santa margarita

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 9:

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

1. SANTA MARGARITA (9-0) def. JSerra, 36-12; vs. Orange Lutheran at Orange Coast College, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (9-0) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 63-6; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; 2

3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (7-2) def. Servite, 54-7; vs. Mater Dei at Santa Ana Stadium, Friday; 3

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (6-3) def. Chaparral, 41-27; at Murrieta Mesa, Thursday; 4

5. MATER DEI (7–2) def. Orange Lutheran, 52-38; vs. St. John Bosco, Friday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (7-1) def. Los Alamitos, 58-7; vs. San Juan Hills, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-4) lost to Mater Dei, 52-38; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday; 7

8. BISHOP AMAT (8-1) def. Loyola, 7-0; at Sierra Canyon, Friday; 10

9. SAN JUAN HILLS (8-1) def. San Clemente, 16-0; at Mission Viejo, Friday; 24

10. SAN CLEMENTE (7-1) lost to San Juan Hills, 16-0; vs. Huntington Beach Edison, Friday; 8

11. JSERRA (4-5) lost to Santa Margarita, 36-12; vs. Servite, Friday; 9

12. CREAN LUTHERAN (6-2) def. Corona del Mar, 31-17; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 13

13. LA SERNA (8-1) def. Mayfair, 42-14; at Downey, Friday; 12

14. INGLEWOOD (9-1) def. Leuzinger, 41-0; Southern Section playoffs; 14

15. SERVITE (3-6) lost to St. John Bosco, 54-7; at JSerra, Friday; 11

16. PALOS VERDES (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 28-7; vs. Leuzinger, Friday; 15

17. CARSON (8-1) def. San Pedro, 35-0; vs. Mary Star of the Sea, Friday; 17

18. CHAPARRAL (5-4) lost to Corona Centennial 41-27; at Vista Murrieta, Friday; NR

19. CORONA DEL MAR (7-2) lost to Crean Lutheran, 31-17; at La Habra, Friday; 16

20. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-2) lost to Sierra Canyon, 63-6; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 18

21. CHAMINADE (6-3) def. Gardena Serra, 21-7; at Loyola, Friday; 19

22. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (8-1) def. Villa Park, 30-18; at Tustin, Thursday; 25

23. HUNTINGTON BEACH (9-0) def. Troy, 37-22; vs. Laguna Beach, Friday; 20

24. ORANGE (9-0) def. Irvine, 55-17; at El Toro, Friday; 23

25. GARDENA SERRA (4-5) lost to Chaminade, 21-7; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 22

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 8:

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

1. SANTA MARGARITA (8-0) def. St. John Bosco, 21-7; vs. JSerra, Friday; 1

2. SIERRA CANYON (8-0) def. Chaminade, 41-0; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 3

3. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 21-7; at Servite, Friday; 2

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-3) def. Norco, 46-14; at Chaparral, Friday; 4

5. MATER DEI (6-2) def. Servite, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) vs. San Clemente, canceled; at Los Alamitos, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-3) def. JSerra, 48-13; at Servite, Friday; 7

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) vs. Mission Viejo, canceled; at San Juan Hills, Friday; 8

9. JSERRA (4-4) lost to Orange Lutheran, 48-13; at Santa Margarita, Friday; 10

10. BISHOP AMAT (7-1) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 48-28; vs. Loyola, Friday; 12

11. SERVITE (3-5) lost to Mater Dei, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday; 11

12. LA SERNA (7-1) def. Cerritos, 57-7; vs. Mayfair, Friday; 13

13. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) def. La Habra, 35-28; at Corona del Mar, Friday; 14

14. INGLEWOOD (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 33-7; at Leuzinger, Friday; 15

15. PALOS VERDES (7-1) def. Mira Costa, 34-14; at Redondo Union, Friday; 16

16. CORONA DEL MAR (7-1) lost to Capistrano Valley, 21-17; vs. Crean Lutheran, Friday; 9

17. CARSON (7-1) def. Narbonne, 60-0; vs. San Pedro, Friday; 18

18. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-1) lost to Bishop Amat, 48-28; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday; 17

