Outstanding play at the quarterback position shouldn't be a problem at Orange Lutheran, which is the feature team in today's latest installment of this preseason football series. For the other three schools featured – Vanden of Travis AFB, Paloma Valley of Menifee and Del Oro of Loomis – the quarterback will need to come through for those teams to go far in the playoffs.

Note: A coach or representative of the school should email or fax in a questionnaire in order for that school's team to be included in this feature. You can CLICK HERE to print out a questionnaire or make a photo copy of the one printed in the back of the seventh edition of the ESPN RISE CalHiSports.com Record Book and Almanac we sent to schools last March. If you can't print a questionnaire, review the categories below and simply fill in the blanks. We will add our own comments and analysis. Please fax completed questionnaire to (209) 463-1219 or email info to mark@studentsports.com.

Team Name: Lutheran (Orange)
Head Coach: Jim Kunau (165-38-3 overall)
Last Year's Records: 10-3, 5-5 for J.V.
Returning Starters: 7 (5 offense, 2 defense)
Players Most Deserving of Preseason Honors: LB/RB Garret Gilliland, OL/DL Sean McEvilly, K/P Parker Flynn
Newcomers Who Could Make An Impact: OLB Lorenzo Devers and OL/DL Christian Licciardi
Coach's General Outlook: We should have a good core of linebackers and good experience at the skill positions on offense. We will have to replace three offensive linemen and the entire secondary from last year's team.
Other Teams To Watch From The Area (listed by coach): Servite (Anaheim)
All-league level players with GPAs above 3.50: LB/RB Garret Gilliland, QB Bobby Wheatley, RB Damani Wilson
CalHiSports.com Comments: Kunau has established himself as one of the most creative coaches in Southern California and he should be creative this year with Wheatley returning at quarterback. This year's team also should benefit greatly by having its "quarterback” returning on defense as Gilliland ranks as one of the best linebackers in Orange County. The loss of transfer running back Exavier Edwards to Mission Viejo will hurt the depth, but Wilson is super-quick and he should help make up for that loss on the front end of the rushing attack. The Lancers will be one of the first teams in the state to open the season this year with a game on Saturday, Aug. 30 against Central Pickerington of Ohio.

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At least four CIF sections vote to oppose regional football bowl game plan. Plus, H1N1 virus causes school to halt athletics, Orange Lutheran basketball coach dies, NFL Draft rewind, reaction to Jeremy Tyler's decision and more from the best prep notes column in the state.

By Mark Tennis & Paul Muyskens

At the CIF state basketball championships in March, CIF executive director Marie Ishida seemed confident that a proposal would pass in May that would add a regional round of games to the CIF state football bowl lineup.

The proposal, which comes before the CIF Federated Council next week, calls for there to be a Northern and Southern Regional bowl game to determine the finalists for the actual CIF state bowl games, which expanded to five divisions last December. Under the plan, the new regional games would take place for 2010 after the second year of the five divisional format is completed this December.

At least four of the 10 CIF sections, however, have indicated through votes of their governing boards in the last two weeks that they will vote no on the plan and one of the those four is the massive CIF Southern Section. The CIFSS Council, in fact, unanimously instructed its representatives on the CIF Federated Council to vote against the plan. On Tuesday earlier this week, the CIF San Diego Section followed, although that vote was not unanimous.

It has also been learned that the CIF North Coast Section and the CIF Central Coast Section's governing boards have voted to oppose the regional play-in games. 

 With the CIFSS in the no column and being so large with more votes on the CIF Federated Council than any other section, it doesn't take much of a coalition of sections to agree in order for a proposal to pass or fail. And with the CIFSS apparently joined by the CCS, NCS and San Diego, the plan seems to be not likely to pass. Those sections that are reportedly in favor of the proposal are the Sac-Joaquin Section, Central Section and L.A. City Section.

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By Mark Tennis, Ronnie Flores & Steve Brand

This is the 30th year in which CalHiSports.com has been providing weekly state rankings. At the end of the season, we will be releasing final rankings according to our traditional five divisions based on league and playoff strength. Check this site on Wednesdays during the current season for updates.
*Indicates team's season is over and will not be eligible for bowl game consideration.
**Indicates team has won section title and is now eligible for bowl game consideration.
    
Division I North
1. (1) De La Salle (Concord) 10-1
2. (3) Grant (Sacramento) 11-0
3. (4) Bellarmine Prep (San Jose) 11-1
4. (2) Oak Grove (San Jose) 11-1*
5. (7) Pittsburg 10-1
6. (5) Junipero Serra (San Mateo) 8-4*
7. (8) Foothill (Pleasanton) 9-2
8. (9) Merced 11-1
9. (nr) San Ramon Valley (Danville) 8-3
10. (6) Monte Vista (Danville) 8-3*
Others: California (San Ramon) 7-5*, Freedom (Oakley) 10-2*, Granite Bay 9-2*, Laguna Creek (Elk Grove) 9-3, Lincoln (Stockton) 10-2*, North Salinas (Salinas) 9-2*, Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 10-2.
Rundown: De La Salle, Grant, Bellarmine Prep. The three front-runners for the Northern California Open and Division I State Championship Bowl berths will be squaring off against teams they have already beaten this weekend and for two of them it will be for a section title. If Grant can repeat or even better its 35-13 win over Burbank of Sacramento Friday in the Sac-Joaquin Division II championships at Folsom High and Bellarmine Prep can stop a Valley Christian team it edged earlier, 27-16, in Friday's Central Coast Open Division championship at San Jose City College, the two will conclude their seasons and turn their attention to De La Salle. The Spartans host Foothill of Pleasanton, a team they crushed 63-7 in East Bay Athletic League play, but still have a North Coast Section Division I title match Dec. 12 at Dublin High. If all three win out, one will end up on the outside looking in when bowl berths are determined Dec. 14. Bellarmine Prep's 25-7 victory in the grudge game against Junipero Serra of San Mateo last week puts the Bells right back into the big picture. Keep an eye on Pitt as well. The Pirates could be the ones to play DLS in that NCS final and if they were to pull off the upset they'd be bowl eligible with just one loss and that loss came on a last-second field goal to Monte Vista of Danville.

