High school football rankings: No. 1 Mater Dei among 14 MaxPreps Top 25 teams to kick off this week

The top-ranked team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings kicks off Thursday as No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) hosts No. 8 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) at the Santa Ana Bowl. This will be the debut for Raul Lara as head coach for the Monarchs. On the other sideline, Matt Logan begins his 28th season as head coach for the Huskies and is 14 wins away from 300.

Mater Dei has won five straight meetings between the teams. The last time Centennial beat the Monarchs was in the 2015 CIF Southern Section Pac-5 Division semifinals. 

There are four other MaxPreps Top 25 matchups this week.

No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) makes a trip to the Sunshine State to face No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) on Saturday. The Gaels extended their winning streak to 22 on Friday with a 33-7 win over Kahuku (Hawaii).

No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) travels to No. 18 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) on Thursday. This will be the season opener for IMG while the Utah school rolled to a 70-42 win over American Fork (Utah) last week. Junior quarterback Helamen Casuga completed 18 of 20 passes for 482 yards and 6 touchdowns.

No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) opens its season in Florida against No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) on Saturday.

No. 6 Milton (Ga.) looks to win its second straight game against a MaxPreps Top 25 opponent Friday at No. 20 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.). The Eagles beat No. 21 Buford (Ga.), 13-10.

No. 13 Cocoa (Fla.), No. 14 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), No. 15 Central (Miami), No. 22 Central (Phenix City, Ala.), No. 23 Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.), No. 24 Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) and No. 25 Folsom (Calif.) also get started this week. MaxPreps Top 25 football rankings

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 1

Last week: Idle

This week: Thursday vs. No. 8 Centennial (Corona)

Record: 1-0 | Last week: 2

Last week: Beat Kahuku (Hawaii) 33-7

This week: Saturday at No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 3

Last week: Idle

This week: Thursday at No. 18 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 4

Last week: Idle

This week: Saturday vs. No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 5

Season opener: Aug. 31 vs. Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.)

Record: 1-0 | Last week: 6

Last week: Beat Buford 13-10

This week: Friday at No. 20 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 7

Season opener: Sept. 6 at South Oak Cliff (Dallas)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 8

Last week: Idle

This week: Thursday at No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 9

Last week: Idle

This week: Saturday vs. No. 4 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 10

Season opener: Aug. 30 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 11

Last week: Idle

This week: Saturday vs. No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Record: 1-0 | Last week: 12

Last week: Beat Woodward Academy (College Park) 24-14

This week: Friday vs. Columbia (Decatur)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 13

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. Titusville

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 14

Last week: Idle

This week: Saturday at Central Catholic (Pittsburgh)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 15

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. Lakeland

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 16

Record: 1-0 | Last week: 17

Last week: Beat Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii) 30-7

This week: Friday at JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capsitrano)

Record: 1-0 | Last week: 18

Last week: Beat American Fork 70-42

This week: Thursday vs. No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 19

Season opener: Aug. 29 vs. No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 20

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. No. 6 Milton (Ga.)

Record: 0-1 | Last week: 21

Last week: Lost 13-10 vs. No. 6 Milton

This week: Friday vs. Benedictine (Savannah)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 22

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. Pinson Valley (Pinson)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 23

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday at Clearwater Central Catholic (Clearwater)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 24

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday at Serra (Gardena)

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 25

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. Long Beach Poly (Long Beach)