St. John Bosco Opens 2026 No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Football Rankings

High School On SI concludes its preseason Top 25 countdown with a breakdown of No. 1 St. John Bosco.

St. John Bosco coach Jason Negro will lead the No. 1-ranked Braves for a 17th season in 2026. | Tarek Fattal

St. John Bosco isn't just talented, it's motivated by the sour ending to the 2025 season.

The Braves were stunned in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs by Orange Lutheran at home on a rainy Friday night in November. The Lancers found a way to edge St. John Bosco 20-19, which left Santa Margarita coach Carson Palmer stunned after he was told his Eagles would play Orange Lutheran in the semifinal, not St. John Bosco.

Palmer's face mid-interview said it all, which caught wind on social media.

Santa Margarita went on to win everything, meanwhile St. John Bosco was at home watching it all unfold thinking 'what could have been?'

That question will likely help to motivate St. John Bosco in 2026, which has all the expectations you could ask for. The Braves are ranked the No. 1 team in the country by multiple outlets and start the season in Las Vegas against No. 2 Bishop Gorman on August 21.

1. ST. JOHN BOSCO

Top Offensive Players: Koa Malau'ulu, QB, Jr.; Maliq Allen, RB, Sr.; Jaylen Jones, RB, So.; Kuika Moaalii, WR, So.; Trevon Bates, WR, So.; Anthony "Ike" Uzondu, WR, So.; DJ Tubbs, WR, Jr.; Jacob Reid, WR, Jr.; Gabriel Villalobos, OL, Sr.; Samson Aiava, OL, Sr.; Kaden Franco, OL, Sr.; Reese Asoau, OL, Jr.

Top Defensive Players: Richard Orosco, DL, Sr.; Kekoa Peko, DL, Sr.; Samuelu Faumuina, DL, So.; Kaho Holani, DL, Jr.; Josiah Smith, DL, Jr.; Josiah Poyer, LB, Sr.; Gary Foster, LB, Jr.; Ethan Coach, LB, Sr.; Justin Coach, LB, Sr.; Dillon Davis, DB, Sr.; Isala-Wiley Ava, DB, Sr.; Dorian Franklin, DB, Sr.; JaShaun Shaffer, DB, Sr.; Brandon Nash, DB, Jr.

Top Newcomers: Elisha Mueller, OL, Jr. (Servite); Justin Collin, DB, Sr. (Bishop Gorman); Kingston Fatu, DB, So. (Tustin); Elijah Tu'ua, DL, Jr. (Folsom); Simote Tupou, DL, Jr. (Pine Crest Academy-Sloan Canyon, Nev.); Ben Rivas, LB, Jr. (Oak Ridge, Sacramento).

Freshmen to Watch: Daniel Oliveros, QB; Jeremiah Bryant, DB; William Santana, DL; Jairus Muasau, LB; Jordan Blanchard, DB; Daylen Williams, OL/DL

Coach Jason Negro says: "Expectations are rightfully high for this '26 football team. Expectations we welcome and embrace because we know the consequences of winning each phase of the season; the non-league, league, and playoff phases."

"This football team will carry on the identity of every other St. John Bosco Football Team from the past. We will be disciplined, physical and play each opponent with tremendous effort. We have to live up to the lofty standard that has been set by this program over the past 16-seasons."

• PRESEASON COUNTDOWN, No. 25-21
• PRESEASON COUNTDOWN, No. 20-16
• PRESEASON COUNTDOWN, No. 15-11
• PRESEASON COUNTDOWN, No. 10-6
• PRESEASON COUNTDOWN, No. 5-2

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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.