MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 high school football rankings

Ready, or not, Week 1 is here.

The prep football season kicked off last week for several of Southern California's premier programs, each of whom was presumably eager to get a jump start on things. However, plenty of the top teams from the area decided against the idea and instead took the time to sneak in an additional practice, or two, in an effort to be better prepared for the journey ahead.

Bottom line: Everyone will be in action out on the gridiron this week. That said, we figured it was time to unveil our Southern California Top 25 rankings, which will be a weekly staple here on MaxPreps. So without further adieu, let's get down to business and see how the best of the best stack up against each other.

MaxPreps So-Cal Top 25 Football Rankings

1. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Jordan (Long Beach) on Friday.
Extra point: Senior quarterback and Nebraska commit Johnny Stanton accounted for four touchdowns, two on the ground and pair in the air, in a season-opening victory over Brophy Prep (Phoenix) for the Eagles, No. 4 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and No. 1 in the Freeman Rankings. It's reasonable to expect a similar effort from him this week.

2. Vista Murrieta (Murrieta)
Record: 0-0
On deck: ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) on Friday.
Extra point: All eyes will be on Su'a Cravens, the senior who is slated to play defensive back at the next level with USC. That fact, however, will not prevent him from being featured on the offensive side of the ball for the Broncos, No. 13 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and No. 15 in the Freeman Rankings. Cravens can do it all. He's certainly one to watch.

3. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Granite Bay on Saturday.
Extra point: Entering the season, there were some questions about the direction of program after longtime coach Bill Redell decided to call it quits after 12 years. His replacement, Jeff Woodruff, made his debut last week a memorable one with a 40-0 blowout victory over defending Nor-Cal Division II champion Del Oro. The Lions, No. 24 in the Xcellent 25 and No. 12 in the Freeman Rankings, do figure to miss a beat.

4. Alemany (Mission Hills)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Muir (Pasadena) on Friday.
Extra point: With a pair of difficult nonleague showdowns looming, the Warriors can not afford to look past this week's opponent. JW North (Riverside) and Centennial (Corona) figure to keep close tabs on Alemany, possibly even sending scouts out to its game.

5. Mission Viejo
Record: 1-0
On deck: Mission Hills (San Marcos) on Friday.
Extra point: The Diablos will have little, or no, problems this week. Their nonleague schedule, in fact, is not nearly as difficult as it has been in previous years. One has to wonder if the perceived lack of quality competition will hurt the program in the long run.

6. St. Bonaventure (Ventura)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Centennial (Corona) on Friday.
Extra point: The Seraphs unveiled sophomore Ricky Town in the season-opener, and to his credit, the 6-foot-4, 190-pound quarterback played with the poise of an upperclassman. He will be tested early, and often, this week against one of the Inland Empire's top teams.

7. Centennial (Corona)
Record: 0-0
On deck: St. Bonaventure (Ventura) on Friday.
Extra point: The Huskies will have revenge on their minds this week after losing to St. Bonaventure in the season opener this time last year, 29-27. They can not afford to be overly consumed with the setback though, or the result could end up happening again.

8. Narbonne (Harbor City)
Record: 0-0
On deck: Palos Verdes (Palos Verdes Estates) on Thursday.
Extra point: Troy Williams is considered to be one of the premier passers in Southern California. Chances are, the senior quarterback and Washington commit will live up to the advanced billing this week and deliver a performance that won't be forgotten anytime soon.

9. Rancho Cucamonga
Record: 1-0
On deck: Servite (Anaheim) on Saturday.
Extra point: The Cougars would like nothing more than to establish themselves as one of the top teams from out in this neck of the woods. A victory over a perennial powerhouse such as Servite would give them the all-important signature win they've been looking for.

10. Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Hart (Newhall) on Friday.
Extra point: The Titans were able to sneak up on some teams last season, particularly during postseason play. They have a target on their backs nowadays, however. How well Tesoro does this week will go a long way toward determining if the program is for real.

11. Upland
Record: 1-0
On deck: Windsor on Saturday.
Extra point: We've mentioned Joe Mathis before. And we're going to talk about the 6-4, 250-plus pound senior again. He's one of the nation's more high-profile unsigned prospects and Windsor figures to find out just how talented Mathis is this week.

