santa margarita

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland at the end of the regular season:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. SIERRA CANYON (10-0) def. Loyola, 52-3; D1 vs. Santa Margarita, Nov. 14; 2

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (9-1) lost to Mater Dei, 36-31; D1 vs. Orange Lutheran, Nov. 14; 1

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (9-1) def. Chaparral, 60-29; D1 vs. Servite, Nov. 14; 3

4. MATER DEI (7-2) def. St. John Bosco, 36-31; D1 vs. Mission Viejo at Santa Ana Staidum, Nov. 14; 6

5. MISSION VIEJO (9-1) def. Los Alamitos, 76-49; D1 vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium Stadium, Nov. 14; 4

6 SANTA MARGARITA (7-3) def. JSerra, 41-14; D1 at Sierra Canyon, Nov. 14; 5

7. SERVITE (6-4) def. Orange Lutheran, 30-28; D1 at Corona Centennial, Nov. 14; 8

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (2-8*) lost to Servite, 30-28; D1 at St. John Bosco, Nov. 14; 9

9. LOS ALAMITOS (8-2) lost to Mission Viejo, 76-49; D2 vs. Yorba Linda, Friday; 7

10. OXNARD PACIFICA (10-0) def. Bishop Diego, 46-33; D3 vs. Oak Hills, Friday; 11

11. LEUZINGER (8-1) def. Lawndale, 45-10; D2, at Crean Lutheran, Friday; 12

12. MURRIETA VALLEY (7-3) def. Eastvale Roosevelt, 48-13; D2 vs. Corona del Mar, Friday; 14

13. SAN JUAN HILLS (1-9^) def. Tesoro, 41-7; D2 vs. Downey, Friday; 15

14. BEAUMONT (7-2) def. Redlands East Valley, 43-6; D2 at San Clemente, Friday; 16

15. DOWNEY (9-1) def. Dominguez, 34-0; D2 at San Juan Hills, Friday; 17

16. CREAN LUTHERAN (10-0) def. Laguna Hills, 50-7; D2, vs. Leuzinger, Fridays; 18

17. RANCHO CUCAMONGA (7-3) def. Chino Hills, 31-24; D2 vs. Tustin, Friday; 19

18. VISTA MURRIETA (7-3) lost to Norco, 17-7; D2, vs. Damien, Friday; 13

19. VALENCIA (9-1) def Castaic, 63-0; D3 vs. Palos Verdes, Friday 21

20. DAMIEN (8-2) def. Ayala, 35-13; D2 at Vista Murrieta, Friday; 22

21. AQUINAS (9-1) def. Village Christian, 42-12; D3 at Dana Hills, Friday; 23

22. YORBA LINDA (9-1); def. Corona del Mar, 35-28; D2 at Los Alamitos, Friday; NR

23. CORONA DEL MAR (9-1) lost to Yorba Linda, 35-28; D2 at Murrieta Valley, Friday; 10

24. CHINO HILLS (7-3) lost to Rancho Cucamonga, 31-24; D3 vs. Mira Costa, Friday; 20

25. PALOS VERDES (7-3) def. Mira Costa, 18-15; D3 at Valencia, Friday; NR

*-two forfeits / ^-nine forfeits

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (9-0) vs. Mater Dei, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

2. SIERRA CANYON (9-0) at Loyola, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (9-1) def. Chaparral, 60-29; Southern Section playoffs

4. MISSION VIEJO (9-1) def. Los Alamitos, 76-49; Southern Section playoffs

5. SANTA MARGARITA (6-3) at JSerra, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

6. MATER DEI (7-2) at St. John Bosco, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

7. LOS ALAMITOS (8-2) lost to Mission Viejo, 76-49; Southern Section playoffs

8. SERVITE (5-4) vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

9. ORANGE LUTHERAN (2-7*) vs. Servite, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

10. CORONA DEL MAR (9-1) lost to Yorba Linda, 35-28; Southern Section playoffs

11. OXNARD PACIFICA (9-0) at Bishop Diego, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

12. LEUZINGER (8-1) def. Lawndale, 45-10; Southern Section playoffs

13. VISTA MURRIETA (7-3) lost to Norco, 17-7; Southern Section playoffs

14. MURRIETA VALLEY (7-3) def. Eastvale Roosevelt, 48-13; Southern Section playoffs

15. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-2) def. Tesoro, 41-7; Southern Section playoffs

16. BEAUMONT (7-2) def. Redlands East Valley, 43-6; Southern Section playoffs

17. DOWNEY (8-1) at Dominguez, Thursday; Southern Section playoffs

18. CREAN LUTHERAN (10-0) def. Laguna Hills, 50-7; Southern Section playoffs

19. RANCHO CUCAMONGA (7-3) def. Chino Hills, 31-24; Southern Section playoffs

20. CHINO HILLS (7-3) lost to Rancho Cucamonga, 31-24; Southern Section playoffs

21. VALENCIA (8-1) at Castaic, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

22. DAMIEN (8-2) def. Ayala, 35-13; Southern Section playoffs

23. AQUINAS (8-1) vs. Village Christian, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

24. CHAPARRAL (5-5) lost to Corona Centennial, 60-29; Southern Section playoffs

25. CHAMINADE (5-4) at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; Southern Section playoffs

*-two forfeit losses

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (8-0) def. Santa Margarita, 27-14; vs. Servite, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (8-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 45-10; at Bishop Amat, Friday; 2

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (6-1) def. Murrieta Valley, 48-20; at Norco, Thursday; 3

