Top 20

1. SANTA ANA MATER DEI, 14-0 (1*)

* Recap: The Monarchs completed a perfect season by defeating Loyola, 17-10, in the Southern Section Division I final. The key was a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown by linebacker Brian Manibusan on the final play of the first half.

2. COMPTON DOMINGUEZ, 13-1 (3)

* Recap: The Dons won their first Southern Section football championship by defeating Ayala, 42-16, in the Division II final. Quarterback Jason Thomas ran for five touchdowns. Dominguez’s only loss was to Paramount, a game Thomas sat out.

3. LOYOLA, 12-2 (2)

* Recap: After winning three playoff games in a row by three points each, the Cubs ran out of steam in a 17-10 loss to Mater Dei in the Southern Section Division I final. Senior tight end Antoine Harris scored the team’s lone touchdown on a 14-yard pass in the third quarter.

4. FONTANA, 11-1-1 (4)

* Recap: After tying Canyon Springs in the opener, the Steelers won 11 consecutive games before a 16-13 double-overtime loss to Loyola in a Southern Section Division I semifinal Dec. 7.

5. CAMARILLO, 13-1 (5)

* Recap: The Scorpions won their first Southern Section title in football since 1984 by defeating Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, 20-14, in the Division III final. The title was a turnaround for Camarillo, which gave up 47 points in an early-season loss to Oxnard Rio Mesa.

6. SAN PEDRO, 14-0 (11)

* Recap: The Pirates won their first City Section major-division title by defeating Taft, 22-20. Melvin Yarbrough passed for two touchdowns, including a 43-yarder to Tim O’Donnell in the third quarter for the game-winner.

7. ALTA LOMA, 13-1 (13)

* Recap: The Braves, who finished second in the Mt. Baldy League, won their second Southern Section title in three years by defeating top-seeded Corona Centennial, 26-16, in the Division IV final.

8. WOODLAND HILLS TAFT, 13-1 (7)

* Recap: The Toreadors, playing in their first City Section major-division final, lost a heartbreaker to San Pedro, 22-20. Quarterback Nick DiPadova passed for 154 yards and also rushed for 52 yards and two touchdowns.

9. LONG BEACH POLY, 9-4 (8)

* Recap: The Jackrabbits started slowly, losing three of their first five games. They turned it around, however, winning seven in a row before being eliminated by Mater Dei, 42-13, in the Southern Section Division I semifinals Dec. 6.

10. BELLFLOWER ST. JOHN BOSCO, 9-2-1 (9)

* Update: The Braves continue to make inroads in the rugged Del Rey League, finishing second after defeating Bishop Amat. They were eliminated in the Southern Section Division I quarterfinals by Long Beach Poly, 47-21, on Nov. 29.

11. CORONA CENTENNIAL, 12-2 (6)

* Recap: In their first appearance in a Southern Section final since the school opened in 1989, the top-seeded Huskies lost to Alta Loma, 26-16. Senior Damion Barton finished the season by rushing for more than 2,000 yards.

12. LOS ALAMITOS, 9-2 (12)

* Recap: After finishing in a three-way tie for first place in the Sunset League, the Griffins were upset by Long Beach Poly, 22-16, in their opener of the Southern Section Division I playoffs Nov. 22.

13. RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, 13-1 (NR)

* Recap: The Eagles beat Sea View League rival Newport Harbor twice this season, the second time, 38-0, in the Southern Section Division V final. They won their last three playoff games by a combined score of 107-0.

14. SHERMAN OAKS NOTRE DAME, 12-2 (14)

* Recap: Junior running back Justin Fargas injured his left knee early in the fourth quarter of a 20-14 loss to Camarillo in the Southern Section Division III final. Fargas had 201 yards and two touchdowns in 31 carries, but e only 26 yards in six carries after injuring his knee.

15. REDLANDS, 9-3 (15)

* Recap: The Terriers finished one of their best seasons in years by losing to Mater Dei, 34-14, in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division I playoffs on Nov. 29. Their other losses were to Bishop Amat and Fontana.

16. HACIENDA HEIGHTS WILSON, 14-0 (NR)

* Recap: The Wildcats get the award for comeback team of the year after defeating Los Altos, 34-13, in the Southern Section Division VI final. Last season, they finished 3-7 and didn’t qualify for the playoffs.

17. CHINO HILLS AYALA, 11-3 (10)

* Recap: The Bulldogs lost in a Southern Section final for the second time in three years, falling to Dominguez, 42-16, in the Division II championship. Ayala, which was unseeded, upset third-seeded Newhall Hart in the quarterfinals.

18. ANAHEIM SERVITE, 11-2 (17)

* Recap: The top-seeded Friars were upset by Newport Harbor, 23-16, in the semifinals of the Southern Section Division V playoffs Dec. 6. Quarterback Greg Cicero finished with 3,078 passing yards and 30 touchdowns.

19. LA PUENTE BISHOP AMAT, 8-4 (18)

* Recap: The Lancers, who won the Southern Section Division I title last season, finished third in the Del Rey League after losing to Loyola and St. John Bosco. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals after losing to Fontana, 31-28, in double overtime Nov. 29.

20. NEWHALL HART, 9-3 (19)

* Recap: It was an up-and-down season for the Indians. They lost two nonleague games by a combined three points before winning eight in a row. They were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division II playoffs by Ayala, 22-19, on Nov. 29.

* DROPPED OUT: No. 16 Newport Harbor (12-2), lost to Santa Margarita, 38-0; No. 20 Anaheim Esperanza (8-3), didn’t play.

OTHER TOP TEAMS: Lancaster Antelope Valley (9-3), Aliso Niguel (14-0) and Atascadero (11-3).

*--Last week’s rating; NR--Not rated