MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings

Video: St. John Bosco wins section title
Zack Poff breaks down what's next for the Braves.

There might not be anything better in high school sports than football in December.

Bishop Gorman, the No. 1 team in the country, scored 84 points against a very good Liberty team in the Nevada 4A state championship. The 78-point win and the Mater Dei loss all but clinched the top spot for head coach Kenny Sanchez and the Gaels.

Speaking of Mater Dei, St. John Bosco got some revenge on the Monarchs as they claimed the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title with a 42-28 win. Re-al Mitchell has emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the state and when he is playing well they are capable of beating anyone in the country. Mitchell, Terrance Beasley and Demetrious Flowers all rushed for over 100 yards and the main reason why was because they ran behind 5-star offensive lineman Wyatt Davis.

In the Alabama 7A state championship game, Hoover snapped McGill-Toolen's 22-game winning streak with a 17-7 victory. It was Hoover's 12th state title in school history and fourth since 2012.



The Buccaneers are one of four new teams to join this weeks Top 25 after five ranked teams lost last weekend.

1. (1 last week) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 15-0
For the eighth consecutive year, the Bishop Gorman Gaels won the state championship. It was 35-0 before the second quarter began and the Gaels rolled to a 84-8 victory to increase their winning streak to 54 games. Tate Martell had another stellar performance, completing 7-of-8 passes for 139 yards and two scores and also rushed for nearly 100 yards and three more touchdowns. Martell played one snap in the second half then came out to a standing ovation, ending his Bishop Gorman career 43-0. Martell, along with the other seniors, had one of the best runs in Gorman history and you could make a strong case this years team was the best one ever.

2. (2) IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 11-0
Season complete.

3. (4) DeSoto (Texas), 14-0
The DeSoto Eagles high-powered attack was back at it again as they beat Cedar Hill (Texas) 55-41 to advance to the 6A-D2 UIL Texas state semifinals. Even though they gave up 41 points, the defense made some key goal line stops that proved to be the difference. But their 4-star quarterback Shawn Robinson was the difference-maker. The 2017 TCU pledge threw for 300-plus yards and eclipsed the century mark on the ground to go with six total touchdowns. 2017 Colorado commit Laviska Shenault Jr. had a big-time game, hauling in seven receptions for 183 yards and one score. Up next for the Eagles is a 13-1 Klein Collins team which has won 12 in a row and its only loss came in double overtime to Katy.
Next game: Saturday vs. Klein Collins in the 6A-D2 UIL Texas state semifinals

4. (5) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 13-1
Grayson is playing as well as anyone in the country right now. They have won 13-games in a row since dropping the season opener to No. 2 IMG Academy and 12 of those 13 wins have come by double-digits. They beat previously ranked, Mill Creek, 44-26, to advance to the Georgia 7A state championship game. Chase Brice, a 2017 Clemson commit, threw for nearly 300 yards and four scores. Grayson now gets Roswell, the team that knocked them out in the semifinals last year, and there probably isn't anyone else the Rams would rather face. Grayson is trying to win its first state championship since 2011.
Next game: Saturday vs. No. 10 Roswell in the Georgia 7A state championship

5. (8) St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 12-2
St. John Bosco just won arguably the toughest playoff bracket in all of high school football, the CIF Southern Section Division 1 tournament. The Braves beat Upland, Santa Margarita, Corona Centennial and Mater Dei to claim their first section title since 2013. Anytime you beat Centennial and Mater Dei in back-to-back weeks you are playing great football. They were in control for the final three quarters against the Monarchs and left Anaheim with a 42-28 win. The Braves are one win away from claiming their second CIF Open Division title in school history. They snapped De La Salle's 40-game winning streak back in 2013 and they will have a good chance to make it two-for-two against the Spartans.
Next game: Dec. 17 vs. De La Salle in the CIF Open Division championship



6. (6) DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 13-0
Season complete.

