Cal-Hi Sports Preseason
Football Rankings

1. Grant (Sacramento)
Last Year: 12-1, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinalist
First game: Friday at Folsom
Outlook: After winning the CIF Open Division title and going unbeaten in 2008, the Pacers looked like they were going to return for a second straight state bowl appearance last year until their stunning upset in the section semifinals to Rocklin. That team, other than at running back and quarterback, was almost all underclassmen and that’s why with 18 returning starters that Grant is the preseason No. 1 team in the state. Defensively, there may not be a better unit in the nation. Getting 78 sacks (a state record) and nine shutouts may not be duplicated because the Pacers will be in a tougher league, but the team has five definite college blue chippers, including Viliami Moala, one of the top defensive linemen in the nation, and defensive back Shaq Thompson, one of the top juniors in the nation.

2. Crenshaw
Last Year: 14-1, CIF L.A. City Section champion & CIF Open Division runner-up
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 at North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.).
Outlook: The Cougars open the season in a previous unheard of fashion for a team from California as they will head to Georgia to take on North Gwinnett in a game that features two teams in the POWERADE FAB 50 national rankings. A key part of last year’s team that reached the CIF Open Division Bowl Game was De’Anthony “The Black Mamba” Thomas, who will be back and is one of the early favorites for our California Mr. Football honor. It’s arguable that if Thomas didn’t get hurt in the second quarter of last year’s bowl game that Crenshaw could have defeated De La Salle. The Cougars also have Marquis Thompson returning for his third season at quarterback. On defense, the Cougars feature a pair of returning linemen, James Brock and Marcus Martin, who were recently named to the All-L.A. City Section preseason team.

3. De La Salle (Concord)
Last Year: 13-2, CIF Open Division champion
First Game: Saturday, Sept. 4 at Serra (San Mateo)
Outlook: Historically, when the Spartans have a quarterback with experience, they’ve been even tougher to beat than normal. Junior Bart Houston is that quarterback and the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder is only getting better and better.
The team’s top honors candidates are linebacker Blake Renaud and two-way lineman Dylan Wynn. If the running backs and receivers come through, the Spartans will likely be heading to Carson for their sixth straight CIF bowl game appearance, either for the Open Division or Division I.

4. Westlake (Westlake Village)
Last Year: 14-0, CIF Southern Section Northern Division champion
First Game: Friday, Sept. 10 vs. Oxnard
Outlook: The Warriors didn’t get to finish last season in a CIF bowl game and with most of their offensive weapons back this season they are serious threats to once again go 14-0. The difference is that if Westlake goes 14-0 this time it will include league wins over both Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure. Nick Isham returns for his senior year after passing for 2,128 yards and 30 touchdowns while also rushing for over 700 yards and 13 touchdowns. Isham’s favorite target, Nelson Spruce, also returns after catching 65 passes for 1,325 yards and 18 touchdowns. If teams concentrate on shutting down those two, leading rusher Tavior Mowry (1,353 yards, 12 touchdowns) then comes into play.

5. Serra
Last Year: 15-0, CIF Division III state champion
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 at Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)
Outlook: Based on returning players and college level talent, the Cavs could have no equal in the state. George Farmer, the 2009-10 State Junior Athlete of the Year, is just where you start. Quarterback Conner Preston, defensive back Marqise Lee, linebacker Jason Gibson, defensive end Woodson Greer, defensive lineman David Moala, running back Shaquille Richard, linebacker Patrick Wooten and offensive lineman Sione Veikoso are all on every scout’s watch list. The problem with ranking Serra too high at the start, however, is the schedule.
After Notre Dame, the team doesn’t play anyone near the top 50 of the state.
And in the new CIFSS playoff configurations, Serra does not have to get past an opponent like Oaks Christian, either. We would be very surprised if the team is not 14-0 after the section playoffs with a 29-game win streak. That still may not be enough for a CIF Open Division bowl berth if there’s a 14-0 team on the board out of the CIFSS from either the Pac-Five, Inland or Northern divisions.

6. Long Beach Poly
Last Year: 6-6 (7-5 including forfeits), CIF Southern Section Pac-Five quarterfinalist
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 vs. Bakersfield
Outlook: The best Poly teams over the years have tended to be built on defense with an offense that comes around as the season goes on. This group certainly could be like that with nine starters back on defense, led by linebackers Corey Waller and Josh Fasavalu. A quarterback needs to be found on offense, but whoever it is will be surrounded by nine returning starters, including a big, experienced offensive line. If there’s a team from the CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Conference that could potentially go 14-0 and steal an Open Division berth for the CIF state bowl games from the likes of Crenshaw, Westlake or Serra, then this could be the one.

