ORANGE COUNTY FOOTBALL TOP 25 POLL
Notable this week: Mission Viejo is the No. 1 team in the Orange County poll going into the CIF-SS playoffs. … The final poll for this season will be done after the CIF-SS finals. … Mater Dei stays at No. 3 after its 36-31 win over St. John Bosco. … Orange enters the Top 25 after its 24-9 win over previously undefeated Laguna Beach. … No. 6 Crean Lutheran and unraked Calvary Chapel are the only 10-0 teams in Orange County.
1. Mission Viejo 9-1 (75 points)
The Diablos scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to turn a close game into a 76-49 win over Los Alamitos in the Alpha League. Luke Fahey threw for 569 yards and five touchdowns. Jack Junker had 10 receptions for 299 yards and three touchdowns and Davonte Curtis rushed for 107 yards and four touchdowns. The Diablos play Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium in a Division 1 first-round playoff game Nov. 14.
Previous ranking: 1
2. Santa Margarita 7-3 (72)
The Eagles beat JSerra 41-14 to finish 4-1 in the Trinity League and share the league championship with Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. Trace Johnson completed 18 of 22 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Jaion Smith rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown. Logan Hirou returned an interception for a touchdown. The Eagles play at undefeated Sierra Canyon in the first round of the Division 1 playoffs on Nov. 14.
Previous ranking: 2
3. Mater Dei 7-2 (69)
Maybe the Monarchs finally played to their potential last week when they beat previously undefeated St. John Bosco 36-31. That put Mater Dei in a three-way tie with Bosco and Santa Margarita for the Trinity League championship. Ryan Hopkins threw five touchdown passes. Chris Henry Jr. had five receptions for 213 yards and two touchdowns and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt had three touchdown catches. Mater Dei plays Mission Viejo in the first round of the playoffs on Nov. 14.
Previous ranking: 3
4. Servite 6-4 (65)
The Friars bounced back from the previous week’s one-sided loss to St. John Bosco to beat Orange Lutheran 30-28 last week. Kale Murphy threw three touchdown passes. Tristan Real had 10 solo tackles. Servite finished 2-3 in the Trinity League and qualified for the playoffs as an at-large team. The Friars play at Corona Centennial in a Division 1 first-round game Nov. 14. Servite lost to Centennial 42-14 on Aug. 22.
Previous ranking: 4
5. Orange Lutheran 2-8 (63)
The Lancers lost a close one to Servite 30-28 in the Trinity League. They outscored the Friars 28-13 in the second half but still came up short. Orange Lutheran, which finished 1-4 in league, plays a Division 1 first-round playoff game Nov. 14 at St. John Bosco. The Lancers lost to Bosco 48-0 on Oct. 10.
Previous ranking: 5
6. Crean Lutheran 10-0 (60)
The Saints concluded the regular season undefeated after a 50-7 win over Laguna Hills to win the Epsilon League championship outright. Caden Jones passed for 245 yards and four touchdowns. Ty Johnson had four receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns. Crean Lutheran plays at home Friday against Leuzinger in the Division 2 playoffs.
Previous ranking: 6
7. Tustin 8-2 (57)
The Tillers finished the regular season with a 35-20 win over Capistrano Valley to go 5-0 in the Delta League for the second year in a row. Elijah Robinson accounted for 100 of Tustin’s 225 rushing yards. Hayden Koo had five receptions for 107 yards. Tustin plays at Rancho Cucamonga in the Division 2 playoffs Friday.
Previous ranking: 8
8. San Clemente 6-4 (53)
Defense led the way again for the Tritons. They beat Edison 10-9 in an Alpha League game to finish second in the four-team league. San Clemente beat Los Alamitos 28-9 the previous week. Dallas Martinez was in on seven tackles against Edison and Thomas Alexander had six solo tackles and an interception. San Clemente plays at home against Beaumont in the Division 2 playoffs Friday.
Previous ranking: 10
9T. JSerra 3-7 (50)
The Lions lost to Santa Margarita 41-14 to finish 0-5 in the Trinity League. JSerra dismissed Victor Santa Cruz as head coach on Saturday, and Sunday it was excluded from the CIF-SS playoffs. Clark Cokley had nine receptions for 73 yards and a touchdown against Santa Margarita.
Previous ranking: 6
9T. Los Alamitos 8-2 (50)
The Griffins lost to Mission Viejo in a wild one, 76-49. Lenny Ibarra rushed for 167 yards and three touchdowns for Los Alamitos and Colin Creason passed for 280 yards and two touchdowns. It was the second straight loss for the Griffins. Los Alamitos plays Yorba Linda in a Division 2 playoff game Friday at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach.
Previous ranking: 11
11T. Corona del Mar 9-1 (43)
Previous ranking: 8
11T. Yorba Linda 8-2 (43)
Previous ranking: 13
13. San Juan Hills 1-9 (40)
Previous ranking: 12
14. Edison 5-5 (35)
Previous ranking: 14
15. Capistrano Valley 8-2 (33)
Previous ranking: 16
16. Huntington Beach 8-2 (31)
Previous ranking: 15
17. La Habra 7-3 (27)
Previous ranking: 17
18. Laguna Beach 9-1 (24)
Previous ranking 17
19. Dana Hills 9-1 (21)
Previous ranking: 19
20T. Troy 9-1 (15)
Previous ranking: 21
20T. Villa Park 5-5 (15)
Previous ranking: 20
22. El Modena 5-5 (13)
Previous ranking: 22
23. Western 6-4 (9)
Previous ranking: 23
24. Aliso Niguel 7-3 (8)
Previous ranking: 23
25. Orange 6-4 (3)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
About the poll: Three members of the media vote each week on the rankings.