MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Babar Khan

Current Job Title: Businessman

Political Party Affiliation: Peace and Freedom

Incumbent: No

Other political positions held: Peace and Freedom Party county chair

City where you reside: Murrieta

Campaign website or social media: www.Peaceandfreedom.us

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

Victims of Israel and Palestine need care and help regardless of their religious background. We as Americans love peace and security for all human beings. America always helps first. American goals are help and humanity regardless of any background, as our history proves.

We are under a huge monetary debt in the trillions but always go for help inside and outside of U.S. I love Jews, Christians and Muslims equally as long as they are good people. God created everyone. This conflict is not due to religion; it is a political conflict. We stand for peace and freedom. We are a unique political party in California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has the same type of policies as President Joe Biden. We have too many regulations in California that discourage investment to create jobs. More crimes are happening under the Democratic Party … so both political parties, Democrats and Republicans, have failed. This is the time we have to give a chance to a third party. We stand for real, common and actual people of California who are facing day-to-day issues. Our goal is Americans and America first. I will serve my full strength to make Californians stronger, and I will take their issues as my own issue.

The Peace and Freedom Party will bring a positive change because we do not work for special interest groups. We believe people are power and have all the good policies for the poor and working class first but at the same time respect business people. Too much love for the people of California.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

Only U.S. citizens should allowed to vote because of the country’s security and prosperity.

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

We should improve our business revenue through our ports, tourism, AI and IT and encourage businesses to have fewer regulations. We should encourage good foreign investment in California and facilitate them as tax holidays.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

Health, education and law enforcement but create a task force to check and catch fraud in many fields. Where we are wasting tax-payer money in California?

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

Education to people and awareness. Sex trafficking should be punished seriously.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

Arrangements to support mental health issues inside the inexpensive cities because our metropolitan areas are suffering as California becomes the capital of homeless people in the nation. San Francisco and Los Angeles are great examples after New York’s homeless population. Inside the smallest cities will create jobs and homeless people will get opportunities to have small one-bedroom facilities to enjoy and start a good life to go back to metropolitan areas after getting treatment.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

Yes, I demand $21 per hour as a minimum wage because we have inflation and the dollar value has declined.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

Solar is the answer. Climate change is real, and solar is profitable. Look how China is growing in it.

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

I would like my district to grow financially by encouraging tax holidays and benefits to IT and AI-oriented businesses. We should encourage clean foreign investment-friendly programs to promote revenue.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

Mental health issues are common and serious because our leaders in Sacramento have failed so we have to take this priority seriously. Give me a chance as a change and third-party candidate to make a difference.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

Technical education, medical reforms, moral education and support to society. Compulsory draft for California youth to volunteer every month for a few hours.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

Simple water is the best drink. Obesity is on the rise.

MORE: Read all the candidate responses in our Voter Guide

Name: Kate Sanchez

Current Job Title: State Assemblymember

Political Party Affiliation: Republican

Incumbent: Yes

Other political positions held: None

City where you reside: Rancho Santa Margarita

Campaign website or social media: www.sanchezforassembly.com

Gov. Newsom has been front and center lately in global affairs, from a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping discussing climate action to a trip to Israel where he met with victims of the Hamas attack. Aside from the governor’s trips, what do you see as the role California should play when it comes to foreign affairs?

I wish the governor would focus on Californians instead of engaging in political theater abroad. We have tremendous challenges facing us here, some of which certainly do stem from international actors. The state needs to aid in securing our southern border, crack down on international crime networks and cartels that funnel fentanyl and other dangerous drugs into our communities and help ensure that our crucial ports and supply chains are fully staffed and functioning. By taking proactive steps like these, California can improve public safety, help address the fentanyl crisis destroying families and adding to our homelessness crisis and help ensure general economic stability.

There have been recent efforts at the local level to change voting requirements — from a proposed voter ID requirement in Huntington Beach to an effort to open up voting to noncitizens in Santa Ana. What changes, if any, should be made to California’s voting laws?