7. (7) Allen (Texas), 14-0
The Allen Eagles are back in familiar territory as they clinched a spot in the UIL Texas state semifinals for the fifth consecutive year. They rolled to a 42-23 win over Duncanville and the backfield duo of Brock Sturges and Kirby Bennett has been big time this year. Bennett rushed for a game-high 136 yards and Sturges wasn't far behind with 130. They also combined for four scores.
Next game: Saturday vs. No. 24 The Woodlands in the 6A-D1 UIL Texas semifinals

8. (9) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 11-2
The preseason No. 1 team has been playing like it over the past two months. They've won eight in a row and earned a spot in the Florida 7A state championship after dominating a very good Venice (Fla.) team in the semifinals. They rolled to a 46-8 win and over their last eight games they have outscored the opposition 346-52. The Raiders are trying to do something no team from Broward County has ever done -- win three consecutive state championships. The only thing standing in their way is a 13-0 Plant team which comes in playing as well as anyone in the state.
Next game: Friday vs. Plant in the Florida 7A state championship

9. (3) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 13-1
Mater Dei was one win away from competing in its first CIF state title game, but St. John Bosco crashed the party and handed the Monarchs their first loss of the season. It was still a great year for Bruce Rollinson and Mater Dei as they won the Trinity league and were one win away from claiming the section title. J.T. Daniels had one of the best seasons in all of high school football. He finished his sophomore season with nearly 5,000 yards passing and 67 touchdowns.

10. (10) Roswell (Ga.), 14-0
Roswell continues to show it has one of the best defenses in the country. They shutout Westlake, 28-0, to clinch a spot in the state final for the second consecutive season. In 13 of 14 games, the Hornets defense has held the opposition to 14 points or less and enter Saturday's Georgia 7A state championship game allowing an average of 8.2 points per game. Roswell beat Grayson 30-26 in last season's semifinals with a Hail Mary touchdown with 10 seconds remaining. Roswell is trying to do something they haven't since 2006, namely win it all. It would be the Hornet's fourth state title.
Next game: Saturday vs. No. 4 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) in the Georgia 7A state championship

11. (11) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 13-0
Another week and another win for Patrick Surtain and American Heritage. They took down Jesuit 21-14 in the Florida 5A semifinals and the final score doesn't indicate how much American Heritage was in control. The Patriots were up 21-0 in the second half and Jesuit cut the deficit to 21-14 with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter but American Heritage recovered an onside kick to ice the game. The Patriots 3-star athlete Miles Jones was unstoppable, leading the team in rushing (101) and receiving (107) while scoring two touchdowns. Heritage is one win away from winning its first state title since 2014.
Next game: Friday vs. Ponte Verda (Fla.) in the Florida 5A state championship



12. (16) Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 13-1
Lake Travis keeps moving up in the Top 25 because it keeps rolling through a new opponent every single week. They have now won 13 in a row -- the last 12 by at least 19-points. They beat Westlake 51-3 for the 10th straight time and clinched a spot in the 6A-D1 UIL Texas state semifinals. Lake Travis has outscored the opposition 639-83 over its past 12 games and it's safe to say the Cavaliers are playing as well as anyone in the country.
Next game: Saturday vs. Atascocita (Humble, Texas) in the 6A-D1 UIL Texas state semifinals

13. (12) Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 14-0
Season complete.

14. (13) Cass Tech (Detroit), 14-0
Season complete.

15. (15) Centennial (Corona, Calif.), 11-2
Season complete.

16. (17) Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 14-0
Season complete.

17. (18) Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), 15-0
Trinity just completed one of its best seasons in school history, and that's saying something. The Shamrocks beat Lafayette 56-21 to claim their 24th state title, which is now the most for any school in Kentucky high school football history. The win was also gave Bob Beatty his 12th state title as head coach of Trinity, which is the most by any coach in state history. Spencer Blackburn and Jovan Smith finshed their high school careers with big-time performances. Blackburn threw for 222 yards and rushed for another 110 yards to go with six total touchdowns, and Smith rushed for 100 yards and two scores.



18. (20) St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), 13-0
The Philly power advances to the Pennsylvania 6A state championship game after hanging on for a 35-25 win over previously unbeaten North Penn. D'Andre Swift, a 2017 Georgia commit, had another monster game rushing for nearly 300 yards and four scores. He has rushed for 590 yards and six touchdowns in his last two games. Swift and St. Joseph's Prep are aiming for their third state title in four years, but have to get by Pittsburgh power Central Catholic, a team that has won 14 in a row since dropping its season opener to St. John's (Washington, D.C.).
Next game: Saturday vs. Central Catholic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) in the Pennsylvania 6A state final

19. (21) Chandler (Ariz.), 12-2
Season complete.