7. Servite
Last Year: 14-1, CIF Southern Section Pac-Five champion & CIF Division II state champion
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 at Oceanside
Outlook: While the offense took a hit from graduation, the Friars are loaded on defense and figure to remain among the best in Southern California.
Linebackers Matt Inman and Butch Pauu and cornerbacks Jordan Jones and Karlton Dennis lead the defense. On offense, the line is stout but a new quarterback needs to emerge. In addition to Oceanside, Servite’s brutal nonleague schedule also includes La Habra, Edison of Huntington Beach and Chaparral of Temecula.

8. Folsom
Last Year: 11-2, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II semifinalist
First Game: Friday, Aug. 27 at home vs. Grant (Sacramento)
Outlook: If you saw the Bulldogs play last season, you know how potentially freaky good they might be this season despite not having much of a reputation around the state. They get a chance to prove it in their first game on ESPN2 when they host No. 1 Grant. The Bulldogs may have lost twice last season but both times it was by one point. All of the offense that averaged more than 46 points per game is back. Dano Graves will have a hard time topping his junior season numbers as he set a Northern California record by accounting for 66 touchdowns. His passing numbers should once again be off the charts as Tyler Trosin (81 catches for 1,446 yards, 25 touchdowns) and Kori Babineaux (64 catches for 1,187 yards and 15 touchdowns) both return for their senior years.
Defense was a problem in 2009, but a bright spot there is linebacker Burton DeKoning.

9. Lakewood
Last year: 11-2, CIFSS Pac-Five Division semifinalist
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 vs. Locke
Outlook: With all of the returning firepower at Long Beach Poly, many expect the Lancers will return to a secondary position behind the Jackrabbits in the Moore League. While we do have Poly higher in these rankings, Lakewood is still loaded as well. There are 13 returning starters with special emphasis on defense, where returning All-State Underclass pick Todd Barr and several other Division I college prospects will roam.

10. Mater Dei
Last Year: 6-5, CIFSS Pac-Five Division playoff qualifier
First Game: Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. Carson
Outlook: Many think the Monarchs will have the state’s top pass-catch combo with quarterback Max Wittek and receiver Victor Blackwell, who are both committed to USC. Head coach Bruce Rollinson also has 13 other returning starters with strength at all skill positions and at linebacker on defense.
The offensive line may be the only concern. With Servite coming off such a huge season and Mater Dei at 6-5, it just didn’t make sense to us to start the Monarchs higher in the rankings than the Friars. Both teams play strong schedules, however, so by the third or fourth week they’ll be slotted where they should be based on actual game results.

11. Chaparral (Temecula)
Last year: 11-3, CIFSS Inland Division champion
First Game: Friday, Sept. 10 vs. Oceanside
Outlook: This is a team with one of the state’s top wide receivers (Antoine Arnold), one of the state’s top defensive backs (Darius Guillory) and 13 returning starters in all. A new quarterback and a new lead running back need to step up. The Pumas are another team that will sink or swim in the midst of a tough schedule. After Oceanside, those on the slate include Centennial of Corona and Servite of Anaheim.

12. Mission Viejo
Last year: 12-1, CIFSS Pac-Five Division semifinalist
First Game: Saturday, Sept. 4 vs. Bothell (Bothell, Wash.) at Qwest Field
Outlook: All-State linebacker Tre’ Madden, a USC commit, is the headline returnee for the Diablos, who shouldn’t falter too much with just six returning starters. An outstanding upcoming junior class will provide a lot of depth and talent. The only loss last year was to Servite of Anaheim in a game that turned on just a handful of plays.

13. Valley Christian (San Jose)
Last year: 8-4, CIF Central Coast Section Open Division semifinalist
First Game: Saturday, Sept. 12 vs. Bullard (Fresno)
Outlook: The Warriors are the team to beat in the CCS due to the return of 11 starters, including Cal-Hi Sports State Sophomore of the Year Byron Marshall and quarterback Zach Vaiana. The line corps looks solid as well with Justin Satele among the veterans. The first game will be telling as Bullard is the defending champ from the CIF Central Section.