Division I South
1. (1) Poly (Long Beach) 12-0
2. (2) Centennial (Corona) 12-0
3. (3) Tesoro (Las Flores) 12-0
4. (4) Chaparral (Temecula) 11-1
5. (nr) Lakewood 10-2
6. (8) Rancho Cucamonga 11-0-1
7. (9) Narbonne (Harbor City) 11-1
8. (6) Mission Viejo 10-2*
9. (13) Clovis West (Fresno) 9-3
10. (nr) Saugus 9-3
11. (14) San Pedro 11-1
12. (nr) Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 9-3
13. (nr) Clovis East (Clovis) 9-3
14. (5)  A.B. Miller (Fontana) 11-1*
15. (12) Esperanza (Anaheim) 8-4*
Others: Buchanan (Clovis) 9-3*, Edison (Huntington Beach) 7-3*, La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 9-2, Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga) 10-2, Los Alamitos 8-3*, Loyola (Los Angeles) 6-4*, Norco 8-4, Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 10-2*, San Clemente 8-3*, Taft (Woodland Hills) 11-1, Thousand Oaks 10-2*.
Rundown: Fast-rising Lakewood is making a nice late-season run and gets another shot at top-ranked Long Beach Poly after losing to the Jackrabbits, 32-15, during Moore League play. The Lancers are clearly a spoiler with not much hope for a bowl bid because while their above record indicates what they have accomplished on the field, the Lancers have four forfeit losses which the CIF section commissioners would not overlook. Still, it should be fun Friday because Lakewood has the home field advantage and Poly certainly isn't rolling over its opponents in the post-season. The other Pac-5 game is for the unofficial Orange County championship. Unbeaten Tesoro of Las Flores, which is new to this level of playoff pressure, must travel to the Santa Ana Bowl to play a Lutheran crew that won the first state Division II Bowl Championship two years ago and is coming off a huge 24-14 win over Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks at the same venue. That win was so impressive, the Lancers leapfrogged Cathedral Catholic of San Diego into the driver's seat in Div. II South and should Tesoro win out No. 2 Centennial will have to look awfully impressive in the CIFSS Inland Division playoffs to hold off the Titans.

Division II North
1. (2) Valley Christian (San Jose) 10-2
2. (1) Casa Roble (Orangevale) 12-0
3. (3) St. Mary's (Stockton) 10-2
4. (4) Whitney (Rocklin) 11-0
5. (5) Novato 10-2
6. (6) Campolindo (Moraga) 10-1
7. (7) Inderkum (Sacramento) 11-1
8. (8) Paradise 11-1**
9. (9) Miramonte (Orinda) 10-2
10. (10) Encinal (Alameda) 11-0
Others: Dixon 9-2, Escalon 11-1*, Las Lomas (Walnut Creek) 9-3, Pioneer (San Jose) 10-2*; Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco) 7-5.
Rundown: In both Division II races, teams jumped others that won. Here's how that works while the state is adamant that they will not count margin of victory, that applies if one team rolls up a score on another. However, if one team scores an impressive win, like Valley Christian of San Jose edging previous Division I No. 2 Oak Grove, 23-20, and the No. 1 team does not play as strong an opponent, movement can, and does, happen. The stay, however, could be short as Valley Christian seeks to reverse a 27-16 loss to Bellarmine Prep Friday night at San Jose CC in the Central Coast Section Open championships. Casa Roble won't have it easy against No. 7 Inderkum in the Sac-Joaquin Division III championships Saturday afternoon at Oakmont High. Still, if Valley Christian beats Bellarmine, it's hard to see how any other team can get this berth. Even if St. Mary's of Stockton were to win the Sac-Joaquin Section Div. I title, the Rams would clearly be behind Valley Christian due to the common opponent factor involving Bellarmine. With a Valley Christian loss and a St. Mary's title, though, the pick between St. Mary's and Casa Roble could then potentially get real interesting. It's not as clear-cut as Casa Roble vs. Valley Christian, but from strength of schedule standpoint St. Mary's might have slight edge. Now it has been a month since any team in this division's Top 10 has lost. That ends this week because teams will be playing each other but it must be some kind of record. We also have to mention Sacred Heart Cathedral, which won a coin flip at 5-5 in the regular season to get into the CCS small school division. Why a team from the West Catholic Athletic League got put into any small school division is a mystery, but the Irish so far have rolled through that division and play Sacred Heart Prep of Atherton in the final. If the Irish win, as expected, they would become bowl eligible in this division and they are the other team besides Bellarmine to pin a loss against Valley Christian. It's possible the section commissioners could go strictly by their head-to-head criteria and would then pick Sacred Heart Cathedral possibly ahead of Valley Christian. That, of course, would be hard to believe, similar to Oregon State still being able to go to the Rose Bowl because of its head-to-head win over USC. That's because Rose Bowl berths and CIF bowl berths have and should have league standings as even more of a criteria than head-to-head. While SHC did beat Valley Christian, the Irish also got rocked three times in league play and finished behind the Warriors in final league standings.

Division II South
1. (3) Lutheran (Orange) 10-2
2. (1) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 11-1*
3. (2) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 11-0
4. (4) Oceanside 10-0-1
5. (5) Moorpark 11-1
6. (7) Alemany (Mission Hills) 11-1
7. (6) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 8-4*
8. (8) Servite (Anaheim) 7-4*
9. (9) Tulare Union 12-0
10. (10) Citrus Hill (Perris) 12-0
11. (13) Helix (La Mesa) 9-1-1
12. (12) Bishop Amat (La Puente) 8-3*
13. (14) Edison (Fresno) 9-2
14. (11) Atascadero 9-3*
15.  (nr) Charter Oak (Covina) 11-0-1
Others: Barstow 9-3, Crespi (Encino) 6-4*, El Diamante (Visalia) 10-1, Hanford 10-1, Laguna Hills 11-0, Paso Robles 9-3*, St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 7-3*.
Rundown: The noise you hear are the Cathedral Catholic of San Diego faithful wondering how the Dons could beat Point Loma of San Diego, a team they pounded for the section title a year ago, 20-14, and not only not take over the No. 1 spot, but drop one position. The answer is relatively easy as Lutheran of Orange scored an impressive 24-14 win over front-running and previously unbeaten Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, a team rated as high as No. 2 in the nation in some polls. Notre Dame, in turn, didn't lose big enough to drop very far, so for this week the Knights are ranked in front of Cathedral but of course are no longer bowl eligible as noted. This week, Div. I South contender Tesoro has a couple thousand new fans as Cathedral would love to see Lutheran fall to the Las Flores school in an all-Orange County Pac-5 showdown. Although Lutheran is ahead of Cathedral Catholic this week, winning its last two games to become bowl eligible will be a very difficult task and should they accomplish that, the Lancers overall resume would be very strong despite losses to Bishop Amat of La Puente and Servite of Anaheim during the regular season. In its own backyard, Cathedral has Oceanside looking very strong again after blanking a talented Lincoln of San Diego team, 41-0. When the Pirates suffered their tie against Ramona, the reason it looked like Cathedral Catholic might have the edge is because the Dons might have been able to post a win over Ramona in the playoffs. That now won't happen since Ramona lost last week. Throw in the 41-0 and 20-14 scores from last week and the Oceanside vs. Cathedral Catholic debate may have flipped among many in San Diego toward the Pirates.