California’s elections are mismanaged and drawn out. We see it every two years when it takes a month to know whether a candidate was elected. Ever-changing rules from Sacramento Democrats have made it harder for our county elections officials to process ballots in a timely fashion. We need to standardize timelines and processes for voting and clean up our bloated voter rolls of deceased and moved voters. My bill, AB 1688, would have given our election officials more tools to remove deceased voters from their voter lists — improving the efficient allocation of taxpayer resources and removing the likelihood of fraud. The bill passed the Assembly but was held by Senate Democrats. I’m committed to instilling integrity and fairness into our elections so that voters can have more faith in our electoral process.

The latest state budget projections show California’s deficit has swelled to a record $68 billion, leading to calls for spending cuts. Give us two specific ways California could address the deficit.

I’ve said it many times before, both in Sacramento and to my constituents: Sacramento does not have a revenue problem; it has a spending one. With one party, Democratic rule, there is little to no accountability for how the state’s massive budget is spent. And what are the outcomes of Sacramento Democrats’ unchecked spending spree? Our homeless population has increased almost 10% despite spending over $20 billion to “solve it.” During the pandemic, over $30 billion in taxpayer funds were fraudulently distributed by state officials as unemployment benefits. The over-budget high-speed rail sits uncompleted over 10 years after it was started and will likely only serve as a commuter line between Bakersfield and Merced. We need to instill accountability metrics back into our budgets, fund projects we know actually work instead of shiny new objects and cut worthless projects that drain our state reserves.

Speaking of the budget, what are your top three budget priorities?

Simply put, the state needs to get back to basics. We need to ensure accountable spending in education, in public safety and reduce tax and regulatory burdens on small businesses and individuals where we can.

The legislature garnered national headlines when an effort to increase penalties for child sex trafficking initially stalled. How would you, in the legislature, balance criminal justice reform with public safety concerns?

I was a proud co-author of that measure, SB 14, which will increase penalties for child sex trafficking. My Republican colleagues and I demanded that that bill be set for a hearing and passed. When it wasn’t, we took our case to the public, held multiple press conferences with survivors of sex trafficking and the public responded. Sacramento Democrats need more reality checks like this. We need to repeal Prop 47, Prop 57 and AB 109; fully fund law enforcement; and recenter conversations of criminal justice around crime victims and a public safety first mentality.

Homelessness continues to be a concern for Californians. While there is no simple solution, what is one proposal you have that could reduce homelessness in our communities?

A large part of our homeless crisis is fueled by mental health and substance abuse issues. The housing first policies Sacramento has presented have failed to yield results because they don’t fundamentally address these underlying issues. We need tough love. There are people dying on our streets who can no longer take care of themselves and need state intervention to ensure treatment for their underlying health issues. We cannot expect them to exit the cycle of homelessness unless they can end their drug dependence or address their mental health issues.

The governor recently signed a law that set a first-in-the-nation minimum wage standard for healthcare workers. Should minimum wage standards vary by industry? Why or why not?

As the daughter of a registered nurse, I understand just how hardworking our healthcare workers are. They are an integral part of our community and deserve a fair wage. I don’t believe the state should pick winners and losers and dictate what an entire industry should pay. Doing so creates unretrievable costs for small and local businesses that unfortunately prompt layoffs or automation.

What is one environment or climate policy you’d champion if elected?

We need to ensure that our forests and wildlands are subject to fuel reduction and proper management practices. For too long, California policies prioritized preservation over natural vegetation management. The buildup of biofuels in our forests and wildlands has contributed to massive wildfires that have taken lives, homes and communities. I’m supportive of policies that would streamline these essential fuel reduction projects so we can reduce the threat of these potential wildfires.

What is one capital improvement project you’d like to see financed and completed in your district?

One of the priorities I’d like to see fully funded is the construction of the I-215 Keller Interchange in Murrieta, which will help emergency vehicles and patients quickly access the Loma Linda University Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente medical offices. With medical emergencies, time is of the essence, and the I-215 Keller Interchange is a straightforward investment that will help save lives.

The state recently began rolling out the CARE Court program in some counties, the state-funded effort that allows first responders, family and other designated people to petition a court to have someone with untreated severe psychotic disorders receive treatment and services. What other ways can the state prioritize mental health care for its residents, including those with less severe disorders?

CARE courts is a pilot program that will only serve a limited population in some counties. Should it prove to be an effective way of delivering services, I’d like to see it expanded to other counties. Until then, I believe it’s important for the state to invest in adult residential facilities for the elderly and ensure that local centers have enough beds for our veterans who are most at risk for ending up on the streets if their conditions go untreated.