19. CHAMINADE (5-3) lost to Sierra Canyon, 41-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday; 19

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-0) def. Western, 34-14; vs. Troy, Thursday; 20

21. SAN JACINTO (8-0) def. Elsinore, 49-16; vs. Granite Hills, Friday; 21

22. GARDENA SERRA (4-4) def. Loyola, 26-0; at Chaminade, Friday; 22

23. ORANGE (8-0) def. Beckman, 51-14; vs. Irvine, Thursday; 23

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (7-1) def. Yorba Linda, 14-10; vs. San Clemente, Friday; 24

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (7-1) def. Corona del Mar, 21-17; vs. Villa Park, Friday; 25

Oct. 16, 2026 10:06 PM PT

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

Rk. School (record) result; Next game

1. SANTA MARGARITA (8-0) def. St. John Bosco, 21-7; vs. JSerra, Friday

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-2) lost to Santa Margarita, 21-7; at Servite, Friday

3. SIERRA CANYON (8-0) def. Chaminade, 41-0; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (5-3) def. Norco, 46-14; at Chaparrel, Friday

5. MATER DEI (6-2) def. Servite, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) at San Clemente, postponed; at Los Alamitos, Friday

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (5-3) def. JSerra, 48-13; at Servite, Friday

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) vs. Mission Viejo, postponed; at San Juan Hills, Friday

9. CORONA DEL MAR (7-0) at Capistrano Valley, Saturday; vs. Crean Lutheran, Friday

10. JSERRA (4-4) lost to Orange Lutheran, 48-13; at Santa Margarita, Friday

11. SERVITE (3-5) lost to Mater Dei, 38-15; vs. Orange Lutheran, Friday

12. BISHOP AMAT (7-1) def. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 48-28; vs. Loyola, Friday

13. LA SERNA (7-1) def. Cerritos, 57-7; vs. Mayfair, Friday

14. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) vs. La Habra, late; at Corona del Mar, Friday

15. INGLEWOOD (8-1) def. Redondo Union, 33-7; at Leuzinger, Friday

16. PALOS VERDES (7-1) def. Mira Costa, 34-14; at Redondo Union, Friday

17. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-1) lost to Bishop Amat, 48-28; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday

18. CARSON (7-1) def. Narbonne, 48-14; vs. San Pedro, Friday

19. CHAMINADE (5-3) lost to Sierra Canyon, 41-0; vs. Gardena Serra, Friday

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (8-0) def. Western, 34-14; vs. Troy, Thursday

21. SAN JACINTO (8-0) def. Elsinore, 49-16; vs. Granite Hills, Friday

22. GARDENA SERRA (4-4) def. Loyola, 26-0; at Chaminade, Friday

23. ORANGE (8-0) def. Beckman, 51-14; vs. Irvine, Thursday

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (7-1) def. Yorba Linda, 14-10; vs. San Clemente, Friday

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (6-1) vs. Corona del Mar, Saturday; vs. Villa Park, Friday

“Touchdown Trent Mosley.”

It’s understandable that the P.A. announcer at St. John Bosco High on Friday night misspoke after seeing Mosley’s brother, Grant, catch a 49-yard touchdown pass for Santa Margarita and run like Trent in a showdown game between the No. 1 Eagles and No. 2 Braves.

“Pretty good,” Trent, USC’s star freshman receiver, said on the sideline when asked about Grant’s touchdown. “He’s healthy.”

As if unbeaten Santa Margarita (8-0) didn’t have enough weapons, the return of Grant Mosley after two seasons of dealing with a shoulder injury means it’s time for opponents to start feeling very uncomfortable.

“I’m back,” Grant announced afterward.

Santa Margarita won its 15th consecutive game in defeating St. John Bosco 21-7.

“He looked great,” coach Carson Palmer said.

“We knew when as he got healthier, he was going to be a threat,” St. john Bosco coach Jason Negro said. “He’s a dynamic player like his brother.”

Santa Margarita High sophomore Rayshawn Brandon returns an interception 51 yards for a touchdown Friday night against St. John Bosco.

