High school football: No. 3 St. John Bosco vs. No. 5 Mater Dei rematch headlines Top 10 Games of the Week

Over the last decade St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) and Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) has become the biggest high school football game in the country. The two SoCal powers square off for Round Two in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship on Friday at the L.A. Coliseum. The Braves won the regular season meeting 28-0, handing the Monarchs their first shutout loss since 2011.

This is the sixth meeting in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship since 2016 between the two. St. John Bosco has won the last two, including a 24-22 win in last year's championship that snapped Mater Dei's 29-game win streak. The Braves won in 2016, 2019 and 2022. The Monarchs won in 2017 and 2018. They also won in 2021 beating Servite (Anaheim), 27-7.

A huge Georgia AAAAAAA quarterfinal matchup on Friday features No. 17 Carrollton hosting No. 12 Walton (Marietta). These two played in last year's quarterfinals and Julian Lewis led the Trojans to a 52-27 win. The top-rated player in the Class of 2026 completed 22 of 32 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns.

The third MaxPreps Top 25 matchup is going down in Florida's 2M quarterfinal bracket between No. 13 Norland (Miami) and No. 25 Central (Miami). These two played in October and Norland erased a 20-0 halftime deficit and pulled out a 29-26 overtime win. It was the first time in school history they beat the Rockets.

No. 7 DeSoto (Texas) locks horns with a 12-0 Willis (Texas) squad in the third round of the UIL 6A Division 2 playoffs. Both teams have two of the most explosive offenses in the state. The Eagles are averaging 50.7 points per game while D.J. Lagway enters Friday's showdown with 71 total touchdowns. Lagway and Willis' offense are averaging 56.7 points per game.

A huge semifinal matchup in Arizona's Open Division has the defending state champs Basha (Chandler) squaring off against Centennial (Peoria). Demond Williams Jr. has put together an amazing senior season heading into Saturday's matchup with 3,999 yards of total offense (2,990 passing, 1,009 rushing) and 50 touchdowns. He faces a big-time defense led by Noah Carter and Kenny Worthy with a spot in the Open Division championship on the line.

Playoff matchups in California, Georgia, Hawaii and Ohio are also included in this week's action.

MaxPreps Top 10 Games of the Week

• • 35
    Mater Dei
  • 7
    St. John Bosco

  11/24 Final

St. John Bosco: LB Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (6-3, 230), DB Marcelles Williams (6-0, 175), DB Peyton Woodyard (6-2, 195), QB Caleb Sanchez (6-4, 230), DL Max Amasio (5-11, 250)

Mater Dei: QB Elijah Brown (6-2, 205), OL Brandon Baker (6-5, 285), DL Nasir Wyatt (6-2, 210), DB Zabien Brown (6-0, 180), DL Aydin Breland (6-5, 290)

This game features over 70 players that have landed at least one FBS offer. The Braves are fresh off a 43-42 win over No. 19 Centennial (Corona). It was one of the best high school football games of the year. Mater Dei rolled to a 42-14 win over Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) in the other semifinal. The Monarchs have gone 94-5 over the last eight years with all five losses coming to St. John Bosco. This is the 14th meeting between the two SoCal powers since 2016 and Mater Dei holds an 8-5 edge, but the Braves have won the last two.

Walton: OL Daniel Calhoun (6-6, 365), QB Jeremy Hecklinski (6-0, 180), LB Ashton Woods (6-3, 210), LB Wendell Gregory (6-4, 225), RB Makari Bodiford (6-0, 200)

Carrollton: QB Julian Lewis (6-1, 185), WR Caleb Odom (6-5, 215), LB Montreze Smith (5-11, 200), DB Kelvin Hill (5-11, 175), RB Kimauri Farmer (5-10, 175)

The Georgia AAAAAAA playoff bracket is one of the toughest in the country and the winner of this game will have a good chance at winning the state title. Carrollton has won 11 in a row after a 39-34 season-opening loss against Langston Hughes (Fairburn). Walton has won 11 of 12 games by double digits. The winner faces either No. 8 Mill Creek (Hoschton) or Camden County (Kingsland) in the semifinals next Friday.

