Preseason Top 25 Teams in Orange County
In this article:
1. Mater Dei Mater Dei has not lost a game since 2019. Elijah Brown is one of the top quarterbacks in the nation and the offensive line is the best in the county by a mile featuring DeAndre Carter DeAndre…
Access all of Prep Redzone
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue Reading1. Mater Dei
Mater Dei has not lost a game since 2019. Elijah Brown is one of the top quarterbacks in the nation and the offensive line is the best in the county by a mile featuring DeAndre Carter DeAndre Carter 6'5" | 350 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2024 State CA , Brandon Baker Brandon Baker 6'5" | 290 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2024 State CA , BJ Tolo BJ Tolo 6'1" | 310 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2023 State CA , Sione Tohi Sione Tohi 6'4" | 300 lbs | OL Mater Dei | 2025 State CA and more. Levi Sua Levi Sua 6'2" | 225 lbs | LB Mater Dei | 2023 State CA leads a great defense that is loaded with young talent in the secondary. They have two explosive playmakers at running back in Ajon Bryant Ajon Bryant 5'7" | 160 lbs | RB Mater Dei | 2024 State CA and Jordon Davison Jordon Davison 6'0" | 210 lbs | RB Mater Dei | 2025 State CA . Mater Dei is a consensus top two team in the nation.
2. Mission Viejo
The next three teams are all very close but I give Mission Viejo a leg up. The Diablos are loaded at receiver with Mikey Matthews Mikey Matthews 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , Jackson Holman Jackson Holman 6'3" | 200 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , KJ Reed KJ Reed 5'11" | 175 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , Edward Schultz Edward Schultz 6'1" | 195 lbs | WR Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA and others. Kadin Semonza Kadin Semonza 6'0" | 190 lbs | QB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA is a top three quarterback in the county and will have two big tackles in Mark Schroller Mark Schroller 6'6" | 285 lbs | OL Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA and Brady Norton Brady Norton 6'4" | 270 lbs | OL Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA protecting him. The defense has two good linebackers who can get in the backfield in Jonathan Becerra Jonathan Becerra 6'2" | 230 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA and Jack Matranga Jack Matranga 6'1" | 210 lbs | LB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA . The secondary has Michael Damato Michael Damato 6'0" | 205 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2023 State CA , who had two interceptions in their first win against Mililani, Trey Tolmaire Trey Tolmaire 5'11" | 165 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2024 State CA , Joseph Libutti Joseph Libutti 6'0" | 195 lbs | DB Mission Viejo | 2023 CA and others. This is the best Mission Viejo team in years and will likely make the Division 1 playoffs.
3. Santa Margarita
The Eagles are loaded at the skill spots with Niko Lopez Niko Lopez 6'3" | 210 lbs | WR Santa Margarita Catholic | 2023 State CA and Emmett Mosley Emmett Mosley 6'1" | 180 lbs | ATH Santa Margarita Catholic | 2024 State CA leading the receiving corps. Donovan Comestro Donovan Comestro 6'0" | 175 lbs | DB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2023 State CA leads the secondary with a ton of experienced players. The defensive line is the best in the county on paper with Levar Talley Levar Talley 6'3" | 215 lbs | LB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2024 State CA , Gage Burnett Gage Burnett 6'1" | 230 lbs | LB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2024 State CA , Tyler Parker Tyler Parker 6'0" | 295 lbs | DL Crean Lutheran | 2025 State CA and Nicholas Johnson Nicholas Johnson 6'4" | 190 lbs | LB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2023 State CA . Jaxon Potter Jaxon Potter 6'4" | 180 lbs | QB Santa Margarita Catholic | 2023 State CA is a quality quarterback who can lead this team that has a mixture of young and experienced players. The offensive line concerns me but Jalani Liva Jalani Liva 6'3" | 310 lbs | OL Santa Margarita Catholic | 2023 State CA is a top 10 lineman in the county. They made the Division 1 playoffs last season and with a plethora of returning talent back, I expect them to do that again.
4. Los Alamitos
The Griffins are led by the top quarterback in the nation in Malachi Nelson Malachi Nelson 6'3" | 195 lbs | QB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA . They have a lot of experience at receiver with Makai Lemon Makai Lemon 6'0" | 175 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA , Ethan O’Connor Ethan O’Connor 6'1" | 165 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA and Gavin Porch Gavin Porch 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA . Colorado State commit Damian Henderson Damian Henderson 6'3" | 185 lbs | ATH Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA transfers in from Long Beach Jordan at running back. The defense features the top player in the 2024 class in T.A. Cunningham T.A. Cunningham 6'6" | 270 lbs | DL Los Alamitos | 2024 CA , Servite transfer Jayven Simbe Jayven Simbe 6'1" | 220 lbs | LB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA , Isaiah Dorsey Isaiah Dorsey 5'8" | 160 lbs | DB Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA and Sinn Brennan Sinn Brennan 6'5" | 240 lbs | DL Los Alamitos | 2023 State CA . They have a huge game against Santa Margarita early in the season which has major playoff implications.
