Lompoc and St. Joseph are the only Santa Barbara County football teams ranked in the CIF-Southern Section preseason polls, which were released Wednesday.
The defending Los Padres League-champion Braves are seventh in the Northern Division while St. Joseph is 10th. Bishop Diego and Carpinteria compete in this division. Nordhoff, their Tri-Valley League rival from Ojai, cracked the division’s top-10 at No. 9. Paso Robles, the defending champion, starts the season at No. 1.
In the Western Division, which includes the Channel League, Ventura, the defending league champion and division runner-up in 2014, is ranked second behind Palos Verdes of the Bay League. From the Pacific View League, Oxnard, coached by former St. Bonaventure and Crespi coach Jon Mack, is ranked fourth, and Rio Mesa is seventh.
Four Northern League teams made the Northwest Division top 10, led by No. 1 Nipomo. Templeton is ranked second, Mission Prep is eighth and Morro Bay is ninth.
NORTHERN DIVISION
RANK SCHOOL CONF.
1. Paso Robles (Pac-5)
2. Arroyo Grande (Pac-5)
3. Thousand Oaks (Camino)
4. Atascadero (Pac-5)
5. Newbury Park (Camino)
6. Camarillo (Camino)
7. Lompoc (Los Padres)
8. Palmdale (Golden)
9. Nordhoff (Tri-Valley)
10. St. Joseph/SM (Los Padres)
WESTERN DIVISION
1. Palos Verdes (Bay)
2. Ventura (Channel)
3. West Torrance (Pioneer)
4. Oxnard (Pacific View)
5. North Torrance (Pioneer)
6. Redondo Union (Bay)
7. Rio Mesa (Pacific View)
8. Simi Valley (Canyon)
9. El Segundo (Ocean)
T10. Agoura (Canyon)
T10. Calabasas (Canyon)
NORTHWEST DIVISION
1. Nipomo (Northern)
2. Templeton (Northern)
3. Linfield Christian (Ambassador)
4. Shadow Hills (De Anza)
5. Arrowhead Christian (Ambassador
6. Maranatha (Olympic)
7. Heritage Christian (Olympic)
8. Mission Prep (Northern)
9. Morro Bay (Northern)
10. Pasadena Poly (Prep)
