The Times Top 20

A look at the top-rated high school football teams in the City and Southern sections:

1 Santa Ana Mater Dei Monarchs

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Bruce Rollinson, eighth year.

Last year: 10-2, lost to Los Alamitos, 23-14, in Division I quarterfinals.

Outlook: The Monarchs are trying to win their second section championship in three years. Senior quarterback Nick Stremick passed for 1,572 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, and senior receivers David Castleton and Rod Perry are two of the area’s best. James Farley rushed for 876 yards as a junior.

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2 La Puente Bishop Amat Lancers

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Tom Salter, third year.

Last year: 12-1-1, defeated Loyola, 14-10, in Division I championship game.

Outlook: Salter’s two-year record of 25-2-1 is the best in the division. Senior Breon Ansley will be the starting tailback and will share duties with transfer Aaron Wetherspoon from Rowland. Senior offensive lineman Brian Polak (6 feet 5, 315 pounds) is one of the area’s top recruits.

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3 Loyola Cubs (Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Steve Grady, 21st year.

Last year: 11-3, lost to Bishop Amat, 14-10, in Division I championship game.

Outlook: Grady says his team should not be considered among the elite at this point, but he has too many good players to rate them lower. Preseason All-American candidate Antoine Harris (6-4, 230) is a tight end and defensive end who will be a key blocker for junior running back Steve Faulk, a cousin of Marshall Faulk. Also returning is quarterback Ray Kasper, who passed for 1,122 yards and 10 touchdowns, and receiver/defensive back Scott Walter, who will back up Kasper.

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4 Fontana Steelers (Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Dick Bruich, 20th year.

Last year: 11-1, lost to Loyola, 31-15, in Division I quarterfinals.

Outlook: Bruich has many players back, including highly touted running back Art Gipson, receiver Thomas Howard and quarterback P.J. Guerrero. Linebacker Fiona Mataufu and nose guard Chris James return from a defense that gave up six points a game last year.

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5 Newhall Hart Indians (Southern Section, Division II)

Coach: Mike Herrington, eighth year.

Last year: 12-2, beat Antelope Valley, 35-28, in Division II championship game.

Outlook: The run-and-shoot offense makes Hart one of the most exciting teams to watch. Senior Travis Carroll, a defensive back last year, will start at quarterback. Senior receiver Cody Joyce had 51 catches for 1,157 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. Lineman Mike Wambolt (6-5, 280) is a three-year starter.

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6 Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley Cougars

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Dave Brown, second year.

Last year: 9-3, lost to Long Beach Poly, 24-21, in Division I quarterfinals.

Outlook: Capistrano Valley coaches are already looking toward the regular-season finale against Mater Dei on Nov. 15. Brown says his offense is as good as any in Orange Country. Senior tailback Malaefou MacKenzie (1,137 rushing yards last season) and Austin Moherman (1,314 passing yards) are the mainstays.

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7 Palos Verdes Peninsula Panthers

(Southern Section, Division II)

Coach: Gary Kimbrell, sixth year.

Last year: 12-1, lost to Hart, 37-3, in Division II semifinals.

Outlook: The Panthers are still trying to forget about last season’s embarrassing playoff loss. They have an experienced offense led by senior running back Marty Cheatham and lineman Scott Jackson (6-5, 260). Cheatham is back after sitting out nine games last season because of a broken right fibula. Scot Morris will play receiver, defensive back and kicker.

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8 Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Jerry Jaso, 12th year.

Last year: 12-1, lost to Bishop Amat, 28-27, in Division I semifinals.

Outlook: Senior receiver Kenyon Rambo, one of the top hurdlers in the state, had 50 receptions for 848 yards and 14 touchdowns last season and also played some on defense. Sophomores will start at as many as five positions, including quarterback, with Chris Lewis and Robert Hollie battling for duties.

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9 Antelope Valley Antelopes

(Southern Section, Division II)

Coach: Brent Newcomb, 18th year.

Last year: 12-2, lost to Hart, 35-28, in Division II championship game.

Outlook: The Antelopes should contend for the title again despite having only four returning starters. Senior Tony Walker scored four touchdowns rushing, three receiving, two on kick returns and one on an interception return last season.

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10 Sylmar Spartans

(City Section, Division 4-A)

Coach: Jeff Engilman, 10th year.

Last year: 11-1, lost to Narbonne, 22-21, in 4-A quarterfinals.

Outlook: Engilman will sit out the first two games for having illegal off-season contact with transfer student Derrell Daniels, a linebacker from San Fernando. The lineup includes potential All-City players such as tight end Jose Ochoa, receiver/defensive back/kicker Shaun Avalos and two-way tackle Ray Solis (6-4, 275).

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11 Anaheim Esperanza Aztecs

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Gary Meek, 11th year.

