MaxPreps Playoff Pulse goes live with quad box coverage of the California Southern Section Division 1 playoffs — the toughest bracket in America

Zack Poff will provide live look-ins and analysis for all four quarterfinal games Friday night.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Thomas Frey
By
Nov 10, 2025, 12:00pm
MaxPreps Playoff Pulse goes live Friday with a special quad box stream featuring all four Southern Section Division 1 playoff games in California, widely considered the toughest high school football bracket in America.

Fans familiar with NFL RedZone get the concept as MaxPreps National Football Editor Zack Poff will bounce between games for live look-ins, highlights and instant reactions as eight of the top 100 teams in the country battle for a spot in the semifinals.

MaxPreps Playoff Pulse goes on-air at 6:45 p.m. on the NFHS Network.

How to watch
Date/location: Friday, Nov. 14
Kickoff: 6:45 p.m. PT
Streaming: NFHS Network
Host: Zack Poff
(Graphic: Ryan Escobar)
(Graphic: Ryan Escobar)
St. John Bosco (Bellflower) is the top seed and will take on Orange Lutheran (Orange). The Braves are ranked No. 4 in the country and defeated the Lancers 48-0 in October.

Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) is the No. 4 seed and plays No. 5 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) in the only matchup where both teams are in the MaxPreps Top 25. The Trailblazers are No. 7 nationally with an undefeated 10-0 record. Santa Margarita checks in at No. 12.

On the other side of the bracket No. 2 seed Centennial (Corona) takes on Servite (Anaheim). These teams met in August with Centennial, now the No. 5 team in the nation, winning 42-14.

Mater Dei (Santa Ana) is ranked No. 6 nationally and checks in as the No. 3 seed. Mission Viejo is the No. 6 seed and is ranked No. 29 in our expanded top 100. The Diablos notched key wins this season over Santa Margarita and Lincoln (San Diego) and Folsom.

Players to watch

St. John Bosco: QB Koa Malau'ulu (6-2, 185), RB Maliq Allen (5-8, 190), WR Madden Williams (6-2, 190), LB Josiah Poyer (6-2, 233), DB Jailen Hill (6-3, 170)

Orange Lutheran: QB Ezrah Brown (6-0, 170), RB Jae Nembhard (5-8, 175), WR Nico Bland (6-2, 190), S Kiingbaraka Kizzee (6-3, 175), DE Marcus Fakatou (6-7, 285)

Sierra Canyon: S Madden Riordan (5-11, 165), RB Jaxsen Stokes (5-10, 175), CB Havon Finney Jr. (6-3, 170), DE Richard Wesley (6-5, 255), CB Brandon Lockhart (6-2, 170)

Santa Margarita: WR Trent Mosley (5-10, 175), QB Trace Johnson (6-2, 180), TE Luke Gazzaniga (6-4, 225), LB Leki Holani (6-0, 223), CB Ca'ron Williams (6-0, 170)

Centennial: QB Dominick Catalano (5-10, 185), RB Malaki Davis (6-0, 205), WR Ty Plinski (6-3, 190), DB Jaden Walk-Green (6-0, 190), LB Jonathan McKinley II (6-2, 230)

Servite: QB Kale Murphy (6-3, 180), OL Elisha Mueller (6-4, 295), DE Sevelino Taliauli (6-2, 231), CB Isaiah Danns (5-11, 155), LB Allen Kennett V (6-1, 210)

Mater Dei: WR Chris Henry Jr. (6-5, 210), WR Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (6-2, 185), TE Mark Bowman (6-5, 230), LB Shaun Scott (6-3, 235), DB C.J. Lavender Jr. (5-11, 175)

Mission Viejo: QB Luke Fahey (6-2, 205), DL JD Hill (6-3, 270), RB Davonte Curtis (5-9, 205), DL Kane Nolte (6-0, 230), WR Jack Junker (5-10, 185)

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