Division X

Defending champion: Ventura St. Bonaventure, which beat Ojai Nordhoff, 18-14.

Seeded teams. 1. St. Bonaventure (9-1), 2. Moorpark (9-1), 3. Carpinteria (7-3), 4. Nordhoff (6-4).

Dark horse: Cerritos Valley Christian (5-5). The Crusaders played a tough nonleague schedule against larger schools. They won in 1995 and in every year this decade except 1992 an Olympic League team has made it to the title game.

Notes: Orange Lutheran Coach Jim Kunau calls St. Bonaventure, Moorpark, Nordhoff and, the team the Lancers open against, L.A. Verbum Dei, the ones to beat. Unfortunately, Kunau notes, the other three are also in the same bracket with the Lancers (7-2-1), making a repeat engagement to the title game very difficult. Orange Lutheran dropped title games in 1994 and 1995. . . . Verbum Dei hosts the Lancers at 7:30 p.m. at Downey Pius X St. Matthias. . . . Calvary Chapel (7-2-1) has made the biggest turnaround of any team in the division. The Eagles were 0-9-1 last season. They open at Playa del Rey St. Bernard.