High school football rankings Week 9, 2024: Bay Area News Group Top 25

What a difference a week makes. 

El Cerrito went from No. 8 to unranked after the West Contra Costa school forfeited its first five wins after it was determined that the Gauchos played ineligible athletes. 

St. Francis moves up two spots after handing St. Ignatius its first loss and San Ramon Valley was easily handled by De La Salle.

Acalanes goes all the way from 17 to 12 after defeating DAL Foothill favorite Clayton Valley Charter in Concord. 

Santa Teresa re-enters the rankings, and Willow Glen enters the Top 25 for the first time this season after improving to 7-0 on the season. 

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On to the rankings …

Bay Area News Group high school football Top 25

(Mercury News & East Bay Times)

No. 1 DE LA SALLE (7-0)

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Beat San Ramon Valley 42-14

Up next: Friday vs. Monte Vista, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 2 PITTSBURG (6-1)

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Beat Heritage 45-0

Up next: Friday vs. Liberty, 7 p.m.

No. 3 ST. FRANCIS (6-1)

Previous ranking: 5

Last week: Beat St. Ignatius 27-13

Up next: Friday vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral, 7 p.m. 

No. 4 SAN RAMON VALLEY (7-1)

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Lost to De La Salle 42-14

Up next: Friday vs. Amador Valley, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 5 ST. IGNATIUS (5-2)

Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Lost to St. Francis 27-13

Up next: Friday vs. Valley Christian, 5 p.m. 

No. 6 LOS GATOS (6-1)

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Beat Sacred Heart Prep 42-10

Up next: Friday vs. Menlo School, 7 p.m. 

No. 7 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (5-2)

Previous ranking: 7

Last week: Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral 21-7

Up next: Saturday at St. Ignatius, 5 p.m. 

No. 8 SERRA (3-4)

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Beat Mitty 56-21

Up next: Friday vs. Bellarmne at San Jose City College, 7 p.m. 

No. 9 CALIFORNIA (7-1)

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Beat Monte Vista 50-36

Up next: 

No. 10 ARCHBISHOP RIORDAN (3-4)

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Beat Bellarmine 34-7

Up next: Nov. 1 vs. De La Salle, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 11 WILCOX (5-2)

Previous ranking: 13

Last week: Beat Palo Alto 42-13

Up next: Friday vs. Sacred Heart Prep, 7 p.m. 

No. 12 ACALANES (6-2)

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: Beat Clayton Valley Charter 28-27

Up next: Nov. 1 at Campolindo, 7 p.m. 

No. 13 CLAYTON VALLEY CHARTER (4-3)

Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Lost to Acalanes 28-27

Up next: Friday vs. Campolindo, 7 p.m. 

No. 14 LIBERTY (5-2)

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Beat Deer Valley 42-7

Up next: Friday at Pittsburg, 7 p.m. 

No. 15 BISHOP O’DOWD (5-2)

Previous ranking: 18

Last week: Did not play

Up next: Friday vs. Moreau Catholic, 7 p.m. 

No. 16 MENLO-ATHERTON (5-2)

Previous ranking: 20

Last week: Beat Menlo School 21-18

Up next: Friday vs. Palo Alto, 7 p.m. 

No. 17 MCCLYMONDS (4-4)

Previous ranking: 14

Last week: Lost to Castlemont, forfeit

Up next: Friday at Skyline, 7 p.m. 

No. 18 MENLO SCHOOL (5-2)

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: Lost to Menlo-Atherton 21-18

Up next: Friday at Los Gatos, 7 p.m. 

No. 19 CHRISTOPHER (7-1)

Previous ranking: 21

Last week: Beat Oak Grove 43-20

Up next: Oct. 31 vs. Leigh, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 20 MONTE VISTA (5-2)

Previous ranking: 19

Last week: Lost to California 50-36

Up next: Friday at De La Salle, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 21 SALESIAN (6-1)

Previous ranking: 22

Last week: Lost to El Cerrito 28-7

Up next: Friday at De Anza, 7 p.m. 

No. 22 AMADOR VALLEY (4-3)

Previous ranking: 25

Last week: Did not play

Up next: Friday at San Ramon Valley, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 23 SANTA TERESA (6-1)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Beat Live Oak 17-16

Up next: Thursday at Leigh, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 24 WILLOW GLEN (7-0)

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Beat Gilroy 42-14

Up next: Friday vs. Prospect, 7:15 p.m. 

No. 25 HALF MOON BAY (6-1)

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: Lost to Sequoia 21-20

Up next: Friday at San Mateo, 7 p.m. 

Editor’s note: Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. The news organization’s high school staff chooses the teams.