4. MISSION VIEJO (7-1) def. San Clemente, 34-16; vs. Edison at Huntington Beach, Friday; 4

5. SANTA MARGARITA (5-3) lost to St. John Bosco, 27-14; vs. Orange Lutheran at Trabuco Hills, Friday; 5

6. MATER DEI (5-2) def. Servite, 29-19; vs. JSerra at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 6

7. LOS ALAMITOS (8-0) def. Edison, 41-22; at San Clemente, Friday; 7

8. SERVITE (5-3) lost to Mater Dei, 29-19; at St. John Bosco, next Friday; 8

9. ORANGE LUTHERAN (4-4) def. JSerra, 63-24; vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, Friday; 9

10. CORONA DEL MAR (8-0) def. Villa Park, 21-3; at Tesoro, Friday; 10

11. MURRIETA VALLEY (6-2) lost to Corona Centennial, 48-20; at Vista Murrieta, Friday; 11

12. OXNARD PACIFICA (8-0) def. Camarillo, 42-6; vs. Simi Valley, Friday; 12

13. DAMIEN (7-1) def. Upland, 35-14; at Chino Hills, Friday; 13

14. LEUZINGER (6-1) def. Culver City, 47-7; vs. Mira Costa, Friday; 14

15. SAN JUAN HILLS (7-2) def. Newport Harbor, 47-10; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 15

16. BEAUMONT (5-2) def. Yucaipa, 57-10; at Citrus Valley, Friday; 16

17. VISTA MURRIETA (6-2) def. Eastvale Roosevelt, 42-0; vs. Murrieta Valley, Friday; 17

18. DOWNEY (7-1) def. Paramount, 48-9; vs. Warren, Friday; 19

19. CREAN LUTHERAN (8-0) def. La Habra, 56-21; vs. Huntington Beach, Friday; 21

20. RANCHO CUCAMONGA (4-4) def. Ayala, 41-0; vs. Etiwanda, next Friday; 22

21. EDISON (5-3) lost to Los Alamitos, 41-22; vs. Mission Viejo, Friday; 20

22. JSERRA (3-5) lost to Orange Lutheran, 63-23; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 18

23. VALENCIA (7-1) def. Golden Valley, 35-7; vs. Hart, Friday; 23

24. AQUINAS (7-1) def. Heritage Christian, 49-7; vs. Capistrano Valley Christian, Friday; 24

25. CHAPARRAL (4-4) def. Norco, 56-28; vs. Eastvale Roosevelt, Thursday; NR

Trent Mosley itched and itched, the discomfort of standing on the sideline — not his foot injury that held him out of action since Aug. 22 — weighing on the senior receiver.

The USC commit picked an exceptional time to return. Trailing by six, with 5:06 remaining in the game, Mosley took the snap in the wildcat formation and swerved his way into the end zone for a touchdown.

“It sucked just knowing I couldn’t go out there and help my teammates,” Mosley said. “Now I’m back and we’re getting better.”

The score and the hush of the normally raucous Santa Ana Stadium crowd told the story: For the first time in a long while, the Trinity League is up for grabs. Santa Margarita (5-2, 2-0) played Southern Section stunner on Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium, upsetting Mater Dei 7-6 to set the stage for a thrilling Trinity League finale after the Eagles took down the Monarchs (4-2, 1-1) for the first time since 2013.

“Incredible,” Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer said. “They’ve been playing like the best defense in the country all year long, every week.”

Palmer pointed to defensive coordinator Steve Fifita, who served as interim head coach during last season and decided to stay on the Eagles’ staff as the catalyst for Santa Margarita’s success. Mater Dei had only 175 yards on offense Friday.

Mater Dei High’s CJ Lavender Jr. intercepts a pass intended for Santa Margarita receiver Grant Mosley on Friday night.

(Craig Weston)

“They’re [Fifita’s] heartbeat on defense,” Palmer said of the group, which includes Fifita’s nephew Dash, a senior linebacker.

Pound-for-pound, the defensive lines of Santa Margarita and Mater Dei wouldn’t budge.

Eagles senior linebacker Vai Manutai would secure a sack — while moments later Monarchs linemen Montana Loilolo and Matamatagi Uiagalelei stormed through for sacks of their own. Monarchs linebacker Shaun Scott forced a fumble and earned 1 1/2 sacks as the Eagles couldn’t break 25 rushing yards.

Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins never got comfortable — outside of a 10-yard touchdown strike to Kayden Dixon-Wyatt in the first quarter — eventually throwing an interception to Eagles defensive back Davide Morales as the third quarter came to a close.

“We’re right there, but we’re not quite there,” said Mater Dei coach Raul Lara, referring to plays such as Hopkins overthrowing wide receiver Gavin Honore for a potential game-winning touchdown, which instead became a turnover on downs with 2:06 remaining.

Lara continued: “This game of football is a great tool to teach young men life skills. Not everything in life is going to be perfect.”

Quarterback Trace Johnson of Santa Margarita could not get comfortable , tossing two interceptions into the hands of Mater Dei defensive back CJ Lavender Jr.

When Johnson found open space, it was thanks to Mosley.

For a team-high six catches for 51 yards, Mosley — who often lined up next to his brother Grant in the slot — helped set up the game-winning drive after freshman running back Adrian Petero hauled in a 59-yard catch to bring the Eagles into Monarchs’ territory.

Trent Mosley’s punch in and the point after — which was enough to win after a failed two-point conversion after Dixon-Wyatt’s score — now sets up unprecedented territory in recent Trinity League seasons.

Yes, Mater Dei and St. John Bosco (which defeated Orange Lutheran 48-0 Friday) will still be contenders.

But the Eagles, who also hold a win over Corona Centennial, can certainly consider themselves as contenders for the league’s crown — and maybe even Division 1 glory. Santa Margarita plays St. John Bosco on Friday at Trabuco Hills.

“We can go forever,” Trent Mosley said. “The culture we have, the bond we have — I know what we’re capable of.”