12. Serra (Gardena)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Long Beach Poly on Friday.
Extra point: The Cavaliers defeated a formidable opponent, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), in the season-opener. However, they did not have much, if any, time to enjoy the victory. Certainly not with a big game against Long Beach Poly looming this week. 

13. Long Beach Poly
Record: 1-0
On deck: Serra (Gardena) on Friday.
Extra point: Surprisingly enough, the Jackrabbits were able to fly underneath the radar in most preseason polls. The lack of recognition has seemed to fuel their fire to prove the naysayers wrong. Unfortunately, Serra could be in the wrong place at the wrong time this week.

14. Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Record: 0-0
On deck: St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs) on Friday.
Extra point: The Monarchs finished with a sub-.500 record last season. That said, it is imperative for them to get started on the right foot this time around. The road to redemption starts this week, of course, and a much-needed victory appears to be well within reach.

15. Westlake
Record: 1-0
On deck: Del Oro (Loomis) on Friday.
Extra point: Replacing standout senior quarterback Justin Moore, who gave up football, was priority No. 1 for the Warriors this season. After giving three signal-callers an opportunity to secure the starter's role, it appears as if the coaching staff has settled upon Neil Uskali.

16. Lompoc
Record: 1-0
On deck: Frontier (Bakersfield) on Friday.
Extra point: Lavon Coleman rushed for 171 yards and two scores in last week's 31-0 win over Arroyo Grande. The senior's totals would've been more impressive had the score been closer. What will the senior and Washington commit do for an encore this week?

17. Chaminade (West Hills)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Pulaski Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) on Friday.
Extra Point: The key for the Eagles will be to get the ball into the hands of Terrell Newby. Good things typically tend to happen when the senior running back is involved in all facets of the game plan. The strategy, after all, has worked out well in the not-so-distant past.

18. Redlands East Valley
Record: 0-0
On deck: Dominguez (Compton) on Friday.
Extra point: This week's opponent had better be aware of where Kylie Fitts is lined up. At all times. The 6-5, 263-pound senior defensive lineman and USC commit is a force to be reckoned with. He will most likely see plenty of double-and-triple teams.

19. Bishop Amat (La Puente)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Chino Hills on Friday.
Extra point: The Lancers have never been known as a pushover. And they proved as much, once again, last week with an upset victory against traditionally tough Servite (Anaheim). Following the quality win, they can't afford to have a letdown this week.

20. Servite (Anaheim)
Record: 0-1
On deck: Rancho Cucamonga on Saturday.
Extra point: There's no shame in losing to Bishop Amat (La Puente) in the season-opener. How the Friars lost, however, is a bit concerning. A 40-23 setback sent shock waves throughout Southern California. Expect a big-time bounce-back effort from Servite.

21. St. John Bosco (Bellflower)
Record: 1-0
On deck: Lakewood on Friday.
Extra point: The Braves like to run the ball. And they should, given the fact Nico Falah is paving the way. Behind the 6-6, 270-pound senior lineman, St. John Bosco racked up 213 yards, nearly 7 yards per carry, in last week's 57-5 win over Dominguez (Compton).

22. Crespi (Encino)
Record: 2-0
On deck: Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) on Saturday.
Extra point: With a pair of games already underneath their belts, the Celts are a step ahead of most of their counterparts. It will be interesting to see if the jam-packed nonleague schedule thus far has an adverse effect on Crespi. Only time will tell.

23. La Mirada
Record: 1-0
On deck: La Habra on Thursday.
Extra point: With a game against Bishop Amat (La Puente) in two weeks, the Matadores must figure out a way to remain focused on the task at hand. Building up some momentum now is imperative. A slip along the way could prove to be extremely costly.

24. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks)
Record: 0-1
On deck: Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) on Friday.
Extra point: With senior quarterback Kelly Hilinski and fellow upperclassman running back Khalfani Muhammad on the offensive side of the ball, the Knights seemingly have more than enough power to compete with most teams from the Southern California region.

25. Hart (Newhall)
Record: 0-0
On deck: Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita) on Friday.
Extra point: The Indians are the premier program from the Santa Clarita Valley. Their goal, however, is to be mentioned in the same sentence as some of the best teams around. They will have the chance to make a statement this week. Let's see if Hart can get the job done.

Sean Ceglinsky has covered preps and college sports in Southern California for the better part of the past 15-plus years. Follow him on twitter: @SeanCeglinsky.