(Craig Weston)

The touchdown pass happened during a trick play, in which quarterback Fletch Palmer handed the ball to Adrian Petero, who lateraled the ball back to Palmer, who threw a perfect spiral down the middle to Mosley. That play was Santa Margarita royalty at its best — a Mosley catching a touchdown pass from a Palmer, the son of the head coach.

It gave Santa Margarita a 21-7 lead in the third quarter.

“What a pass,” Carson Palmer said. “What execution. What protection.”

Santa Margarita came up with two interceptions in the first half leading to two touchdowns and a 14-7 halftime lead.

After St. John Bosco (6-2) had taken a 7-0 lead on a 28-yard touchdown catch by Kuika Moaalii, sophomore Rayshawn Brandon picked off a pass by quarterback Koa Malau’ulu, who was rolling to his left under pressure, and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. Then Ca’ron Williams came up with another interception deep in Braves territory, leading to a one-yard touchdown run by Petero.

At the end of the half, Jaion Smith of Santa Margarita deflected a possible third-down touchdown pass in the end zone and Jake Martin followed by blocking a St. John Bosco field-goal attempt.

If anything was learned about Santa Margarita last season in its first year under Palmer, it’s that the Eagles have one of the best coaching staffs in the state and keep improving each week. By the end of the 2025 season, Santa Margarita was 35 points better than its closest opponent.

Could a similar situation be occurring now?

“I just feel we have the best staff in the nation,” Grant Mosley said. “So every week, we’re just developing. And we’re still not at our highest state. Once we get to the playoffs, that’s when we’ll be at our best.”

With Trinity League wins over St. John Bosco and Mater Dei, the Eagles have moved into the driver’s seat to win the league title.

Before the game, Carson Palmer was walking around the field feeling excited and confident.

“We’re ready,” he said.

He wasn’t kidding.

As for his brother getting initial credit for the touchdown, Grant said, “Oh well.”

“I’m still not even at my full state yet,” Grant said.

That’s scary coming from a brother with the Mosley genes.

Anyone have a helicopter available for Friday night?

This is the weekend when high school football fans and sportswriters across the Southland need air transportation or multiple screens on a computer or cellphone or at a sports bar to watch the many top games during Week 8.

It doesn’t get any better than No. 1-ranked Santa Margarita (7-0) playing at No. 2 St. John Bosco (6-1) in a Trinity League game that will feature big-boy football at its best. The NFHS Network will be streaming the game.

It’s not the only game you’ll want to see.

Let’s review the choices so you can use Google Maps or a TV remote control or just never let go of your phone on Friday night.

Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer, center, with offensive coordinator Lenny Vandermade, left.

(Craig Weston)

Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco, 7 p.m.

Last week, St. John Bosco avenged last year’s stunning Southern Section Division 1 first-round playoff loss to Orange Lutheran, a team it beat 48-0 in the regular season. This week, the Braves finally get to play Santa Margarita, the school that won the state Open Division championship because St. John Bosco was nowhere to be found. Santa Margarita has a 13-game winning streak since losing to the Braves last October.

This isn’t the same Santa Margarita team. Trent Mosley is now at USC, where he looks like a Heisman Trophy candidate when not injured. The Trojans are off this week, so look for Mosley to be on the sideline supporting brother Grant, an Eagles receiver. Santa Margarita’s strength is running the ball with undersized Adrian Petero (5 feet 5, 175 pounds) to set up the pass for quarterback Fletch Palmer, son of coach Carson Palmer.

St. John Bosco has become more of a running team with Maliq Allen, but quarterback Koa Malau’ulu remains a dangerous weapon with receivers DJ Tubbs and Kuika Moaalii. This game likely comes down to a chess match each play, testing defensive coordinators Steve Fifita (Santa Margarita) and Chris King (St. John Bosco). Both have great respect for each other. Turnovers, penalties and special teams must be watched closely. The pick: St. John Bosco.

Bishop Amat (6-1) at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (7-0), 7 p.m.

Spectrum 1 chose to televise this game, which will decide who gets to finish second in the Mission League behind Sierra Canyon. Notre Dame is a surprise being unbeaten at this point, but Tahj Skinner has proven to be one of the best athletes at quarterback, and the Knights are filled with fast players on both sides of the field from their successful track program. Bishop Amat must worry about Notre Dame’s speed, but Notre Dame must deal with the Lancers’ physicality. The pick: Bishop Amat.