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 48-0; vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

2. SIERRA CANYON (7-0) def. Chaminade, 45-14; vs. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, next Friday

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-1) def. Vista Murrieta, 63-14; at Murrieta Valley, next Friday

4. MATER DEI (5-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 7-6; vs. Servite at Santa Ana Stadium, Oct. 18

5. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) did not play; vs. San Clemente, next Friday

6. SANTA MARGARITA (5-2) def. Mater Dei, 7-6; vs. St. John Bosco at Trabuco Hills, next Friday

7. LOS ALAMITOS (7-0) did not play; vs. Edison at SoFi Stadium, Thursday

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-4) lost St. John Bosco, 48-0; vs. JSerra at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (6-0) vs. Newport Harbor, Saturday; at Villa Park, next Friday

10. SERVITE (5-2) def. JSerra, 43-26; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, next Friday

11. BEAUMONT (5-2) lost to Cajon, 25-23; vs. Yucaipa, next Friday

12. OXNARD PACIFICA (6-0) vs. St. Bonaventure, Friday; at Camarillo, next Friday

13. MURRIETA VALLEY (6-1) def. Chaparral, 56-42; vs. Corona Centennial, next Friday

14. VISTA MURRIETA (5-2) lost to Corona Centennial, 63-14; at Eastvale Roosevelt, next Friday

15. DAMIEN (6-1) def. Etiwanda, 49-31; vs. Upland, Thursday

16. SAN JUAN HILLS (5-2) def. Yorba Linda, 41-17; at Newport Harbor, next Friday

17. JSERRA (3-4) lost to Servite, 43-26; vs. Orange Lutheran at Saddleback Coll., next Friday

18. GARDENA SERRA (3-4) lost to Loyola, 13-10; vs. Chaminade, next Friday

19. DOWNEY (6-1) def. La Mirada, 67-7; at Paramount, next Friday

20. YORBA LINDA (5-2) lost to San Juan Hills, 41-17; vs. Tesoro, next Friday

21. LEUZINGER (5-1) def. Palos Verdes, 40-14; vs. Culver City, next Friday

22. EDISON (5-2) did not play; vs. Los Alamitos at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16

23. PALOS VERDES (4-3) lost to Leuzinger, 40-14; at Lawndale, next Friday

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (7-0) def. El Dorado, 50-7; vs. La Habra, next Friday

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (4-3) lost to Bishop Amat, 36-29; at Sierra Canyon, next Friday

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-0) def. JSerra, 70-21; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast Coll., Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (6-0) def. Gardena Serra, 30-0; vs. Chaminade, Friday; 2

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (4-1) def. Eastvale Roosevelt, 62-20; vs. Vista Murrieta, Friday; 3

4. MATER DEI (5-1) def. Orange Lutheran, 25-10; vs. Santa Margarita at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 4

5. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) def. Long Beach Poly, 56-7; vs. San Clemente, Oct. 17; 5

6. SANTA MARGARITA (4-2) def. Servite, 17-7; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 6

7. LOS ALAMITOS (7-0) did not play; vs. Edison at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16; 7

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-3) lost to Mater Dei, 25-10; vs. St. John Bosco at Orange Coast Coll., Friday; 8

9. CORONA DEL MAR (6-0) def. San Juan Hills, 33-10; vs. Newport Harbor, Saturday; 17

10. SERVITE (4-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 17-7; vs. JSerra at Cerritos College, Friday; 10

11. BEAUMONT (5-1) def. Redlands, 58-0; at Cajon, Friday; 13

12. OXNARD PACIFICA (6-0) def. Oaks Christian, 17-13; vs. St. Bonaventure, Friday; 18

13. MURRIETA VALLEY (5-1) def. Norco, 55-45; vs. Chaparral, Friday; 19

14. VISTA MURRIETA (5-1) lost to Chaparral, 28-20; at Corona Centennial, Friday; 9

15. DAMIEN (5-1) lost to Rancho Cucamonga, 24-22; at Etiwanda, Friday; 11

16. SAN JUAN HILLS (4-2) lost to Corona del Mar, 33-10; vs. Yorba Linda, Friday; 12

17. JSERRA (3-3) lost to St. John Bosco, 70-21; vs. Servite at Cerritos College, Friday; 14

18. GARDENA SERRA (3-3) lost to Sierra Canyon, 33-0; vs. Loyola at SoFi Stadium, Thursday; 15

19. DOWNEY (5-1) def. Mayfair, 33-14; vs. La Mirada, Friday; 16

20. YORBA LINDA (5-1) def. Villa Park; 28-7; at San Juan Hills, Friday; 20

21. LEUZINGER (5-1) def. Inglewood, 43-32; vs. Palos Verdes at SoFi Stadium, Friday ; 21

22. EDISON (5-2) def. Summit, 21-10; vs. Los Alamitos at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16; 22

23. PALOS VERDES (4-2) def. Culver City, 48-7; vs. Leuzinger at SoFi Stadium, Friday; 23

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (6-0) def. 40-14); at El Dorado, Friday; 24

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (4-2) def. Loyola, 35-10; at Bishop Amat, Friday; 25

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (5-0) did not play; at JSerra, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (5-0) did not play; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 2

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (4-1) did not play; vs. Eastvale Roosevelt, Thursday; 3

4. MATER DEI (4-1) did not play; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, Friday; 4

5. MISSION VIEJO (5-1) def. Chaparral, 36-21; vs. Long Beach Poly, Friday; 5

6. SANTA MARGARITA (3-2) lost to Bishop Gorman, 14-0;, at Servite, Friday; 6

7. LOS ALAMITOS (7-0) def. Calabasas, 48-21; vs. Edison at SoFi Stadium, Oct. 16; 7

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-2) did not play; vs. Mater Dei at Orange Coast College, Friday; 8

