2016 Prep Football Rankings: Week 2

Helix remains on top despite last week's disappointing loss.

Games of the Week

#2 St. Augustine Saints (1-0) at Carlsbad (1-0)
First Meeting: 1985 (Carlsbad won 20-13)
Previous Meeting: 2012 (St. Augustine won 23-13)
Carlsbad leads all-time series 9-3

#10 El Camino (1-0) at #5 Rancho Bernardo (1-0)
First Meeting: 1990 (El Camino won 49-15)
Previous Meeting: 2009 (Rancho Bernardo won 23-0)
El Camino leads all-time series 6-3

Video: Timpview (Utah) rallies to defeat Helix

WR Scott Young caught 10 passes for 234 yards and two deep TDs (66 & 63 yards).

LA MESA, CA (08/27/2016) Carson Baker found Scott Young on two long bombs for touchdowns, but they weren't enough as the Helix Highlanders (0-1) saw their fourth quarter lead erased by numerous missed opportunities.

Down 21-13, the Timpview Thunderbirds (Provo, UT) put up 15 unanswered points to take a 28-21 lead.

The Highlanders didn't go down without a fight.

Video: #2 St. Augustine cruises past Ramona in season opener

MESA COLLEGE (08/26/2016) Darrell Broussard put three touchdowns on the board, including a 92-yard kickoff return to open the second half, as his No. 2 ranked St. Augustine Saints (1-0) opened the 2016 season with a 62-13 rout over the Ramona Bulldogs (0-1) Friday night.

Quarterback Rodney Thompson contributed with two scores of his own, a 44-yard screen pass to Tariq Thompson, and a goal line dive that gave the Saints a 21-0 late in the first half.

Next week St. Augustine travels north for what should be an exciting match-up against Carlsbad, while Ramona visits Point Loma for their second straight road trip.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings

The top team in San Diego is set to open the season against the top team in Utah.

Games of the Week

#1 Helix vs. Timpview (Provo, UT)

#2 St. Augustine vs. Ramona

#4 Madison at Vista Murrieta (Murrieta, CA)

#5 Rancho Bernardo at Eastlake

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #1 Helix Highlanders

#1 Helix Highlanders

Location: La Mesa, CA
School Colors: Green, Black, & Gray
Division: I
League: Grossmont Hills
Championships: 1 (State), 8 (Section), 27 (League)
Head Coach: Robbie Owens (1st Season)

 2015 Recap: 11-2 (5-0 Grossmont Hills, 1st)

CIF San Diego Open Division Champions

After dropping a close season opener to Chaparral (Scottsdale, AZ), Helix went on a dominating 11-game win streak, including a 44-30 victory over St. Augustine in the Open Division title game. The following week, a trip to the state championship was derailed by a disappointing 32-28 loss to Mission Viejo (CA). While the Highlanders didn't reach their ultimate goal, they became the first wire-to-wire number one team in our prep football rankings.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #2 St. Augustine Saints

#2 St. Augustine Saints

Location: San Diego, CA

School Colors: Purple & Gold

Division: I

League: Western

Championships: 5 (Section), 13 (League)

Head Coach: Richard Sanchez (8th Season)

2015 Recap: 10-3 (3-0 Eastern, 1st)

St. Augustine had a few slip-ups against intersectional opponents during the regular season, but their dominance over foes from San Diego would lead them to its fourth consecutive appearance in a section championship game. Much like their previous title game outing, the Saints found themselves in a thrilling battle, only this time the Open Division title was on the line. While top-seeded Helix prevailed 44-30, the Saints had a season to be proud of. It was capped off by four-year standout Elijah Preston winning the Silver Pigskin Player of the Year award.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #3 Cathedral Catholic Dons

#3 Cathedral Catholic Dons

Location: San Diego, CA

School Colors: Red & Gold

Division: I

League: Western

Championships:  1 (State), 10 (Section), 10 (League)

Head Coach: Sean Doyle (21st Season)

2015 Recap: 7-5 (2-1 Eastern, 2nd)

After a sluggish 1-3 start, Cathedral Catholic finished the regular season well enough to earn an Open Division playoff berth, but for the second straight year, the Dons' season ended with a devastating loss to Helix in the semifinals.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #4 Madison Warhawks

#4 Madison Warhawks

Location: San Diego, CA

School Colors: Navy Blue & Grey

Division: I

League: Western

Championships: 1 (State), 2 (Section), 13 (League)

Head Coach: Rick Jackson (13th Season)

2015 Recap: 8-3 (5-0 Western, 1st)

Following a 2-2 start, Madison went on a six-game tear, outscoring their opponents 338-33 on the way to earning a league title for the ninth consecutive season. That led to an eight-seed in the Open Division Playoffs and a first round battle at top-seeded Helix.

The Warhawks came ready to play, scoring the game's opening touchdown after recovering a fumble. The game was tied 14-14 late in the first half, but the eventual champion Highlanders managed to survive and advance, 56-34.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #5 Rancho Bernardo Broncos

#5 Rancho Bernardo Broncos

Location: San Diego, CA

School Colors: Royal Blue, Black, & White

Division: I

League: Palomar

Championships: 1 (State), 3 (Section), 5 (League)

Head Coach: Tristan McCoy (6th Season)

2015 Recap: 13-2 (3-1 Palomar, 1st)

CIF San Diego Division II Champions

CIF Division III-A State Champions

This program has come a long way since posting two straight one-win seasons in 2012 and 2013.

After a huge turn-around in 2014 ended with a heart-breaking loss to El Capitan in the Division II Finals, McCoy and the Broncos made sure 2015 was a season to remember.

Following losses to La Costa Canyon and Westview, Rancho Bernardo went on a four-game tear going into the Division II playoffs. They found themselves back in the section finals, where they defeated Mt. Carmel 41-23.

