The Times’ Rankings
Final football rankings and comments
| Rk | School (Rec.-Div.) | Comment and last ranking |
| 1 | MISSION VIEJO (14-0, SS-Div. II) | Deserves to be mentioned among Southland's best ever. (1) |
| 2 | S.O. NOTRE DAME (14-0), SS-Div. III) | What we wouldn't give for a game vs. Mission Viejo. (2) |
| 3 | L.B. POLY (13-1, SS-Div. I) | DeSean Jackson stole the show, and the title. (4) |
| 4 | COR. CENTENNIAL (13-1, SS-Div. V) | Stupid us, began the year unranked. (11) |
| 5 | LOS ALAMITOS (12-2, SS-Div. I) | Defense played well enough to be champion. (3) |
| 6 | LAKEWOOD (11-2, SS-Div. I) | Luthur Brown-led defense was second to none. (7) |
| 7 | VALENCIA (12-2, SS-Div. II) | Only losses were to teams ranked 1-2. (5) |
| 8 | ST. BONAVENTURE (13-1, SS-Div. IV) | Seraphs secured fifth title in six years. (8) |
| 9 | ORANGE LUTHERAN (13-1, SS-Div. VI) | In championship games, sixth time's the charm. (9) |
| 10 | BIRMINGHAM (10-4, City) | For City champs, it's not how you start, it's how you finish. (18) |
| 11 | LOYOLA (9-3, SS-Div. I) | Three losses by a combined 13 points. (13) |
| 12 | MATER DEI (8-3, SS-Div. I) | Met its match against an emerging Esperanza. (6) |
| 13 | DORSEY (12-2, City) | Johnson & Johnson were double trouble for nearly everyone. (10) |
| 14 | DOMINGUEZ (12-2, SS-Div. III) | Dons fell in a track meet with Notre Dame. (NR) |
| 15 | NORCO (12-2, SS-Div. V) | Toby Gerhart, Cougars were runners-up again. (15) |
| 16 | TAFT (10-2, City) | Ten wins in a row, but couldn't carry momentum past Birmingham. (12) |
| 17 | ESPERANZA (9-4, SS-Div. I) | Late-season changes yielded late-season charge. (NR) |
| 18 | CRENSHAW (10-3, City) | Cougars twice lacked the horsepower against Dorsey. (16) |
| 19 | TEMESCAL CANYON (12-1, SS-Div. V) | Best-ever season ends with season-low 21 points vs. Norco. (17) |
| 20 | PALMDALE (8-3, SS-Div. II) | Caught looking ahead, embarrassed in first round of playoffs. (14) |
| 21 | NEWPORT HARBOR (12-1-1, SS-Div. VI) | Only loss was a complete dismantling in division final. (24) |
| 22 | CRESPI (11-3, SS-Div. X) | Randle Harris led Celts to first championship since 1986. (NR) |
| 23 | SAN CLEMENTE (10-3, SS-DIV. II) | Title hopes diminished with Josh Fortin's injured ankle. (23) |
| 24 | SERRANO (14-0, SS-Div. VIII) | Diamondback defense packed bite, delivered its first title. (NR) |
| 25 | OAKS CHRISTIAN (14-0, SS-Div. XI) | Put up astounding numbers against a small-school schedule. (25) |
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