1. Servite
14-1 overall, 5-0 in the Trinity League last year
The Friars hit a grand slam last year. They beat Mater Dei for the first time since 1988, went undefeated in the Trinity League for the first time, won the CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 Division championship, and won a CIF State title, too. It’s going to be difficult to top that, but Servite has what it takes to have another outstanding season.
2. Mission Viejo
13-1 overall, 5-0 in the South Coast League last year
The Diablos came oh-so-close to getting to the Pac-5 Division championship game last year, losing to Servite by one point in the semifinals. This will be an inexperienced team at the start of the year, but a talented one that likely will improve impressively as the season progresses.
3. Los Alamitos
(8-3 overall, 3-2 in the Sunset League last year)
Coach John Barnes, who carries a county-record 281 victories into the season, thinks this might be the best Los Al team since the 2004 Griffins who played in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game.
4. Mater Dei
(6-5 overall, 3-2 in the Trinity League last year)
The Monarchs, ranked No. 10 in the state, should be better this season, and should be a lot of fun to watch.
5. La Habra
(13-1 overall, 5-0 in the Freeway League last year)
The Highlanders won their third consecutive CIF championship last year, the second-most in county history (St. Margaret’s won its fourth in a row last year). All-County running back Joshua Quezada, also the Freeway League’s 2009 MVP and perhaps the team’s heart and inspiration last year, graduated. But coming back are excellent players all over the field.
6. Orange Lutheran
(6-5 overall, 4-1 in the Trinity League last year)
It was a down year, 2009, by the Lancers’ high standards. They lost senior quarterback Bobby Wheatley to pneumonia. Mike Markovsky filled in fine, and was named All-Trinity League, but the offense was not the same. Lutheran could be better, offensively and defensively, this season.
7. Edison
(13-1 overall, 5-0 in the Sunset League last year)
(Editor’s note: The preview has been updated with the news that QB Chase Favreau has been ruled ineligible.)
It was a great 2009 for the Chargers. They went Mater Dei and Servite in nonleague games, then went undefeated in the Sunset League to take the league title, and got all the way to the Pac-5 championship game in which they lost a close game to Servite.
8. Newport Harbor
(6-5 overall, 3-2 in the Sunset League last year)
First, the bad news. Cedric Whitaker, a running back who transferred to Newport Harbor form Oakland last September, moved back to Oakland during the summer and had not returned to Harbor as of the second week of fall practice. He rushed for 967 yards and eight touchdowns last season as a junior.
9. Dana Hills
(9-3 overall, 4-1 in the South Coast League last year)
The Dolphins had a breakthrough season in 2009, beating Santa Margarita and Newport Harbor in nonleague, then beating San Clemente and Tesoro in league games before defeating Orange Lutheran, 30-10, in the first round of the Pac-5 playoffs.
10. San Clemente
(6-5 overall, 3-2 in the South Coast League last year)
The Tritons might be the third-best team in the South Coast League. But that’s a tough league. San Clemente has one of the county’s top quarterback prospects in Travis Wilson, a 6-foot-6, 210-pound junior.
11. El Toro
(8-4 overall, 4-1 in the Sea View League last year)
The Chargers look to be a coaches’ consensus pick to win the Sea View League championship. They have six All-Sea View League returnees, including running back Nico Jackson (849 yards last year), highly recruited offensive lineman Jack Alvarez, linebacker Kyle Smith, safety Ryan Lewis and punter/kicker Wes Harris. With nine new starters on offense, it could be a bumpy start of the season for El Toro but look for them to have plenty of momentum going into league play.
See the rest of the O.C. football Top 25 for the 2010 season.
12. Tustin
(11-2, 5-0 in the Century League last year)
Tustin might have been included in the preseason top 10 if running back DaVonte Young was eligible, but Young, who transferred to Tustin from Irvine after rushing for 1,631 yards and 20 touchdowns last year as a freshman, is ineligible and has moved on to St. John Bosco of Bellflower (where he might have to sit out the 2010 season).
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