Describe your political philosophy in 10 words or less.

Restore efficiency and accountability to our state government.

What is your go-to campaign trail snack or drink?

Red Vines or trail mix.

For two years, UC Davis researchers followed F312’s movement with a collar around her neck, as the lean predator navigated the wilderness areas, hiking trails and roadways of south Orange County, where she died.

“She’s pretty much an icon, this mountain lion with an injured eye who gets around,” said Orange County Outdoors wildlife photographer Mark Girardeau, who twice had encounters in the wild with Uno, both times captured on videos that went viral, adding to the big cat’s fame.

Girardeau was just leaving the area Thursday evening after checking remote cameras he uses to document Uno and other wildlife, when he said he got a call that the mountain lion had been struck near Cook’s Corner on Santiago Canyon Road.

She died from massive head and chest injuries before significant treatment could be started, said Winston Vickers, associate veterinarian at the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center, which also tracks animals locally.

“It’s very disappointing, we had concerns that it could happen because she, like any of the animals in that part of the county, had to cross roads pretty frequently,” he said. “It was always a concern and I think her luck just ran out.”

The most common cause of death for local mountain lions in the area has been being killed while crossing roads and highways, Vickers said.

There have been 140 known fatalities since 1995, 77 from vehicles, in the Santa Ana mountain range, according to UC Davis data. From 2005 to present, there have been 43 deaths from vehicles.

A 2015 study found 46% of all mortalities of collared mountain lions in the Santa Ana Range were from being struck.

Those are just the reported incidents – more animals are hit and die off the roadway undetected, Vickers noted.

Girardeau, who has teamed up with UC Davis since 2015 to share videos, had nicknamed the mountain lion he would see frequently in his footage as Uno because her right eye would give an unusual reflection in photos and videos due to an injury, making her recognizable.

Uno also had a “laissez faire demeanor” around people at times – often paying little attention to hikers or others she might encounter, according to Vickers.

“On one occasion, she walked right past the admission booth at one of the local wilderness parks without even a side glance,” Vickers noted in an obit.

She was just 2 years old when she was captured in January 2022 as part of the UC Davis’ mountain lion study.

She was fitted with a GPS collar and samples were taken, allowing researchers to better understand the health of the animals and where they travel, information used to advise highway agencies where improvements need to be made for safe wildlife crossing, said Vickers.

“F312 taught us a lot in the two short years we knew and followed her life path,” he wrote in the obit.

She had become a mom in her young life, at one time seen with four kittens – though none survived. Two were killed by cars, one on Santiago Canyon Road near where she died.

Uno was able to limp off to nearby bushes following the collision, said Girardeau, who arrived to be by the cat’s side Thursday night as response teams were enroute. The driver was distraught, he said, and stayed at the scene.

It is believed Uno was again pregnant; Vickers said a necropsy expected to happen next week would verify.

She was a favorite for Girardeau to photograph, he said. Twice he encountered her in the wild, having to confront her with yelling so she didn’t view him as prey.

The first time, in 2021, he said he had a two-minute stare down with the big cat. 

In the latest encounter in July, Uno watched him closely, he said, never showing aggression and keeping an eye on him as she passed closely by him on a trail. He thinks she may have recognized his scent from his remote cameras he checks regularly around the area, he said.

“I felt like we had almost a bond, like she knew who I was,” he said. “I knew who Uno was, her travels and what she liked to do.”

Following the famed mountain lion P-22’s death in Hollywood in 2022 – she also died from injuries after she was struck by a vehicle – Uno was on her way to becoming the region’s most well-known mountain lion, Girardeau said.

Uno liked to travel just north of Whiting Ranch, through Trabuco Canyon and down toward the ocean, visiting creeks and wilderness parks, according to her tracking data.

“It wasn’t unusual for a hiker to see her on a trail. She often times just ignored them,” Vickers said. “She was just an animal who had adapted really well to having to live around that many people,  which is what any mountain lion, especially in south Orange County, has to do.”

At the corners of Santa Margarita Parkway right off of the SR-241, the sparse area is now marked by dirt and sycamore and pine trees. An updated aesthetic design, city leaders say, will bring a fresh look to Rancho Santa Margarita.

