafter would be an understatement as Oaks Christian went on to record a 63-28 victory over the snake-bitten Cavaliers. From the second play of the second quarter until there was 1:49 left in the game, Serra (13-1) did not record a first down. In between, it had trouble tackling Oaks Christian junior running back Jones, as the reigning state sophomore of the year from 2007 scored two late first-half touchdowns to turn the tide in favor of the state's No. 9 ranked team.

"Malcolm and Nick (Montana) played great on offense," said Oaks Christian head coach Bill Redell. "Actually, Malcolm was all over the place on both sides of the ball."  

The turning point came late in the second quarter as Oaks Christian was tilting the field by forcing multiple three-and-outs for Serra's offense. Jones punctuated a drive that started at the Cavs' 48-yard line with a two-yard touchdown run with 1:45 remaining before halftime. On Serra's next offensive possession, junior defensive back Scott Arellano picked off Cavs quarterback Ted Landers (10-17, 71 yards, 2 TDs, 1 Int) at the Oak Christian 30-yard line after Woods had returned the ensuing kickoff 36 yards to midfield.

After the interception with 1:23 remaining in the quarter, there was some debate on the Oaks Christian sideline if they should simply kneel the ball after taking three snaps and head into halftime with a 28-21 lead or run one last play. Redell and his staff decided to hand the ball off to Jones one more time and the 6-foot, 215-pound junior responded with a 65-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds remaining on the clock.

"I was going outside on that play," Jones explained. "Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a cutback lane, broke some tackles and took off."

That back-breaking run for Serra wasn't the only time its defense didn't wrap up Jones, as he finished with 20 carries for 206 yards with three rushing touchdowns and four receptions from Montana, also a junior, for 96 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown reception that gave Oaks Christian a 14-7 lead with 2:12 remaining in the first quarter. Montana, the son of NFL Hall of Fame signal-caller Joe Montana, played an efficient if not spectacular game, completing 15 of 23 passes for 243 yards without an interception and four touchdowns. He completed all seven of his pass attempts in the second half, including passes of five and two yards for touchdowns to senior wide receiver Ryan Landseadel.     

"We had momentum right from the beginning," Montana explained. "Going in we didn't really know how much better we were than them. I don't think the scoreboard shows their talent level."  

With the win, Oaks Christian (14-0) captured its third consecutive Northwest Division title and its sixth consecutive divisional title, a new CIF Southern Section record. The Lions have also posted an incredible 101-9 record since first fielding a varsity team in 2001, not to mention a section record 25 consecutive post-season games. Included in both totals was the inaugural CIF Div. III State Championship Bowl Game victory over Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa in 2006, but it doesn't look like the program will get its chance to extend is ongoing postseason winning streak this season.

Div. III front-runner St. Bonaventure of Ventura, the state's No. 4 ranked team, defeated No. 16 Moorpark, 42-7, on Friday evening to capture the CIFSS Northern Division title. At the time the Seraphs played the Musketeers, Moorpark was the third top 16 team that St. Bonaventure has faced this season and the second one it has defeated along with Crespi of Encino. The team's only setback was a 12-7 loss to state No.1 Poly of Long Beach. Serra, which came into the game ranked No. 24 in the CalHiSports.com overall top 25 ratings, was the first ranked team Oaks Christian faced all season and it has been made clear since the onset of the CIF Bowl Games that strength of schedule is one factor that will weigh heavily with CIF section commissioners when choosing the eligible section champions that will appear in those games.                          

"There are a lot of good teams out there," Redell lamented. "We just appreciate being considered for the Div. III game. If St. Bonnie's beats Moorpark pretty good, they should definitely be considered. I'm just happy with the win (over Serra)."

Woods, one of the most explosive players in the state regardless of class, helped keep Serra in the game for the first 12 minutes. He opened the scoring with a seven-yard touchdown reception from Landers and also tied the game at 14-14 on a swing pass with 1:12 remaining in the first quarter. He hit the corner, turned on the afterburners and made two defenders miss at the five-yard line on his 29-yard touchdown reception.

Woods, who also had a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown midway through the fourth period, finished the game with seven receptions for 80 yards and the two touchdowns. He also rushed the ball once for three yards and returned two kickoffs 54 yards despite the fact that Oaks Christian was trying to keep the ball out of his hands. Woods finished the game with 216 all-purpose yards and finished his fine junior campaign with 80 receptions for 1,362 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say. 

This isn't an announcement of finalists and there's still plenty of games left to play, but here's who looks strong right now.

