THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

*--* Rank Team (Rec.) Comments (last week’s rank) 1 MATER DEI (19-2, SS-Div. II-A) Foul-mouthed Santa Margarita fans prove more troublesome than their basketball team. (1) 2 FAIRFAX (16-1, City-Div. I) Lions finish on top after all-important first-round bout against Westchester. (2) 3 WESTCHESTER (16-2, City-Div. I) Comets shoot lights out in first half vs. Fairfax, then shoot as if lights are out in second. (3) 4 BISHOP MONTGOMERY (18-1, SS-Div. III-A) Knights’ lopsided rivalry with Serra not as meaningful as it was last season. (4) 5 BREA OLINDA (17-0, SS-Div. II-A) Wildcats’ close victory over El Dorado doesn’t bode well for its showdown with Villa Park. (5) 6 FONTANA (17-1, SS-Div. I-AA) With football team in shambles, these Steelers have best chance for a Citrus Belt League title. (6) 7 SAN GORGONIO (16-2, SS-Div. II-AA) San Bernardino is best known as the original home of McDonald’s and Spartan basketball. (7) 8 SILVERADO (17-1, SS-Div. I-AA) Hawks are proving to be more than just a mirage in the Desert Sky League. (8) 9 CARSON (13-3, City-Div. I) Colts’ gym is becoming more of a stopover than a destination for many top players. (9) 10 LOYOLA (14-3, SS-Div. I-A) Omar Wilkes’ high school days of buzzer beaters are nearly over. (10) 11 HARVARD-WESTLAKE (13-5, SS-Div. III-A) Wolverines are painfully aware that winning the Mission League is a mission improbable. (11) 12 ARTESIA (14-2, SS-Div. III-AA) Pioneers are the only team to have defeated Mission Viejo. (13) 13 MISSION VIEJO (19-1, SS-Div. I-A) First place in South Coast League is on the line Friday when Diablos play host to El Toro. (12) 14 OCEAN VIEW (16-3, SS-Div. III-A) Remove Seahawks and Golden West League would be Golden Worst League. (14) 15 EL TORO (18-2, SS-Div. I-A) Looking to instill just-spotted-a-bull-co ming-my-way look in their opponents. (15) 16 VERBUM DEI (11-6, SS-Div. IV-A) Eagles are enjoying smoother air of Santa Fe League competition. (16) 17 PRICE (18-1, SS-Div. V-A) Knights dispatch both defending Division V-AA finalists in one week. (17) 18 WALNUT (14-1, SS-Div. I-A) Mustangs are zooming past their San Antonio League foes. (18) 19 CANYON SPRINGS (13-4, SS-Div. I-A) Playing in the Ivy League, the Cougars are in danger of acquiring where-are-they-now status. (20) 20 ST. JOHN BOSCO (15-4, SS-Div. II-AA) What’s a victory over Servite got to do with a jump in the rankings? Well, very little. (22) 21 FREMONT (9-3, City-Div. I) Pathfinders are more than eager to join the 10-victory club. (23) 22 MAYFAIR (11-6, SS-Div. II-A) Monsoons ready for a rematch with Artesia, their Suburban League nemesis. (19) 23 EISENHOWER (11-6, SS-Div. I-AA) Eagles are poised to pierce Fontana’s seemingly impenetrable armor. (24) 24 GLENDORA (15-3, SS-Div. I-A) Tartans reverse procedure, transforming Diamond Bar back into coal. (NR) 25 LONG BEACH POLY (11-6, SS-Div. I-AA) Who’s the boss in Moore League? It’s the Jackrabbits, as usual. (NR)

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