In a trilling state playoff contest, the Broncos edged Oak Hill (Hesperia, CA) 31-30 to clinch a berth in the state championship, then went on to top Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton, CA) 35-14 to earn the first state title in program history.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #6 Oceanside Pirates

#6 Oceanside Pirates

Location: Oceanside, CA

School Colors: Green, Black, & White

Division: I

League: Avocado

Championships: 2 (State), 16 (Section), 21 (League)

Head Coach: David Rodriguez (2nd Season)

2015 Recap: 9-5 (2-2 Avocado West, T-2nd)

CIF San Diego Division I Champions

After a 45-0 blanking from Mission Hills set off its first three-game losing streak since 2005, it became safe to wonder if the most accomplished program in the county had lost its edge without legendary leader John Carroll.

Oceanside dusted itself off and went on to be victorious in their next five games, including a 23-14 victory over rival El Camino to earn its first post-Carroll section title.

While the 2015 campaign ended the following week with a 36-14 defeat to La Mirada in the state regional, the first season under Dave Rodriguez should be considered a huge success.

Video: USD Toreros begin 2016 Fall Camp

We paid a visit to the University of San Diego as the Toreros began their preparation for the 2016 college football season. The Pioneer Football League preseason favorites kickoff the season against Western New Mexico on Saturday, September 3rd.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #7 LCC Mavericks

La Costa Canyon field art via Google Maps

#7 La Costa Canyon Mavericks

Location: Carlsbad, CA

School Colors: Green, Midnight Blue, & Gold

Division: I

League: Avocado

Championships: 1 (Section), 6 (League)

Head Coach: Sean Sovacool (7th Season)

2015 Recap: 7-4 (2-2 Avocado West, T-2nd)

A 5-1 start included wins over eventual state champion Rancho Bernardo and then-undefeated El Camino, but a five-game win streak was ended with a double overtime loss to arch-rival Carlsbad. En route to their second Open Division playoff bid in team history, the Mavericks went on to earn another signature win by knocking off 8-0 Westview, but their season ended with an opening round shutout by Mission Hills.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #8 Mission Hills Grizzlies

QB Jack Tuttle consoles teammate Troy Warner after connecting for the team's final touchdown of 2015.

#8 Mission Hills Grizzlies

Location: San Marcos, CA
School Colors: Cardinal & Gold
Division: I
League: Avocado
Championships: 1 (Section), 7 (League)
Head Coach: Chris Hauser (13th Season)

2015 Recap: 11-1 (4-0 Avocado East, 1st)

During its 11-0 start, Mission Hills looked unstoppable as they ran through their San Diego Section opponents by an average margin of 36 points, including a 45-0 thumping over eventual Division I champion Oceanside. One game away from a second Open Division title game appearance, the Grizzlies ran into a buzz saw as their season ended with a 48-14 defeat to St. Augustine in the semifinals.

2016 Prep Football Preview: Vista Panthers

Midfield logo at Dick Haines Stadium courtesy of Google Maps

Vista Panthers

Location: Vista, CA

School Colors: Red, Black, & White

Division: I

League: Palomar

Championships: 7 (Section), 22 (League)

Head Coach: Dave Bottom (1st Season)

2015 Record: 4-7 (2-2 Avocado-East, 3rd)

2016 Prep Football Preview: RBV Longhorns

Longhorn Stadium courtesy of Google Maps

Rancho Buena Vista Longhorns

Location: Vista, CA

School Colors: Maroon & Silver

Division: III

League: Valley

Championships: 2 (Section), 5 (League)

Head Coach: Joe Meyer (1st Season)

2015 Record: 1-9 (1-3 Avocado East, 4th)

2016 Outlook

By David A. Willauer - Contributing Writer

Following an 0-7 start to 2015, fourth-year head coach Paul Gomez announced that he would retire at the end of the season.

Less than two months later, Rancho Buena Vista hired Joe Meyer, a longtime prep football coaching veteran and the son of legendary former El Camino coach Herb Meyer.

Meyer served as an assistant with the Wildcats for 19 years. He also held assistant positions at RBV and Army-Navy, and was the head coach at Scripps Ranch from 2010 to 2014.

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #9 Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders

#9 Mater Dei Catholic Crusaders

Location: Chula Vista, CA

School Colors: Navy Blue & Gold

Division: II

League: Metro-Mesa

Championships: 1 (State), 5 (Section), 14 (League)

Head Coach: John Joyner (8th Season)

2015 Recap: 14-1* (3-0 Metro-South Bay, 1st)

CIF San Diego Division IV Champions
 CIF Division V-AA State Champions

Mater Dei Catholic should have ended its historic season undefeated for the first time since putting up back-to-back 13-0 finishes in 2002 and 2003. Technically they did, but their week two victory over El Capitan was forfeited due to the use of an ineligible player.

Despite the minor setback, the Crusaders went on to close the season on a 13-game win streak. In the process, they claimed their first section title since 2003 by avenging their 2014 finals loss to Bishop's, and earned its program's first state championship with a 56-21 triumph over Immanuel (Reedley, CA).

2016 Prep Football Preseason Rankings: #10 El Camino Wildcats

#10 El Camino Wildcats

Location: Oceanside, CA

School Colors: Brown & Gold

Division: I

League: Avocado

Championships: 10 (League), 8 (Section)

Head Coach: Jerry Ralph (1st Season)

2015 Recap: 7-6 (0-4 Avocado League, 5th)

El Camino was riding high after a 5-0 start to the season, but ended up dropping their next five games. Despite the 5-5 regular-season finish, the Wildcats clinched a berth in the Division I playoffs and advanced to the finals, where their roller-coaster season ended with a 23-14 loss to crosstown rival Oceanside.