Another big win, another number one ranking for St. John Bosco in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 football poll released Sept. 4.

With junior quarterback DJ Uiagalelei throwing six touchdown passes in the Braves’ 52-14 romp over Mililani of Hawaii last Friday, St. John Bosco stayed ahead of No. 2 Mater Dei (2-1), which had its own easy time in beating La Mirada 49-0.

The Trinity League rivals are also 1-2 in Maxpreps’ “Xcellent 25” national poll, and 2-3 in Maxpreps’ national computer rankings, behind IMG Academy of Bradenton, Fla., which visits the Southland Sept. 21 to play Mater Dei.

Elsewhere in D-1, J.Serra (3-0) is seventh, Chaminade (2-1) eighth, Servite (idle last week) ninth and Serra of Gardena (1-1) tenth after a loss to Cathedral Catholic in San Diego.

In Division 2, Alemany (3-0) is fourth and Cathedral (3-0) eighth, while Paraclete (1-2) crept up from tenth to ninth in D-3 after its first win. The D-4 rankings, which changed noticeably last week, did likewise this week, with St. Bonaventure (2-1) dropping from seventh to ninth after its first loss, and Bishop Diego (1-2) falling out of the top 10 altogether.

St. Paul’s third straight big win pushed the Swordsmen from fourth to third in the D-5 survey. But St. Bernard’s first loss dropped the Vikings from fifth to seventh in D-13.

This week’s games

This week’s schedule includes the first of a month-long series of “Touchdowns Against Cancer” games. Each participating team’s touchdown will raise money (through online pledges) to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. (To learn which schools are participating, visittouchdownsagainstcancer.com.)

  • Sept. 6: Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) at Paraclete.
  • Sept. 7: Paramount at St. John Bosco; St. Mary’s (Stockton) at Mater Dei; Folsom at  Chaminade; Alemany at Oaks Christian; Mayfair at Santa Margarita; La Salle at Westchester; Salesian at St. Margaret’s; San Bernardino at St. Genevieve; Verbum Dei at Jordan (L.A.); Bishop Amat at Rancho Cucamonga; Servite at Roosevelt; Long Beach Poly at Serra (Gardena); Cathedral at Loyola; St. Francis at Westlake; Golden Valley at Crespi; Birmingham at St. Paul; Santa Barbara at St. Bonaventure; Nipomo at Bishop Diego; Charter Oak at Damien; St. Anthony at Woodrow Wilson; Don Bosco Tech at Bassett; Cantwell-Sacred Heart at Tri-City Christian; St. Joseph (Santa Maria) at Bakersfield; Century at Mary Star of the Sea; St. Monica (Santa Monica) at Littlerock; St. Pius X-St. Matthias at Montclair.
  • Sept. 8: Pinnacle at J.Serra (Gardena); St. Bernard at Bishop Montgomery; Savanna at Santa Clara.
  • Eight-Man Football (Sept. 7): Calvary Baptist at St. Michael’s Prep.

Mike Nelson is the former editor of the Tidings (predecessor to Angelus News). 

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