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For what feels like the first time in forever, there's a new No. 1 team in California high school football.
Here are The Sporting News' top 25 team rankings for Week Four (Sep. 15-21) of the 2025 California high school football season.
Teams from all 10 CIF sections are eligible for the rankings, which will be updated every week throughout the season.
PREVIOUS RANKING: Week Zero | Week One | Week Two | Week Three
California high school football top 25 team rankings
1. St. John Bosco (4-0 – 2nd last week)
The win that really cemented St. John Bosco as this week's No. 1 team was a narrow Sep. 5 victory over St. Frances Academy (MD), arguably the No. 1 team in the Eastern USA. Last week's 42-0 dismantling of Serra (San Mateo) was just icing on the cake with Mater Dei falling the same night. This week brings a perfect opportunity to build on it with a game against Hawaii juggernaut St. Louis (3-0).
2. Mater Dei (2-1 – 1st)
The untouched reign above all teams not named St. John Bosco is dead. The untouched reign above all teams not named St. John Bosco and Corona Centennial lives on. Mater Dei's 43-36 loss to Centennial was the first time anybody beat Mater Dei since none other than Centennial, which beat the Monarchs 28-21 in the 2015 Southern Section D1 semifinals. Other than JSerra, Bosco, and Centennial, the last teams to beat Mater Dei were Santa Margarita in 2013 and Long Beach Poly and Narbonne in 2012. If Mater Dei wants to keep those streaks alive and avoid a major fall in the rankings, it needs to bounce back immediately on the road against a prime national championship contender in Bishop Gorman. For now, Mater Dei is still anchored by its season-opening win over Florida superpower St. Thomas Aquinas.
3. Mission Viejo (4-0 – 3rd)
The Diablos needed a fourth quarter comeback to avoid a huge upset over Lincoln (San Diego), and they delivered to win 34-24 with a 17-0 fourth quarter advantage. 4-star WR Vance Spafford (Miami) returned from injury and scored the game-tying touchdown. Mission Viejo will be the heavy favorite per usual this week despite facing strong competition in Tennessee at McCallie.
4. Corona Centennial (3-1 – 6th)
Centennial made all kinds of history with a 43-36 upset win over Mater Dei, Mater Dei's first loss since 2015 to a team not named St. John Bosco. After blowing a 28-0 lead, the Huskies won in one of the gutsiest ways imaginable by stopping the bleeding while down 36-33 against the No. 1 team in the country and winning the fourth quarter 10-0. Their overtime loss to Santa Margarita is currently the difference between Centennial being in play for No. 1 in the Southern Section, state, and country versus No. 4 in California and No. 13 in the country. But Centennial is now back in the mix to contend at every level.
5. Santa Margarita (3-1 – 5th)
Depending how the coming weeks shake out, Santa Margarita could soon be No. 3 (or higher) possessing a win over Centennial which now has a win over Mater Dei. It kept up its torrid pace last week with a 44-14 rout of Oaks Christian and now gets a bye week before facing Bishop Gorman, which hosts Mater Dei this week.
6. Sierra Canyon (4-0 – 4th)
Did we really drop Sierra Canyon two spots for allowing one score against Downey (Downey) after starting with three straight shutout wins? Of course not. The Trailblazers did their thing once again in their 49-7 rout of the formidable Vikings, and Mater Dei's loss to Centennial resulted in a boost to Centennial and Santa Margarita. But Sierra Canyon's stock is as high as ever as it prepares to face its toughest foe of the regular season – No. 7 Orange Lutheran.
7. Orange Lutheran (3-1 – 7th)
The Lancers bounced back from their first loss in style, cruising past Serra (Gardena) 35-14 behind the strong play of QB Reagan Toki, WR Nico Bland, and DL Marcus Fakatou. With Trinity League play around the corner, they now play what might be one of their very opponents games of the season – No. 6 Sierra Canyon.
8. De La Salle (3-0 – 8th)
Yet another statement win for the Spartans. They were the overwhelming favorites at Saint Francis, but a 40-0 beatdown against a talented group – and the program that ended their remarkable winning streak four years prior – is dazzling.
9. Folsom (3-1 – 9th)
With such heavy expectations heaped onto the Bulldogs from the outside world whenever they have a particularly highly-touted team, it becomes easy to take for granted their consistency against fellow NorCal heavyweights. After getting dealt a heavy blow last week with the Mission Viejo blowout loss, Folsom bounced back to rout Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep 49-7. They start SFL play this week against one of their biggest and most formidable rivals, Rocklin (3-0).
10. Lincoln-San Diego (3-1 – 10th)
It's not lost on us that Lincoln led after three quarters against a team that utterly annihilated the team ranked a spot above Lincoln. The Hornets led 24-17 after three quarters against Mission Viejo a week after Mission Viejo beat Folsom 53-14. It wouldn't take much for them to rise multiple spots in coming weeks and months.
11. Archbishop Riordan (3-0 – 12th)
With a 42-35 win over Pittsburg, Riordan is knocking on the door of the statewide top 10, and we are fairly sure that this is the highest ranking in program history. Despite the high score, the Crusaders' defense played a big role with three interceptions, and Adonyae Brown went off for 239 yards and three touchdowns rushing. Now it's WCAL time with a bye week to prepare for reigning conference champion Saint Francis (Mountain View).