• • 28
    Central
  • 31
    Norland

  11/24 Final

Central: DL Armondo Blount (6-3, 255), ATH Lawayne McCoy (6-0, 170), DB Amari Wallace (5-11, 170), LB Ezekiel Marcelin (6-1, 205), WR Khaleal Sterling (5-9, 170)

Norland: QB Ennio Yapoor (6-1, 215), DB Jamari Howard (6-2, 175), LB Jeremiah Marcelin (6-2, 225), WR Isaiah Scott (5-10, 170), LB Anthony Mattison (5-11, 200)

Miami Central has been wanting to get this one back ever since October when Norland pulled out a 29-26 comeback victory in overtime. The Rockets have won five in a row outscoring opponents 219-25. They rolled past Booker T. Washington (Miami) 35-12 last week. The Vikings have scored at least 50 points in both playoff games. They are averaging 45.6 points per game heading into Friday's matchup.

• • 31
    Willis
  • 65
    DeSoto

  11/24 Final

DeSoto: WR Daylon Singleton (6-0, 175), DL Keylan Abrams (6-1, 205), QB Darius Bailey (5-11, 170), LB Brandon Booker (6-1, 205), DB Mario Buford (6-1, 170)

Willis: QB DJ Lagway (6-2, 225), ATH Jermaine Bishop Jr. (6-0, 160), WR Debraun Hampton (5-11, 170), WR Jalen Mickens (5-10, 185), LB Brock Perry (6-1, 215)

Lagway has put together one of the best seasons in Texas high school football history and can add to his impressive resume against the defending 6A Division 2 state champs. He has accounted for 5,114 yards of total offense (4,269 passing, 845 rushing) and 71 touchdowns. DeSoto has won every game by at least 14 points and its biggest win came against the defending 6A Division 1 state champs, Duncanville. They snapped the Panthers 22-game win streak with a 49-35 win.

• • 35
    Centennial
  • 27
    Basha

  11/25 Final

Basha: QB Demond Williams Jr. (5-11, 180), DB Miles Lockhart (5-10, 185), WR Gio Richardson (5-10, 155), LB Eli Cramer-Cronin (6-0, 200), DL Bleu Dantzler (6-3, 215)

Centennial: DL Noah Carter (6-3, 225), ATH Kenny Worthy (6-0, 180), LB Aaden Nguyen (6-0, 230), DB Iverson Small (5-10, 175), QB Kainan Manna (5-10, 160)

This Arizona Open Division semifinal matchup features a big-time offense against one of the best defenses in the state. Williams has led the way for an offense averaging 41.5 points per game. The Coyotes are allowing 11.4 points per game. Centennial beat Desert Mountain (Scottsdale) 24-3 in the opening round and the Bears advanced to the semifinals with a 38-31 win over American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek). This is the first meeting between the two since 2015.

• • 14
    Buford
  • 19
    Grayson

  11/24 Final

Buford: QB Dylan Raiola (6-3, 230), ATH K.J. Bolden (6-1, 185), DL Eddrick Houston (6-3, 265), LB Jadon Perlotte (6-4, 215), DL Bryce Perry-Wright (6-2, 245)

Grayson: LB Tyler Atkinson (6-3, 200), OL Waltclaire Flynn Jr. (6-2, 305), WR John Cineas (6-3, 190), ATH Kylan Fox (6-5, 220), QB Jeff Davis (6-2, 190)

The Rams have won six in a row since a 31-27 loss against Newton (Covington). Buford's lone blemish was a 31-24 loss at No. 8 Mill Creek (Hoschton). They have reeled off five straight wins and have posted four shutouts. They have shutout seven opponents in 12 games. The winner advances to the AAAAAAA semifinals awaiting either No. 11 Colquitt County (Moultrie) or Milton.

