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Football: Behind the new rankings

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Here’s an early look at the new high school football rankings that will be published in The Times on Monday, with comments on team movement after the jump:

1. Crenshaw

2. Servite

3. St. Bonaventure

4. Oaks Christian

5. Lakewood

6. Edison

7. Rancho Cucamonga

8. Orange Lutheran

9. Gardena Serra

10. Moorpark

11. Los Alamitos

12. Mission Viejo

13. S.O. Notre Dame

14. Mater Dei

15. Corona Centennial

16. Chaparral

17. Crespi

18. Taft

19. Valencia

20. Redlands East Valley

21. Charter Oak

22. Carson

23. Fountain Valley

24. Norco

25. Newport Harbor

Moving in: Can’t say I saw Mater Dei’s 31-13 victory over Corona Centennial coming. The Monarchs lost their opener to Carson and then needed a long touchdown in the final two minutes to beat Cypress. But Max Wittek has seized the quarterback spot and led the Monarchs back to respectability. Newport Harbor’s victory over Loyola was certainly less impressive considering the Cubs played without Anthony Barr, but the Sailors appear poised to challenge for the Sunset League title.

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Moving out: Narbonne’s appearance in the top 25 proved to be nothing more than a cameo. The Gauchos had a shot to beat up a reeling Long Beach Poly team that somehow rebounded for a 28-14 victory. Hate to say it, but it looks like Loyola’s season is going to be a lost cause without Barr unless Jared Baker and Jerry Neuheisel can put some more bark in the Cubs’ attack.

Moving up: Gardena Serra, Moorpark, Los Alamitos and Mission Viejo all got a small bump as a result of Centennial’s loss to Mater Dei. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame vaulted four spots in the wake of its victory over Taft. Redlands East Valley and Charter Oak also got one-spot hikes in advance of big showdown games.

Moving down: Centennial dropped six spots after its lackluster showing against Mater Dei, which raises the possibility that this could be a down year for the Inland Empire unless Riverside North upsets Crenshaw or Redlands East Valley topples Orange Lutheran. Crespi moved down only two spots but probably could have fallen farther considering the Celts were essentially blown out by a very strong Servite team. Taft needs to show it is more than D.J. Morgan after losing big against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. Carson fell four spots in the wake of its intersectional loss to Gardena Serra.

On the doorstep: Long Beach Poly, Vista Murrieta, Riverside North.

Games of the week: Servite vs. Edison at Huntington Beach High, St. Bonaventure at Crespi, Rancho Cucamonga at Charter Oak, Orange Lutheran vs. Redlands East Valley at Orange Coast College.

--Ben Bolch

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