Bishop Diego, which returns several players from last season’s playoff team, received a preseason ranking of No. 4 in the CIF East Valley Division.
The Cardinals and Carpinteria were the only South Coast schools to be ranked in the preseason polls, which were released Thursday. Carpinteria, coming off a 7-4 season, is No. 7 in the Northwest Division.
Senior quarterback Nolan Tisdale and senior running back Brandon Gonzalez lead a talented Bishop Diego team that is expected to contend for the Frontier League title with last year’s champion and eighth-ranked Grace Brethren. Sierra Canyon, which knocked Bishop out of the playoffs and reached the division final last year, is ranked No. 1.
From the North County, defending CIF champion Lompoc will open the season as the top-ranked team in the Northwest Division. Santa Ynez is No. 3 and Cabrillo is sixth.
St. Joseph of Santa Maria is ranked No. 6 in the Western Division, which includes the Channel League Schools. No Channel team is ranked but Buena received votes. Chaminade is the No. 1 team in the division.
EAST VALLEY DIVISION
1. Sierra Canyon (Alpha)
2. Paraclete (Alpha)
3. St. Margaret’s (Academy)
4. Bishop Diego (Frontier)
5. Campbell Hall (Alpha)
6. Twentynine Palms (De Anza)
7. Big Bear (De Anza)
8. Grace Brethren (Frontier)
9. Aquinas (Ambassador)
10. Rubidoux (Mountain Valley)
Others: Linfield Christian (Ambassador); Notre Dame/Riverside (Mountain Valley); Brentwood (Alpha); Yucca Valley (De Anza); Ontario Christian (Ambassador); Sage Hill (Academy).
WESTERN DIVISION
1. Chaminade (Mission)
2. Arroyo Grande (PAC-7)
3. Dominguez (San Gabriel Valley)
4. Serra (Mission)
5. St. Paul (Mission)
6. St. Joseph/Santa Maria (PAC-7)
7. Atascadero (PAC-7)
8. St. Francis (Mission)
9. Culver City (Ocean)
10. Rio Mesa (Pacific View)
Others: Adolfo Camarillo (Pacific View); Oxnard (Pacific View); Beverly Hills (Ocean); Buena (Channel); Cathedral (Mission); Santa Monica (Ocean).
NORTHWEST DIVISION
1. Lompoc (Los Padres)
2. South Torrance (Pioneer)
3. Santa Ynez (Los Padres)
4. Nordhoff (Tri-Valley)
5. La Salle (Del Rey)
6. Cabrillo/Lompoc (Los Padres)
7. Carpinteria (Tri-Valley)
8. Bishop Montgomery (Del Rey)
9. North Torrance (Pioneer)
10. Templeton (Los Padres)
Others: Morro Bay (Los Padres); El Segundo (Pioneer); Cantwell-Sacred Heart (Del Rey); Centennial/Compton (Pioneer); Santa Paula (Tri-Valley); Verbum Dei (Del Rey).
NORTHERN DIVISION
1. St. Bonaventure (Marmonte)
2. Oaks Christian (Marmonte)
3. Westlake (Marmonte)
4. Canyon/Canyon Country (Foothill)
5. Valencia/Valencia (Foothill)
6. Moorpark (Marmonte)
7. Thousand Oaks (Marmonte)
8. Mira Costa (Bay)
9. Palmdale (Golden)
10. Palos Verdes (Bay)
Others: Hart (Foothill); Quartz Hill (Golden); Highland (Golden); Redondo Union (Bay); Saugus (Foothill); West Ranch (Foothill).