Division III North
1. (1) Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 11-0
2. (2) Central Catholic (Modesto) 11-1
3. (3) Sutter 10-1**
4. (4) Palma (Salinas) 8-3*
5. (5) Marin Catholic (Kentfield) 9-2
6. (7) Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton) 11-0-1
7. (9) Hilmar 11-1
8. (6) West Valley (Cottonwood) 9-3*
9. (8) King's Academy (Sunnyvale) 10-1-1*
10. (10) Carmel 8-2*
Others: Colfax 6-4*, Justin-Siena (Napa) 8-4, Menlo School (Atherton) 6-5*, Piedmont 7-3*, Willows 10-2*.
Rundown: It was a strong win of 38-6 by Central Catholic of Modesto over highly-regarded Division II Escalon, but barring a Cardinal Newman loss to either Campolindo of Moraga Friday in the North Coast Section Division II semifinals or in the championship game, the Cardinals would appear to be a lock to be going back to Carson for the second time in three years. The commissioners should thank their lucky stars that Central Catholic and Cardinal Newman play each other every season. Also, congratulations to retiring Sutter head coach Scott Turner, who goes out after a 12-7 win over West Valley in the Northern Section Div. II final. It's not completely official that Turner has coached his last game, but the odds of both Cardinal Newman and Central Catholic losing in the next two weeks are about the same as the Earth being hit by an asteroid.

Division III South
1. (1) St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 11-1
2. (2) Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 12-0
3. (3) Serra (Gardena) 12-0
4. (4) Bakersfield Christian 10-1
5. (7) Corcoran 11-0
6. (9) Chowchilla 10-1
7. (10) Paraclete (Lancaster) 9-3
8.  (nr) Twentynine Palms 9-3
9.  (6)  St. Joseph (Santa Maria) 10-2*
10. (nr) Fowler 10-1
Others: Coronado 9-2, Exeter 9-2*, Harvard-Westlake (N. Hollywood) 8-3-1*, Maranatha (Sierra Madre) 11-1, Morro Bay 8-4, St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) 4-6*.
Rundown: The CIF commissioners are going to have real fun with this division. Remember, St. Bonaventure¹s only loss was to overall state No. 1 Long Beach Poly, 12-7, and the Jackrabbits have positioned themselves for a berth in the Open or Div. I bowl game. Season-long No. 2 Oaks Christian had hoped Poly would drop another game or lose early in the CIFSS Pac-5 playoffs, taking some glimmer off the Seraphs' close loss. And what about Serra of Gardena? If it can defeat Oaks Christian in the CIFSS Northwest Division title game they too would have a strong resume, especially if Taft of Woodland Hills advances to the L.A. City Section title game. There still is potentially two big games to be played by the above-mentioned teams so these bowl game scenarios still need to be played out.
    
Small Schools North
1. (2) Hamilton (Hamilton City) 10-2**
2. (3) Modoc (Alturas) 12-0**
3. (4) St. Vincent (Petaluma) 10-1
4. (1) Ferndale 10-1
5. (nr) St. Elizabeth (Oakland) 8-4
Others: Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) 10-2**, Capital Christian (Sacramento) 5-6*, Fall River (McArthur) 10-2*, Modesto Christian 9-2*, Portola 10-2*, Rio Vista 10-2*, Vacaville Christian 9-2*.
Rundown: Eight weeks ago, Hamilton of Hamilton City lost its second game of the season and dropped out of the elite Top 5. But the Braves won their last seven, including the 21-14 overtime victory over Willows for the Northern Section Div. III title on Thanksgiving Day, and now will have to wait to see if they get that Northern California Small School bid. Modoc, of the same section, has a pretty good argument, too, as these Braves beat Fall River of McArthur during the regular season and Fall River went on to win the Northern Division V title. Hamilton would seem to have a strength of schedule edge and a slight edge looking at common opponents Mt. Shasta and Portola. We also like the fact that Hamilton played Menlo School of Atherton to a 21-17 loss compared to a 29-17 loss that Justin-Siena of Napa had against the same team. Justin-Siena, which plays in the same league as Novato and Marin Catholic, was the team that just knocked off front-running small school Ferndale in the North Coast Section Division IV playoffs. Even fast-finishing St. Vincent of Petaluma could make an argument if it beats St. Elizabeth in the North Coast Section title game this week.

