St. Ignatius quarterback Soren Hummel (18) left, celebrates with a teammate Quinn Folk (0) after defeating Archbishop Riordan during their game at St. Ignatius High School in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024. St. Ignatius defeats Archbishop Riordan 31-28. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)
There’s a new top team in the West Catholic Athletic League, and its name is St. Ignatius. The No. 4 Wildcats jumped three spots after they came back from a 21-0 first-half deficit to beat crosstown rival Archbishop Riordan.
Meanwhile, Las Lomas will try to climb back up the rankings during Diablo Athletic League play after it tumbled to No. 25 after a stunning loss to unranked Northgate.
San Ramon Valley, which has not been challenged in weeks, moves up to No. 3 after an easy victory against Granada. The Wolves opened the season with a 28-10 victory over SI.
Welcome, Christopher, to the rankings. The Cougars enter after an impressive victory over previously undefeated Santa Teresa.
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On to the rankings …
Bay Area News Group Top 25
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
No. 1 DE LA SALLE (5-0)
Previous ranking: 1
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Tuesday vs. NFL Academy at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 10 a.m.
No. 2 PITTSBURG (4-1)
Previous ranking: 2
Last week: Beat Los Gatos 37-20
Up next: Friday vs. Freedom, 7 p.m.
No. 3 SAN RAMON VALLEY (6-0)
Previous ranking: 5
Last week: Beat Granada 35-6
Up next: Friday vs. California, 7:15 p.m.
No. 4 ST. IGNATIUS (4-1)
Previous ranking: 6
Last week: Beat Archbishop Riordan 31-28
Up next: Friday vs. Bellarmine at San Jose City College, 7 p.m.
No. 5 ST. FRANCIS (4-1)
Previous ranking: 4
Last week: Beat Archbishop Mitty 30-27
Up next: Friday vs. Serra, 7 p.m.
No. 6 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (2-3)
Previous ranking: 3
Last week: Lost to St. Ignatius 31-28
Up next: Friday at Valley Christian, 7 p.m.
No. 7 SERRA (2-3)
Previous ranking: 7
Last week: Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral 29-12
Up next: Friday at St. Francis, 7 p.m.
No. 8 LOS GATOS (4-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Last week: Lost to Pittsburg 37-20
Up next: Friday at Menlo-Atherton, 7 p.m.
No. 9 EL CERRITO (4-1)
Previous ranking: 9
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Saturday at St. Mary’s-Berkeley, 1:30 p.m.
No. 10 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (3-2)
Previous ranking: 10
Last week: Beat Bellarmine 21-0
Up next: Friday vs. Archbishop Riordan, 7 p.m.
No. 11 CALIFORNIA (6-0)
Previous ranking: 11
Last week: Beat Livermore 42-14
Up next: Friday at San Ramon Valley, 7:15 p.m.
No. 12 MCCLYMONDS (2-3)
Previous ranking: 13
Last week: Beat Berean Christian 46-21
Up next: Friday vs. Fremont-Oakland, 7 p.m.
No. 13 CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER (3-2)
Previous ranking: 14
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Friday at Las Lomas, 7 p.m.
No. 14 LIBERTY (4-2)
Previous ranking: 15
Last week: Beat Antioch 33-14
Up next: Oct. 18 vs. Deer Valley, 7 p.m.
No. 15 WILCOX (3-2)
Previous ranking: 16
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Saturday at Menlo School, 2 p.m.
No. 16 MENLO SCHOOL (5-0)
Previous ranking: 17
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Saturday vs. Wilcox, 2 p.m.
No. 17 ACALANES (4-2)
Previous ranking: 19
Last week: Beat Benicia 52-0
Up next: Friday vs. Miramonte, 7 p.m.
No. 18 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (3-2)
Previous ranking: 18
Last week: Lost to St. Francis 30-27
Up next: Saturday vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral at Kezar Stadium, 1 p.m.
No. 19 BISHOP O’DOWD (4-2)
Previous ranking: 20
Last week: Beat Castro Valley 39-9
Up next: Friday at Berkeley, 7 p.m.
No. 20 MONTE VISTA (5-1)
Previous ranking: 21
Last week: Beat Dublin 42-6
Up next: Oct. 18 at California, 7:15 p.m.
No. 21 MENLO-ATHERTON (4-1)
Previous ranking: 22
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Friday vs. Los Gatos, 7 p.m.
No. 22 SALESIAN (5-0)
Previous ranking: 24
Last week: Beat St. Patrick-St. Vincent 49-6
Up next: Saturday vs. Vallejo, 1 p.m.
No. 23 HALF MOON BAY (5-0)
Previous ranking: 25
Last week: Did not play
Up next: Friday at Milpitas, 7 p.m.
No. 24 CHRISTOPHER (5-1)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Last week: Beat Santa Teresa 31-14
Up next: Thursday vs. Lincoln-San Jose, 7:15 p.m.
No. 25 LAS LOMAS (5-1)
Previous ranking: 12
Last week: Lost to Northgate 35-21
Up next: Friday vs. Clayton Valley Charter, 7 p.m.
Editor’s note: Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The news organization’s high school staff chooses the teams.
Originally published at Joseph Dycus