20. (22) East (Salt Lake City), 14-0
Season complete.

21. (24) South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.), 12-1
South Pointe came out of halftime in a scoreless game against Belton-Honea Path but that changed quickly. In a seven-minute span, South Pointe erupted for 35 points and cruised to a 35-7 win to advance to the South Carolina 4A state semifinals. It was the 13th consecutive playoff win for the Stallions and they are two wins away from making it three straight state championships.
Next game: Friday vs. South Aiken (Aiken, S.C.) in the 4A state semifinals

22. (NR) Hoover (Ala.), 12-2
Hoover makes its second appearance in the Xcellent 25 and this time they are here to stay. They snapped McGill-Toolen's 22-game winning streak with a 17-7 win in the Alabama 7A state championship game. The defense was the story once again for Hoover as it finished the night with eight sacks and limited one of the best offenses in the state to seven points. Hoover allowed more than 14 points in two games all season and those were the two games it lost. Those two losses came against No. 4 Grayson and No. 7 Allen, two teams still playing in December.

23. (NR) Steele (Cibolo, Texas), 13-1
Just like Hoover, Steele makes its second appearance in the Top 25 rankings. The last time, the Knights were ranked they lost in double overtime to Lake Travis, 59-56. Steele hasn't lost since and has won 12 in a row, including a dominant 38-7 win over Churchill to clinch a spot in the 6A-D2 UIL Texas semifinals. A name to remember for the Knights is 4-star defensive back Caden Sterns, the 2018 LSU pledge checks in as the No. 4 safety and No. 5 recruit from Texas among the 2018 class on 247sports player composite rankings.
Next game: Saturday vs. Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas) in the 6A-D2 UIL Texas semifinals



24. (NR) The Woodlands (Texas), 14-0
The Woodlands makes it five teams from the Lone Star state in the Top 25. The Highlanders clinched a spot in the semifinals for the first time since 2003 with a 41-18 win against Round Rock. The Highlanders have been playing great football in 2016, winning every game but one by double-digits. They will get a chance to prove if they are among the elite teams in Texas this weekend when they line up against Allen with a spot in the state championship up for grabs.
Next game: Saturday vs. No. 7 Allen in the 6A-D1 UIL Texas state semifinals

25. (NR) Cocoa (Fla.), 11-1
Idle.
Next game: Thursday vs. Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.) in the Florida 4A state championship

Bubble Teams

Union (Tulsa, Okla.), 11-2
Union made a big jump in this week's rankings going from around No. 50 in the country to the first team outside of the Top 25 after winning the Oklahoma 6A-I state championship against Norman North. Union avenged both losses this season as they beat Jenks in the semifinals and Norman North in the finals. It was the Redskins' ninth state title in school history and first since 2011.

St. Xavier (Cincinnati), 10-5
Despite having five losses this season, the Bombers have earned a spot just outside of the Top 25. They just won one of the toughest playoff brackets in the country, the Ohio Division 1 tournament, with a 27-20 double overtime win against St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio). St. X made sure its run to a third state title was a rollercoaster ride. The Bombers won their last four games in come-from-behind fashion as they trailed in the fourth quarter of all four. They also became the first team from the Ohio High School Athletic Association to win a state title despite having five losses.

St. Louis (Honolulu), 10-1
Season complete.



Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.), 13-1
This might have been the best Mill Creek team in school history and it was close to winning its first state title. But they ran into one of the best teams in the country, Grayson, and couldn't erase a 38-7 first half deficit. They fought hard and made it a two-score game in the fourth quarter, but the deficit was too much as they lost 44-26 in the Georgia 7A state semifinals.

Plant (Tampa, Fla.), 13-0
Plant clinched a spot in the Florida 7A state championship game with a 27-19 win over Lee to improve to 13-0 on the season. The reward for that is the back-to-back 7A state champs, No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas. The two losses for Aquinas this year came against teams with dual-threat quarterbacks and Plant has one of the best in the state in Dane Frantzen. He has thrown 2,000-plus yards and 28 touchdowns and he leads the team with 1,323 yards rushing and 18 scores. This will be the sixth state championship game for Plant and first since 2011. They are 5-1 all-time -- the only loss was to St. Thomas Aquinas back in 2010.
Next game: Friday vs. No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in the Florida 7A state championship