14. Oaks Christian
Last year: 13-1, CIFSS Northwest Division runner-up
First game: Friday, Sept. 3 vs. Alemany
Outlook: A new era for Lion football begins with entrance into the Marmonte League where games against Westlake, St. Bonaventure, Moorpark and Thousand Oaks this season should all be difficult. Coach Bill Redell’s team should be just as tough a foe for the others, too. Quarterback Trevor Gretzky seems poised for a strong season after backing up Nick Montana. He also has one of
the top groups of wideouts to throw to in the state, including junior Jordan Payton and senior tight end Dillon van der Wal.

15. Oceanside
Last Year: 14-0, CIF Division I state champion
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 vs. Servite
Outlook: Those who think what has happened in the past has absolutely no bearing on the current might not even put the Pirates in the top 50 for the state. We think otherwise and despite heavy graduation losses it’s too hard to not rank a team with one of the longest current unbeaten streaks in the nation (38-0-1) that also has won six straight CIF San Diego Section titles.
Wide receiver-defensive back DeMario Coleman is the team’s top returnee.

16. Del Oro (Loomis)
Last Year: 11-3, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II runner-up
First Game: Saturday, Aug. 27 at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Outlook: The Golden Eagles feature one of the state’s top offensive lines, led by Adrian Williams and Ryan Cope, and have Max Magleby, a skilled returning quarterback. There are 13 returning starters in all. It’s also a good sign that the program’s JV team has gone 10-0 for two straight seasons.

17. Centennial (Corona)
Last Year: 10-3, CIFSS Inland Division semifinalist
First Game: Friday, Sept. 10 at Birmingham
Outlook: It should be a scary thought to the rest of the CIFSS Inland Division to know that seven offensive starters are back from a Matt Logan-coached team.
Quarterback Michael Eubanks is one of them and will be flanked by speedy running backs and receivers. The defense could be a problem with inexperience, but Logan’s best teams have been those in which the defense only needed to come up with a couple of stops per game because the offense was so unstoppable.

18. Centennial (Bakersfield)
Last Year: 9-5, CIF Central Section Div. I runner-up
First Game: Thursday, Sept. 9 vs. Redwood (Visalia)
Outlook: Some rank Cody Kessler as the top quarterback in the state, which has Golden Hawks’ fans pumped about another deep run in the section playoffs.
Kessler missed four games as a junior due to injury, but returned for the playoffs. His top receiver, Cole Hallum, also is back and the defense has some top returnees as well. Leading tackler Matt Johns and University of Utah commit Jared Norris, a linebacker, will be among the best on that side of the ball.

19. Vista Murrieta
Last Year: 13-1, CIFSS Inland Division runner-up
First Game: Friday, Sept. 10 vs. Etiwanda (Rancho Cucamonga)
Outlook: Derrick Brown is one of the most versatile players in the state and returns to lead another potentially strong club for head coach Coley Candaele.
Brown piled up 1,886 yards in the air with 18 touchdowns as a junior. The University of Utah commit also rushed for 913 yards with 15 scores and had a 45.8-yard punting average. Some of the players around him will need to be replaced, but the Broncos have enough pieces to remain a threat in the CIFSS Inland Division.

20. Los Alamitos
Last Year: 8-3, CIFSS Pac-Five Division playoff qualifier
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 at Norwalk
Outlook: Head coach John Barnes, who should be the next in the state to reach 300 career coaching wins with 281 at the start of this season, believes that this year’s team could be the best from Los Al since 2004 when the Griffins played in the CIFSS finals. Highly touted running back Nick Richardson is among six returning starters on offense. On defense, six also are back, led by linebacker Aaron Davis.

21. Buchanan (Clovis)
Last Year: 10-1, CIF Central Section Division I playoff qualifier
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 at Madera
Outlook: It should be hungry bunch of Bears after last year’s team went unbeaten in the regular season before suffering an upset in the CIF Central Section Division I playoffs to Centennial of Bakersfield. Eight starters return on defense with four on offense. Depth also is coming up from an 8-2 JV club. Kicker Jordan Luplow also is back and has 50-yard range.