Small Schools South
1.    (1.) St. Margaret's (San Juan Capistrano) 12-0
2.    (2.) Francis Parker (San Diego) 10-1
3.    (4.) Central Valley Christian (Visalia) 9-2
4.    (5) Christian (El Cajon) 10-1
5.    (nr) Mission Prep (San Luis Obispo) 9-1
Others: Aquinas (San Bernardino) 10-2*, Brentwood (Los Angeles) 10-2*, Linfield Christian (Temecula) 10-2, Rio Hondo Prep (Arcadia) 8-3, Santa Clara (Oxnard) 9-2*, Santa Fe Christian (Solana Beach) 6-5*.
Rundown: Top-ranked St. Margaret's has been running roughshod over every opponent, so the rest of this division can take heart after Yucca Valley played the Tartans fairly close before falling, 17-6, in the CIFSS East Valley Division playoffs. When the playoffs started, many thought Aquinas of San Bernardino would be the team to challenge Harry Welch's club, but Div. III South club Twentynine Palms' 40-0 rout of the Falcons suddenly thrusts the Wildcats into the spoiler role in the East Valley Division. First up for St. Margaret's will be a strong Maranatha of Sierra Madre team this Friday. Looking ahead, a highly anticipated rematch between Parker and Christian of El Cajon would take place in the CIFSDS Div. V finals should both win semifinal games this week. Parker would have a strong resume with two more wins, but St. Margaret's would break the Orange County record of 41 consecutive victories should it win its division title so it will be a close call in this division.

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

Sherman Oaks squad falls, 24-14, to suffer first loss of the season. It's also a major result for teams trying to gain CIF Div. II state bowl game berth from Southern California. 

 By Ronnie Flores, Managing Editor CalHiSports.com 

Santa Ana, Calif.-- The football team at Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks had risen from uncertainty, having to replace an Elite 11 quarterback in the off-season, to a team that had climbed to No. 21 in the FAB 50 national ratings behind its red-hot junior quarterback, Ryan Kasdorf.

Kasdorf came into Friday night's CIF Southern Section Pac-5 quarterfinal contest at Santa Ana Stadium's Eddie West Field against Lutheran of Orange having thrown for 3,163 yards and 36 touchdowns. Against the Lancers' talented and physical defense, however, Notre Dame was held to 70 total yards in the second half while Kasdorf was kept out of the end zone through the air and finished the game with 134 yards passing, by far a season low.

With those final numbers, Notre Dame predictably lost its first game of the season as Lutheran recorded the 24-14 victory.

"The game came down to which team converted in clutch situations," said dejected Notre Dame head coach Kevin Rooney. "We prepared as well as we could, but they hurt us with the option (plays) all day and we were having trouble with pass protection."     

The Knights actually moved the ball fairly easy on their first drive with a nice mix of passes and runs by Kasdorf, but the drive slowed down when a backwards lateral to Chris McNeil was muffed for a loss of eight yards back to the Lutheran 28-yard line. Following a false start penalty, Notre Dame kicker Brandon Luis trotted on for a 50-yard field goal attempt, but his kick wasn't anywhere near the crossbar and Lutheran (10-2) took over from its own 20-yard line.
         
Both teams moved the chains in the first quarter and also came up with some big defensive stops and the game remained scoreless after 12 minutes. Notre Dame (11-1) got on the board first on a five-yard QB sweep by Kasdorf with 10:38 remaining in the first half. Arguably the state's hottest quarterback coming in helped himself with some nice moves in the open field, including a 18-yard run on the drive that kept the Lancers' defense off balance.

Orange Lutheran, which came into the game ranked No.13 overall in the state, answered with a QB keeper touchdown by junior Bobby Wheatley, who plunged over the top of the pile from a yard out with 6:02 left in the second quarter to cap an 80-yard drive. The drive was kept alive on a fourth down play inside Notre Dame's five-yard line on a two-yard rush by running back Kyle Dravis (10 carries, 70 yards, 1 TD) as the Lancers scored two plays later.

On its next drive, Rooney's club from Notre Dame showed why, for 11 weeks, it had been as impressive as any team in the state of California. Kasdorf threw a short shovel pass to a sweeping McNeill, who bolted up his own sideline for a gain of 47 yards. On the next play, junior running back Kenny Boggs (10 carries, 100 yards, 1 TD) scampered up the middle untouched for a 33-yard touchdown to give Notre Dame a 14-7 advantage. Notre Dame converted on its second 80-yard drive, but this one only took two plays.         

When Lutheran defeated Mater Dei of Santa Ana during Trinity League play, the Lancers converted five of six fourth-down attempts and again rolled the dice on Friday night in the first half. They converted two of three fourth downs, the final one on a fourth and one from the Notre Dame 36-yard line. The Lancers converted it with 3:30 left in the half, but had to settle for what appeared to be a 35-yard field goal. Notre Dame, however, was called for a personal foul penalty. With 16 seconds left in the half, Lutheran decided to take the three points off the board and take the ball half the distance to the goal. On the next play, Dravis scored up the middle on a nine-yard scamper to tie the game at 14.                         

"One of our guys hit their center," Rooney said was the explanation given to his coaching staff on the personal foul call. "Our guy said he rushed the gap and that's what we teach. I can't remember the last game I was involved in a game where that call is made. In fact, I've never had it called."

Regardless of that ill-timed penalty, the Knights lost the game because the more physical team made less mistakes and because their quarterback that came in averaging 288 yards passing per game only completed a paltry three  of eight passes for 27 yards after intermission.

Notre Dame had its opportunity to take the lead near the end of the third quarter, but Kasdorf was picked off at Lutheran's two-yard line by senior defensive back Gabe Lemon with just over three minutes remaining in the period. He was behind the intended receiver, but made up the stagger, took the ball out of the end zone and returned it 23 yards.

"We were in cover three (three deep zone) and I was trying to bait him," Lemon explained. "And that's when I hopped in front of the ball. They are a good team, Coach told us all week that we needed to pick it up defensively and that every guy had to do his eleventh (his assignment)."

Lutheran took control of the game and converted the turnover into a 33-yard field goal by junior Parker Flynn with 10:06 remaining in the fourth quarter. On the next drive, Lutheran forced a three and out after sophomore linebacker Lorenzo Devers batted down a Kasdorf pass attempt on third down.  

Orange Lutheran took over on offense with 9:07 remaining and scored the game-clinching points with 5:46 to go on a seven-yard touchdown run by senior back Donyne Fields. When Notre Dame got the ball back, the Lancers defense came up with another huge stop on fourth down, as senior defensive end Aaron Prindle struck a scrambling Kasdorf, losing his helmet in the process, and prevented any forward progress by the Notre Dame quarterback on the fourth down and one-yard to go play that basically sealed the win.
    
Kasdorf got his 134 yards passing on eight of 19 attempts. He added 67 yards rushing and the one touchdown on the ground in 11 carries. Kasdorf finished with single-season school records of 3,297 yards passing and 36 touchdowns as the Knights finished their season 11-1.
 