City leaders are looking for an entrance that includes updated greenery and the Rancho Santa Margarita seal, the latter a “priority” for Mayor Carol Gamble.

“I would like some tasteful and subtle signage to reinforce the identity of the city,” said Gamble. “We have a beautiful relief of the city seal in iron in the entry hall of City Hall. I believe a version of that signage would be very attractive and additive to the landscaping.”

The City Council was presented with three design concepts for one of its two entrances on Wednesday, Jan. 10, from Tri Nguyen, the city’s public engineer. For more than an hour, councilmembers considered the trio of designs and directed staff to come back with a new proposal that embodied all of their suggestions.

“This is a pretty big deal for a number of reasons,” said Councilmember Jerry Holloway. “It is worth it because people look at (the entrance) frequently.”

Noting how extensively the council debated the entrance design plans, Holloway added: “It is taking a long time to talk about something that isn’t life or death, which is a good thing.”

One design option featured more foliage, including Natal plum and Indian hawthorn plants covering the ground with a backdrop of bougainvillea. In this proposal, the existing sycamore trees would remain and a slate of magnolia trees would be added in the foreground.

Another option revolved around water-saving vegetation. This design would require irrigation during the planting phase but would need little to no water as roots are established.

Councilmembers were also presented with a design that created a grid pattern with sycamore and crape myrtle trees. The outskirts of the gride would be made up of crushed rock while the inside would be filled with “flowering accents,” according to the staff report.

Once a design is approved by the City Council, the construction will begin the next fiscal year, said Rancho Santa Margarita spokesperson Laura Lopez.

The city already spent just over $20,000 on the design portion of its plans and has budgeted an additional $26,000 for further design costs. Costs for construction will be estimated after the design is complete.

Rancho Santa Margarita has entered a maintenance agreement with the California Department of Transportation, responsible for the road leading into the city, on the irrigation system. Caltrans has already agreed to connect the irrigation system to its existing water meter, according to Caltrans spokesperson Christine Knadler.

Rancho Santa Margarita would be responsible for maintaining the irrigation system for the project, according to the staff report.

Rancho Santa Margarita officials hired BGB Design Group in October to provide landscape architectural design services for the project.

The City Council does not have a date for when it will next consider a new design.

City leaders discussed utilizing the southwest portion of the Bell Tower community center on Wednesday, Jan. 10 after originally proposing it in November. To accommodate the city’s extensive collection of artifacts, maps and city-related documents as well as future donations, city leaders say they need at least 1,600 square feet of space.

No other city-owned space exists that could accommodate the square footage needed, said city manager Jennifer Cervantez, and if the Bell Tower cannot be utilized, the museum project becomes “infeasible.”

New flooring, faux walls for hanging photos and artwork, paint, lighting and window shades would be needed for the museum space, said Cervantez. The city would also need to purchase cases, cabinets, pedestals, furniture and computer equipment for the museum, she said.

Ideally, Cervantez said, the city would unveil the collection of historical items in time for Rancho Santa Margarita’s 25th anniversary, Jan. 1, 2025.

The historical area is anticipated to serve as a passive space throughout the year, with occasional staffing for educational classes or tours.

Cervantez said the hours of operation would be Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with special consideration given to school tours. Events and rotating exhibitions may be organized periodically by the city.

The Rancho Santa Margarita staff collaborated with a design firm to come up with a budget for the museum, totaling just about $300,000. This funding would come from this year’s capital improvement project budget, according to the staff report.

“From a community standpoint,” said Councilmember Jerry Holloway, “you always look at the cost of something and ask if the benefit is there. This is a big project that will take time, as it should to come up with a good project, but the years of return will be well worth it.”

Mayor Carol Gamble suggested monetizing the space for private events, such as fundraisers, receptions and other rentals. Otherwise, she said, the space should be free for the community.

“I believe when opened, this facility will benefit our entire community,” said Councilmember L. Anthony Beall. “Every single Rancho Santa Margarita resident will benefit from it, and I hope they take advantage of it.”

Rancho Santa Margarita officials have been in search of a proper place to display an extensive collection of historical artifacts, maps and other documents. Some of the items collected date back to the 1920s, around 80 years before the city was even incorporated.

According to Cervantez, since the City Council discussed the museum in November, more community members have come forward and donated artifacts and memorabilia.