9. VISTA MURRIETA (5-0) def. Oceanside El Camino, 38-12; at Chaparral, Friday; 9

10. SERVITE (4-1) def. St. Paul, 49-18; vs. Santa Margarita at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 10

11. DAMIEN (5-0) did not play; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Friday; 11

12. SAN JUAN HILLS (4-1) did not play; at Corona del Mar, Friday; 13

13. BEAUMONT (4-1) did not play; vs. Redlands, Friday; 14

14. JSERRA (3-2) did not play; vs. St. John Bosco, Friday; 15

15. GARDENA SERRA (3-2) did not play; at Sierra Canyon, Friday; 16

16. DOWNEY (4-1) did not play; at Mayfair, Friday; 17

17. CORONA DEL MAR (5-0) def. Trabuco Hills, 35-13; vs. San Juan Hills, Friday; 18

18. OXNARD PACIFICA (5-0) def. L.A. Hamilton, 42-14; vs. Oaks Christian, Friday; 19

19. MURRIETA VALLEY (4-1) def. San Clemente, 26-14; at Norco, Friday; 20

20. YORBA LINDA (4-1) did not play; at Villa Park; Friday; 21

21. LEUZINGER (4-1) def. Hawthorne, 59-6; at Inglewood, Friday; 22

22. EDISON (4-2) lost to La Serna, 23-21; vs. Summit, Thursday; 12

23. PALOS VERDES (3-2) did not play; vs. Culver City, Friday; 23

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-0) did not play; at Foothill, Saturday; 24

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (3-2) def. Culver City 57-14, vs. Loyola, Friday; 25

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO (5-0) def. Honolulu St. Louis, 49-20; at JSerra, Oct. 3; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (5-0) def. Orange Lutheran, 41-9; vs. Gardena Serra, Oct. 3; 2

3. CORONA CENTENNIAL (4-1) def. Rancho Cucamonga, 42-14; vs. Eastvale Roosevelt, Oct. 2; 4

4. MATER DEI (4-1) def. Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, 27-24; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast Coll., Oct. 3; 5

5. MISSION VIEJO (4-1) lost to Chattanooga (Tenn.) McCallie, 25-14; at Chaparral, Friday; 3

6. SANTA MARGARITA (3-1) did not play; vs. Bishop Gorman at Trabuco Hills, Saturday; 6

7. LOS ALAMITOS (6-0) def. El Cajon Granite Hills, 49-42; at Calabasas, Friday; 8

8. ORANGE LUTHERAN (3-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 41-9; vs. Mater Dei, Oct. 3; 7

9. VISTA MURRIETA (4-0) def. Beaumont, 21-14; at Oceanside El Camino, Friday; 9

10. SERVITE (3-1) did not play; at St. Paul, Friday; 11

11. DAMIEN (5-0) def. Salesian, 40-18; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Oct. 3; 12

12. EDISON (4-1) def. Fountain Valley, 34-0; at La Serna, Friday; 13

13. SAN JUAN HILLS (3-1) def. Mira Costa, 38-28; at Corona del Mar, Oct. 3; 15

14. BEAUMONT (4-1) lost Vista Murrieta, 21-14; vs. Redlands, Oct. 3; 14

15. JSERRA (3-2) def. Leuzinger, 39-35; vs. St. John Bosco, Oct. 3; 19

16. GARDENA SERRA (3-2) def. Oaks Christian, 19-10; at Sierra Canyon, Oct. 3; 16

17. DOWNEY (4-1) def. Inglewood, 21-20; at Mayfair, Oct. 3; 17

18. CORONA DEL MAR (4-0) did not play; at Trabuco Hills, Friday; 18

19. OXNARD PACIFICA (5-0) def. Bishop Montgomery, forfeit; vs. Oaks Christian, Oct. 3; 20

20. MURRIETA VALLEY (3-1) def. Riverside King, 49-7; at San Clemente, Friday; 22

21. YORBA LINDA (4-1) lost to Tustin, 21-7; at Villa Park, Oct. 3; 10

22. LEUZINGER (3-1) lost to JSerra, 39-35; at Hawthorne, Friday; 21

23. PALOS VERDES (3-2) def. Wilmington Banning, 52-0; vs. Culver City, Oct. 3; 23

24. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-0) def. La Serna, 38-14; at Foothill, Oct. 4; 24

25. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (2-2) idle; at Culver City, Friday; NR

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. St. John Bosco (4-0) def. San Mateo Serra, 42-0; vs. Honolulu St. Louis, Friday; 2

2. Sierra Canyon (4-0) def. Downey, 49-7; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, Thursday; 3

3. Mission Viejo (4-0) def. San Diego Lincoln, 34-24; at Chattanooga (Tenn.) McCallie, Friday; 4

4. Corona Centennial (3-1) def. Mater Dei, 43-36; at Rancho Cucamonga, Friday; 7

5. Mater Dei (3-1) lost to Corona Centennial, 43-36; at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman, Friday; 1