By Mark Tennis & Ronnie Flores

(Listed in alphabetical order;Includes results from Friday night, Oct. 31; The CalHiSports.com Mr. Football Player of the Year honor has selections that date back to 1890, thanks to research by our founder, the late Nelson Tennis.)

Matt Barkley (Mater Dei, Santa Ana)
The state junior player of the year and Gatorade national choice in 2007, Barkley doesn't have as much offensive talent and a weaker line protecting him and it shows in the amount of interceptions he's thrown (11 so far). Don't look now, but Mater Dei is currently in first place in the tough Trinity League and Barkley is still a viable candidate. He sometimes tries to do too much, which leads to poor throws, but Barkley can still put up points on any defense when he's on. On Friday, he passed for 228 yards and two touchdowns in a 57-28 victory over Santa Margarita. For the season, he now has passed for 2,149 yards and 20 TDs and for his career has gone over the 8,700-yard mark (8,712).

Vontaze Burfict (Centennial, Corona)
One of nation's top linebackers, some say he's the best but Centennial's offense is so good it could hurt Burfict's chances. His team has played some quality competition, but they're usually so far ahead that Burfict hasn't had that signature game or play to get people talking about how great a high school player he is. We know how great of a college prospect he is, but the last true defensive player to win our Mr. Football award was DT Travis Kirschke of Anaheim Esperanza in 1992 and he did have that signature game in the Southern Section playoffs when the Aztecs shut down 2,000-yard rusher and electrifying talent Saladin McCullough of Pasadena Muir to the tune of -1 yard.

Tyler Gaffney (Cathedral Catholic, San Diego)
He could actually be a leading contender for this honor right now. He's 6-1, 215 pounds and deciding between Stanford, Notre Dame and USC to be a running back. He has led Cathedral Catholic to an 8-0 record and there's a good chance the Dons will finish unbeaten partly because they are in a playoff division in which they won't play Oceanside. After running for 210 yards on just 12 carries on Friday night in an easy 62-6 win over Patrick Henry of San Diego, Gaffney already has 1,507 yards rushing plus 20 catches for 275 more yards and he has scored 30 touchdowns. Gaffney could be in line for final totals of 2,500 yards rushing and 45 TDs.

Jamie Jensen (Gilroy)
The 6-3, 215-pound senior broke through last year with more than 4,000 yards passing for a squad that played in the CIF Central Coast Section Open Division final. Jensen's totals so far this year have been down from last year, but on Friday night he had a huge game to lead the Mustangs past Palma of Salinas, 34-28. It was a game the locals in Monterey County had been waiting for all season and in it Jensen shined by completing 28 of 38 passes for 415 yards and three TDs. He pushed his season totals to 2,203 yards and 23 TDs and Gilroy improved to 8-0. The Mustangs aren't considered a favorite for the CCS open crown with the likes of Oak Grove (defending champ) and others, but if they do win it and Jensen is the one leading the way, then he'll be a major contender for the highest postseason honors. An unbeaten Gilroy team on the board at the CIF state bowl game selection meeting also might be enough to get Jensen a final game at the Home Depot Center.

Malcolm Jones (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village)
He was the state sophomore and freshman player of the year and is in good shape to be state junior of the year this season. A few things are going to have to go his way, however, in order for him to win the state's most prestigious individual honor. Oaks Christian doesn't play the toughest of schedules and Jones rarely plays in the second half of games. Another factor that hurts him is a junior hasn't won Mr. Football honors since 1967, when Calvin Jones of San Francisco Balboa took home top honors before moving on to UCLA. On Halloween, Jones scored five first half touchdowns as the Lions routed Oak Park of Agoura Hills, 54-0. For the season Jones how has 19 TDs  and is averaging over 10 yards per carry (1,096 yards/109 carries). This upcoming week his candidacy could take a huge step when Oaks Christian takes on Santa Clara of Oxnard in a regionally televised game where he'll be matched up against Cierre Wood, a Notre Dame recruit that also could catapult himself into the Mr. Football conversation with a big game.

Ryan Kasdorf (Notre Dame, Sherman Oaks)
No player has emerged more since the beginning of the season than this junior signal-caller. Veteran coach Kevin Rooney has always executed a run-first offense but he's smartly adjusted to take a advantage of his personnel on hand. His candidacy got a major boost on Friday night in a showdown against Serra League rival Crespi of Encino as he completed 22 0f 28 passes for 325 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-17 victory over the Celts. Both teams are CIFSS Pac-Five title contenders, but Notre Dame is now 8-0 and Kasdorf has already passed for 2,406 yards and tied the school record of 26 touchdowns. The yardage mark broke the school record of Elite 11 QB Dayne Crist, now at the University of Notre Dame and Kasdorf will probably play in at least four more games, depending on how well the Golden Knights perform in the postseason.

