Mater Dei’s nationally televised win over IMG Academy last Friday has pushed the Monarchs ahead of St. John Bosco in this week’s CIF-Southern Section Division 1 football poll released Sept. 24.
With both teams preparing for this week’s start of Trinity League play, the Monarchs (4-1) and Braves (5-0) rank one-two, the seventh straight week that the two schools have held those positions. Mater Dei led the first three weeks, St. John Bosco the next three.
J.Serra, another Trinity League power at 5-0 (and, like the Braves, idle last week), moved from seventh to sixth in the D-1 poll. Bishop Amat rose from eighth to seventh, Chaminade returned to the top 10 at No. 9, and Servite stayed at No. 10.
Nationally, St. John Bosco and Mater Dei held their 1-2 positions in Maxpreps’ Xcellent 25 poll, but the Monarchs took over the top spot in Maxpreps’ Freeman Computer Rankings from IMG, with St. John Bosco remaining second.
The Monarchs and Braves meet Oct. 12 that may likely decide the Trinity League title, although J.Serra — 15th in the new Freeman poll — may be a factor, beginning this week when the Lions play St. John Bosco in Bellflower.
In Division 2, Cathedral’s second straight loss to a D-1 team dropped the Phantoms out of the top 10, while idle Alemany slipped from fifth to sixth, and Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) entered the list at No. 9. Paraclete’s loss dropped the Spirits (2-4) out of the D-3 poll.
St. Bonaventure (5-1) remained seventh in D-4; St. Paul (4-1) returned to third from sixth in D-5 despite being idle; and St. Bernard (4-1) once again was fourth in D-13.
In eight-man football, Villanova jumped from ninth to fifth in Division 1, while St. Michael’s Prep dropped from fifth to seventh in Division 2.
This week’s games
This week’s schedule marks the start or continuation of league play for most teams. All games are Sept. 28 unless indicated otherwise.
Trinity: J.Serra at St. John Bosco, Servite at Mater Dei, Santa Margarita at Orange Lutheran.
Mission: Loyola at Alemany, Bishop Amat at Chaminade, Serra at Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks).
Del Rey: La Salle at St. Paul, St. Anthony at Harvard-Westlake (Sept. 29).
Citrus Coast: Santa Clara at Malibu.
Marmonte: St. Bonaventure at Newbury Park.
Camino: Grace Brethren at Bishop Diego (Sept. 29).
Baseline: Upland at Damien.
Non-League: Paraclete vs. Cornerstone Christian of San Antonio (Sept. 27 at College of the Canyons), La Mirada at Cathedral, Crespi vs. Sierra Canyon (at Pierce College), St. Francis at Mayfair, Don Bosco Tech vs. New Designs Watts, St. Bernard at Brentwood, St. Pius X-St. Matthias at Carnegie (Riverside), Salesian at Cantwell-Sacred Heart, St. Genevieve at Agoura, Simi Valley at Mary Star of the Sea, Bishop Montgomery at Gardena, Southlands Christian at St. Monica (Sept. 29). Verbum Dei is idle.
Eight-Man Football: Calvary Chapel at St. Michael’s Prep (Sept. 27), Villanova at Maricopa (Sept. 28).
Mike Nelson is the former editor of the Tidings (predecessor of Angelus News).
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