2025 Football Week 17: It’s a Wrap on The Season
Another terrific season of San Diego Section football is done and the Section did well in the opinions of various voting and ratings entities: Six of Cal-Hi Sports’ top 70, 9 in the top 38 of Max Preps.com, and six with computer ratings of 46 points or better by Cal Preps.com
Cal-Hi Sports’ expanded ratings took in what the newsletter considered the top 75 teams in the state: 13—Cathedral (11-3). 14—Carlsbad (10-2). 17—Mission Hills (9-3). 18—La Costa Canyon (10-2). 22—Granite Hills (10-3). 23—Lincoln (10-3). 59—Mount Miguel (8-4). 60—San Marcos (7-5). 70—Point Loma. (11-1). Publisher Mark Tennis has the final word, with input from various human contacts in the state.
Max Preps relies on computer conclusions: 11—Cathedral. 13—Mission Hills. 15—Carlsbad. 16—La Costa Canyon. 17—Granite Hills. 24—Lincoln. 31—San Marcos. 36—Point Loma. 38—Mount Miguel. 50–Oceanside. 60–Rancho Bernardo. 68–Poway.
Cal Preps.com ratings also were based on the computer: Cathedral, 59.7. Mission Hills, 52.6. Carlsbad, 51.2. La Costa Canyon, 48.7. Granite Hills, 48.7. Lincoln, 46. San Marcos, 38.7. Point Loma, 34.6. Mount Miguel, 34.2.
SAN DIEGO SECTION IN THE STATE PLAYOFFS
The state CIF, after years of discussion, went to an invitational model in 2006 and then to state playoffs involving teams that qualified from California’s 10 individual sections.
The San Diego Section was 1-3 in the state finals in 2025 after posting a 4-2 record in the Southern California regional playoffs.
DIVISION I-AA
Folsom (14-1, Sac-Joaquin) 42, Cathedral (11-3) 28, @Mission Viejo Saddleback College.
The Dons were denied a fourth state championship, losing to the Sac-Joaquin power for the second time in three championship games. The Dons beat the Bulldogs, 33-21, in 2021 and lost, 21-14, in 2018.
After falling behind, 21-0, Cathedral never got closer than two touchdowns. Out of it, 42-14, in the fourth quarter, the Dons scored twice. “I’m just extremely proud of the boys,” said coach Sean Doyle. “They fought until the very end. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
Doyle ended his 30th season with the Dons with 251 victories, second all time in San Diego County.
V-AA
Oakland Bishop O’Dowd (11-4, North Coast) 37, Christian (8-8) 0, @Buena Park High.
A Patriots highlight was offered by freshman running back Julian Morones, who rushed for 87 yards in 13 carries. Under game-long pressure by the Dragons’ defense, Christian quarterback Kaleb Runkle was sacked five times and completed 10 of 28 passes for 98 yards, and gained 51 yards rushing in 13 attempts.
VI-AA
Valley Center (9-6) 36, San Jose Lincoln (11-4, Central Coast) 35, @Fullerton High.
The Jaguars won with a classic final drive, going 78 yards in five plays in the final 1:42 and springing Joeisha Ryan Tirado for the last 14 yards to tie the game at 35 with 32 seconds remaining, and then living through the drama of two false start penalties as kicker Jesse Morales was lined up for the PAT.
Morales finally booted the game winner, putting an exclamation point on his game of six catches for 134 yards, including a fingertip snag of 54 yards for a touchdown after being blanked in the first half.
Tirado, named the game’s most-valuable player, rushed for 193 yards and scored three touchdowns in 24 carries, caught two passes for 25 yards, and recovered a fumble from his position as a defensive lineman. Jaguars quarterback Braylon Mitchell passed for 307 yards and two touchdowns.
VI-A
Winters (14-1, Northern) 28, Morse (10-5) 7, @Buena Park High.
“We won one game last season, so we’ve come a long way,” said Tigers coach Tracy McNair. “It shows we’re headed in the fight direction.