Mission Viejo (6-1) at San Clemente (7-0), 7 p.m.

Home-field advantage matters in this annual rivalry game in the recently renamed Alpha League. Mission Viejo’s offensive line is elite. Receiver Jack Junker got to play running back last week and showed his big-play skills. San Clemente has its own versatile star in receiver/safety Jaxson Rex. In the end, it’s about which young quarterback can avoid mistakes, with Mission Viejo relying on sophomore Brett Burnor and San Clemente turning to junior Preston Beck. The pick: San Clemente.

King/Drew (4-3) at Crenshaw (5-2), 7 p.m.

King/Drew has been the upstart trying to win the Coliseum League with Crenshaw always standing in the way. Quarterback Gerald Torres has put together a strong season, passing for 1,363 yards and 13 touchdowns. Crenshaw struggled against Palisades’ passing attack this season, so the Cougars’ defense will be tested. Crenshaw has added more balance on offense with quarterback Ethan Grant. The pick: Crenshaw.

Hamilton (3-4) at Palisades (3-3), 7 p.m.

There should be more than 100 passes attempted in a game that will decide the Western League title. Have ice available afterward for the elbows of quarterbacks Robert Holohan III of Palisades and Thaddeus Breaux of Hamilton. The pick: Hamilton.

Going into Week 8 of the high school football season, there are still 23 teams unbeaten in the Southern Section and City Section.

The three City teams are Cleveland, Granada Hills Kennedy and Marshall.

There are 20 in the Southern Section: Santa Margarita, Sierra Canyon, San Clemente, Corona del Mar, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, San Jacinto, Huntington Beach, Orange, Charter Oak, Mary Star, Bonita, Desert Christian, Los Altos, Nordhoff, San Marino, Nogales, Viewpoint, Royal, St. Bernard and Rancho Alamitos.

There are tough league games ahead, starting on Friday with Santa Margarita at St. John Bosco and Bishop Amat at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

Sierra Canyon (7-0) remains the most likely to go 10-0, with Mission League games still remaining against Chaminade, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Bishop Amat.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

A look at the top 25 high school football teams in the Southland after Week 6:

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

1. SANTA MARGARITA (7-0) def. Servite, 27-3; at St. John Bosco, Friday; 1

2. ST. JOHN BOSCO (6-1) def. Orange Lutheran, 28-14; vs. Santa Margarita, Friday; 2

3. SIERRA CANYON (7-0) def. Gardena Serra, 58-0; at Chaminade, Friday; 3

4. CORONA CENTENNIAL (4-3) def. Murrieta Valley, 42-20; vs. Norco, Thursday; 4

5. MATER DEI (5-2) def. JSerra, 41-7; at Servite, Thursday; 5

6. MISSION VIEJO (6-1) def. Yorba Linda, 27-26; at San Clemente, Friday; 6

7. ORANGE LUTHERAN (4-3) lost to St. John Bosco, 28-14; vs. JSerra, Friday; 7

8. SAN CLEMENTE (7-0) def. Los Alamitos, 40-0; vs. Mission Viejo, Friday; 8

9. CORONA DEL MAR (7-0) def. Tustin, 28-14; at Capistrano Valley, Friday; 12

10. JSERRA (4-3) lost to Mater Dei, 41-7; at Orange Lutheran, Friday; 10

11. SERVITE (3-4) lost to Santa Margarita, 27-3; vs. Mater Dei, Thursday; 11

12. BISHOP AMAT (6-1) def. Chaminade, 28-7; at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Friday; 13

13. LA SERNA (6-1) def. La Mirada, 56-19; vs. Cerritos, Friday; 14

14. CREAN LUTHERAN (5-2) def. Capistrano Valley, 30-22; vs. La Habra, Friday; 15

15. INGLEWOOD (7-1) def. Palos Verdes, 26-23; vs. Redondo Union, Friday; NR

16. PALOS VERDES (6-1) lost to Inglewood, 26-23; at Mira Costa, Thursday; 9

17. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME (7-0) def Loyola, 49-21; vs. Bishop Amat, Friday; 23

