MaxPreps Top 25 high school football scores: East St. Louis hands No. 20 St. Frances Academy third straight loss with 13-7 win

No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and No. 6 Central (Miami, Fla.) was listed as our No. 2 high school football game of the 2023 season and it more than lived up to the hype. In a back-and-forth contest the Gaels pulled out a 39-35 win to improve to 3-0. Four-star Miami commit Elija Lofton scored the game-winning touchdown with 24-seconds remaining. It was his fourth TD of the night. 

The Gaels entered halftime with a 21-14 lead but the Rockets scored on their opening possession of the third quarter to tie it up 21-21 after a 3-yard touchdown run from JC Evans. Bishop Gorman responded as Micah Alejado found Brandon Gaea for an 11-yard score to take a 27-21 lead midway through the third.

Miami Central answered late in the third after an Evans touchdown pass to take a 28-27 lead going into the fourth quarter. Alejado led the Gaels on another touchdown drive connecting with Lofton for a 37-yard score to take a 33-28 lead with just over 11 minutes left. Antonio Smith, who started the game for Miami Central, led the Rockets down the field and found Jayden Ford for a 14-yard touchdown to take a 35-33 lead halfway through the final frame.

The Rockets defense forced a fumble on the Gaels' ensuing drive but Bishop Gorman's defense was able to get the ball back after a long field goal attempt was missed. With 1:31 remaining and the ball on their own 20, Alejado led the Las Vegas power down the field, and Lofton capped the drive off with the game-winning score. 

East St. Louis (Ill.) handed No. 20 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) its third consecutive loss to begin the season with a 13-7 victory. The Flyers stuffed the Panthers on fourth down to secure the win in the final two minutes. St. Frances Academy travels to Southern California next Friday to face No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). The Braves improved to 3-0 with a 48-12 win over Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington, D.C.).

Butler (Matthews, N.C.) pulled off the biggest upset of the weekend taking down No. 9 Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.) 30-27. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 17-0 lead and were able to hold off the defending AAAAAA state champs. The Panthers got the ball back with just over four minutes remaining trailing 30-27 but Air Noland threw an interception. Butler was able to pick up a couple first downs to run the clock out.

Another big upset this week went down in Arizona as Highland (Gilbert) beat No. 19 Basha (Chandler) 22-21. Kody Cullimore punched in the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds to knock off the defending Open Division state champs.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) improved to 3-0 with a dominant 62-0 win over Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.). Senior quarterback Elijah Brown threw for 372 yards and seven touchdowns, both career highs. The Monarchs are now 14-0 against out-of-state opponents since 2017 and it was their first time playing a team from Georgia.

Husan Longstreet led No. 14 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) to a wild 50-43 win over Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii) in one of the best games of the weekend. The Huskies erased a 28-14 second half deficit and took a 35-28 lead midway through the third quarter. The second-ranked team from Hawaii would respond and took a 43-42 lead with 54-seconds remaining. Longstreet led the Huskies down the field and connected with Jason Harris Jr. for a 19-yard touchdown with :07 left. They added a two-point conversion to pull out the 50-43 win. The Huskies travel outside of California for the first time in school history next week and play at No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) erased a 28-17 deficit and took down No. 23 Mission Viejo (Calif.) 33-28. Sophomore wide receiver Kamarie Smith caught the game-winning score in the final minute and finished the night with 251 yards and three touchdowns.

No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) improved to 2-0 with a 41-4 win over Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). The Chiefs posted two safeties in the first quarter but the Lions responded by scoring the game's next 41 points.

Dylan Raiola had a big night for No. 5 Buford (Ga.) as they dominated in the second half cruising to a 45-28 win against North Cobb (Kennesaw, Ga.). The top-rated player in the Class of 2024 completed 12 of 16 passes for 284 yards and three touchdowns. The Wolves outscored the Warriors 21-7 in the final 24 minutes.

Julian Lewis led No. 18 Carrollton (Ga.) to a 33-13 win at Rome (Ga.). The top-rated recruit in the Class of 2026 completed 17 of 24 passes for 179 yards and four touchdowns. Alabama-bound tight end Caleb Odom had 104 yards receiving and two scores. Sophomore running back Kimauri Farmer had 30 carries for 198 yards to go with two receiving touchdowns. 

• • 0
    Creekside
  • 62
    Mater Dei

  9/02 Final

• • 35
    Central
  • 39
    Bishop Gorman

  9/01 Final

Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network | LISTEN LIVE

• • 12
    Friendship Collegiate Academy
  • 48
    St. John Bosco

  9/01 Final

• • 45
    Buford
  • 28
    North Cobb

  9/01 Final

• • 41
    Chaminade-Madonna
  • 4
    Cardinal Gibbons

  9/01 Final

• • 0
    Rockledge
  • 44
    Duncanville

  9/02 Final

• • 30
    Butler
  • 27
    Langston Hughes

  9/02 Final

• • 0
    Spring
  • 53
    North Shore

  9/01 Final

• • 14
    Rock Creek Christian Academy
  • 42
    St. Edward

  9/02 Final

• • 0
    Fort Myers
  • 49
    St. Thomas Aquinas

  9/01 Final

• • 0
    St. Peter's Prep
  • 42
    St. Joseph's Prep

  9/02 Final

• • 43
    Punahou
  • 50
    Centennial

  9/02 Final

• • 40
    Colquitt County
  • 2
    Tift County

  9/01 Final

• • 14
    Trinity Christian Academy
  • 27
    American Heritage

  9/01 Final

• • 33
    Carrollton
  • 13
    Rome

  9/01 Final

• • 22
    Highland
  • 21
    Basha

  9/01 Final

• • 7
    St. Frances Academy
  • 13
    East St. Louis

  9/02 Final

• • 7
    Iona Prep
  • 38
    Bergen Catholic

  9/02 Final

• • 28
    Mission Viejo
  • 32
    Long Beach Poly

  9/01 Final

• • 7
    Stevenson
  • 56
    Belleville

  8/31 Final

• • 0
    Killian
  • 38
    Columbus

  8/31 Final