Enriched by the transfer from St. Augustine of running back-defensive back Isaac Taylor Stuart (a four- or five star recruit, according to  grading services), coach Robbie Owens’ Helix Highlanders begin the season as the No. 1 team in the San Diego Section, according to the 28-member Union-Tribune voting panel.
The Scots, 10-3 a year ago, received 19 first-place votes. Â Cathedral, defending state D-1AA champion, Â received seven, and Mission Hills and Lincoln one each.
Helix is 12th in Cal-Hi Sports‘ preseason, California top 50 poll.
Cathedral, 14, and St. Augustine, 22, are the other San Diego Section teams in Cal-Hi‘s first 25. Â Madison is 36th, Mission Hills, 43rd, and Torrey Pines is on the bubble.
The state CIF has 1,587 schools, although many do not field teams..  The internet site Max Preps  lists 94 schools fielding teams of the 127 dues-paying members in the San Diego Section.
| Rank | Team | 2016 | Points | 2016 Final |
| 1. | Helix (19) | 10-3 | 258 | 3 |
| 2. | Mission Hills (1) | 7-5 | 214 | 9 |
| 3. | Cathedral (7) | 15-0 | 204 | 1 |
| 4. | Madison | 13-2 | 198 | 2 |
| 5. | St. Augustine | 10-3 | 178 | 6 |
| 6. | Torrey Pines | 8-3 | 88 | 8 |
| 7. | Oceanside | 8-3 | 76 | NR |
| 8. | El Camino | 3-8 | 63 | NR |
| 9. | Lincoln (1) | 7-5 | 58 | NR |
| 10. | San Marcos | 7-5 | 49 | NR |
 Points awarded on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.
NR: Not Ranked.
Others receiving votes: The Bishop’s (14-1, 24 points), Point Loma (5-7, 22), Mater Dei (13-1, 15), Rancho Bernardo (11-1,15), Grossmont (9-2, 14), Carlsbad (4-8, 13), La Costa Canyon (6-6, 13), Eastlake (2-9, 8), Olympian (8-5. 6), Valley Center (10-2, 5), Ramona (5-6, 2), Valhalla (8-3, 1).
Voters: (28 sportswriters, sportscasters, officials) John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune; Terry Monahan, Don Norcross, Tom Saxe, Rick Hoff, Jim Lindren, Union-Tribune correspondents; Paul Rudy, Brandon Stone, Rick Willis, KUSI Chl. 51; Adam Paul , East County Preps.com; Ramon Scott, East County Sports.com; Bodie DeSilva, San Diego Preps.com; Ted Mendenhall, Taylor Quellman, The Mighty 1090; Steve Brand, San Diego Hall of Champions; Troy Hirsch, Fox 5 San Diego; Rick Smith, partletonsports.com; Jerry Schniepp, John LaBeta, Carlton Hoggard, CIF San Diego; Raymond Brown, sdfootball.net; Montell Allen, MBASports-SDFNL Magazine; Bob Petinak, 1360AM; John Kentera, Prep Talent Evaluator; Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country 107.9FM; Jim Arnaiz, Mike Dolan, John Carroll, CIF Football Tournament Directors.
