El Modena Gets Nine First-Place Votes

El Modena High School, with nine of a possible 10 first-place votes, maintained its position as the top-ranked team in the Orange County Sportswriters’ Assn. prep football poll.

The Vanguards, coming off an impressive 28-14 win over Pacifica, open Century League play Friday night against Santa Ana Valley, which has lost 13 straight games in the past two seasons.

Fountain Valley, which was ranked third last week, fell to ninth after losing to Mission Viejo, 17-15. The Diablos are ranked third with South Coast League teams Capistrano Valley (fourth) and Irvine (eighth) are also represented in the poll.

In the featured game of the week, second-ranked Servite plays host to Fountain Valley on Thursday night at Santa Ana Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30.

The writers’ poll:

Pos. School (League) Record 1. El Modena (Century) 3-0 2. Servite (Angelus) 3-0 3. Mission Viejo (South Coast) 3-0 4. Capistrano Valley (South Coast) 3-0 5. Westminster (Sunset) 3-0 6. Valencia (Orange) 2-1 7. Edison (Sunset) 2-1 8. Irvine (South Coast) 3-0 9. Fountain Valley (Sunset) 2-1 10. Saddleback (Sea View) 3-0

Others Receiving Votes: Los Alamitos, Loara, Fullerton, El Dorado, El Toro, Pacifica and La Quinta.