St. Francis Checks in at No. 3 in Star-News' Preseason Football Top 10

Nothing generates conversation quite like preseason top 10 lists, and Tuesday the Pasadena Star-News gave everyone a sneak peak with who it views as the top five teams in the West San Gabriel Valley (the full top 10 won't be available to the public until the end of August when the Star-News' PrepXtra Magazine prints).

St. Francis fans will be happy to see the Golden Knights ranked No. 3 behind Monrovia and Arcadia and ahead of Muir in the preseason rankings.

Here's what the Star-News had to see about coach Jim Bonds' squad:

The Knights are always loaded, aren't they. Travis Talianko is the guy to keep your eye on. Talianko is a two-time Star-News first-team All-Area kid at wide receiver. The defense figures to be much improved this season with a year under its belt. Joey Dowling and Luke Anderson return at linebacker and Parker Nieves also has experience in the secondary. Watch out.

St. Francis will have an early opportunity to cement itself near the top of the rankings when it visits Arcadia in a Week 1 matchup Sept. 9. If junior transfer quarterback Jared Lebowitz is able to overcome the jitters of his first game as a Golden Knight and lead his team to a win, St. Francis could be on its way to a banner season.