Wheatley only passed for a single yard less than his counterpart on 11 of 18 attempts. He added 53 yards and one score on the ground on 15 attempts. Lutheran, which came into the contest No. 13 in the latest CalHiSports.com overall top 25 rankings, out gained Notre Dame in total yardage, 449-312. Notre Dame came into the contest No. 3 in the state and the top-ranked club in the Div. II South CIF Bowl Game Ratings, two spots ahead of the Lancers and one ahead of Cathedral Catholic of San Diego.

"I thought the biggest play defensively was Gabe Lemon's interception," remarked Orange Lutheran coach Jim Kunau. "That play gave us the momentum. The credit goes to our players. They turned in a tremendous performance."  

Lutheran will return to Santa Ana Stadium next weekend to take on undefeated Tesoro of Las Flores (which held on to defeat Mater Dei of Santa Ana in another quarterfinal contest Friday night) in an all-Orange County Pac-5 semifinal.

More Key Scores From Friday

Valley Christian (San Jose) 23, Oak Grove (San Jose) 20
The Warriors knocked off the defending CCS open division champions and ended their win streak at 22 games. This result is good news for Grant of Sacramento since it moves the Pacers squarely into the No. 2 spot behind De La Salle of Concord in the Northern California Div. I bowl game rankings. Grant won on Friday, 49-14, over Woodcreek of Roseville.

Centennial (Corona) 41, Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 14
The state's No. 2 ranked team overall and close to the top 10 in the ESPN RISE FAB 50 national rankings took out the Broncos in a CIF Southern Section Inland Division playoff game.

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

(Compiled by Mark Tennis, Ronnie Flores, Steve Brand, Harold Abend & Paul Muyskens; After games of Saturday, Oct. 25; Previous ranking in parentheses; These rankings are done regardless of CIF enrollment divisions; Check back Tuesday for our exclusive CIF Bowl Game ratings and our NorCal-SoCal regional rankings.)

1.    (1)  Poly (Long Beach) 7-0
This team's seemingly inevitable march to a 10-0 regular season and top seed in the CIF Southern Section Pac-Five Division playoffs continued with a 34-7 win last Friday over Long Beach Wilson. It followed the typical Poly script of late with a big lead by halftime and then not much in the second half. This time, though, there was a bit more from the passing game as quarterback Morgan Fennell fired a pair of TD passes to Jordan Johnson. The Jackrabbit defense was not only stingy this time, but actually got the scoring started in the first quarter when standout cover corner Darius Williams-Fox grabbed an overthrown pass and meandered his way back the other direction for a 76-yard touchdown. Head coach Raul Lara's team faces Cabrillo of Long Beach in this week's game and does have a couple more potentially tough games looming after that against Compton and Jordan of Long Beach.

2.    (2)  Centennial (Corona) 7-0
The new Big 8 League is looking like Big 1 plus seven others so far but the last three games of the regular season could be tougher tests for the defending CIFSS Inland Division champs. The Huskies took on their fourth league foe last Friday and got their fourth blowout with a 56-6 romp past Riverside Poly. UCLA-bound Ricky Marvray lead the way with a 68-yard punt return TD, threw a 37-yard TD pass and had two other punt returns called back on penalties. Arthur Burns had another solid outing with 19 carries for 123 yards and four scores, while QB Taylor Martinez got into the act with a 44-yard TD run. This week, Centennial might put up a ton of points again but it still should be a tougher matchup vs. J.W. North of Riverside. The Huskies look good to get one of the top two CIF bowl bids from Southern California, but to get the Open Division berth it looks like Long Beach Poly is going to have to lose somewhere along the way.

3.    (4)  De La Salle (Concord) 6-1
It should be an intense week of practice for the Spartans as they prepare for a monster match up on Friday against unbeaten Monte Vista of Danville. Playing the Mustangs, who are now up to No. 16 in the state and the best opponent on paper for DLS since its 23-21 loss to Don Bosco Prep of New Jersey, will be tough enough. But doing so after a somewhat lackluster 34-14 win over Amador Valley of Pleasanton could require much better preparation. The play of the game for the Spartans was a blocked field goal by Terron Williams-Ward that he picked up and raced 69 yards for a touchdown. Late TD runs by QB Blake Wayne (1 yard) and Tyler Anderson (52 yards) sealed the victory in the fourth quarter. With previous No. 3 Bellarmine getting upset by Serra, a team that the Spartans defeated in their opener, De La Salle is back up to its customary position this week as the No. 1 team in Northern California.

4.    (5)  Oceanside 7-0
The Pirates remained unbeaten and won their 18th straight game with a 59-14 win over Mt. Carmel, but the lopsided victories are making it difficult to assess Oceanside's progress in terms of a state title run. Oceanside head coach John Carroll has been forced to empty his bench in the second half of three Valley League victories. Oceanside led 42-0 at halftime against Mt. Carmel a week after it led 35-0 at halftime against Westview. The Pirates, who were moved from the rugged Avocado League to the North County Conference's weaker Valley League on a decision based on enrollment, have outscored their three Valley League opponents, 150-28. Against Mt. Carmel, junior running back Rene Siluano scored four touchdowns, with three rushing and one receiving. He carried 15 times for 138 yards and caught two balls for 14 yards. Junior running back/defensive back King Holder scored three touchdowns, with one each rushing, receiving and on an interception return. Colorado-bound quarterback Jordan Wynn played his typical efficient game as he completed 12-of-17 passes for 155 yards and two touchdowns without an interception. Oceanside won't be tested Friday as the Pirates travel to Orange Glen, a team that is 1-7 and has been outscored 357-111.

5.    (6)  St. Bonaventure (Ventura) 6-1
Despite struggling to put together long drives, the Seraphs still made plenty of big plays last Friday in a 24-6 win over Ventura. QB Logan Meyer connected with Nolan Rodarte for an early 60-yard catch and run, giving the Seraphs a 7-0 lead before they sputtered with only three first downs the rest of the first half. In the second half, Patrick Hall extended the lead with a 88-yard touchdown run and Devon Blackledge closed the scoring with a touchdown carry of his own. Meyer finished the game with 10 completions for 186 yards and a touchdown with 134 of those yards coming on three catches. St. Bonnie has now won two straight Channel League games since suffering its only loss of the season (12-7 to No. 1 Poly) and will take on 3-4 Santa Barbara and its high-powered offense this Thursday.