The city has collected historical items and information for several years through efforts by a group of volunteers at the Rancho Santa Margarita Historical Society. Many of the artifacts come from Rancho Santa Margarita’s long-time master planner, Richard Reese, who died in August. After his death, numerous documents about the planning of the city were donated in his honor.

Items the city wishes to display include photos and documents, newspaper clippings, soil samples from the early planning days, iron brands from the original O’Neill family ranch and memorabilia from when the housing tracks were first marketed to the city — just a sliver of what the city has in its possession.

Additionally, city leaders want Reese’s meticulous records and drawings he created while envisioning Rancho Santa Margarita in the late ’90s to be available for public viewing.

The city has collected historical items and information for several years through efforts by a group of volunteers at the Rancho Santa Margarita Historical Society. And after Rancho Santa Margarita’s long-time master planner, Richard Reese, died in August, numerous documents about the planning of the city were donated in his honor.

“The time has arrived for the city to find a permanent home to share these items with the community,” said City Manager Jennifer Cervantez.

Items the city wishes to display include photos and documents, newspaper clippings, soil samples from the early planning days, iron brands from the original O’Neill family ranch and memorabilia from when the housing tracks were first marketed to the city — just a sliver of what the city has in its possession.

Additionally, city leaders want Reese’s meticulous records and drawings he created while envisioning Rancho Santa Margarita in the late ’90s to be available for public viewing.

Some of these items have already been on display in the City Hall lobby, but city officials have been in conversations for years for a better home for the public to view them.

“This is long overdue,” said Councilmember Bradley McGirr, who added that he wants to ensure Reese’s legacy in the creation of the community is honored through the display.

“I think one of the beautiful things about Rancho Santa Margarita is the little things,” said Mayor Pro Tem Carol Gamble. “The little things that we can do to raise a sense of community. When we can create spaces, places or opportunities for greater connection for the community, we have a more harmonious community and people that care and look out for each other.”

A dedicated space to display Rancho Santa Margarita’s history, Cervantez said, is an opportunity to provide current and future generations with the story of the ranch land and the development of this unique community.

Cervantez said that the city sees this as an opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of the history of the area and become familiarized with early Orange County items of historical significance.

Although still in the early planning stages, Cervantez said the city hopes to use the Bell Tower Regional Community Center located next to City Hall. For the Bell Tower to be an option, dimensions for the displays are needed in addition to a budget.

“My biggest concern is finding a big enough room in the Bell Tower to display all of this,” said McGirr. “We have so much, and it is growing with time.”

Councilmember Anne Figueroa encouraged longtime Rancho Santa Margarita residents to contribute historical items they may have to this already deep collection.

Rancho Santa Margarita was incorporated on Jan. 1, 2000, but before the city became official, the community began to grow in the 1980s. The O’Neill family owned the ranch lands that previously occupied the space starting in 1882, which was operated as a working ranch into the 1940s.

Name: Trent Mosley

School: Santa Margarita

Sport: Football

Year: Sophomore

Noteworthy: He caught 12 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for two touchdowns, had 114 yards in kick return yardage and compiled 351 all-purpose yards in the Eagles’ 50-42 loss to Servite. Mosley (5-10, 180) this season has rushed for 14 touchdowns, has 10 receiving touchdowns and 62 receptions in nine games. He has scholarship offers from several colleges, including Michigan, Notre Dame, Oregon, Stanford, USC and Washington.

(Records through Oct. 22)

1. Mater Dei 35-3: The Monarchs swept Palos Verdes in the first round of pool play in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Huntington Beach 28-6: The Oilers opened Division 1 pool play with a sweep of Alemany. They play at home against Los Alamitos on Tuesday .

Previous ranking: 2

3. Beckman 28-5: The Patriots beat Santa Monica and Marina to advance to the quarterfinals of the Division 3 playoffs.

Previous ranking: 3

4. Los Alamitos 31-6: The Griffins lost to second-seeded Mira Costa in the first round of Division 1 pool play.

Previous ranking: 4

5. JSerra 27-10: The Lions beat Long Beach Millikan and Rancho Cucamonga to advance to the quarterfinals in Division 2.

Previous ranking: 5

6. Orange Lutheran 24-13: The Lancers defeated Etiwanda and Aliso Niguel to reach the Division 2 quarterfinals.

Previous ranking: 6

7. Dana Hills 20-2: The Dolphins beat Cypress and Redlands in the Division 3 playoffs.

Previous ranking: 8

8. Newport Harbor 18-15: The Sailors beat Chaminade and Santa Margarita, last week’s county No. 7 team, in the Division 2 playoffs.