6. Santa Margarita (3-1) def. Oaks Christian, 44-14; vs. Bishop Gorman, Sept. 27; 5

7. Orange Lutheran (3-1) def. Gardena Serra, 35-14; vs. Sierra Canyon at Orange Coast College, Thursday; 6

8. Los Alamitos (5-0) def. St. Paul, 48-14; vs. El Cajon Granite Hills, Friday; 8

9. Vista Murrieta (3-0) def. Bishop Amat, 29-10; vs. Beaumont, Friday; 9

10. Yorba Linda (4-0) def. Esperanza, 35-7; vs. Tustin, Friday; 10

11. Servite (3-1) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 29-23; at St. Paul, Sept. 26; 12

12. Damien (4-0) def. Tustin, 24-7; at Salesian, Friday; 14

13. Edison (3-1) def. Palos Verdes, 21-20; at Fountain Valley, Friday; 15

14. Beaumont (4-0) def. Chaminade, 27-14; at Vista Murrieta, Friday; 16

15. San Juan Hills (2-1) lost to Rockwall (Texas) Rockwall-Heath, 36-24; at Mira Costa, Friday; 11

16. Gardena Serra (2-2) lost to Orange Lutheran, 35-14; vs. Oaks Christian, Friday; 13

17. Downey (3-1) lost to Sierra Canyon, 49-7; vs. Inglewood, Friday; 17

18. Corona del Mar (4-0) def. Charter Oak, 28-21; at Trabuco Hills, Sept. 26; 18

19. JSerra (2-2) def. Oak Hills, 24-21; vs. Leuzinger, Friday; 19

20. Oxnard Pacifica (4-0) def. Rio Mesa, 56-6; vs. Oaks Christian, Oct. 3; 20

21. Leuzinger (3-0) idle; at JSerra, Friday; 21

22. Murrieta Valley (2-1) def. King, 56-6; vs. Riverside King, Friday; 23

23. Palos Verdes (2-2) lost to Edison, 21-20; vs. Wilmington Banning, Friday; 22

24. Crean Lutheran (4-0) def. El Modena, 34-0; vs. La Serna, Friday; NR

25. Mira Costa (3-0) def. La Habra, 35-33; vs. San Juan Hills, Friday; NR

This week’s top high school football games in the Southland:

FRIDAY

Mater Dei (2-0) at Corona Centennial (2-1), 7 p.m.

This is the third Trinity League team the Huskies have played in their tough nonleague schedule. They’ve beaten Servite and lost to Santa Margarita. They have a history playing Mater Dei and must find a way to run the ball effectively. Mater Dei has been surprisingly inconsistent on offense. New quarterback Ryan Hopkins has a great group of receivers but the Monarchs need improvement with a game against Bishop Gorman looming next week. The pick: Mater Dei.

Mission Viejo (3-0) at San Diego Lincoln (3-0), 7 p.m.

Prepare for an offensive shootout on Lincoln’s new turf field. Lincoln has scored 57, 36 and 50 points. Mission Viejo has scored 58 and 53 points in its last two games. Lincoln is the best team in San Diego. Mission Viejo, led by quarterback Luke Fahey, could complete one of the best starts in school history with a victory considering it already owns wins over Santa Margarita and Folsom. The pick: Mission Viejo.

Dominick Catalano waited four years to be the starting quarterback at Corona Centennial. He’s taken control of a team that’s 2-1 and facing No. 1 Mater Dei at home on Friday night.

Catalano, though, got a start in the season opener last season because of an injury to Husan Longstreet and made the most of his debut against one of the best defenses in the state — Mater Dei. He completed 17 of 32 passes for 188 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions in a 42-25 loss.

He’s more mature and confident going into Friday’s game. He still gets all A’s on his report card and is headed to Pomona-Pitzer, which isn’t exactly easy to get into.

His brother, Anthony, served as Centennial’s interim coach two weeks ago against Santa Margarita, and the Catalano brothers almost pulled off a victory in overtime.

Coach Matt Logan appreciated Dominick’s loyalty waiting his turn to be a starter, but it was inevitable. He’s a former Centennial ball boy. He’s passed for 757 yards and eight touchdowns and must deal with the expected Mater Dei pass rush on Friday.

It’s the third Trinity League team the Huskies are playing in nonleague games, having beaten Servite and lost to Santa Margarita.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email [email protected].

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. MATER DEI (2-0) def. Bishop Montgomery, forfeit; vs. Kahuku (Hawaii), Friday; 1

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (2-0) def. El Paso (Texas) Eastwood, 66-7; vs. Baltimore St. Frances Academy, Friday; 2

3. SIERRA CANYON (2-0) def. Oaks Christian, 63-0; vs. Honolulu Punahou, Saturday; 4

4. ORANGE LUTHERAN (2-0) def. Rancho Cucamonga, 27-24; at Chandler (Ariz.) Basha, Friday; 3

5. MISSION VIEJO (2-0) def. St. Paul, 58-14; vs. Folsom, Friday; 6

6. SANTA MARGARITA (1-1) def. Corona Centennial, 33-27 (OT); at Highland, Friday; 7

7. CORONA CENTENNIAL (1-1) lost to Santa Margarita, 33-27 (OT); vs. South Jordan (Utah) Bingham, Saturday; 5

8. GARDENA SERRA (2-0) def. Hamilton, 47-0; vs. Los Alamitos, Friday; 8

9. VISTA MURRIETA (2-0) def. Murrieta Mesa, 35-17; vs. Bishop Amat, Sept. 12; 10

10. YORBA LINDA (2-0) def. Edison, 21-17; at San Jacinto, Thursday; 11

11. SAN JUAN HILLS (1-0) def. Eastvale Roosevelt, 41-0; vs. Chino Hills, Friday; 13

12. SERVITE (1-1) def. Murrieta Valley, 56-35; vs. Chaminade, Friday; 17

13. DAMIEN (2-0) def. JSerra, 34-31; vs. St. Paul, Friday; 19

14. EDISON (1-1) lost to Yorba Linda, 21-17; vs. Lakewood, Friday; 12

15. LOS ALAMITOS (3-0) def. Narbonne, 48-0; at Gardena Serra, Friday; 15

16. BEAUMONT (2-0) def. Cathedral, 52-31; vs. Summit, Friday; NR

17. VALENCIA (2-0) def. Chaminade, 34-20; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; NR

18. DOWNEY (2-0) def. Orange Vista, 35-34; vs. Long Beach Millikan, Friday; 20

19. CORONA DEL MAR (2-0) def. Santa Barbara, 28-27; vs. Lakewood (Colo.) Green Mountain, Saturday; 18

20. CATHEDRAL (1-1) lost to Beaumont, 52-31; vs. River Ridge (La.) Curtis Christian, Friday; 9

21. OXNARD PACIFICA (2-0) def. Oxnard, 62-0; vs. Newbury Park, Friday; 21

22. LEUZINGER (2-0) def. Palmdale, 61-0; vs. Bishop Montgomery, Friday; 22

23. PALOS VERDES (1-1) def. Aiea Na Alii (Hawaii), 47-6; vs. Carson, Friday; 25

24. JSERRA (0-2) lost to Damien, 34-31; at Honolulu Kamehameha, Friday; 16

25. CHAMINADE (1-1) lost to Valencia, 34-20; at Servite, Friday; 14

A look at two of this week’s top high school football games in the Southland:

THURSDAY

Corona Centennial (1-0) vs. Santa Margarita (0-1) at Trabuco Hills, 7:30 p.m.