Cameron Loeffler (Exeter)
You have to put Loeffler into the mix just from a statistical standpoint alone. On Friday night, he tallied five more touchdowns in a 42-14 win by Exeter over Coalinga and upped his reported state-leading total to 34 for the season. Loeffler also is among the state leaders in rushing with 1,947 yards, including the 202 he had against the Horned Toads. A 6-1, 195-pounder, Loeffler also plays linebacker on defense. He had an interception vs. Coalinga and tends to make plays on both sides of the ball.

Keith Price (St. John Bosco, Bellflower)
He might just be the most electrifying talent of this group and there is no doubt his team needs him to perform at a high-level each game in order to compete against the teams they face on a weekly basis. Against tough competition he has passed for 1,856 yards and 21 TDs, including 290 yards and three touchdowns on Halloween in a 33-6 victory over JSerra of San Juan Capistrano. Like Reggie Jackson when he hit a home run or struck out, Price can excite a crowd whether he's passing 50 yards downfield on a broken play or dodging defenders just to get back to the line of scrimmage. Two big Trinity League games against Servite of Anaheim and Mater Dei to close out the regular season will be key to his candidacy.

Cierre Wood (Santa Clara, Oxnard)
The 6-1, 210-pounder with sprinter speed was the state sophomore player of the year two years ago (picked ahead of Matt Barkley) and was a strong contender behind Barkley for top junior honors a year ago. Wood has committed to Notre Dame and is ranked by many as one of the top running back prospects in the nation. As a junior, he had 2,612 yards rushing and scored 34 TDs. So far this year, he has 122 carries for 1,522 yards and 20 scores. This Friday, Wood's unbeaten team plays Malcolm Jones and unbeaten Oaks Christian. As that game goes on, keep in mind that Jones has a lot more talent around him.

Jordan Wynn (Oceanside)
He doesn't have the passing stats of the others, but he is certainly on the watch list because he potentially could end his career with back-to-back CIF Div. II state titles. The Colorado-bound Wynn has passed for 2,051 yards and 18 TDs so far this season. In limited action in Friday's easy 62-6 win over Orange Glen of Escondido, Wynn completed 9 of 10 passes for 170 yards and three TDs.

Others: Usua Amanam (Bellarmine, San Jose) RB-DB, Richard Brehaut (Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga) QB, Patrick Hall (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) RB-DB, Cameron Marshall RB-LB (Valley Christian, San Jose).

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and feel free to leave a comment so others can check out what you have to say. 

This is the next-to-last segment of our preseason football honor squads. This one includes players stretching from Ventura County up through San Luis Obispo County along the Highway 101 Central Coast corridor. 

By Paul Muyskens & Mark Tennis

Note: Players from the Marmonte League, which is part Ventura County and part L.A. County, were selected to a different preseason team.

Offense

WR  Jamal Smith (Oxnard) 6-2, 185, Sr.
Has set goals for himself this season of 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns after catching 31 passes for 594 yards while finding the end zone four times. The Yellowjackets' run-oriented offense prevents him from putting up bigger numbers but his threat on the outside to go deep keeps defenses from completely keying to stop the run. Smith has verbaled to Utah but may go elsewhere so he can continue to play with QB Dasmen Stewart.

TE  Chris Coyle (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-3, 220, Sr.
Before we could even make this team public, the Arizona State bound tight end has already scored two touchdowns in what should be a tremendous season catching passes from Nick Montana. Had 19 receptions last season for 264 yards and four touchdowns while creating big holes for the Lions' rushing attack. Played defense as well last season recording 60 tackles and 10 sacks to go with an interception.

OL  Dylan Cramer (San Luis Obispo) 6-2, 235, Sr.
Returns for his final season after being named to the All-Pac-7 second team offensive line last season. Led the way up front for the Tigers' rushing game while the passing game gained over 1,900 yards and scored 16 touchdowns.

OL  Shane Kelly (Rio Mesa, Oxnard) 6-3, 245, Sr.
He's the top returnee back along the line that coach Bob Gregorchuk feels is one of the best that he's had at Rio Mesa. Should be a key force in helping the Spartans to perhaps bounce back from last year's losing season.