ADDITIONAL STATE PLAYOFFS HISTORY
| YEAR | DIVISION | TEAM | SCORE | OPPONENT | SECTION | SCORE |
| 2024 | I-AA | Lincoln (12-2) | 28 | Pittsburg (12-3) | North Coast | 26 |
| V-AA | El Capitan (11-4) | 7 | Carmel (15-0) | Central Coast | 48 | |
| VI-A | Monte Vista (9-6) | 21 | Summerville (14-1) | Sac-Joaquin | 38 | |
| 2023 | VI-A | Sweetwater (8-7) | 13 | Colusa (14-0) | Northern | 33 |
| 2022 | I-AA | Lincoln (13-1) | 33 | Concord De La Salle (10-4) | North Coast | 28 |
| II-AA | Mater Dei (11-4) | 26 | Oakland McClymonds (12-2) | Oakland Athletic League | 18 | |
| II-A | Granite Hills (13-2) | 31 | Danville San Ramon Valley (12-3) | North Coast | 24> | |
| VI-AA | Classical (11-3) | 7 | San Jose Santa Teresa (9-6) | Central Coast | 0 | |
| 2021 | I-AA | Cathedral (11-2) | 33 | Folsom (11-4) | Sac-Joaquin | 21 |
| I-AA | Mater Dei (13-0) | 34 | Modesto Central Catholic (13-2) | Sac-Joaquin | 25 | |
| II-A | Scripps Ranch (13-1) | 31 | Santa Clara Wilcox (11-3) | Central Coast | 28 | |
| 2019 | III-AA | El Camino (9-7) | 14 | Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman (14-1) | North Coast | 31 |
| IV-A | La Jolla (10-5) | 21 | Escalon (14-1) | Sac-Joaquin | 52 | |
| 2018 | I-AA | Cathedral (12-2) | 14 | Folsom (14-1) | Sac-Joaquin | 21> |
| III-AA | Lincoln (11-5) | 7 | Atherton Menlo (13-2) | Central Coast | 21 | |
| V-A | San Diego (12-2) | 21 | Colfax (13-1) | Northern | 10 | |
| VI-A | Orange Glen (10-4) | 13 | San Francisco Lincoln (13-0) | San Francisco | 24 | |
| 2017 | I-AA | Helix (13-2) | 42 | Folsom (16-0) | Sac-Joaquin | 49 |
| III-AA | Steele Canyon (12-4) | 44 | Half Moon Bay (14-1) | Central Coast | 42 | |
| IV-A | El Centro Southwest (14-1) | 45 | Milpitas (14-1) | Central Coast | 41 | |
| VI-A | Calexico Vincent Memorial (12-3) | 20 | San Francisco Galileo (11-2) | San Francisco | 38 | |
| 2016 | I-AA | Cathedral (15-0) | 38 | Stockton St. Mary’s (14-2) | Sac-Joaquin | 35> |
| II-AA | Madison (13-2) | 21 | San Jose Valley Christian (13-2) | Central Coast | 17 | |
| III-A | The Bishop’s (14-1) | 0 | Oakdale (14-2) | Sac-Joaquin | 47 | |
| V-A | La Jolla Country Day (12-4) | 17 | Oakland McClymonds (13-1) | Oakland | 20 | |
| 2015 | III-A | Rancho Bernardo (13-2) | 35 | San Francisco Sacred Heart (11-4) | Central Coast | 14 |
| IV-AA | Bonita Vista (12-3) | 21 | Hanford (14-1) | Central | 33 | |
| 2014 | I | Oceanside (14-1) | 7 | Folsom (16-0) | Sac-Joaquin | 68 |
| III | El Capitan (14-1) | 28 | Moraga Campolindo (16-0) | North Coast | 35 | |
| 2013 | None | |||||
| 2012 | III | Madison (14-1) | 38 | Kentfield Marin Catholic (14-2) | North Coast | 35 |
| IV | Santa Fe Christian (11-4) | 7 | Modesto Central Catholic (13-2) | Sac-Joaquin | 66 | |
| 2011 | II | Helix (13-1) | 35 | Loomis Del Oro (13-2) | Sac-Joaquin | 24 |
| 2010 | III | Madison (12-2) | 14 | Escalon (14-1) | Sac-Joaquin | 30 |
| IV | The Bishop’s (14-0) | 40 | Stockton Brookside Christian (12-1) | Sac-Joaquin | 14 | |
| 2009 | I | Oceanside (14-0) | 24 | San Jose Bellarmine (11-2-1) | Central Coast | 19 |
| Small | Francis Parker (11-3) | 40 | Modesto Christian (15-0) | Sac-Joaquin | 44 | |
| 2008 | II | Cathedral (14-0) | 37 | Stockton St. Mary’s (12-3) | Sac-Joaquin | 34 |
| 2007 | II | Oceanside (12-0-1) | 28 | Novato (13-1) | North Coast | 14 |
| 2006 | None |