6.    (7)  Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) 7-0
The Knights rang up their first shutout of the season as they defeated St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs, 35-0. Making the most of his passing attempts, Knights' signal caller Ryan Kasdorf connected on eight of his 13 passes for 161 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for a score before finding a spot on the sideline for the final quarter. Chris McNeil had an interception of defense and scored on a touchdown reception on the next play from scrimmage following his theft. After seven games, the Knights are outscoring their opponents exactly by a 2:1 ratio as they've scored 276 points while allowing just 138, but their defense will be put to the test this on Halloween night against No. 11 Crespi.  

7.    (8)  Los Alamitos 7-0
There's still plenty of debate about which team should be ranked No. 1 in Orange County and the Griffins can make a strong claim this week after their 23-19 win over state-ranked Edison of Huntington Beach. Previously, in the Orange County Register poll, Los Al has been lower than we've had them, which is why we have jumped other teams in front of them while at the same time not dropping them because they were winning. The Chargers are the best opponent that Los Al has beaten so far, but despite some untimely turnovers the game wasn't decided until the final play. Clark Evans again led the offense with two touchdown passes plus a TD run. One of his TD passes came on a double pass in which he pitched the ball one way, received a lateral back in the opposite direction and then hit Darryl Jenkins with a 63-yard bomb. That play was quite a birthday treat for Los Alamitos Head coach John Barnes, but he'd still like to see his club put good teams away instead of relaxing after building a lead. Next up is 5-2 Fountain Valley on Halloween night.

8.    (9)  Oak Grove (San Jose) 7-0
For the second straight week, the Eagles put up 45 points against a team from San Jose that starts with the letter L. This week the victims was Lincoln of San Jose, as Oak Grove rolled to a 45-20 victory. The Eagles were led by the Carr brothers once again, as they combined to score the first four touchdowns for the victors. Jabari Carr scored the first two on catches of 58 and 32 yards and he finished with five receptions for 113 yards. Omari Carr then scored his two touchdowns on runs of 14 and 73 yards as part of a 19-carry night that saw him soar downfield to the tune of 280 yards. Head coach Ed Buller's team has now scored at least 40 points in all but one of its games and had only allowed 21 total points in the previous six games before surrendering 20 to Lincoln.  This week's win also enabled the defending Central Coast Section open division champs to move up one spot in since San Jose rival Bellarmine was upset by Serra of San Mateo. Oak Grove takes on Leigh of San Jose in this week's game.

9.    (10)  Granite Bay 7-0
It was another dominating outing for the Sac-Joaquin Section's No. 1 team as the Grizzlies went on the road last Friday night and picked up a 41-13 victory over host Rocklin. Clark Partridge rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns as got the Grizzlies on the board as they entered the second quarter trialing 6-0. Teddy Bryant then connected with Austin Nash for a 46-yard touchdown to open the second half and Corey Vanderbeek followed with a 47-yard punt return touchdown as Granite Bay outscored the Thunder, 34-7, in the second half. Granite Bay has yet to allow more than 13 points in a game this season, but should be tested on Halloween by a tough Roseville squad. Since losing their first two games of the season, the Tigers have won five straight and have scored over 36 points per a game.

10.  (11)  Grant (Sacramento) 7-0
Doing all they could to show that they are the top team in the greater Sacramento area and not Granite Bay, the Pacers pitched their second consecutive shutout by defeating Kennedy on the road. Kipeli Koniseti did a little bit of everything for the Pacers in their 61-0 victory as he passed for two touchdowns, ran for over 50 yards and kicked five extra points as the reserves were in early. Grant has won its previous four games by a combined 236-15 margin and still have not yet to be challenged by a California team. Head coach Mike Alberghini's club has Halloween off and will be ready to continue its journey towards a possible playoff showdown with Granite Bay when it takes on 1-6 McClatchy in two weeks.

11.  (12)  Crespi (Encino) 6-1
By all accounts St. Francis of La Canada was a solid 5-1 team going into its game with the Celts last week, but Crespi wasted little time in showing that it is clearly the superior team by shutting out the Golden Knights, 34-0. State ranked Bishop Amat had beaten St. Francis a week earlier by a 28-13 score but Crespi QB Bryan Bennett didn't give the visitors a chance, as he completed 14 of 17 passes for 206 yards, with all of the yardage coming before intermission. Crespi's defense was just as spectacular, as St. Francis didn't cross midfield until the end of the third quarter as top rusher Dietrich Riley was limited to 57 yards on 19 carries. The Golden Knights' passing game wasn't much better, as Justin Sciarra completed just 4 of 11 passes for 23 yards. The Celts led 20-0 at halftime and completely broke the game wide open with a 62-yard TD run by Jeremiah McKibbins and a 59-yard punt return by Brad Lattanzio. Crespi coach Jeremiah Ross has some injury issues to deal with, but will head into this week's showdown with No. 6 Notre Dame coming off his team's best overall performance of the season and that should be a good sign for the Celts' faithful.

12.  (13)  Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) 7-0
Some veteran observers feel this Oaks Christian club is on par with the 2006 team that was named state team of the year, but it's really hard to get a read on just how good they are when they a schedule where seven or eight of the teams they face realistically have no shot at beating them. It's also a disadvantage for the Lions come playoff time when the regular starting lineup rarely sees the field in the second half, which was the case again last week in a 56-0 Tri-Valley league blanking of Carpinteria. Junior QB Nick Montana only threw five passes, but all of them were completed and three went for scores, including a 35-yard touchdown toss to fellow junior Malcolm Jones. Jones finished with 173 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns. This week, Oaks Christian takes on 3-4 Oak Park then it's a showdown with Santa Clara of Oxnard on November 7. The Lions handed Bakersfield Christian and Muir of Pasadena its only losses and would love to do the same to Santa Clara provided they don't overlook Oak Park.    