Centennial is trying to go to 2-0 against Trinity League teams after a 42-14 win over Servite. Quarterback Dominick Catalano made an impressive senior debut running the offense. It will be a lot tougher against a Santa Margarita defense with an active, aggressive front seven. Look for the Eagles to try to get the ball more often to receiver Trent Mosley. The pick: Santa Margarita.

FRIDAY

Valencia (1-0) at Chaminade (1-0), 7 p.m.

Chaminade upset Oaks Christian last week, showing off its very good offensive line. Valencia has a top dual-threat quarterback in Brady Bretthauer, plus explosive running back Brian Bonner. The pick: Valencia.

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game; last week ranking

1. Mater Dei (1-0) def. Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Aquinas, 26-23; vs. Bishop Montgomery, Friday; 1

2. St. John Bosco (1-0) def. Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee, 31-0; vs. El Paso (Texas) Eastwood, Friday; 2

3. Orange Lutheran (1-0) def. Miami Northwestern, 17-13; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Friday; 3

4. Sierra Canyon (1-0) def. JSerra, 35-0; at Oaks Christian, Friday 4

5. Corona Centennial (1-0) def. Servite, 42-14; at Santa Margarita, Thursday; 5

6. Mission Viejo (1-0) def. Santa Margarita, 7-3; at St. Paul, Aug. 29; 6

7. Santa Margarita (0-1) lost to Mission Viejo, 7-3; vs. Corona Centennial, Thursday; 7

8. Gardena Serra (1-0) def. Palos Verdes, 26-0; at Hamilton, Thursday; 8

9. Cathedral (1-0) def. Loyola, 36-14; at Beaumont, Thursday; 11

10. Vista Murrieta (1-0) def. Great Oak, 41-25; vs. Murrieta Mesa, Friday; 13

11. Yorba Linda (1-0) def. Mayfair, 41-6; at Edison, Thursday; 14

12. Edison (1-0) def. Clovis West, 20-13; vs. Yorba Linda, Thursday; 15

13. San Juan Hills (0-0) def Chaparral, 38-33; at Eastvale Roosevelt, Thursday; 16

14. Chaminade (1-0) def. Oaks Christian, 42-27; vs. Valencia, Friday; NR

15. Los Alamitos (2-0) def. Kapolei, 34-31; at Narbonne, Friday; NR

16. JSerra (0-1) lost to Serra Canyon, 35-0; vs. Damien, Friday; 12

17. Servite (0-1) lost to Corona Centennial, 42-14; vs. Murrieta Valley, Friday; 9

18. Corona Del Mar (1-0) def. Rancho Verde, 41-6; at Santa Barbara, Friday; 20

19. Damien (1-0) def. Aquinas, 20-13; at JSerra, Aug. 29; 21

20. Downey (1-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 24-21; at Orange Vista, Friday; 23

21. Oxnard Pacifica (1-0) def. West Ranch, 59-17; at Oxnard, Friday; 25

22. Leuzinger (1-0) def. Long Beach Poly, 14-3; vs. Palmdale, Friday; NR

23. Long Beach Millikan (2-0) def. Newbury Park, 49-20; vs. Loyola, Friday; NR

24. Oaks Christian (0-1) lost to Chaminade, 42-27; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday; 17

25. Palos Verdes (0-1) lost to Gardena Serra, 26-0; vs. Aiea Na Alii (Hawaii), Friday; 22

Mission Viejo coach Chad Johnson was surrounded by his players late Friday night after an exhilarating 7-3 victory over Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills.

“Phenomenal job,” he shouted to his team’s defensive players.

In an opening game that resembled a Southern Section Division 1 playoff game with all the talent, intensity and coaching excellence on display, Mission Viejo placed its trust in perhaps the best quarterback in Southern California, Ohio State commit Luke Fahey, who delivered a 33-yard touchdown pass to Jack Junker late in the third quarter to wipe away a 3-0 deficit.

The Eagles, in the coaching debut of Carson Palmer, could never recover. Junker used to play at Santa Margarita. The touchdown pass came after Mission Viejo punter Isaiah Murgia booted a 54-yard punt that left Santa Margarita on its four-yard line. Then came a short punt giving Mission Viejo the ball at the 33.

As he had been doing all night against Santa Margarita’s big, aggressive defensive line, Fahey rolled out and found Junker open in the end zone.

“It was a deep shot to the corner. See if we could make a play,” Junker said.

Luke Fahey celebrates with his Mission Viejo teammates after 7-3 win over Santa Margarita.

(Craig Weston)

Fahey was making plays, dodging and maneuvering, all night. He completed 16 of 22 passes for 188 yards. He suffered only one sack, which was tribute to his instincts and mobility.

“They had a really good game plan,” Fahey said. “That was a great defensive line, and we had to battle through adversity. It shows what kind of team we have.”

Mission Viejo clinched the win when Santa Margarita could not complete a pass on fourth down from the eight-yard line with 26 seconds left.

The Diablos kept coming up with defensive contributors, from lineman JD Hill to defensive backs Jordan Hicks and Jeron Jones. Their focus was making sure Santa Margarita’s gifted Trent Mosley didn’t break loose for any long touchdowns. It happened once for 67 yards when Mosley showed a memorable burst of speed in the first half, but the play was nullified by a penalty.

