Defending national champion Mater Dei headlines preseason MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings

Monarchs bring back plenty of talent led by Mark Bowman, Kodi Greene, Tomuhini Topui, Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt.

Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 Football Rankings | 2025 Season 238,286 views 1:14

For the sixth time since 2017, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) begins the season as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings. The Monarchs are coming off a 13-0 campaign and Open Division state title, their fifth over the last eight years. 

Mater Dei, which has won 74 of its last 77 games dating back 2018, went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the country in 2024 with eight wins over teams that finished ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25.

Raul Lara enters his second season as head coach and will have plenty of talent. Transfer Ryan Hopkins takes over at quarterback with a plethora of weapons to throw to led by Chris Henry Jr., Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Gavin Honore and five-star tight end Mark Bowman.

Kodi Greene, Lex Mailangi and Joe Hamby anchor an offensive line that wouldn't look out of place at the college level.

The Monarchs are loaded on all three levels defensively behind Tomuhini Topui, Shaun Scott, Aaryn Washington, Ace Leutele, C.J. Lavender, Danny Lang and Ezekiel Su'a.

Mater Dei is joined by five other teams from California in the initial MaxPreps Top 25. St. John Bosco (Bellflower), Centennial (Corona), Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), Mission Viejo and Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) all begin the season nationally-ranked. 

Florida (5), Georgia (3) and Texas (3) all have multiple teams in the rankings. Alabama, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina and Utah all have one. 

Read on for a complete look at the preseason MaxPreps Top 25. Click on school names for team previews.

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Head coach: Raul Lara

2024 record: 13-0 | Final ranking: No. 1

2. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Head coach: Jason Negro

2024 record: 11-2 | Final ranking: No. 5

3. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)

Head coach: Brent Browner

2024 record: 11-1 | Final ranking: No. 4

4. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.)

Head coach: Santavious Bryant

2024 record: 14-1 | Final ranking: No. 7

5. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)

Head coach: Messay Hailemariam

2024 record: 8-3 | Final ranking: No. 8

6. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Head coach: Greg Studrawa

2024 record: 7-2 | Final ranking: No. 17

7. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

Head coach: Dameon Jones

2024 record: 13-2 | Final ranking: No. 11

8. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Head coach: Mike Smith

2024 record: 12-2 | Final ranking: No. 20

9. Duncanville (Texas)

Head coach: Reginald Samples

2024 record: 13-1 | Final ranking: No. 6

10. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Head coach: Roger Harriott

2024 record: 12-3 | Final ranking: No. 23

11. Northwestern (Miami, Fla.)

Head coach: Teddy Bridgewater

2024 record: 12-2 | Final ranking: N/A

12. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)

Head coach: Matt Logan

2024 record: 9-3 | Final ranking: No. 14

13. Buford (Ga.)

Head coach: Bryant Appling

2024 record: 12-2 | Final ranking: No. 12

14. Mission Viejo (Calif.)

Head coach: Chad Johnson

2024 record: 10-1 | Final ranking: No. 16 

15. Edna Karr (New Orleans, La.)

Head coach: Brice Brown

2024 record: 14-0 | Final ranking: No. 25

16. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)

Head coach: Carson Palmer

2024 record: 5-7 | Final ranking: N/A

17. Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.)

Head coach: Darryl Brown

2024 record: 16-0 | Final ranking: No. 21

18. North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas)

Head coach: Ray Gates

2024 record: 16-0 | Final ranking: No. 3

19. Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)

Head coach: Eric Kjar

2024 record: 13-1 | Final ranking: No. 15

20. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)

Head coach: Vito Campanile

2024 record: 11-1 | Final ranking: No. 19

21. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)

Head coach: Jon Ellinghouse

2024 record: 8-4 | Final ranking: N/A

22. Milton (Ga.)

Head coach: Ben Reaves

2024 record: 15-0 | Final ranking: No. 2

23. Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.)

Head coach: Marvin Rushing

2024 record: 12-2 | Final ranking: N/A

24. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)

Head coach: Mark Freeman

2024 record: 11-3 | Final ranking: N/A

25. North Shore (Houston, Texas)

Head coach: Willie Gaston

2024 record: 14-1 | Final ranking: N/A