st. john bosco

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

A look at the top performers from high school football games across the Southland this week.

RUSHING

• Vaughn Reinert, Torrance: Rushed for 223 yards and five touchdowns in defeat of West Torrance.

• Maleek Nolley, Cajon: Rushed for 266 yards and four touchdowns in win over Beaumont.

• Coy Collins, Villa Park: Rushed for 109 yards and three touchdowns in win over Tustin.

• Jacob Gallegos, San Dimas: Rushed for 204 yards and four touchdowns in defeat of Chino.

• Jason Brown, Muir: Rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns in win over Monrovia.

• Ceasar Reyes, Garfield: Rushed for 324 yards and seven touchdowns in win over South Gate.

• Cyrus Aviles, Fullerton: Rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns in win over Portola.

• Edward Rivera, Compton: Rushed for 246 yards and five touchdowns in defeat of Long Beach Cabrillo.

• Matix Frithsmith, Hart: Rushed for 163 yards and three touchdowns in win over Castaic.

• Luke Zapko, Oak Park: Had four rushing touchdowns in win over Buena.

• Nico Funez, Valencia: Rushed for 215 yards and two touchdowns in win over Canyon Country Canyon.

• William Biddle, L.A. University: Rushed for 264 yards and scored five touchdowns in defeat of Fairfax.

PASSING

• Lincoln Jahn, Inglewood: Passed for four touchdowns in win over Redondo Union.

• Reagan Toki, Orange Lutheran: Completed 14 of 16 passes for 191 yards and one touchdown in win over JSerra

• Demarco Hernandez, Sierra Canyon: Passed for 201 yards and two touchdowns in defeat of Chaminade.

• Evan McCalister, Valencia: Passed for four touchdowns in win over Canyon Country Canyon.

RECEIVING

• Jalen Flowers, Palos Verdes: Caught three touchdown passes for 184 yards and had interception in win over Mira Costa.

• Ben Hanna, Villa Park: Caught six passes for 130 yards and passed for a touchdown in defeat of Tustin.

• Luke Frith, San Juan Hills: Caught eight passes for 128 yards and one touchdown in win over Yorba Linda.

DEFENSE

• Rayshawn Brandon, Santa Margarita: Returned and interception 51 yards for touchdown in win over St. John Bosco.

• Jayden Harris, Charter Oak: Returned and interception 80 yards for touchdown in win over Glendora.

• Eric Wright, South East: Had eight solo tackles in loss to Roosevelt.

• King Berry, Lawndale: Had interception and ran for a game-winning touchdown in win vs. South Torrance.

• Derrick Coleman Jr., Gardena Serra: Made two interceptions, including a pick six, in shutout of Loyola.

• King Rich Johnson, Orange Lutheran: Returned interception 20 yards for touchdown in win over JSerra.

• Noah Carter, Dana Hills: Had two sacks in defeat of Laguna Beach.

• Simote Tupou, St. John Bosco: Had consecutive sacks in loss to Santa Margarita.

• Bailey Hill, Hart: Had two sacks in defeat of Castaic.

• Zayne Reed, Agoura: Had three sacks in his first game of the season in win over Camarillo.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• Jaden Walk-Green, Corona Centennial: Made a 43-yard field goal and took a high snap on a field goal for a 16-yard touchdown in win over Norco.

• Noah Guillen, Bishop Amat: Made a school-record 52-yard field goal in defeat of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame.

• Galileo Chen, Portola: Had a 97-yard kickoff return for touchdown in loss to Fullerton.

• Alejandro Carranza, King/Drew: Made two field goals in the first half during King/Drew’s win vs. Crenshaw.

“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.

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