RANKINGS: Santa Margarita Holds No. 1 Ahead of Bosco Showdown as Inglewood Soars, While Orange and La Serna Debut in JPWest Media’s Week 8 CIFSS Top 25

League play continues to separate the field. The top six remain unchanged, but the rest of the board moved on results that carried weight. Santa Margarita is still the clear No. 1. St. John Bosco and Sierra Canyon did nothing to lose their spots. Everyone else had to earn their line.

The statement

Santa Margarita (7-0) beat Servite 27-3 and stayed put. The Eagles controlled the line, limited the Friars to a field goal, and kept the same physical identity they showed against Mater Dei. Friday they travel to Bellflower for the Trinity League showdown with St. John Bosco. That game will decide who is really No. 1 right now.

St. John Bosco (6-1) handled Orange Lutheran 28-14 and holds at No. 2. Sierra Canyon (7-0) blanked Serra 58-0 and stays at No. 3. Mater Dei (5-2) put 41 on JSerra and holds at No. 4. The clean win after two straight losses was exactly what the Monarchs needed. They get Servite on Thursday. Centennial (4-3) stays at No. 5 after a 42-20 win over Murrieta Valley. Orange Lutheran (4-3) drops the Bosco game and holds at No. 6.

Climbers

San Clemente (7-0) moves to No. 7 after a 40-0 shutout of Los Alamitos. Mission Viejo (6-1) slides one spot to No. 8 after a 27-26 win over Yorba Linda. Both are still rolling; the Tritons simply looked more dominant.

Corona del Mar (7-0) climbs one spot to No. 11 after beating Tustin 28-14. Inglewood is the biggest jump on the board, up 11 spots to No. 12 after a 26-23 comeback win at Palos Verdes. That result forced the move.

San Juan Hills moves up one spot to No. 13 after a 28-20 win over Edison. Bishop Amat climbs one spot to No. 14 after a 28-7 win over Chaminade. Chaparral climbs four spots to No. 15 after a 42-16 win over Norco. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) moves up three to No. 19 after a 49-21 win over Loyola.

Orange (7-0) and La Serna (6-1) both enter the rankings. Orange rolled Segerstrom 53-7. La Serna put up 56 on La Mirada. Both earned their way in.

The drop

Palos Verdes falls six spots to No. 17 after the loss to Inglewood. The Sea Kings are still 6-1, but an 11-point fourth-quarter lead that disappeared on their home field costs them. Norco drops four spots to No. 21 after the loss to Chaparral. Capistrano Valley slides one spot to No. 22 after a 30-22 loss to Crean Lutheran.

Huntington Beach (7-0) holds at No. 16 after a 21-16 road win over Dana Hills. Brady Edmunds scored the go-ahead touchdown late and the Oilers stayed perfect in Delta League play.

Off the board

Pacifica and Chaminade drop out after losses. The board is tighter. Undefeated is no longer automatic.

The Week 8 board

1. Santa Margarita (7-0) — def. Servite, 27-3. Next: at St. John Bosco, Friday.
2. St. John Bosco (6-1) — def. Orange Lutheran, 28-14. Next: Santa Margarita, Friday.
3. Sierra Canyon (7-0) — def. Serra, 58-0. Next: at Chaminade, Friday.
4. Mater Dei (5-2) — def. JSerra, 41-7. Next: at Servite, Thursday.
5. Centennial (4-3) — def. Murrieta Valley, 42-20. Next: vs. Norco, Thursday.
6. Orange Lutheran (4-3) — lost to St. John Bosco, 28-14. Next: vs. JSerra, Friday.
7. San Clemente (7-0) — def. Los Alamitos, 40-0. Up 1. Next: vs. Mission Viejo, Friday.
8. Mission Viejo (6-1) — def. Yorba Linda, 27-26. Down 1. Next: at San Clemente, Friday.
9. JSerra (4-3) — lost to Mater Dei, 41-7. Next: at Orange Lutheran, Friday.
10. Servite (3-4) — lost to Santa Margarita, 27-3. Next: vs. Mater Dei, Thursday.
11. Corona del Mar (7-0) — def. Tustin, 28-14. Up 1. Next: at Capistrano Valley, Friday.
12. Inglewood (7-1) — def. Palos Verdes, 26-23. Up 11.
13. San Juan Hills (6-1) — def. Edison, 28-20. Up 1. Next: vs. Yorba Linda, Thursday.
14. Bishop Amat (6-1) — def. Chaminade, 28-7. Up 1. Next: at Notre Dame (SO), Friday.
15. Chaparral (4-3) — def. Norco, 42-16. Up 4.
16. Huntington Beach (7-0) — def. Dana Hills, 21-16.
17. Palos Verdes (6-1) — lost to Inglewood, 26-23. Down 6. Next: at Mira Costa, Thursday.
18. Crean Lutheran (5-2) — def. Capistrano Valley, 30-22.
19. Notre Dame (SO) (7-0) — def. Loyola, 49-21. Up 3. Next: vs. Bishop Amat, Friday.
20. Dana Hills (6-1) — lost to Huntington Beach, 21-16.
21. Norco (5-2) — lost to Chaparral, 42-16. Down 4. Next: at Centennial, Thursday.
22. Capistrano Valley (6-1) — lost to Crean Lutheran, 30-22. Down 1. Next: vs. Corona del Mar, Friday.
23. Orange (7-0) — def. Segerstrom, 53-7. New. Next: at Beckman
24. San Jacinto (7-0) — def. Tahquitz, 48-7. Next: at Elsinore
25. La Serna (6-1) — def. La Mirada, 56-19. New. Next: vs. Cerritos, Friday.

Friday’s Santa Margarita–St. John Bosco game is the biggest regular-season matchup in the Southern Section this week. The rest of the board will keep shifting as league races tighten.