The Times’ Rankings

BOYS’ SOCCER

Santa Ana Mater Dei takes over the top spot in the rankings after previously unbeaten Rancho Cucamonga lost to unheralded Montclair, 3-2, in the championship game of the Montclair tournament Dec. 31. Anaheim Esperanza moves up a spot after defeating Sunset League rival Fountain Valley, 1-0, in the final of the Huntington Beach Marina tournament Dec. 29. Thousand Oaks makes its first appearance in the rankings after beating Santa Barbara, 2-0, in the championship of the Ventura Buena tournament Saturday.

Rk. School (Rec., Sec.) Last Wk.

1. Mater Dei (10-0-1, SS-Div. I)...2

2. Esperanza (14-4-1, SS-Div. I)...3

3. Ran. Cucamonga (11-1, SS-Div. I)...1

4. Fountain Valley (11-1-1, SS-Div. I)...5

5. Royal (10-1-2, SS-Div. II)...7

6. Thousand Oaks (14-2, SS-Div. II)...NR

7. Loyola (13-2-2, SS-Div. II)...6

8. Damien (13-2-2, SS-Div. I)...10

9. Woodbridge (6-1, SS-Div. II)...8

10. Santa Barbara (13-2-2, SS-Div. II)...4

-- John Ortega

*

GIRLS’ SOCCER

The shakeout from the Santa Ana Foothill Excalibur tournament is obvious in the first rankings of 2004. San Clemente slides into the top spot after three penalty-kick shootout victories. The Tritons nudge Huntington Beach Edison out of the top spot. Los Alamitos makes the biggest jump, from unranked to No. 7 after an impressive second-place finish at Excalibur. Pasadena Poly joins the rankings thanks to a defense that has eight shutouts this season.

Rk. School (Rec., Sec.) Last Week

1. San Clemente (8-2-3, SS-Div. I)...2

2. Edison (11-1-2, SS-Div. I)...1

3. S. Margarita (10-1-3, SS-Div. I)...3

4. Westlake (5-0-1, SS-Div. II)...4

5. Arcadia (7-1-3, SS-Div. II)...6

6. Aliso Niguel (11-3-2, SS-Div. I)...5

7. Los Alamitos (9-2-1, SS-Div. I)...NR

8. Walnut (13-0, SS-Div. III)...9

9. Sunny Hills (14-2, SS-Div. III)...10

10. Pasadena Poly (12-1, SS-Div. IV)...NR

-- Elia Powers

*

GIRLS’ WATER POLO

Santa Ana Foothill retained the top spot by winning the Newport Harbor/Corona del Mar tournament for the third consecutive year. Newport Harbor stays at No. 4 behind idle Long Beach Wilson after finishing third in the tournament. Corona del Mar beat Poway and Huntington Beach Edison but lost to Foothill and Newport Harbor and moves up to the spot formerly occupied by Santa Margarita, which fell into the consolation bracket of the tournament after a quarterfinal loss to Newport Harbor.

Rk. School (Rec., Sec.)...Last Week

1. Foothill (10-0, SS-Div. I)...1

2. Santa Barbara (7-2, SS-Div. IV)...2

3. L.B. Wilson (8-1, SS-Div. I)...3

4. Newport Harbor (4-2, SS-Div. I)...4

5. Montebello (5-2, SS-Div. I)...5

6. Corona del Mar (3-5, SS-Div. II)...7

7. Upland (9-0, SS-Div. V)...8

8. Santa Margarita (7-3, SS-Div. I)...6

9. Los Alamitos (10-3, SS-Div. I)...9

10. El Rancho (8-0, SS-Div. III)...10

-- Lauren Peterson

*

WRESTLING

Santa Ana Calvary Chapel finished first at the Ayala tournament last weekend. Temecula Valley hasn’t wrestled since Dec. 20, when it placed 10th at the Reno Tournament of Champions. Covina Northview finished first at the Lemoore tournament on Dec. 30, ahead of Lemoore and Tulare Union, which were ranked 11th and 14th, respectively, by the California Wrestlers Assn. Rosemead took third at the Sierra Nevada Invitational on Dec. 30.

Rk. School (Sec.) Last Week

1. S.A. Calvary Chapel (SS-Div. I)...1

2. Temecula Valley (SS-Div. I)...2

3. Northview (SS-Div. III)...4

4. Rosemead (SS-Div. II)...3

5. Atascadero (SS-Div. I)...6

6. Ayala (SS-Div. I)...7

7. Laguna Hills (SS-Div. I)...5

8. North Torrance (SS-Div. II)...NR

9. La Sierra (SS-Div. II)...NR

10. Downey (SS-Div. IV)...8

-- Rafer Weigel