OL  Eric Kohler (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-5, 260, Jr.
Eric was one of the top sophomore linemen we saw last year and projects to be a top-flight college prospect. He was named to the CalHiSports.com all-state sophomore team.

OL  Michael Melonas (Ventura) 6-5, 245, Sr.
Already a Division I prospect, he will lead the Cougars' veteran offensive line after a second-place finish in league last season. Melonas played on both sides of the ball last season as the offense gained over 2,800 yards on the year and finished strong with four wins before a season-ending loss.

OL  Jacob Williams (Morro Bay) 6-4, 295, Sr.
He was one of several to receive postseason honors last season after the Pirates captured the Los Padres League championship as he was named to the All-LPL first team offensive line. The offensive line should not only be a strongpoint for the team but strong in individual strength as four of the five, including Willams, can lift over 300 pounds.

QB  Dave Schultz (San Luis Obispo) 6-1, 170, Sr.
Passed for 1,934 yards and 16 touchdowns last season for the Tigers. Despite losses in both games, he finished last season with two of his best games in the final three contests as he passed for 383 yards and four touchdowns against Paso Robles and for 253 yards against St. Bonaventure.

RB  Malcolm Jones (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 6-0, 205, Jr.
He's one of the top running backs not just in the section but in the nation, for the 2010 class, with all the big schools hoping to land the heralded recruit. Jones was the State Freshman of the Year two years ago and then he followed that up by rushing for 2,025 yards and 25 touchdowns on the talented Lions squad that caused him to sit in some second halves due to large leads. Many consider USC to be among the favorites as his older brother, Marshall, is in the Trojans' secondary after a standout career of his own at Oaks Christian.

RB  Nick Tenhaeff (Atascadero) 6-1, 210, Sr.
He may not be as highly-regarded as the other two running backs on this team but Nick ran for over 1,700 yards and 19 touchdowns last season and plays both sides of the field. He recently announced his intent to head to San Diego State next season, turning down schools like Cal Poly and Boise State.

RB  Cierre Wood (Santa Clara, Oxnard) 6-0, 195, Sr.
With Wood and Jones, there aren't many counties in the country that have a duo that could match them. Wood was named the CIFSS Mid-Valley Division Player of the Year last season after rushing for 2,612 yards and 42 touchdowns. He was also named Ventrua County player of the year as he played cornerback and recorded 50 tackles and three interceptions. If you're a fan of running backs you will not want to miss Cierre Wood, who has verbaled to Notre Dame, and his teammates go up against Malcolm Jones and Oaks Christian on November 7.

K  Derek Kirk (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 5-8, 155, Sr.
Kirk was named to the Channel League postseason second-team after an impressive season kicking for an explosive Seraphs offense. He finished last year with 53 points courtesy of 39 extra points and four field goals.

Defense

DL  Carlos Faumuina (Righetti, Santa Maria) 6-2, 300, Sr.
He earned All Pac-7 honors last season as he was named to the second team defensive line after a solid junior year. The two-way lineman finished the season among the section leaders in sacks with 6.5 to go with 32 tackles from his spot on the Warriors defensive line.

DL  Trevor Holloway (Atascadero) 6-2, 240, Sr.
Selected as the Pac-7 defensive lineman of the year last season, Holloway had seven sacks and 63 tackles for the Greyhounds. He played on offense as well as a fullback and carried the ball 83 times for 486 yards and four touchdowns while even catching a 20-yard pass for a score.  Before we released this team, Trevor injured at practice and well have an MRI done on his knee. Greyhound fans are holding their breath that he won't be out for more than this week.

DL  Jose Ramos (Pacifica, Oxnard) 6-1, 270, Sr.
It's been an up and down first three years for Ramos as he has broken both legs but he had his best season last year for the Tritons, making 55 tackles to go with three sacks. He plays in the middle of the line, excelling at forcing the QB to roll out of the pocket. Ramos helped the Tritons make the playoffs for the first time in school history last year. This fall, he will be moved all over the defensive line this season to neutralize the opponents' strengths.

DL  John Sua (St. Joseph, Santa Maria) 6-0, 265, Sr.
Sua was all-league last season for the Knights as he was among the leaders of the defense with 61 tackles and six sacks. He even scored four touchdowns rushing the ball near the goal line as he racked up 40 yards on 13 carries as a fullback. Sua also shows his strength when it's not football season by throwing the shot put.