There was no scoring until the final play of the second quarter when Santa Margarita’s Tyler Wiegand made a 23-yard field goal. It was two good defenses shutting down offenses with enough pressure on the quarterbacks and fundamental tackling.

The Santa Margarita defensive line made up of transfer students Simote Katoanga, Manoah Faupusa and Isaia Vandermade rose up to stop Mission Viejo twice on goal-line situations from the one-yard line.

The two quarterbacks were doing their best to avoid mistakes. Trace Johnson was 13-of-16 passing in the first half for 138 yards and finished with 208 yards. Fahey, under constant pressure, was nine-of-12 passing for 106 yards in the first half.

It was a night in which teams in the powerful Trinity League showed a chink in their armor. Besides the Eagles losing, JSerra suffered a 35-0 loss to Sierra Canyon with a running clock. Servite was beaten by Corona Centennial 42-14. St. John Bosco went to Bradenton, Fla., and came away with a 31-0 win over Manatee in a game halted at halftime because of lightning. Orange Lutheran and Mater Dei play Saturday in Florida.

A look at how the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland fared this week:

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. Mater Dei (0-0) at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Aquinas, Saturday; vs. Bishop Montgomery, Aug. 29

2. St. John Bosco (1-0) def. Bradenton (Fla.) Manatee, 31-0; vs. El Paso (Texas) Eastwood, Aug. 29

3. Orange Lutheran (0-0) at Miami Northwestern, Saturday; vs. Rancho Cucamonga, Aug. 29

4. Sierra Canyon (1-0) def. JSerra, 35-0; at Oaks Christian, Aug. 29

5. Corona Centennial (1-0) def. Servite, 42-14; at Santa Margarita, Thursday

6. Mission Viejo (1-0) def. Santa Margarita, 7-3; at St. Paul, Aug. 29

7. Santa Margarita (0-1) lost to Mission Viejo, 7-3; vs. Corona Centennial, Thursday

8. Gardena Serra (1-0) def. Palos Verdes, 26-0; at Hamilton, Thursday

9. Servite (0-1) lost to Corona Centennial, 42-14; vs. Murrieta Valley, Aug. 29

10. Newbury Park (0-2) lost to Millikan, 49-20; vs. Arroyo Grande, Aug. 29

11. Cathedral (1-0) def. Loyola, 36-14; at Beaumont, Thursday

12. JSerra (0-1) lost to Serra Canyon, 35-0; vs. Damien, Aug. 29

13. Vista Murrieta (1-0) def. Great Oak, 41-25; vs. Murrieta Mesa, Aug. 29

14. Yorba Linda (1-0) def. Mayfair, 41-6; at Edison, Thursday

15. Edison (1-0) def. Clovis West, 20-13; vs. Yorba Linda, Thursday

16. San Juan Hills (0-0) vs. Chaparral (no score reported); at Eastvale Roosevelt, Thursday

17. Oaks Christian (0-1) lost to Chaminade, 42-27; vs. Valencia, Aug. 29

18. Inglewood (0-2) lost to Fresno Central East, 41-12; vs. St. Bonaventure, Sept. 5

19. Chaparral (0-0) at San Juan Hills (no score reported); at San Clemente, Sept. 5

20. Corona Del Mar (1-0) def. Rancho Verde, 41-6; at Santa Barbara, Aug. 29

21. Damien (1-0) def. Aquinas, 20-13; at JSerra, Aug. 29

22. Palos Verdes (0-1) lost to Gardena Serra, 26-0; vs. Aiea Na Alii (Hawaii), Aug. 29

23. Downey (1-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 24-21; at Orange Vista, Aug. 29

24. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (0-1) lost to Downey, 24-21; at Bishop Alemany, Aug. 29

25. Oxnard Pacifica (1-0) def. West Ranch, 59-17; at Oxnard, Aug. 29

A look at two of this week’s top high school football games:

FRIDAY

Mission Viejo vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills

Carson Palmer debuts as head coach for Santa Margarita, which has perhaps the toughest schedule in Southern California. It won’t be easy taking down quarterback Luke Fahey and the Diablos, but the return of Trent Mosley at receiver, the arrival of Trace Johnson at quarterback and a strong defensive line make this the most intriguing game of the night. The pick: Mission Viejo.

Eagle Rock at Granada Hills Kennedy

It’s two All-City quarterbacks going at it, with Liam Pasten vs. Diego Montes. Both teams are favored to win their respective leagues, so this is big for playoff seedings. The pick: Eagle Rock.

There’s no need to scout Palisades’ football team this fall. Everyone knows the passing duo of quarterback Jack Thomas and receiver Demare Dezeurn is going to be electric.

Dezeurn, who ran a 10.32 100 meters as a sophomore last season at Bishop Alemany, made his Palisades debut in a scrimmage Thursday. Several times he was used as a decoy, opening the door for receiver Harrison Carter to show his stuff.

Palisades kept Dezeurn under wraps. “We’re not showing anything today,” Thomas said.

Palisades opens against Washington Prep on Thursday. The team still doesn’t have a campus field because of repairs being made after the Palisades fire. Santa Monica College will be the site for several home games.

Receiver Demare Dezeurn of Palisdes.

(Steve Galluzzo)

Thomas is already predicting the Dolphins will play Birmingham to decide the City Section Open Division championship. Dezeurn still needs to be cleared by the City Section to play next week.

Chaminade faced Santa Margarita in a scrimmage on Thursday, and Eagles coach David Machuca said he was very happy with the play of his team’s offensive line considering that Santa Margarita’s strength could be its defensive line.

Chaminade faces Oaks Christian in an opener next week, with Santa Margarita playing Mission Viejo.

The Sierra Canyon-Corona Centennial scrimmage matched two top 10 teams and exposed issues both teams will need to improve on.

