The Mater Dei Monarchs are the new leading Catholic school team in D1. (PHOTO COURTESY MATER DEI FOOTBALL TWITTER)
A more convincing win during the opening week of league play has lifted Mater Dei above St. John Bosco in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 football rankings released Oct. 1.
Pollsters gave the Monarchs’ 35-0 win over Servite more value than the Braves’ 35-28 victory over J.Serra, even though J.Serra was — like Mater Dei and St. John Bosco — unbeaten coming into their game, and still holds the No. 7 spot in this week’s D-1 poll. Mater Dei and St. John Bosco tangle Oct. 12 in the most anticipated local regular-season prep contest of the year that will likely decide the Trinity League title.
Also making the top 10 in D-1 was Chaminade from the Mission League, which also includes Alemany and Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), both 5-1 and both among the top 10 in Division 2 (at fifth and eighth), along with Cathedral (tenth). Chaminade and Alemany face off this week in Mission Hills.
Other top 10 Catholic school teams include St. Bonaventure, sixth in D-4; St. Paul, third in D-5; and St. Bernard, eighth in D-13.
This week’s schedule (all Oct. 5 unless indicated otherwise) includes:
Trinity League: Orange Lutheran (4-2) at St. John Bosco (6-0); Santa Margarita (2-4) at Mater Dei (5-1); Servite (3-2) at J.Serra (5-1).
Mission: Notre Dame/Sherman Oaks (4-2) at Loyola (1-5); Chaminade (2-4) at Alemany (5-1); Serra (3-3) at Bishop Amat (5-1).
Del Rey: St. Anthony at La Salle, Harvard-Westlake at St. Genevieve,
Citrus Coast: Nordhoff at Santa Clara.
Marmonte: Westlake at St. Bonaventure.
Camino: Bishop Diego at Camarillo.
Baseline: Damien at Chino Hills.
Non-League: Paraclete at St. Francis, St. Paul at Crespi, Bishop Montgomery at Pioneer, St. Pius X-St. Matthias at Stellar Prep, Rancho Christian at Salesian, Verbum Dei at Mary Star of the Sea, Don Bosco Tech vs. Firebaugh, St. Monica at St. Bernard (Oct. 6).
Eight-Man Football: Thacher at Villanova, St. Michael’s Prep at Sage Hill (Express League).
Idle: Cathedral and Cantwell-Sacred Heart.
Mike Nelson is the former editor of the Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).
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