Carlsbad will be at an interesting juncture as the regular season turns to the second half and the Lancers riding a 10-game winning streak.
At 5-0, duplicating its record in the pandemic 2020 campaign and 5-0 starts in 2013 and 2007, coach Thadd MacNeal’s team will try to become 6-0 for the first time since 2006 when it takes on Avocado League neighbor Torrey Pines Oct. 1.
The Falcons have won 17 of 26 games with the Lancers since 1975, but, although only about 17 miles and 20-25 minutes apart, the rivals were not always in the same league and would go years without playing.
Carlsbad won, 42-0, in 2020 and 42-7 in 2019.
The Lancers are first and have 13 No. 1 votes in the weekly The San Diego Union poll, but Cathedral, depite thumpings by state powerhouses Corona Centennial and Concord de La Salle, still is getting love from the voters with 11 first-place votes.
Cal-Hi Sports ranks Carslbad 13th this week and Cathedral, despite the two losses, is 20th.
The clubs won’t meet unless they tangle in the Open Division playoffs. Torrey Pines, winner of 3 in a row since an opening, 28-14 loss to Cathedral and Cal-Hi Sports‘ 41st-ranked team this week, hopes to have a voice.
| RANK | TEAM/RECORD | POINTS | PREVIOUS | ||||
| 1. | Carlsbad | 5-0 (13) | 227 | 1 | |||
| 2. | Cathedral | 4-2 (11) | 223 | 2 | |||
| 3. | Lincoln | 3-1 | 191 | 3 | |||
| 4. | Mater Dei | 4-0 | 165 | 4 | |||
| 5. | Torrey Pines | 3-1 | 136 | 5 | |||
| 6. | Mission Hills | 3-2 | 130 | 6 | |||
| 7 | Scripps Ranch | 4-0 | 93 | 7 | |||
| 8. | Madison | 4-1 | 53 | 9 | |||
| 9. | Mt. Carmel | 5-0 | 36 | NR | |||
| 10. | Helix | 3-2 | 21 | 8 | |||
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
El Camino (3-2, 19 points), Santa Fe Christian (5-0, 17), Eastlake (3-2), Poway (3-2, 2). West Hills (6-0, 2), Oceanside (3-2, 1).
VOTING PANEL
Twenty-four sportswriters and sportscasters throughout San Diego County.
- John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
- Steve Brand, Thomas Gutierrez, Rick Hoff, Jim Lindgren, Terry Monahan, Eric Williams, Thomas Gutierrez, freelance contributors.
- John Carroll, Nick Pollino, KUSI Ch. 51.
- John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3-FM The Fan).
- Adam Paul, ECPreps.com.
- Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
- Rick Smith, Partletonsports.com.
- Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
- Troy Hirsch, Fox 5 San Diego.
- Raymond Brown, sdfootball.net.
- Joe Heinz, Todd Cassen, Ron Marquez, Mike Dolan, CIF San Diego Section.
- Ramon Scott, Eastcountysports.com.
- Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country, 107.9-FM.
How others see San Diego’s Top 10:
*The second entry in each rating is from the previous week.
| Team | Record | Cal-Hi Sports | MaxPreps | CalPreps |
| Cathedral | 4-2 | 20/20* | 14/11 | 54/61.6 |
| Carlsbad | 5-0 | 13-13 | 18/21 | 48.8/47.9 |
| Mission Hills | 3-2 | 25/25 | 33/31 | 42.5/40.7 |
| Lincoln | 3-1 | 15/15 | 25/21 | 47.4/48.8 |
| Mater Dei | 4-0 | 47/49 | 32/61 | 33.5/26.2 |
| Helix | 3-2 | NR/NR | 65/67 | 31.1/23.6 |
| Torrey Pines | 3-1 | 40/41 | 39/39 | 40.5/39.2 |
| Scripps Ranch | 4-0 | NR/NR | 70/70 | 32.9/29.3 |
| Mt. Carmel | 5-0 | NR-NR | 121 | 22 |
| Madison | 4-1 | NR-NR | 104/104 | 25.1/23.2 |
MaxPreps.com and CalPreps.com computer ratings are usually the same and based on strength of schedules and other factors.
Cal-HiSports.com ratings are created by publisher Mark Tennis, who coordinates with several state-wide sources.