Previous ranking: Not ranked

9. San Clemente 19-13: The Tritons defeated Santiago of Corona, lost to La Canada in the Division 2 playoffs.

Previous ranking: 9

10. Edison 18-12: The Chargers defeated St. Joseph of Lakewood, Vista Murrieta in the Division 2 playoffs.

Others considered: Aliso Niguel 13-13; Canyon 20-3; Capistrano Valley Christian 27-3; Corona del Mar 17-11; Santa Margarita 18-12; Sunny Hills 27-2

Notable this week: Undefeated Tustin breaks into the Top 10 for the first time this season after shutting out Pacifica 49-0. … San Clemente advances from No. 5 last week to No. 3. … Servite moves up to No. 4 after a 50-42 win over Santa Margarita. … Los Alamitos climbs to No. 7 and will face No. 9 Edison this week for the Sunset League championship.

1. Mater Dei 8-1 (75 points)

The Monarchs shook off a shutout loss to St. John Bocsco with an impressive 55-13 win over Orange Lutheran in Trinity League play. Senior running back Ajon Bryant rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns and junior linebacker Nasir Wyatt had three sacks. Mater Dei is likely to be the No. 2 seed in Division 1 of the CIF-SS playoffs.

Previous ranking: 1

2. Orange Lutheran 5-4 (72)

The Lancers had the misfortune of being the team in Mater Dei’s way after the Monarchs lost to St. John Bosco. The Lancers, who play Bosco this week, are in third place in the Trinity League with a 2-2 league record.

Previous ranking: 2

3. San Clemente 8-1 (69)

The Tritons are 2-0 in the four-team South Coast League after last week’s 35-18 win over Capistrano Valley. Senior quarterback Dylan Mills turned in one of his better games, completing 16 of 19 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns, both to junior Cole Herlean.

Previous ranking: 5

4. Servite 5-4 (66)

Junior quarterback Leo Hannan threw for 343 yards and four touchdowns in a 50-42 win over Santa Margarita. Sophomore cornerback Tristin Ordaz had eight solo tackles and broke up two passes. Servite finishes the regular season facing JSerra at Cerritos College on Friday.

Previous ranking: 6

5. Santa Margarita 5-4 (62)

Sophomore Trent Mosley had 351 all-purpose yards, including 221 receiving yards, and made three solo tackles for the Eagles in their 50-42 loss to Servite. They play Mater Dei this week.

Previous ranking: 3

6. JSerra 4-5 (59)

The Lions lost to the No. 1 team in Calpreps’ state rankings, St. John Bosco, 42-20. JSerra is 1-3 in the Trinity League, with the victory against Orange Lutheran. The Lions probably need to beat Servite this week to get into the playoffs.

Previous ranking: 4

7. Los Alamitos 7-2 (57)

The Griffins scored 60 points for a school-record fourth time and for the third week in a row in a 63-13 league win over Huntington Beach. Los Alamitos plays Edison this week at Veterans Stadium in Long Beach to decide the Sunset League title. Both teams are 4-0 in the Sunset League.

Previous ranking: 8

8. Mission Viejo 6-3 (56)

Junior Dijon Lee Jr. scored a touchdown on an interception return and another TD on a pass reception in the Diablos’ 36-0 win over Tesoro in the South Coast League. Zachary Foeldi had two of Mission Viejo’s five interceptions.

Previous ranking: 7

9. Edison 6-3 (50)

The Chargers beat Fountain Valley 56-7 for their 19th consecutive win over the Barons. Junior Julius Gillick rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries, and freshman quarterback Sam Thomson threw three touchdown passes for the Chargers.

Previous ranking: 10

10. Tustin 9-0 (49)

The Tillers are the only undefeated team in Orange County. They beat Pacifica 49-0 last week to improve to 4-0 in the Empire League. Tustin rushed for 331 yards, led by Eimesse Essis, who ran for 112 yards and two touchdowns on six carries. The Tillers are home Friday against Cypress in a game for the Empire League title.