22. Granite Bay
Last Year: 9-3, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II quarterfinalist
First Game: Friday, Aug. 27 vs. Reed (Sparks, Nev.)
Outlook: Offensively, the Grizzlies figure to be outstanding with top juniors Brendan Keeney at quarterback and Gavin Andrews at tackle. Tight end Matt Kasner, running back Danny Thomas and wide receiver Cory Brehm are all back as well. If the defense develops, the team should be close and could be better than Del Oro, Rocklin, Nevada Union and the rest of the loaded Sierra Foothill League.

23. St. Bonaventure (Ventura)
Last Year: 11-2, CIFSS Northern Division semifinalist
First Game: Friday, Sept. 10 at Long Beach Poly
Outlook: There are some big holes to fill on offense due to the graduation of quarterback Logan Meyer and running back Devon Blackledge, but the Seraphs should remain strong overall and on defense. Cody Kurz is moving to middle linebacker and could be among the best in the state. Outside linebacker Jalen Jefferson also is a force while the secondary features returning honors candidate Tanner Souza.

24. Edison (Huntington Beach)
Last Year: 13-1, CIFSS Pac-Five Division runner-up
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 at Artesia
Outlook: Only five starters are back for the Chargers, but they have a 10-0 JV team coming up and could rely on a strong running game until the younger players develop. Davion Orphey was used in multiple roles last year, but should be the focus at running back this season. Defensive end Charles Burks (14 sacks) is back to lead the defense.

25. Bellarmine (San Jose)
Last Year: 11-2-1, CIF Central Coast Section Open Div. champion & CIF Div. I state runner-up
First Game: Friday, Sept. 3 vs. San Leandro
Outlook: They may have lost some key players, but the Bells are still strong and we just couldn’t put two teams in the CCS behind them in the preseason rankings. Senior RB/LB Kristoffer Olugbode is one of the section’s top players. The speedy runner and return specialist found pay dirt nine times last year and should become the same reliable tool at running back like his brother Kyle, now at Stanford. Junior quarterback Travis McHugh has impressed in practices while three-year starter Rudy Iniguez is back at center. Senior Rufus Wolokolie will anchor the linebacking corps.

26. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose)
Last Year: 9-1-1, CIF Central Coast Section Open Division playoff qualifier

27. Bishop Amat
Last Year: 10-2, CIFSS Pac-Five Division quarterfinalist

28. Valencia
Last Year: 12-1, CIFSS Northern Division semifinalist

29. Monte Vista (Danville)
Last Year: 9-4, CIF North Coast Section Division I semifinalist

30. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
Last Year: 12-1, CIF San Diego Section Division III champion

31. Alemany
Last Year: 10-4, CIFSS Western Division runner-up

32. Monterey Trail (Elk Grove)
Last Year: 11-3, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I runner-up

33. Bullard (Fresno)
Last Year: 13-0, CIF Central Section Division I champion

34. Helix (La Mesa)
Last Year: 9-5, CIF San Diego Section Division II runner-up

35. Rocklin
Last Year: 14-1, CIF Division II state runner-up & CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II champion

36. Rancho Verde (Moreno Valley)
Last Year: 11-1, CIFSS Inland Division quarterfinalist

37. La Habra
Last Year: 13-1, CIFSS Southeastern Division champion

38. Central (Fresno)
Last Year: 7-4, CIF Central Section Division I playoff qualifier

39. Nevada Union (Grass Valley)
Last Year: 13-1, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion

40. Vista
Last Year: 10-3, CIF San Diego Section Division I runner-up

41. Dorsey
Last Year: 9-4, CIF L.A. City Section Division I semifinalist

42. Liberty (Bakersfield)
Last Year: 8-4, CIF Central Section Division I semifinalist

43. St. Mary’s (Stockton)
Last Year: 11-1, CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Div. II quarterfinalist

44. Moorpark
Last Year: 12-2, CIFSS Northern Division runner-up

45. Taft
Last Year: 7-5, CIF L.A. City Section Division I quarterfinalist

46. Casa Grande (Petaluma)
Last Year: 11-2, CIF North Coast Section Division II finalist

47. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)
Last Year: 9-3, CIFSS Pac-Five Division quarterfinalist

48. San Ramon Valley (Danville)
Last Year: 6-5, CIF North Coast Section Div. I playoff qualifier

49. Thousand Oaks
Last Year: 5-6, CIFSS Northern Division playoff qualifier

50. Marin Catholic (Kentfield)
Last Year: 13-2, CIF Division III state runner-up