Sierra Canyon still has a competition going at quarterback, and that’s the position likely to decide how far the Trailblazers might advance in the Division 1 playoffs. Their defensive line is one of the best in the Southland. Centennial had trouble running the ball, something that needs to improve since the Huskies have a three-game stretch against Servite, Santa Margarita and Mater Dei in nonleague games.

Birmingham’s powerful soccer program has supplied three kickers to the football program, giving coach Jim Rose options with special teams. Kicking field goals will definitely be an option.

Making adjustments for multi-sport athletes, such as letting them leave early for a club practice, is something coaches must do if they want to attract the best athletes in school.

St. Francis quarterback Shawn Sanders suffered a broken collarbone in a scrimmage on Thursday and will be sidelined for a month or longer.

For fans, parents and sportswriters,Edison’s seven-on-seven passing tournament, known as the Battle at the Beach, on Saturday is a key moment in the summer passing season, leading to the start of official football practice at the end of the month.

It’s not about wins and losses on Saturday but seeing which teams and players have made progress in the offseason and getting a first look at transfer students to see how they might fit in. It’s also a sensitive time for coaches trying to keep players happy so they don’t transfer to another school just as the season is about to begin.

The opportunity to see top skill-position players performing for their teams before pads come on next month is always the attraction of the well-run Edison tournament. The 9 a.m. games offer perhaps the best matchups of the day: Edison vs. Santa Margarita, Cathedral vs. St. John Bosco and Servite vs. Mission Viejo. One of those teams almost certainly will be crowned champion by the end of the day.

Edison coach Jeff Grady understands players are fresh and focused at the start of a long day, so that’s the time you learn the most about a team.

Mission Viejo, having beaten Mater Dei to win its own tournament last month, gets the favorite’s role behind quarterback Luke Fahey, an Ohio State commit. Santa Margarita will receive lots of attention in its first appearance since Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer was named head coach. There will be lots of focus on quarterbacks, from St. John Bosco’s Koa Malau’ulu to Palos Verdes’ Ryan Rakowski.

Coaches invited to this event know their players are expected to act classy with no fights. The officials use the event to get into shape for the season ahead and try out new officials. Players get to high-five their friends after intense competitions knowing they’re still friends, win or lose.

No one wins an 11-man championship based on seven-on-seven success (linemen are important), but there are so many good receivers and defensive backs in this tournament that it‘s always entertaining to watch and check out if any new players are ready to make an impact.

On the day he turned 17, Jack Champlin gave himself his own best birthday present, one he got to share with his teammates.

The junior right-hander needed 27 pitches to retire all seven batters he faced to wrap up St. John Bosch’s 4-0 shutout of San Diego Patrick Henry in the Southern California Regional Division I championship game.

“I’m going to dinner with my family and my girlfriend,” he said when asked what he would do to celebrate. “I’m not sure where yet, but there are a lot of good places around here and we’ll make a decision.”

Champlin pitched in all seven playoff games for the Braves, picking up two wins and five saves, giving up no runs allowed in 11 2/3 innings.

“I don’t really feel the pressure … as a closer you need to have confidence in your stuff and I’m just happy to be put in that position,” said Champlin, who fielded a grounder back to the mound and underhanded a toss to first base for the final out of the season. “We knew our starter [Brayden Krakowski] had pitched earlier in the week and only had 14 outs remaining, so the gameplan was for me to come in after that or before if necessary. As it turned out I was able to finish each playoff game with the ball in my hand every single time.”

Krakowksi allowed three hits and got all the support he needed in the first inning, as James Clark led off the bottom half with a triple and scored on a single by Noah Everly. Miles Clark added a two-out RBI single. In the next inning St. John Bosco doubled its lead when James Clark hit an RBI double and later scored on an infield single by Jaden Jackson.

St. John Bosco closer Jack Champlin struck out three of the seven batters he faced to earn the save Saturday afternoon against Patrick Henry.

St. John Bosco beat eighth-seeded San Diego St. Augustine 2-1 in the first round and No. 5 Villa Park 7-4 in the semifinals in a rematch of the Braves’ 4-3 nine-inning triumph in the Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals.

Patrick Henry had lost 3-0 to Granite Hills in the San Diego Section Open Division final but after back-to-back victories over two of the best Southern Section teams in Santa Margarita and Crespi, the Patriots (23-11-2) came to Bellflower confident they could upset the No. 1-ranked team in California.

It did not happen. Instead, the Braves notched their 19th consecutive win, 30th in 34 games and capped an historic campaign, which included a 3-2 walk-off victory over Santa Margarita to capture the program’s first Southern Section crown May 30 after losing to Beckman 2-1 in eight innings in the Division 3 title game last season.

“We’ve proven ourselves,” Champlin said in the midst of a celebration on the same field where he and his returning teammates rallied to defeat Bakersfield Christian 5-4 and claim the Division III regional championship last June.

Champlin took the hill with one out in the top of the seventh inning in last year’s regional final, got the final two outs, and was credited with the win when the Braves scored the game-ending run on a balk in the bottom of the inning.

Saturday’s achievement was even sweeter because it was accomplished at the highest level and was a testament to second-year coach Andy Rojo, who held the first-place plaque high and declared “We won the West!” as his players surrounded him.

“It’ll take a lot for any team to match what we’ve done winning by three titles in one year — the Trinity League championship, the Southern Section Division 1 championship and the regional Division I championship,” said Rojo, who got his squad to the top of the mountain despite losing 12 players to graduation — including pitcher Anthony Cosme (Cal Poly Pomona), center fielder Julian Villasenor (Washington State) and first baseman Zach Woodson (Pepperdine). “Tomorrow will be two months since we lost a game (the Braves last suffered defeat on April 8 against Santa Margarita). I couldn’t be more proud.”