Last year: 8-3, lost to Redlands, 38-31, in Division I first-round game.

Outlook: Senior quarterback David Parrish passed for 2,043 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, helping lead his team to an upset over Los Alamitos for the Sunset League title. Senior running back Jammal Footman gained 657 yards and scored seven touchdowns. The lines are big with Geoff Watson (6-3, 265) and John Sulik (6-0, 300).

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12 Los Alamitos Griffins

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: John Barnes, 18th year.

Last year: 11-2, lost to Loyola, 37-34, in Division I semifinals.

Outlook: After posting a 50-3-1 record the last four years, Los Alamitos is finally in a rebuilding stage. Senior Sean Stein succeeds Kevin Feterik at quarterback, and Ryan Dunbar figures to be his main passing target. The defense is also inexperienced.

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13 Bellflower St. John Bosco

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Jerry Person, fifth year.

Last year: 7-4-1, lost to Mater Dei, 28-26, in Division I first-round game.

Outlook: The Braves held Bishop Amat and Loyola to a combined 13 points last season, and many of those defensive players are back. The offense centers around a running game featuring Shane Minton, DeAndre O’Neal and Eric Ayers.

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14 Compton Dominguez Dons

(Southern Section, Division II)

Coach: Willie Donerson, 13th year.

Last year: 4-8, lost to Hart, 42-12, in the Division II quarterfinals.

Outlook: The Dons had to forfeit six games last season for using an ineligible player, costing them the San Gabriel Valley League title. Donerson is optimistic with 15 returning starters, including junior quarterback/defensive back Jason Thomas, who helped lead the school’s basketball team to a state title. Linebackers Damon Relf and Deshaun Weaver are standouts.

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15 Riverside North Huskies

(Southern Section, Division IV)

Coach: Mark Paredes, third year.

Last year: 14-0, beat Rubidoux, 21-18, in Division IV championship game.

Outlook: In three years, Paredes has turned around a losing program. He has nearly tripled the number of players out for the team, welcoming 65 this season. The strength is the offensive line, with juniors Keith Kincaid (6-3, 285) and Tony Avila (6-2, 295).

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16 Redlands Terriers

(Southern Section, Division I)

Coach: Jim Walker, fifth year.

Last year: 7-5, lost to Bishop Amat, 48-30, in Division I quarterfinals.

Outlook: After barely making the playoffs last season, Redlands upset Esperanza and then scored 30 points against Bishop Amat. Walker has the bulk of that team returning, including receiver/defensive back Jason Stephens, tight end Mike Ballou and lineman Eric Cooper. Johnny Fultz, Winston Ellison and Amisho Lewis are the main backs in a wing-T offense.

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17 Anaheim Servite Friars

(Southern Section, Division V)

Coach: Larry Toner, eighth year.

Last year: 11-3, lost to El Toro, 27-17, in Division V championship game.

Outlook: College recruiters have been calling Toner, inquiring about senior quarterback Greg Cicero (6-4, 190), who passed for 2,380 yards and 28 touchdowns last season and was selected the MVP of the Golden West League. Lineman Kurt Vollers (6-7, 268) has already given a verbal commitment to Notre Dame.

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18 Hawthorne Cougars

(Southern Section, Division II)

Coach: Dan Robbins, sixth year.

Last year: 8-4, lost to Downey in Division II quarterfinals.

Outlook: Robbins will find out how good his team is with a nonleague schedule that includes Loyola, Dorsey and Mater Dei. The Cougars are big and experienced on the lines with seniors Omar Soof (6-0, 253), Raudel Maimot (6-1, 225) and David Sulunga (6-0, 220). Junior quarterback Ray Rivera is untested on the varsity.

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19 Chino Hills Ayala Bulldogs

(Southern Section, Division II)

Coach: Mark Pasquarella, seventh year.

Last year: 10-2, lost to Newbury Park, 49-28, in Division III quarterfinals.

Outlook: Pasquarella has been fielding winning teams almost since the day the school opened in 1990. Lineman Ed Anderson (6-5, 265) and receiver/defensive back Anthony Alvarado will provide senior leadership to a young team.

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20 Harbor City Narbonne Gauchos

(City Section, Division 4-A)

Coach: Leroy Wilson, fourth year.

Last year: 10-3, lost to San Pedro, 19-3, in 4-A semifinals.

Outlook: The Gauchos qualified for the playoffs for the first time in 15 years last season and then upset defending champion Sylmar in the quarterfinals. Wilson has an experienced group that includes senior tight end/defensive end Brandon Manumaleuna (6-3, 260) and senior running back Barry Yarbrough.

Other top teams: Diamond Bar, Riverside Rubidoux, Newbury Park, Paramount, Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, El Toro, Dorsey and Rialto Eisenhower.