Top 10 high school football teams of the last decade

By Zack Poff Jan 3, 2020, 10:02am

Mater Dei's 2017 squad was tops in 2010s as California, Texas each place three teams among 10 best.

Video: Top 10 high school football teams over last decade
California and Texas both have the most teams selected with three each.

All week, we've been rewinding the decade, looking back at the best high school teams, performances and coaches. Earlier, we spotlighted the best teams from each sport and now break out an expanded look at the Top 10 high school football teams of the 2010s.

There are some impressive squads on the list and some big-time programs that just missed the cut. All can make a case for their spot on the list.

California and Texas each place three teams on the list as Florida grabs two spots while Nevada and New Jersey round out the list.



St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) is the only school featured twice. The Braves are the only one-loss team to make the cut, but their strength of schedule was one of the best over the last 10 years and its win over Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) went a long way.

Strength of schedule was a key factor in selecting the teams. There are three teams from 2013 and 2016 is the only other year with more than one school featured.

Top 10 high school football teams over the last decade
Graphic by Ryan Escobar
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 2017
Head coach: Bruce Rollinson
Record: 15-0
Biggest win: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 35-21
Most impressive stat: Never trailed at any point during the season with notable wins over St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) (twice), De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) and Mission Viejo (Calif.).

Head coach: Kenny Sanchez
Record: 15-0
Biggest win: St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 25-24 (3OT)
Most impressive stat: Average margin of victory was 44.3 points per game with notable wins over Cedar Hill (Texas), St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), Cocoa (Fla.), Kahuku (Hawaii) and Liberty (Henderson, Nev.).

Head coach: Tim Harris
Record: 14-0
Biggest win: Miami Central (Fla.), 28-17
Most impressive stat: Won every game by double-digits with notable wins over Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Norcross (Ga.), Cocoa (Fla.) and Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.).
Key players: Treon Harris, QB; Mark Walton, RB; Chad Thomas, DE

Head coach: Greg Toal
Record: 11-0
Biggest win: Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.), 22-16
Most impressive stat: Went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team with notable wins over Mission Viejo (Calif.), St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) (twice) and St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)
Key players: Jabrill Peppers, ATH; Leonte Carroo, WR; Darius Hamilton, DE; Yuri Wright, CB



5. Allen (Texas), 2013
Head coach: Tom Westerberg
Record: 16-0
Biggest win: DeSoto (Texas), 42-35
Most impressive stat: Averaged over 50 points per game with notable wins over Cedar Hill (Texas), Southlake Carroll (Texas), Coppell (Texas), Hebron (Carrollton, Texas), Westfield (Houston) and Pearland (Texas)
Key players: Kyler Murray, QB; Greg Little, OT; Tay Evans, LB; Jalen Guyton, WR; Bobby Evans, OT; Christian Sam, LB

Head coach: Kevin Wright
Record: 11-0
Biggest win: Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 26-7
Most impressive stat: Shutout five opponents and won all but one game by double-digits. Notable wins over Centennial (Corona, Calif.), St. John's (Washington, D.C.), Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.), Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.), Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.), Catholic (Virginia Beach, Va.) and St. Frances Academy (Baltimore).

Head coach: Jason Negro
Record: 16-0
Biggest win: De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 20-14
Most impressive stat: Snapped De La Salle's 40-game winning streak to win the school's first CIF state title with notable wins over Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (twice), Chandler (Ariz.) and Centennial (Corona, Calif.).
Key players: Josh Rosen, QB; Sean McGrew, RB; Damien Mama, OT; Shay Fields, WR; Jaleel Wadood, ATH

8. Katy (Texas), 2015
Head coach: Gary Joseph
Record: 16-0
Biggest win: Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 34-7
Most impressive stat: Posted 10 shutouts and outscored the opposition 778-62. Notable wins over Cibolo Steele (Texas), Manvel (Texas) and The Woodlands (Texas)

Head coach: Jon Kay
Record: 16-0
Biggest win: Duncanville (Texas), 41-36
Most impressive stat: Won 15 of 16 games by double digits with notable wins over Katy (Texas) (twice), Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), Cy-Fair (Texas), Westfield (Houston), West Brook (Beaumont, Texas) and Dickinson (Texas)

Head coach: Jason Negro
Record: 13-1
Biggest win: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 39-34
Most impressive stat: Had one of the toughest schedules and avenged only loss against Mater Dei in CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship. Notable wins over Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), Centennial (Corona, Calif.), DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), Liberty (Henderson, Nev.), Mililani (Hawaii), Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and Calabasas (Calif.)