Pulling Rank

Early fall of the year 2000 has been one of the most successful on

the local prep football scene in recent memory.

So far, that is.

Still, there’s plenty of football to be played, and, as the adage

goes, it’s better where you end up, rather than where you began.

Four local teams have found their way into various divisional rankings

at one time, or another: Edison, Marina, Fountain Valley (which was

ranked through September, but since has fallen from the rankings), and

Ocean View.

Edison (4-1) has been there all along, reaching as high as No. 2 in

the county, to No. 4, where the Chargers currently reside.

They’ve been tabbed No. 6 in the current CIF Southern Section Division

I poll.

“The rankings are nice, but it’s what you do on the field that counts,

and it’s where you are at the end of the season, that really matters,”

Edison Coach Dave White said. “It’s nice recognition, though, for any

program.”

Such has been the case at Ocean View, where the 4-1 Seahawks finally

cracked the rankings, coming in at No. 10 in the latest Division VI

rankings.

And at Marina.

Unbeaten in five games this year, the Vikings finally made their way

into the county poll (No. 10), and inched up to No. 8 in the Division I

rankings.

One of Marina’s victims has been reigning Division VI titlist Newport

Harbor, currently ranked sixth in their division.

“We’re 5-0 and it’s (great), but we’ll know in the next three weeks

just how good we are,” first-year Marina Coach Mike Dodd said in

reference to the Vikings’ Sunset League menu of Los Alamitos, Esperanza,

and Edison to start the league race. “We’ve done very well so far, but

we’ll need to increase the intensity the next few weeks in order to stay

in contention for a league title. If we get the job done, then the

rankings will take care of themselves.”