LB  Dylan Davis (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 6-1, 210, Jr.
A noticeable player as a sophomore in last year's CIF Div. III state final, Davis dad 79 tackles and four sacks last season as part of a loaded Seraphs team. In the state championship game, Davis had a huge fourth quarter play as he stopped Central Catholic's Louis Bland for a loss on 4th down to turn the momentum of the game in the Seraphs' favor.

LB  Bryant Jones (Oxnard) 5-10, 220, Sr.
He will return for his third year as a starter on the Yellowjackets' defense. Jones earned league MVP honors last season as he led the team with 126 tackles. As a team, Oxnard allowed just 109 total points in 11 games and Jones in the middle was a major reason that happened.

LB  Nick Leyden (Pioneer Valley, Santa Maria) 6-2, 240, Sr.
Leyden's best game last year came against Cabrillo of Lompoc with 13 tackles and three sacks in a 41-14 win. He led the way throughout the season for Pioneer Valley and ended with 125 total tackles and four sacks.

DB  Bobby Collins (Lompoc) 6-0, 185, Sr.
Earns preseason recognition for his work on the defensive side of the ball despite earning postseason Pac-7 second team offense honors last year. Forced the opposition to throw away from his side of the field but on offense had the ball handed his way quite often as he rushed 100 times for 670 yards seven touchdowns.

DB  J.B. Dock (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 6-0, 170, Sr.
We try to not have so many players from one school but it would be hard to leave off this talented senior from a Division I talent loaded Seraphs program. Dock, a standout at the Stanford Nike Camp, has drawn tons of interest from Division I schools and recently received an offer from San Diego State.

DB  Patrick Hall (St. Bonaventure, Ventura) 6-1, 195, Sr.
Should get more carries this year on offense with the departure of Darrell Scott but shined in the secondary during their title run last year. Hall had all the big time schools after him but has committed to go to USC where his cousin, Keary Colbert, starred as a WR before being drafted in the NFL. Hall also plays on special teams so it's not out of question that there could be games this year in which he rarely leaves the field.

DB  Michael Lombardi (Atascadero) 5-9, 175, Sr.
He was just a second team Pac-7 selection to the defense after last season but should have an even better year this year for the Greyhounds. Lombardi was in charge of a secondary that excelled at stopping the pass in their run for the co-league championship. He also posted a strong 35.2-inch vertical jump at a Nike combine.

P  Manuel Casillas (Carpinteria) 6-2, 185, Sr.
Carp's not so secret weapon is considered by many, including the Ventura County Star, to be the best punter in the area after a sensational season last year that saw him average over 46 yards a punt. He had a season-long punt of 62 yards and showed himself to be a key part in the battle for field position.

Multi-Purpose

WR/DB  Roberto Nelson (Santa Barbara) 6-4, 185, Sr.
One of the top grid-hoopers in the nation, Nelson has been a standout in basketball since his freshman season. He's also easily talented enough to be an honors candidate in football. He caught 27 passes for 689 yards and seven touchdowns last season on offense at the wideout position. He also had four interceptions on defense. Roberto recently committed to Oregon State, becoming the first major commit for new Beavers' head coach Craig Robinson, the brother-in-law of presidential candidate Barack Obama.

WR/DB  Brian Owusu (Oaks Christian, Westlake Village) 5-10, 180, Sr.
Depending on who you talk to, you get various opinions on what position he'd be better off at but one thing that isn't a question is his talent to play in the slot on offense or as a corner on defense. Owusu has recently been offered a scholarship to play for Duke.

QB/RB  R.J. Rosborough (Carpinteria) 6-3, 205, Jr.
Has a chance to lead the Warriors back to the postseason this year as he has another year of experience under his belt. Rosborough passed for over 1,600 yards last year with 15 touchdowns as just a sophomore and that type of experience should pay off big time this year and next with bigger numbers and more wins for the team. There were multiple games that he was also the leading rusher as he finished the year with 357 yards and seven touchdowns.

QB/RB  Dasmen Stewart (Oxnard) 6-4, 200, Sr.
Earned the Pacific View League MVP honor last season after leading the Yellowjackets to the league title. Passed for 1,157 yards and nine touchdowns while showing his speed he rushed for over 600 yards for a total of over 1,750 yards of total offense. Before taking the field to hopefully lead Oxnard to a second straight championship this year ,he has verbaled to be a Spartan next season at San Jose State.

Comments or corrections? Email mark@studentsports.com and be sure to leave a comment so others can check it out.