12. Servite (3-1 – 11th)
Servite suddenly didn't look like a world-beater against a formidable Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) defense. But it came back from a 13-0 hole to grind out a 29-23 victory and avoid upset thanks to a Herculean performance from RB Gavin Gutierrez and the Friars' formidable O-line. Gutierrez ran 34 times for 202 yards and two touchdowns, and had two catches for 25 yards. That probably makes this a good time for a bye week.
13. Cathedral Catholic (3-0 – 13th)
Last week we said Cathedral Catholic was about to face Helix, but we were a week off, as Cathedral actually had a bye week first. This week is Helix week, and then the Dons now play two of their best opponents of the year, Granite Hills (El Cajon) and De La Salle, before turning their attention to preparing for Lincoln.
14. Los Alamitos (5-0 – 14th)
The first 5-0 team in California high school football in 2025. This week brings a bigger test than some Southern Section fans might realize in recent San Diego Section and state champion Granite Hills (El Cajon), which just fell to 3-1 with a loss to Mission Hills but could prove to be a top-25 team in the state.
15. Serra-Gardena (2-2 – 15th)
It would be tempting to drop the Cavaliers in the rankings after fairly lopsided losses to Los Al and OLu, but with their talent and success in recent years, someone not far below them in the rankings will need some big-name wins. That's assuming Serra beats Oaks Christian on Friday, of course. After that comes a bye week.
16. San Juan Hills (3-1 – 16th)
Like we said last week, Rockwall-Heath of Texas is a good team but it's too early to tell just how good. Well, Rockwall-Heath was good enough to beat San Juan Hills 34-26, but that doesn't say much for our California rankings, so the Stallions hold for now. They now close non-league play as the favorite against a tough Mira Costa squad before taking a bye week.
17. Murrieta Valley (2-1 – 18th)
There wasn't any question as to whether Murrieta Valley would beat Murrieta Mesa, but a 56-6 annihilation of a good football team is no joke. This week is likely another lopsided win despite facing a solid foe in M.L. King, and then Murrieta Valley wraps up non-league play against San Clemente.
18. Damien (4-0 – 21st)
Another week, another win against a good team. This time Damien took down highly-talented Tustin 24-7 in a statement win for the Spartans' defense, led by team-highs of eight tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles by 4-star DB Gavin Williams.
19. Yorba Linda (4-0 – 20th)
Speaking of Tustin, it's Yorba Linda's turn this week against the defensive powerhouse after the Chargers cruised to a 35-7 rout of Esperanza. Isaiah Trujillo recorded a rushing touchdown, a pick-six, and a sack in addition to helping the team as a punter.
20. JSerra (2-2 – 22nd)
JSerra needed to win last week to maintain its spot in the top 25, and it delivered. The Lions held off a late comeback on the road to beat Oak Hills 24-21. They'll again be a light favorite this week in another opportunity for a marquee win as Leuzinger comes to town.
21. Manteca (3-0 – 17th)
The Buffaloes didn't help their stock by struggling to pull away from winless Marin Catholic in a 15-14 victory, but a win is a win and Marin Catholic is never an easy win. They finish non-league play this week against Lincoln (Stockton) before jumping right into Valley Oak League play against Central Catholic.
22. Pittsburg (2-1 – 19th)
With the three teams below them picking up impressive wins, Pittsburg does fall a few spots with a 42-35 loss to Archbishop Riordan, but it's not a big stock-dropper by any stretch. At least not as long as Riordan keeps rolling. Despite the loss, Pittsburg is now averaging 36 points per game in three games against strong competition.
23. Mission Hills (4-0 – Bubble)
Two-score wins over Oak Ridge and Granite Hills (El Cajon) were enough for the Grizzlies to debut at No. 23, and they might not be done rising. Most of their remaining regular season opponents are competitive at a statewide level and could help their spot in the rankings even though Mission Hills will be the favorite in most or all those games. Oct. 3 against La Costa Canyon looks particularly intriguing.
24. Oak Ridge (2-1 – Bubble)
A Week One loss to Mission Hills was far from a death sentence, and with both Mission Hills and Oak Ridge picking up big wins last week, there was no reason for Oak Ridge not to debut. Led by four touchdowns from WR Isaac Pierce, the Trojans put up 56 points in a three-score victory over St. Mary's (Stockton), which was previously unbeaten and is also one of the top-ranked teams in the Sac-Joaquin Section.
25. La Costa Canyon (4-0 – Bubble)
The Mavericks' chances at going 10-0 for the second year in a row might've nearly doubled with a 28-14 victory at San Clemente, a notoriously difficult place to get a road win. That's enough for La Costa Canyon to crack the top 25 for the first time this year, and it's the overwhelming favorite to stay hot this week with a trip to Murrieta Mesa.
ON THE BUBBLE:
Cardinal Newman, Grant Union, Edison (Huntington Beach), Central East, Carlsbad, Granite Hills (El Cajon), Rocklin, Beaumont
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