High school football: Best team from all 50 states entering the 2024 season

By Zack Poff Jul 17, 2024, 10:00am

From Maine to Hawaii and everywhere in between, find out who got the nod in your state.

Preseason No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) headlines our look at the best high school football team in every state entering the 2024 campaign. The Monarchs begin the season at the top of the rankings for the fifth time in the last eight years. The defending Open Division state champions are the only team in the country that has finished ranked in the top five every year since 2017.

No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), No. 5 DeSoto (Texas) and No. 6 Milton (Ga.) represent high school football's three other power states.

Other notable selections include No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), the defending MaxPreps National Champs. The Gaels face one of the toughest non-league schedules with matchups against No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), No. 24 Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) and  Kahuku (Hawaii).

No. 22 Central (Phenix City, Ala.), the defending Class 7A state champions, represent the Yellowhammer State. Patrick Nix, the father of the Bo Nix, has gone 110-31 during 11 years coaching in Alabama with three state championships.



Other MaxPreps Top 25 representing their state are No. 14 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.), No. 16 St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia), No. 18 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) and No. 19 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.).
Alabama — Central (Phenix City)
Defending 7A state champs are the only nationally-ranked team from Yellowhammer State.

Alaska — Soldotna
Won its ninth state title since 2012 last season, running the table with an 11-0 record last year.

Arizona — Liberty (Peoria)
The Lions have to replace star quarterback Navi Bruzon but the defending Open Division state champs will still be in the mix to repeat.

Arkansas — Greenwood
Defending Class 6A state champs return plenty of key pieces led by all-state selections Cash Archer and Kane Archer.

California — Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Monarchs begin season ranked No. 1 for the fifth time since 2017.

Bruins have gone 60-5 over last five years and won four Class 5A state titles.



Went undefeated last season and bring back the top recruit in the state in 2025 Notre Dame commit Will Black.

Defending 3A state champs have to replace 2023 MaxPreps Delaware Player of the Year B.J. Alleyne but bring back plenty of talent led by Robbie Johnson Jr., L.J. Smith and Ya'Heem Smith.

District of Columbia — St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Cadets have been one of the top programs over last decade with three WCAC titles since 2017.

Ascenders have over 25 players rated as a three-star recruit or higher on 247Sports and begin season ranked at No. 3 in MaxPreps Top 25.

Georgia — Milton
Defending 7A state champs are loaded this season led by Ethan Barbour, Luke Nickel and C.J. Wiley.

Hawaii — Kahuku
Red Raiders have won three consecutive Open Division state titles, going 33-1 against in-state opponents since 2021.



Idaho — Coeur d'Alene
Last year's Class 5A state runner-up brings back plenty of talent led by Jayson Cady, Kolbe Coey, Carter Hanson, Caden Symons and Kai Wheeler.

Back-to-back Class 8A state champs have gone 45-2 over last four years.

Alijah Price, Isaiah Rogers, Isaac White, Isaiah White and Mark Zackery IV are all back for defending Class 6A state champs.

With only two losses in their previous three seasons, the Rams are pursuing their fourth consecutive 5A state crown.

Senior quarterback Bravin Powell headlines players returning after leading Trailblazers to first state title in 2023.

Rebels have won four straight 4A state titles and are riding a 20-game win streak.



Louisiana — Ruston
Won first state championship since 1990 after going 14-0 last season.

Back-to-back Class C state champs have gone 23-0 over last two seasons.

Byron Baldwin, Bryce Deas, Jireh Edwards, Damon Hall Jr., Tristan Sabb and Blake Woodby lead the way for No. 14 team in MaxPreps Top 25.

Massachusetts — Central (Springfield)
Mattias Barbour, Ja'Cyion Cox, Dwayne Early Jr., Dominic Rijos and Jareth Staine headline talent for Golden Eagles.

Michigan — Belleville
Top-rated prospect Bryce Underwood looks to lead Tigers to third Division 1 crown since 2021.

