DIVISION IV

2001 champion: San Luis Obispo.

League favorites: Ventura St. Bonaventure (Channel), Westlake Village Westlake (Marmonte), Santa Monica (Ocean), Arroyo Grande (Pac-Five), Oxnard (Pacific View).

Contenders: Ventura Buena (Channel), Santa Barbara San Marcos (Channel), Agoura (Marmonte), Hawthorne (Ocean), Paso Robles (Pac-Five), Camarillo (Pacific View).

Key dates: Sept. 20, St. Bonaventure vs. Newhall Hart at College of the Canyons; Oct. 4, Westlake at Agoura; Oct. 18, Arroyo Grande at Paso Robles; Nov. 1, Hawthorne vs. Santa Monica at Santa Monica College; Nov. 14, Buena vs. St. Bonaventure at Ventura High; Nov. 15, Oxnard at Camarillo.

The scoop: St. Bonaventure makes the jump from Division XI to IV this season, but the Seraphs and wide receiver Whitney Lewis, one of the top recruits in the nation, are still expected to contend for their fourth consecutive section title. Arroyo Grande is ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section’s preseason division poll, but the Eagles will be a junior-dominated team this season. Safety Chad Simonson will start for the fourth season. Santa Monica will return six defensive starters from a team that won the Division X title last year. Oxnard has 10 returning starters on offense and seven on defense.