5. Orange Lutheran
I remember at the end of the 2021 season thinking that Orange Lutheran was losing a ton of talent from its Division 2 championship team, but the Lancers return 11 starters. Gabe Morin Gabe Morin 5'10" | 215 lbs | LB Orange Lutheran | 2023 State CA is one of the best two-way players in Southern California and Jojo Edwards Jojo Edwards 6'0" | 205 lbs | LB St. John Bosco | 2025 State CA is one of my favorite sophomore linebackers. TJ Lateef TJ Lateef 6'2" | 185 lbs | QB Orange Lutheran | 2025 State CA is a talented sophomore quarterback that many people are high on. Kaleb Marshall Kaleb Marshall 6'1" | 180 lbs | WR Orange Lutheran | 2023 CA could be a double-digit touchdown guy at receiver and Nathan Hale is a quality left tackle.
6. Corona del Mar
Corona del Mar also returns 11 starters including quarterback David Rasor David Rasor 6'1" | 195 lbs | QB Corona Del Mar | 2023 State CA who is one of my favorite senior quarterbacks. Cooper Hoch Cooper Hoch 6'3" | 190 lbs | WR Corona Del Mar | 2023 State CA is a breakout receiver of the offseason and should get some offers this fall. Mason Kubichek Mason Kubichek 6'2" | 190 lbs | LB Corona Del Mar | 2023 CA returns at linebacker after being First Team All-Sunset League last season. Oliver Ayala returns at cornerback after an All-League campaign last season and Thomas Telesco is a guy the staff is high on. Corona del Mar plays Edison in the regular season finale which will likely decide who gets second place in the Sunset League.
7. Edison
Edison returns quarterback Parker Awad who is one of the more underrated quarterbacks in the county. Nathan Gates Nathan Gates 6'5" | 280 lbs | OL Edison | 2023 State CA and Luke Jones Luke Jones 6'0" | 260 lbs | OL Edison | 2023 CA anchor the offensive line and they have intriguing young receivers like Tucker Tripp, Malachi Pierce and Mason York. Ashton Hurley is a two-way player who is back from injury and Carter Hogue will be the running back. Edison has some unproven talent they will need to rely on, but I trust the winning infrastructure the coaching staff has built there.
8. San Clemente
San Clemente will play Corona del Mar and Edison back-to-back and that will help determine these rankings later on. Broderick Redden Broderick Redden 6'5" | 225 lbs | TE San Clemente | 2024 State CA will be the starting quarterback for the season opener after some transfer issues with JSerra transfer Dylan Mills Dylan Mills 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB San Clemente | 2024 State CA . The defense is loaded with returning talent: Cole Robertson, Brad Gerken Brad Gerken 5'11" | 190 lbs | DB San Clemente | 2023 CA , Drew Shanley Drew Shanley 5'10" | 180 lbs | WR San Clemente | 2024 State CA , Ryder Insley and big recruit Connor Bachhuber Connor Bachhuber 6'5" | 250 lbs | DL San Clemente | 2024 State CA . Blake Allen is back at running back and Thomas Hartanov is a versatile playmaker on offense. The Tritons will be a second place team in the South Coast League and be a playoff threat in Division 2 or 3.
9. Yorba Linda
Yorba Linda went 10-0 last season and was placed in Division 2 before the program was ready for that. The Mustangs return a ton of starters including quarterback Reyn Beal Reyn Beal 6'0" | 195 lbs | QB Yorba Linda | 2023 State CA . JJ Conrad JJ Conrad 6'1" | 185 lbs | WR Yorba Linda | 2023 CA returns at receiver after earning All-County honors and leads a receiving corps featuring Dylan Gardner Dylan Gardner 6'0" | 190 lbs | WR Yorba Linda | 2024 CA and Jayden Flaig. Wyatt Mosier Wyatt Mosier 6'2" | 220 lbs | LB Yorba Linda | 2023 State CA is back at linebacker after being an All-County guy as well. Yorba Linda had major wins last season and should have another very successful season.
10. Servite
Servite lost almost every important player from its Division 1 runner up team last season. Defensive end Kitione Talavou Kitione Talavou 6'3" | 230 lbs | DL Servite | 2023 State CA is the team’s best returning player along with two-way guy Ethan Scaffidi. Connor Panapa Connor Panapa 6'2" | 255 lbs | DL Servite | 2023 State CA is a Culver City transfer who should help out Talavou on the defensive front. Julian Puche is the likely quarterback with a slew of unproven but promising receivers. Quiad Carr is a sophomore running back that the coaching staff likes. Despite losing more talent than anyone, I believe in Servite’s infrastructure and culture.
11. La Habra
12. San Juan Hills
13. JSerra
14. Cypress
15. Foothill
16. Orange
17. Tesoro
18. Capistrano Valley
19. Tustin
20. El Modena
21. Villa Park
22. Newport Harbor
23. Trabuco Hills
24. Aliso Niguel
25. Canyon