18. CARSON (6-1) def. Banning, 41-3; at Narbonne, Friday; 16

19. CHAMINADE (5-2) lost to Bishop Amat, 28-7; vs. Sierra Canyon, Friday; 18

20. HUNTINGTON BEACH (7-0) def Dana Hills, 21-16; at Western, Thursday; 20

21. SAN JACINTO (7-0) def. Tahquitz, 48-7; at Elsinore, Thursday; 21

22. GARDENA SERRA (3-4) lost to Sierra Canyon, 58-0; at Loyola, Friday; 19

23. ORANGE (7-0) def. Segerstrom, 53-7; at Beckman, Friday; 22

24. SAN JUAN HILLS (6-1) def. Huntington Beach Edison, 28-20; vs. Yorba Linda, Thursday; NR

25. CAPISTRANO VALLEY (6-1) lost to Crean Lutheran, 30-22; vs. Corona del Mar, Friday; 24

Santa Margarita High football coach Carson Palmer said special teams is the Eagles’ best phase of play. Not the elite defense, which had seven sacks and held Mater Dei to seven points on Friday night. Not the offense led by his son Fletch, who completed 65% of his passes for 155 yards.

No, he was adamant that it is the special teams unit. Two plays from junior free safety Jake Martin proved his coach right.

Twice Mater Dei attempted a field goal and twice the kick was missed. Martin juked out blockers late in the first half to deflect the first attempt, keeping the score at 7-7. Then, he helped preserve a seven-point lead in the fourth quarter as his pressure on the outside forced a second miss.

“We’re unbreakable,” Martin said after the Eagles’ 14-7 win. “We’re trying to go back-to-back. This is the team that’s going to do it.”

The chances of a second straight CIF Open Division state championship look good so far. Winning the Trinity League opener at Saddleback College kept the Eagles undefeated at 6-0. Mater Dei dropped to 4-2.

Of course, the Eagles’ offense and defense made plenty of important plays.

The game was sealed with an interception from freshman safety Jayden Jack, as Mater Dei freshman quarterback Paytyn Guess heaved the ball to the end zone with the Monarchs out of timeouts and out of options. That, coupled with a big sack from sophomore defensive lineman Kingston Jimmerson, killed the momentum on the visitors’ final drive.

It wasn’t a bad night for the young quarterback, though, as Guess staked his claim to the starting role for the Monarchs.

Mater Dei rotated three quarterbacks in nonleague play, and coach Raul Lara kept his cards tight to his chest before the game. The starter was Guess, who took more than 90% of the snaps on a night when he finished 16 for 22 for 163 yards with one interception and no touchdowns.

“He’s dynamic, but the problem with him is that he’s a freshman who just came into the program and is getting his feet wet,” Lara said before kickoff.

The impressive Santa Margarita front exposed those growing pains. Guess held on to the ball too long and took too many hits.

His playmaking ability did give Mater Dei a chance until the final moments, as he scrambled around and found senior wide receiver Gavin Honore down the sideline. The inconsistency on offense, though, has been a source of frustration for Lara.

“It all comes down to execution. We have to execute,” he said. “When we have the opportunity to make a play, we need to make that play and take advantage of it.”

Mater Dei’s defensive line had a solid game, holding Santa Margarita star sophomore running back Adrian Petero to 41 yards on 11 carries, although he scored his team’s first touchdown.

It was Santa Margarita’s junior quarterback who had the decisive play as Palmer found junior wide receiver Grant Van Raaphorst in the back of the end zone for a six-yard touchdown in the third quarter.

Mater Dei sophomore running back Asir Nembhard had the only touchdown for his team, which gave the Monarchs their only lead of the night in the first quarter.

Before the game, Palmer said tat he tells his players to never take an opponent too lightly nor build it up too much. The former NFL quarterback played in a division with the prime Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, so he knows a thing or two about a competitive schedule like the Trinity League offers.

“We’ve got a target on our back after last year, and we know that,” Palmer said. “We know that we are highlighted on other teams’ schedules.”

He also emphasized that his team could improve in every aspect of the game. That is certainly a scary prospect for foes facing the No. 1 team in the state.