• • 17
    Archbishop Hoban
  • 14
    Avon

  11/24 Final

Archbishop Hoban: OL William Satterwhite (6-3, 300), LB Rickey Williams (6-2, 215), DB Tysen Campbell (5-11, 170), DL Devin Bell (6-2, 230), ATH Tylan Boykin (6-1, 165)

Avon: RB Jakorion Caffey (5-11, 190), OL Luke Hamilton (6-5. 290), DB Carson Canning (6-0, 180), WR Matt Maxey (5-10, 165), OL Matt Muir (6-2, 250)

Archbishop Hoban is one win away from playing in its eighth state championship game in nine years. Avon has made it to the Division II semifinals in six of the last seven seasons but has gone 0-5 in those games. Hoban knocked them out in 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021. The winner faces either No. 14 Massillon or Anderson (Cincinnati) in the Division II state championship on Nov. 30.

• • 21
    Kahuku
  • 19
    Mililani

  11/24 Final

Mililani: QB Kini McMillian (6-0, 185), LB Aizik Mahuka (6-2, 230), LB Elijah Nua (6-1, 220), WR Onosai Salanoa (5-10, 175), WR Davyn Joseph (6-0, 180)

Kahuku: ATH Mana Carvalho (5-11, 165), LB Max Fonoimoana (6-3, 200), OL Filiva'a Saluni (6-6, 290), DL Hyrum Moors (6-0, 275), DB Aiden Manutai (6-1, 185)

Earlier this month, Mililani shocked Kahuku with a 28-21 upset win. It was the first in-state loss for the Red Raiders since 2019. McMillan had a huge game throwing for 272 yards and three touchdowns to go with 108 yards on the ground and another score. The last meeting was for the OIA Open Division title and this time around it is for the HHSAA Open Division state championship. The Trojans have won 11 in a row after a 21-14 season-opening loss against Punahou (Honolulu).

• • 19
    Thomas County Central
  • 16
    Rome

  11/24 Final

Thomas County Central: ATH Kendarius Reddick (6-0, 175), DL Cam Brooks (6-3, 210), QB Jaylen Johnson (6-3, 205), RB Trey Brenton (5-11, 200), LB Caleb Anderson (5-11, 190)

Rome: DL Justin Terrell (6-3, 290), QB Reece Fountain (6-0, 190), DB Joe Wilkinson (6-1, 185), LB Jaedon Harmon (6-1, 215), OL Jarvis Adams (6-3, 270)

Rome's only setback was a 33-13 loss to No. 17 Carrollton. They are coming off an impressive 42-14 win over the defending AAAAAA state champs, Langston Hughes (Fairburn). The Wolves are riding a nine-game win streak and have outscored opponents 450-43. The Yellow Jackets have outscored their first two playoff opponents 105-6 and had a very impressive win over Lee County (Leesburg) earlier this season. The winner advances to the AAAAAA semifinals awaiting either Roswell or Marist (Atlanta).

• • 34
    Mission Viejo
  • 15
    Servite

  11/25 Final

Servite: QB Leo Hannan (6-4, 200), RB Quaid Carr (5-11, 180), LB Isaiah Leilua (6-0, 195), DL Tomas Cernius (6-3, 230), WR Devan Parker (5-11, 175)

Mission Viejo: DB Dijon Lee Jr. (6-3, 180), WR Phillip Bell (6-2, 195), OL Mark Schroller (6-6, 295), WR Vance Spafford (5-11, 175), DB Trey Tolmaire (5-11, 165)

The CIF Southern Section Division 2 championship is up for grabs. Servite has had a huge bounce back year after going 1-9 last season. After taking out Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) in the quarterfinals with a 27-20 overtime victory, the Jackrabbits beat a very good Serra (Gardena) team with a 28-20 win in the semifinals. Mission Viejo is riding a five-game win streak and beat Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 31-21 in the semifinals. The last time these two met in the playoffs was in the first round of the 2019 CIF Southern Section Division 1 bracket. The Diablos won 38-35 despite Noah Fifita throwing for 339 yards and four touchdowns with three going to Tetairoa McMillan. He finished with 10 catches for 146 yards.