Previous ranking: 11

11. San Juan Hills 8-1 (45)

Previous ranking: 9

12. Newport Harbor 4-5 (41)

Previous ranking: 12

13. Tesoro 5-4 (38)

Previous ranking: 13

14. Villa Park 8-1 (37)

Previous ranking: 16

15. Corona del Mar 4-5 (32)

Previous ranking: 14

16. Yorba Linda 6-3 (30)

Previous ranking: 15

17. Trabuco Hills 6-3 (29)

Previous ranking: 21

18. Cypress 6-3 (22)

Previous ranking: 17

19. Capistrano Valley 7-2 (20)

Previous ranking: 17

20. Western 8-1 (18)

Previous ranking: 19

21. Foothill 6-3 (14)

Previous ranking: 22

22. El Modena 5-4 (14)

Previous ranking: 20

23. El Dorado 4-5 (9)

Previous ranking: 22

24. La Habra 5-4 (6)

Previous ranking: 24

25. Laguna Beach 8-1 (4)

Previous ranking: 25

Also receiving votes: Crean Lutheran 6-3 (1)

About the poll: There are three voters in the weekly poll. Points are awarded for each spot in the poll. Starting with 25 points for a No. 1 ranking.

The Diablos improved to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in league. They lost to San Clemente 20-10 last week in their league opener.

Mission Viejo, No. 7 in the Orange County Top 25, will play at No. 17 Capistrano Valley next Friday, the final week of the regular season and the league finale.

Tesoro (5-4, 1-1), No. 13 in the county rankings, will play at No. 5 San Clemente on Friday, Oct. 27.

CIF Southern Section football playoff brackets will be released Oct. 29.

Mission Viejo would likely play in CIF-SS Division 2. Tesoro, also still in the running for a playoff berth, might be in Division 4 if the Titans get in.

Teams will be placed in playoff divisions at the end of the regular season according to the Calpreps ratings.

It is Mission Viejo’s third shutout of the season. The Diablos blanked Highland 58-0 and Hawaii’s Kamehameha 34-0 in nonleague games last month.

Mission Viejo junior quarterback Draiden Trudeau threw two touchdown passes. Sophomore quarterback Luke Fahey, who shared equal time at the position with Trudeau as they have all season, also threw two touchdown passes.

Diablos junior receiver/cornerback Dijon Lee had a touchdown reception and returned an interception 19 yards for a touchdown. Lee (6-3, 180) has scholarship offers from many schools including Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA and USC.

Mission Viejo sophomore receiver Vance Spafford caught two touchdown passes to give him 11 touchdown receptions this season.

Lee said the Diablos needed Friday’s win after the previous week’s loss to San Clemente.

“We played real hard today,” said Lee who returned an interception for a touchdown against Tesoro last season. “Started off slow but when we came out after halftime and sped it up and scored three touchdowns.”

Diablos sophomore safety Zachary Foeldi had two interceptions in the first half. One was erased by a Mission Viejo penalty. The one that counted led to Michael Salgado-Medina’s 42-yard field goal halfway through the first quarter to give the Diablos a 3-0 lead.

Tesoro had a chance to tie the game four minutes into the second quarter. Titans kicker Lance Guerrero’s 43-yard field goal attempt had the distance but was slightly wide to the right.

On the next play at the Mission Viejo 20-yard line Fahey launched a perfectly-place pass to Spafford who made the catch at the Tesoro 39-yard line. Spafford tried to outrun the Tesoro defender, figured he would not do so, and stopped at the 10-yard line before cutting inside to angle his way into the end zone. The point-after kick attempt was no good, leaving Mission Viejo with the 9-0 lead that the Diablos would take into the second half.

Trudeau connected with Cash Semonza for a 13-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The point-after kick attempt missed, so the Diablos lead was 15-0. Lee scored on his 19-yard interception return – he cut in front of the receiver to snag the ball and a few strides later was in the end zone – early in the fourth quarter for a 22-0 lead.

Lee scored on a 6-yard pass from Trudeau a few minutes later Fahey threw a short pass to Spafford who flashed into the end zone for a touchdown and a 36-0 lead with 1:41 to go.

Mission Viejo’s Jeron Jones and Trey Tolmaire also had interceptions.