The Division 1 playoffs in California’s Southern Section begin this week. TeamFB7 highlights players to watch from each team in the Division 1 bracket.
Division 1 in the CIF Southern Section is arguably the most competitive playoff division nationally. Several national champions have come from the division and the winner of Division 1 has gone on to dominate in the Open Division state championship game in recent years.
Eight of the best teams in the state make up the CIF Southern Section Division I bracket and all have had impressive regular seasons. The other divisions in the CIF Southern Section playoffs opened up play last week, and you can read about the top performers from those games here.
Players To Watch In CIF Southern Section Division 1 Playoffs
Santa Margarita
WR Grant Mosley
Grant Mosley is the younger brother of USC freshman receiver Trent Mosley, who was the star of Santa Margarita’s CIF championship team last season.
The younger Mosley missed the first half of this season due to injury and has been playing well since returning. Mosley has scored touchdowns in each of his last three games and is coming off a 3-touchdown game against Orange Lutheran in Week 10.
Santa Margarita’s defense is the main attraction, but Mosley can get open against man coverage and run the ball well out of Wildcat formations.
DL Isaia Vandermade
Few players have flipped a switch in the playoffs like Isaia Vandermade did a year ago.
The USC commit had just one sack and four tackles for loss in the regular season in 2025, and then Vandermade delivered 9 sacks and 22 tackles in four playoff games.
Vandermade’s numbers don’t jump off the page this season with 3 sacks and 7 TFLs. He is playing on a better defensive line, though, with Kingston Jimmerson, Tonga Uhila and freshman KJ Herndon. It would not be surprising if Vandermade and Santa Margarita’s defensive line dominates again through the playoffs.
Sierra Canyon
QB Demarco Hernandez
Demarco Hernandez was not a well-known quarterback prior to this season but garnered some attention after leading Sierra Canyon to a championship in the Mission Viejo passing tournament in July. His strong performance translated well when the pads came on as Hernandez has thrown for 181 yards per game with 18 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and 5 rushing TDs.
Many people expected Sierra Canyon to be a run-heavy offense that would shorten games and grind out tough wins. Hernandez’s passing ability has allowed Sierra Canyon to be more dynamic on offense and a tough team to prepare for.
DL Kasi Currie
Sierra Canyon’s defensive front is loaded with high-level Division 1 talent, but Texas commit Kasi Currie stands out within the unit’s dominance. Currie can create a pass rush from the inside or eat up double teams in the run game. He has 45 tackles, 12 for a loss and 5 sacks this season.
Mater Dei
RB Asir Nembhard
Asir Nembhard is the leading rusher in the Trinity League with 1,093 yards and 13 touchdowns. Mater Dei’s offense goes as Nembhard goes, and that is evident by how often the Monarchs give him the ball early in games.
He had a pair touchdowns in the first quarter against JSerra and ran for 339 yards with 3 TDs against Orange Lutheran in Week 9.
LB DJ Clanton
Mater Dei’s defense is one of the best units in this playoff bracket, and the catalyst for everything the group does is DJ Clanton. He can rush the passer from the edge, stunt from the inside and play in pass coverage a bit.
Clanton, a New Mexico commit, has a team-high 10 sacks, leads the team in tackles with 77 and has 2 forced fumbles. Mater Dei is very good in the secondary as well, but Monarachs’ defense benefits at all levels from Clanton’s ability to pressure the quarterback.
St. John Bosco
RB Maliq Allen
Maliq Allen has rushed for 1,063 yards with 16 touchdowns this season for the Braves. He can manipulate defenders with quick jump cuts or lower his shoulder to run over defenders for that extra couple of yards.
St. John Bosco’s passing game has been underwhelming at times this season, but Allen is the reliable piece of the offense that can pick up much-needed first downs to extend drives.
DB Dorian Franklin
Dorian Franklin is a versatile player in St. John Bosco’s secondary who can be a nickel corner or a safety. He has 2 interceptions for the Braves and leads the team in pass deflections. Franklin’s ability to cover large chunks of the field on passing downs is a huge asset for the Braves’ defense.
Orange Lutheran
QB/WR Chris Flores Jr.
Chris Flores Jr. is a top receiver for Orange Lutheran but has had to fill in as an emergency quarterback in the team’s last two games. He threw for 146 yards with a pair of touchdowns against Santa Margarita in Orange Lutheran’s last game and threw 2 touchdown passes against Mater Dei the week prior.
Flores had 116 yards receiving in that game against Mater Dei prior to coming in at quarterback. Regardless of where Flores plays, he is one of the best athletes on the field and an impactful player for the Lancers.
DB King Rich Johnson
King Rich Johnson leads Orange Lutheran’s defense with 4 interceptions and has returned 3 of them for touchdowns. He tracks the ball incredibly well in the air and closes to the ball quickly on underneath routes to deliver big hits.
Centennial
QB Jaden Jefferson
Jaden Jefferson hasn’t put up the gaudy numbers that he did at Cathedral last season, but he has been very good for Centennial against a tough schedule. Jefferson throws for 225 yards per game with 18 touchdowns and has rushed for 555 yards with 6 scores.
He makes good decisions with the ball and his ability to scramble for big yardage is tricky for opposing defensive coordinators. Centennial runs the ball well but will need to rely on Jefferson to make big plays for the Huskies to return to the championship game for the second consecutive season.
LB Matt Salmeron
Matt Salmeron has had a breakout junior season for Centennial and leads the team in tackles (96) while notching a sack and an interception. He’s a traditional middle linebacker who has good short-area quickness and fills into gaps before offensive linemen get a chance to bounce to him in the run game.
Mission Viejo
WR/RB Jack Junker
San Jose State commit Jack Junker was the top receiver in the Alpha League and has been the best running back in the league recently as well. Junker rushed for at least 120 yards in each of his four league games with 7 TDs. He is averaging over 10 yards per carry and even had 22 carries in Mission Viejo’s last game despite its regular starting running back returning from injury.
DL Maddox Mataele
Mission Viejo always seemingly has a high-level pass rusher and Maddox Mataele has stepped into that role this season. Mataele has 19 tackles for a loss with 12 sacks and 15 hurries for the Diablos this fall.
San Clemente
WR/QB Jaxson Rex
BYU commit Jaxson Rex is the best two-way player in Orange County and has been a Swiss Army knife for the Tritons’ offense, particularly since their starting quarterback got hurt. Rex has 466 yards receiving with 4 touchdowns along with 6 rushing TDs.
San Clemente lost its starting quarterback prior to its last two games and the Tritons gave the vast majority of its snaps at quarterback to Rex in its 21-14 win over Edison in Week 10. He rushed for 76 yards with 2 touchdowns as a quarterback in that win and threw a TD pass.
DE Payton Proffitt
Payton Proffitt leads San Clemente’s pass rush with 11 tackles for a loss and a team-high 5 sacks off the edge. He does a good job keeping offensive linemen’s hands off of him and is a high-motor guy who demands attention on run plays away from him.
