High school football rankings: Top 5 teams lose, TVL goes perfect

By Quinton Hamilton

August 25, 2025 9:57 AM

Downey’s Elias Haynes advances the ball 55 yards during a nonleague match with Del Oro at Downey High School in Modesto on Friday, Aug. 22, 2025. Andy Alfaro aalfaro@modbee.com

Each of The Bee’s preseason top five lost Friday night — a rough start to the season for schools with some of the highest expectations in the Stanislaus District.

But they lost to good opponents, so no one made a massive jump in this week’s rankings and we do not have a new top team. The only movement in the top five comes from Downey and Patterson. The Knights drop from No. 4 to No. 5 and Patterson takes its spot at No. 4. The Tigers nearly beat Merced in the latest edition of their budding rivalry. The Knights fell behind early to Del Oro and never recovered in a tough loss.

The Trans-Valley League went a perfect 7-0 in Week 1, meaning Hughson and Escalon each earned victories. The two also flipped spots in this week’s rankings after Escalon beat Rodrigues (ranked 33rd in the section by MaxPreps) and Hughson beat Ceres (83rd).

At the bottom of the rankings, Gregori enters after shutting out Buhach Colony and Hilmar is in the top 10 after not making the preseason list. It shut out previous No. 8 Davis by forcing three interceptions.

In addition to Davis falling out of the top 10, Johansen is now unranked after losing to Modesto High in Week 1.

Here is a look at the rankings, including team records, past opponents and who they play this week.

Modesto Bee Top 10 Rankings

1. Central Catholic (0-1)

Last Week: 41-21 loss vs. Pleasant Valley

This Week: 8/29 at St. Mary’s

2. Turlock (0-1)

Last Week: 35-7 loss at Rocklin

This Week: 8/29 vs. Tracy

3. Oakdale (0-1)

Last Week: 32-14 loss vs. Sonora

This Week: 8/29 at Lincoln-Stockton

4. Patterson (0-1)

Last Week: 30-23 loss at Merced

This Week: 8/29 vs. California-San Ramon

5. Downey (0-1)

Last Week: 39-14 loss vs. Del Oro

This Week: 8/29 at Elk Grove

6. Escalon (1-0)

Last Week: 35-14 win vs. Rodriguez

This Week: 8/29 at Chavez

7. Hughson (1-0)

Last Week: 37-7 loss at Ceres

This Week: 8/29 at Atwater

8. Ripon Christian (1-0)

Last Week: 35-21 win vs. Summerville

This Week: 8/29 vs. Le Grand

9. Gregori (1-0)

Last Week: 22-0 win at Buhach Colony

This Week: 8/29 at Merced

10. Hilmar (1-0)

Last Week: 32-0 win vs. Davis

This Week: 8/29 at Los Banos Bubble Teams: Enochs (1-0), Ripon (1-0), Davis (0-1), Modesto (1-0), Orestimba (1-0)

Quinton Hamilton

The Modesto Bee

Quinton Hamilton covers high school sports for The Modesto Bee. He is a Southern California native and received his bachelor’s degree from Pacific Union College and a master’s in journalism from Quinnipiac University in Connecticut. Quinton has worked at the Record-Journal in Meriden and helped on projects at Hearst Connecticut.