13.  (15)  Bishop Amat (La Puente) 6-1
Now that Orange Lutheran has regained its stature as a serious Pac-Five title contender with it's victory over St. John Bosco, Amat's 47-39 victory over Lutheran in week two combined with its own 38-21 victory over Chaminade of West Hills helps Amat move up two spots this week. No team has come close to scoring 47 points on Lutheran since, but Amat still hasn't played the complete it will need to on both sides of the ball to win the Serra League title and make a deep run in the CIFSS Pac Five Division playoffs. Chaminade had lost four in a row coming into last week's game but trailed by only three points (24-21) entering the fourth quarter. A pair of late touchdowns sealed matters but Amat could have been in trouble if it wasn't for the heroics of RB Deshawn Gaisie, who scored two touchdowns, rushed for a game-high 180 yards and set up another score with a 77-yard punt return. Amat takes on 4-3 Loyola of Los Angeles on Saturday in what could be another tough battle if Amat is not firing on all cylinders.               

14.  (14)  Redlands East Valley (Redlands) 7-0
"A win is a win" is the battle cry for REV and its fans so far this season. Unimpressive, ugly, scary, sure, but the Wildcats pulled out the victory over upset-minded Carter of Rialto, 27-20, and really, that's all that matters heading into this week's Citrus Belt League showdown at unbeaten A.B. Miller. REV's defense picked off five passes, including one by Gary Walker that led to a 56-yard touchdown, to offset an equal number of offensive fumbles, and held on after building a 27-13 halftime advantage. Still another pick, by Jarel Keyes, set up A.J. Fernandez' 8-yard scoring grab. Quarterback Tyler Shreve got into the act with a 33-yard run, but the Wildcats were shut out in the second half, thwarting their drives with turnovers. It must be a comfort to know REV has steady Manny Szwabowski kicking the ball, as he converted on field goals of 32 and 36 yards when REV's drives bogged down. REV's best win so far was a 24-16 season-opening win over J.W. North of Riverside while Miller's was a 15-12 win over Crenshaw of Los Angeles.

15.  (17)  Lutheran (Orange) 6-1
Carrying a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter against St. John Bosco of Bellflower and its deadly-accurate quarterback Keith Price is a dangerous proposition. Yet it was the Lancers who picked up the tempo en route to a 34-21 victory in a Trinity League showdown last week. Lutheran's ground attack, led by Garrett Gilliland and Kyle Dravis, proved the difference. Gilliland's second TD of the night, a 2-yard run, capped an 87-yard drive and gave the Lancers a 27-14 lead early in the fourth quarter. Dravis added a 40-yarder with 2:45 to play to put the game away. We've seen all the top teams in the Trinity League in person and Lutheran seems to have the hard-hitting and balanced unit. They've definitely jelled since giving up 39 points to No. 13 Bishop Amat in week two The Lancers battle 4-3 Servite of Anaheim Friday night and their game against Mater Dei of Santa Ana during the last week of the regular season might decide the league crown.

16.  (18)  Monte Vista (Danville) 7-0
Faster than the blink of an eye, the Mustangs ran 13 plays on offense in the first quarter and scored touchdowns on four of them to take a 28-0 lead in an eventual 51-16 victory over Livermore. Quarterback Brett Nottingham threw touchdown passes to four receivers, including three in the opening quarter. The junior signal caller continued his spectacular season, completing 13 of 16 passes for 159 yards and four touchdowns, giving him 26 on the season. The victory keeps Monte Vista in a first place tie at 4-0 with De La Salle in the East Bay Athletic League. While the Mustangs have been steadily climbing the rankings ladder, it all could come crashing down this Friday, when the thundering herd of horses comes face to face with Sparta in what is the East Bay's and one of the Bay Area's biggest regular season contests in recent memory.

17.  (21)  Tesoro (Las Flores) 7-0
It's another big jump for the Titans this week, as they kept their focus after the huge win over Mission Viejo two weeks ago and stopped previously unbeaten San Clemente, 28-23. Tesoro's faithful, however, needed nerves of steel when San Clemente drove down to the Titans' 15-yard line with 1:11 to play. Faced with a fourth and one, the Tritons gave the ball to David Espino, who already had two touchdowns, but middle linebacker Scott Graves shot through the line and tackled him for a 2-yard loss. It took all of the Titans defenders to overcome a second-half comeback by San Clemente, which trailed 21-10 at the break as Tesoro QB Robbie Picazo (12-25-224, 2 TDs) and receiver Preston King (9-142, 1 TD) helped build the lead. The Titans host 3-4 Capistrano Valley of Mission Viejo this week and if they finish the regular season 10-0 they'd like to be seeded in the opposite bracket of Long Beach Poly.

18.  (19)  Gilroy 7-0
The Mustangs have jumped four spots in two weeks after adding a 60-14 blowout win over Alisal of Salinas to their resume. Gilroy interchanged its two quarterbacks, starting with junior Nick Marra then bringing in Jamie Jensen, and both quarterbacks ran the spread offense with nearly equal efficiency last week. Dante Fullard scored on an 11-yard pass from Jensen, a 1-yard run and a 28-yard pass from Marra. Sean Hale had two TDs on a 17-yard run and a 14-yard pass from Jensen; Peter Guenther scored on a 22-yard run; Lelan Gettys scored on runs of three and one yard; Ivan Lopez booted a 27-yard field goal and was perfect on his conversion kicks, although according to the Monterey County Herald, one never got credited on the scoreboard. So far this season Gilroy really hasn't been tested, outscoring opponents 337-65 but that all could change this Friday night when the Mustangs travel to Salinas to meet Palma. Although they beat the Chieftains 35-14 last season, Palma has played well in recent games and is coming off a 21-14 win over a very good North Salinas team.

19.   (3)  Bellarmine (San Jose) 6-1
There were penalties that killed drives and several missed opportunities, but in reality, Bellarmine's 31-23 loss at home to Serra of San Mateo was the result of losing the battle at the line of scrimmage. As the game went on, it felt like every time the Bells were on the verge of breaking through, something happened to swing momentum back to the Padres and they could never get over the hump. Usua Amanam played his heart out on both sides of the ball, as the Stanford-bound back scored all three of the Bells touchdowns on runs of 12, 1 and 2 yards. He finished with a game-high 131 yards rushing on 19 carries, but a costly second quarter fumble led to Serra's first score. The team will have to re-group and but can't afford to look past anyone in the WCAL. Next up is a road game across town against winless Mitty.

