2026 CIF Southern Section Football Preseason Rankings Countdown: Nos. 15-11

The CIF Southern Section Top 25 preseason countdown continues …

As we roll into the 2026 high school football season, High School On SI is providing preseason coverage from August 3-16. Week 0 starts Aug. 17. The season’s first Friday night is Aug. 21.

Preseason coverage includes a preseason Top 25 countdown, players to watch by position, along with league predictions and other intriguing pieces of content to keep an eye out for: breakout players, biggest shoes to fill, freshmen to watch, coaching storylines, and more.

Here is information on the teams ranked No. 11 to No. 15, including top returning offensive and defensive players, newcomers, and a word from the coach.

NOTE: Links to previously revealed rankings from this countdown at bottom.

11. Servite

Top Offensive Players: Drew Fielder, OL; Nija Uliese, OL; Keiden Lokeni, OL; Gio Blanco, OL; Gino Wang, QB; Benjamin Harris, WR; Kamil Pelovello, WR; Taou Niumata, WR; Jaden Vaicaro, WR; Jorden Wells, RB.

Top Defensive Players: Isaiah Leilua, LB; Allen Bennett, LB; Caleb Aiava, FS; Treveon Nunley, DB; Jordyn Taylor Brown, DL; Kaleb Fata, DL; Kestin Jiles, SS.

Newcomers: (None listed by coach)

Coach Rick Garretson says: "Play fast, smart and physical."

12. San Clemente

Top Offensive Players: Jaxson Rex, DB/WR, Sr.; Preston Beck, QB, Jr.; Brody Ragland, OL, Sr.; Colin Granite, RB, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Jack Weller, LB, Jr.; Cade Hogan, DB, Sr.; Payton Proffitt, DL, Sr.; Declan Sawyers, LB, Jr.

Newcomers: Ryan Matheson, WR, Sr. (San Juan Hills); Drew Della Vedova, DL/TE, Jr.; Gunnor Bachhuber, LB/DL, Jr.; Trey Humphrey, OL/DL, Sr.; Jackson Humphries, LB, Sr. (Coronado, NV); Tate Bollard, DB, Sr.

Coach Jaime Ortiz says: "Many returning starters from the 2025 CIF Finalist who have a chip on their shoulder with something to prove in 2026."

13. Gardena Serra

Top Offensive Players: Malik Tunai, QB, Jr.; Larry Shingleton, OL, Jr.; Ace Taylor, OL, Sr.; Darlington Nwenza, OL, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Wesley Ace, CB, Sr.; Derrick Coleman, DB, Jr.; Quintin Washington, LB, Jr.

Newcomers: AJ McBean, RB, Sr. (Mira Costa); PJ Faaoso, OL, So. (Leuzinger).

Coach Scott Altenberg says: "We will be a ball control offense with an aggressive defense."

14. Tustin

Top Offensive Players: Ayden Edwards, QB, Jr.; Hayden Koo, WR, Jr.; Jeremiah Salvant, WR, Sr.; Rufai Azeez, TE/WR, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Taven Epps, LB, Sr.; Khalil Terry, S, Sr.; Jon Ioane, DT, Sr.; Jeremiah Williams, DL, Sr.

Newcomers: Jackson Perez, WR/FS, Sr. (Orange Lutheran); Steele Holcomb, RB/LB, Sr. (Servite).

Coach Anthony Lopez says: "We are a physical football team that can really make a run if we can stay healthy. Every week is a game with our schedule."

15. JSerra

Top Offensive Players: Clark Cokley, WR, Sr.; Will Fredericksen, RB, Sr.; Luca Deleon, WR, Jr.; Grayson Matvay, TE, Sr.; Sam Fredericksen, WR, Jr.; Jack Schein, OL, Sr.

Top Defensive Players: Godschoice Eboigbodin, DE, Sr.; Dylan Fenn, LB, Sr.; Garrison Bolen, DB, Jr.

Newcomers: Lincoln Fa'alafi, OL, Jr.

Coach Hardy Nickerson says: "We are going to be a disciplined football team that will play with toughness, play smart, play fast, play physical, and finish games well."

2025 CIF-SS RECAP

PALMER LEADS SANTA MARGARITA TO GLORY

When looking back at the 2025 high school football season in the CIF Southern Section, the lede is undoubtedly Santa Margarita — for a multitude of reasons.

Former NFL Pro Bowl quarterback Carson Palmer came back to his old stomping grounds and won all the big prizes in year one.

Santa Margarita shared the Trinity League title with St. John Bosco and Mater Dei before going on to win the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship and CIF State Open Division titles. The Eagles thumped Corona Centennial at the Rose Bowl 42-7 thanks to 10 catches for 292 yards and four touchdowns (two rushing) from Player of the Year Trent Mosley (who is now at USC).

Palmer would guide Santa Margarita to a rout of De La Salle two weeks later, 47-13, at Saddleback College in December to lift the CIF State crown and finish the season 11-3.

When Palmer lifted the CIF-SS Division 1 plaque at the championship podium in the Rose Bowl, it was the first time a program not named St. John Bosco or Mater Dei lifted the Southern Section's top division trophy since Corona Centennial did it in 2015.

THE ‘MONEY MAN’

One of the biggest stories in recent prep sports history broke last fall when the emergence of Brett Steigh, also known as the ‘Money Man’, who made an appearance on FATTAL FACTOR, a weekly live sports show via Youtube with hosts Tarek Fattal and Aram Tolegian.

Steigh admitted to years of CIF violations at programs like Narbonne (his alma mater), St. Bernard, and most recently, Bishop Montgomery. The biggest confession came when he admitted to paying families up to $50,000 (plus expenses) to get their sons to play high school football at a program of his choice.

The fallout from the story resulted in Bishop Montgomery cancelling its varsity football season. The head football coach Ed Hodgkiss was fired and the President of the school Pat Lee was forced to resign. More than 20 players were deemed ineligible and hit with Bylaw 202 for falsifying documents, which means the student-athletes can’t participate in varsity athletics for up to 24 months.

The school ended up hiring Oscar McBride this past spring in efforts to start over. McBride is a former college and NFL standout who built Murrieta Mesa High into a CIF championship-level program. Murrieta Mesa was 0-9 before McBride was hired and led the program to a Division 6 title in 2024.

2025 CIF-SS CHAMPIONS

Click HERE for a quick recap of all the CIF Southern Section football champions from 2025 from Divisions 1 through 14.

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