Minnesota — Chanhassen
Won first state title last season after going 13-0, winning by an average margin of 15.7 points per game.



Mississippi — Oak Grove (Hattiesburg)
Defending 7A state champs have to replace some key players but return plenty of talent led by Kylin Champagne, Malachi Henderson, Kesler Jenkins, Anson Lewis Jr., Andrew Maddox and Deven Robertson.

Quincy Byas, Titan Davis, Dillon Duff, Jason King and Liam Russo among notable returners after going 10-2 last season.

Three-time defending Class B state champs have gone 36-2 since 2021.

Class A semifinalist bring back a ton of talent headlined by Amarion Jackson, Isaac Jensen, Chase Loftin, Jett Thomalla and London Von Seggern.

Second-ranked Gaels have won 13 state titles since 2009.

New Hampshire — Bedford
Back-to-back Division 1 state champs have won 15 consecutive games heading into 2024 season.



The Crusaders have won three straight Non-Public A state titles and finished ranked in MaxPreps Top 25 in each of the last three seasons.

New Mexico — La Cueva (Albuquerque)
Reigning 6A state champs return 2023 MaxPreps New Mexico Player of the Year Cameron Dyer at quarterback after accounting for 3,761 yards of total offense (2,402 passing, 1,359 rushing) and 46 touchdowns.

Last year's MaxPreps New York Player of the Year Rich Belin is back under center after accounting for 4,463 yards of total offense (3,112 passing, 1,351 rushing) and 49 touchdowns.

North Carolina — Providence Day (Charlotte)
Top-rated offensive tackle David Sanders Jr. leads the way for loaded roster as they go for a fourth consecutive NCISAA Division I title.

North Dakota — Kindred
Two-way standout Jake Starcevic is back after leading Vikings to undefeated season and Division A state championship.

Ohio — Massillon
Defending Division II state champs have to replace some key pieces but still return plenty of talent led by Jacques Carter, Demari Clemons, Nolan Davenport, JaMeir Gamble, Tyler Hackenbracht, Vito McConnell and Braylyn Toles.



Oklahoma — Bixby
In pursuit of a seventh consecutive state championship, the Spartans are 74-2 over the previous six seasons.

Rams have won two Class 6A state titles and gone 37-2 over the last three years.

Back-to-back Class 6A state champs have only lost twice over the past two seasons and those have come against heavyweights IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).

Won its 18th state title and 12th since 2010 last season.

South Carolina — Dutch Fork (Irmo)
Tom Knotts has led Silver Foxes to eight state crowns and 165 wins since taking over as head coach in 2010.

South Dakota — Lincoln (Sioux Falls)
Defending Class 11AAA state champs are coming off 12-0 season, winning by an average margin of 37.1 points per game.



Tennessee — Baylor (Chattanooga)
Division II Class AAA runner-up brings back plenty of talent led by Jimmy Bryson, Joakim Dodson, Joel Lowenberg, Shekai Mills-Knight, Gabriel Osenda and Cameron Sparks.

Texas — DeSoto
Back-to-back Class 6A Division 2 state champs are riding 22-game win streak and begin the season ranked No. 5 in MaxPreps Top 25.

Entering his eighth season as head coach, Eric Kjar is 87-7 with four state titles during his tenure.

Defending Division I champs have won four state titles since 2015.

Virginia — Maury (Norfolk)
LeBron Bond, Leon Clark, Kendall Daniels Jr., Au'tori Newkirk, Carlton Smith and Ari Watford headline talent for defending Class 5 state champs.

Washington — Lake Stevens
Back-to-back Class 4A state champs are 25-1 against in-state opponents over last two years.



West Virginia — Martinsburg
Bulldogs won their 10th state title since 2010 last season.

Wisconsin — Franklin
Joey Kallay is back under center after leading Sabers to 13-1 record in 2023.

Braves go for third consecutive 3A state championship this season.

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