20.  (23) Valley Christian (San Jose) 6-1
After a loss to Bellarmine two weeks ago dropped them from the top 10, the Warriors jump back up three spots with a 48-14 victory on the road at St. Francis. A second San Jose brother act took the stage this week, only this duo worked on Thursday and in Mountain View. Cameron Marshall ran for 253 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries and little brother, freshman Byron Marshall, rushed for 61 yards and a touchdown on seven carries and also caught a pass for another score. Valley Christian, which led 20-7 at halftime, scored three touchdowns in the second quarter, including a 72-yard run from Cameron Marshall with 16 seconds left in the half. Next up is a home game against Sacred Heart Cathedral of San Francisco. The Irish and Warriors together with fellow state ranked clubs Serra and Bellarmine are all tied at 3-1 in the wacky WCAL.

21.  (24)  Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) 7-0
The Cardinals went from not rated two weeks ago to on the verge of the top 20 after dispatching cross-town arch-rival Montgomery in a 42-14 whitewashing. At this stage of the season, Newman looks as good if not better than last year. In fact, word around the Redwood Empire is this season's team may be the best of the past three seasons and who can forget how the Cardinals nearly knocked off Oaks Christian of Westlake Village in the first CIF Div. III Bowl game in 2006. Against Montgomery, the score was 14-7 at the half before the Cardinals exploded for 28 points to begin the third quarter. Eight offensive plays, 216 yards and four touchdowns in 8 minutes, 54 seconds. Up next is a Halloween match up for supremacy of the North Bay League against unbeaten Rancho Cotate on the road in Rohnert Park.

22.  (20)  St. John Bosco (Bellflower) 6-1
The Braves fall two spots in the aftermath of their 34-21 loss to No. 15 Orange Lutheran. The game was all tied up at 14-14 at the end of the first quarter, but a costly interception at the end of the first half by quarterback Keith Price allowed the Lancers to take a 21-14 lead into halftime. Another interception in the third quarter also played a role in the loss, but the team with the stronger overall lineup that dominated the line of scrimmage eventually took control and won the game. As long as the offensive line keeps Price healthy and some of the other role players step up and make plays, St. John Bosco will have a great chance to make the playoff and possibly make some noise. Up next is 5-2 JSerra of San Juan Capistrano, which is coming off a 42-0 loss to Mater Dei of Santa Ana.

23.   (nr)  Junipero Serra (San Mateo) 4-3
Following its impressive 31-23 victory on the road at San Jose City College over league-rival and previous No. 3 Bellarmine, Serra is not only the best 4-3 team in the state , but the only one to crack the top 25 with more than two losses. It wasn't only the heroic performance of Cody Jackson, who was nursing a sore ankle and wasn't cleared to play until 2:30 on Friday, but the entire Padre team was involved in ringing up the Bells. Serra rushed for 292 yards against one of the top teams in the state. That's a statement. The 6-foot, 200-pound senior Jackson finished with 84 yards on 13 carries with three scores on runs of 6, 7 and 4 yards. Jackson was also 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards. "Our defense played well enough to keep us in the game and the offense made the plays, said Serra Coach Patrick Walsh, who did a good job of calling plays and constantly had the Bells defense off-balance. "We've had a lot of adversity this year and some close losses, Walsh told CalHiSports.com. "A one point loss to De La Salle, two points to Valley Christian, and a game against the team from Reno [McQueen] we could have won and was closer than the score indicates. Serra has now created the usual havoc at the top of the West Catholic Athletic League with four teams tied for first. On tap is a visit from St. Ignatius of San Francisco.

24.   (nr)  Chaparral (Temecula) 6-1
Almost all of the numbers were going against the Pumas heading into their showdown with Vista Murrieta. Coach Tom Leach had suffered two and one-point losses to the Broncos the last two years and Vista Murrieta had numbers like 26 straight regular-season wins, 16 straight at home and 11 in a row in Southwestern League play. They meant nothing when Nick Fernandez drilled the extra point in overtime to produce a 28-27 victory and move Chap into the top 25. The Pumas could easily have collapsed after seeing a 21-point lead disintegrate as Vista Murrieta forced OT with a score with 52 seconds to play. But an errant snap on the extra point after the Broncos took the lead in OT set up Fernandez after Antoine Arnold pulled in a Mitch Glasmann pass to tie the game at 27. Jonathan Diaz led the Pumas with 147 yards and a pair of TDs rushing. Temescal Canyon of Lake Elsinore, which comes in with a 4-3 record, hosts Chaparral Friday night.

25.  (22)  Edison (Huntington Beach) 5-2
After taking over the No. 1 spot in Orange County according to the Register, the Chargers met unbeaten Los Alamitos and lost a zany contest, 23-19. Los Alamitos ran a double pass play for a TD and tried to run out the clock by having QB Clark Evans take a 35-yard safety. But three seconds remained and when the ensuing kick went out of bounds, Edison had one last chance. Los Al batted down a Matt Viles pass in the end zone on the game's final play to drop Edison three spots in these ratings. Edison, which out gained the Griffins, 263-238, behind Viles' 152 yards passing, led to its own demise by turning the ball over three times at critical junctures. Edison was also missing a few key players, including two-way standout Preston Spence, due to injury. Combine that with the fact they have split with Mater Dei and Servite allows them to remain in the top 25 this week. Coach Dave White's club will look to bounce back against 2-5 Marina of Huntington Beach Friday night at Orange Coast College.

Costa Mesa, Calif. -- Friday night's Trinity League showdown between state-ranked clubs Orange Lutheran and St. John Bosco of Bellflower started out in wild fashion and featured two touchdowns by both clubs in the first quarter. The second half was a completely different story, however, as Lutheran wore down the Braves and slowed down their star quarterback Keith Price just enough to record a 34-21 victory at Harry R. LeBard Stadium on the campus of Orange Coast College.

	Anthony Kurtz
	Lutheran's Damani Wilson rushes against St. John Bosco.