High school football's weekend slate is headlined by No. 9
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) hosting No. 1
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) in a Trinity League showdown Friday.
Former Heisman Trophy winner and 15-year NFL veteran Carson Palmer has revitalized Santa Margarita (5-2) in his first year as the head coach of his alma mater.
Palmer helped lead the Eagles to a win over No. 5
Centennial (Corona) in August and last week Santa Margarita beat then-No. 6
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 7-6. Even the losses have been impressive, including a 14-0 defeat against No. 6
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.). That is the fewest points Gorman has scored in a game since 2018.
In seven games this season, St. John Bosco quarterback Koa Malau'ulu has 23 touchdown passes against one interception. The sophomore is completing 72 percent of his attempts and has the Braves ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation. (PHOTO: Louis Lopez)
St. John Bosco (7-0) has shutout three of its last four opponents since defeating No. 2
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 21-14 on Sept. 5. Sophomore quarterback
Koa Malau'ulu has thrown 23 touchdowns against one interception this season with targets
Carson Clark,
Daniel Odom and
Madden Williams flying over the field.
In Georgia,
McEachern (Powder Springs) and
Hillgrove (Powder Springs) will battle in a matchup of undefeated teams. McEachern (7-0) is looking to win eight games for the first time since 2019, a season in which it went 12-1 and reached the third round of the 7A playoffs.
Since going 7-24 between 2021-23, Hillgrove has been on a roll under head coach Justin DeShon. The Hawks went 11-2 last season and have allowed 13 total points through seven games in 2025.
These rivals play every year and since 2018, McEachern has won in the odd-numbered years while Hillgrove wins in the even-numbered years.
In Texas,
Lake Travis (Austin) will travel 24 miles south to take on
Dripping Springs in a meeting of undefeated teams. Both teams are jockeying for position in the state playoffs.
Lake Travis won 49-21 a year ago while Dripping Springs took the 2022 and 2023 games.
Read on for a complete look at this week's biggest games.
Top 10 games this week
Top players
St. John Bosco: QB
Koa Malau'ulu (6-2, 185), RB
Maliq Allen (5-8, 190), LB
Josiah Poyer (6-2, 233), LB
Matthew Muasau (6-1, 230), DB
Jailen Hill (6-3, 170)
Santa Margarita: QB
Trace Johnson (6-2, 180), RB
Jaion Smith (6-0, 185), TE
Luke Gazzaniga (6-4, 225), LB
Leki Holani (6-0, 223), CB
Ca'ron Williams (6-0, 170)
This game could determine seeding in the Southern Section playoffs. The Braves have won 15 straight against Santa Margarita. But this isn't the Eagles of the past as evidenced by last week's win over Mater Dei. Bosco's offense is averaging 46.7 points per game while Santa Margarita is allowing just 12.6 points per game.
McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) at Hillgrove (Powder Springs, Ga.) Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
McEachern: QB
Calvin Pittman Jr. (6-1, 170), RB
Henry Pullen (6-0, 205),
Jacorey Shockley (6-2, 185), DB
Kiyante' Ingram (6-0, 185), DL
Darryl Rivers (6-5, 270)
Hillgrove: QB
Donovan Mack (6-0, 180), RB
Jaiden Moore (5-11, 175), WR
Jaden Fisher (5-7, 145), DE
Chris Carbin (6-4, 240), CB
Jaidan James (5-11, 175)
A pair of 7-0 powers in the Peach State will duke it out Friday night. McEachern is ranked No. 50 in our expanded top 100 and puts up points in bunches. Over the past three weeks the Indians have scored 159 total points and quarterback Pittman Jr. has scored nine total touchdowns. Hillgrove checks in at No. 96 and has shut out its last four opponents.
Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) at Dripping Springs (Texas) Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Lake Travis: QB
Luke McBride (6-3, 206), RB
Vann Hopping (5-11, 210), DL
Carter Buck (6-6, 250), DL
Ben Duncum (6-5, 255), LB
Braeden Lott (6-2, 215)
Dripping Springs: QB
Chase Ames (6-0, 175), WR
James Montgomery (5-11, 170), OL
Hudson Whitenight (6-5, 280), LB
Dylan Brasher (6-2, 215), CB
Malachi Igharo (6-3, 180)
Dripping Springs hosts Lake Travis in a matchup of undefeated squads in our expanded top 100. Lake Travis is No. 58 and has an offense scoring nearly 50 points per game, including a 63-point game in September. Dripping Springs checks in at No. 80 with a stout defense that has pitched three shutouts this season. Last week Ames led the Tigers on a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter that the quarterback ended with a 5-yard touchdown run.
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) at St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) Saturday, 3 p.m.
Top players
Archbishop Moeller: QB
Matt Ponatoski (6-2, 190), TE
Cooper McCutcheon (6-4, 235), OT
Kalel Johnson (6-7, 297), DL
Christian Harris (6-1, 290), OT
Patrick O'Brien (6-6, 280)
St. Edward: QB
Jonny Evanchick (6-1, 175), RB
Brandon White (5-8, 200), WR
Zach Hackleman (6-1, 175), DE
Collin Crocker (6-2, 230), DB
Makhi Boone (6-1, 175)
These rivals have been powers in Ohio for decades and first played in 1975. The last four head-to-head matchups were decided by one touchdown or less with each team winning twice. St. Edward is ranked No. 10 in the state and looking to break into the expanded top 100. Archbishop Moeller is No. 66 in the nation and both losses are to top 100 teams in Chicago Mt. Carmel and Elder.
West Linn (Ore.) at Lake Oswego (Ore.) Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch live and free MaxPreps | YouTubeTop players
West Linn: QB
Sloan Baker (5-10, 170), RB
Shane Peters (5-9, 175), WR
Ashden Marquis (5-9, 175), DL
Grady Coyle (6-1, 240), CB
Josiah Molden (6-0, 180)
Lake Oswego: QB
Hudson Kurland (6-4, 200), RB
LaMarcus Bell (5-11, 190), ATH
Sam Vyhlidal (6-4, 230), DE
Josh Christensen (6-6, 245), CB
Jalen Bauman (5-11, 175)
These rivals have played since 1953 and meet this year in a rematch of the 2024 Class 6A state championship game. West Linn won that matchup and is ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 93 in our expanded top 100. Lake Oswego won last season's regular season matchup over West Linn 21-17 and trailed by 10 before Utah commit Bell, a three-star running back, scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to win the game. Bell is back this year and has double-digit touchdowns in five games.
No. 21 Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.) vs. King (Detroit, Mich.) Friday, 7 p.m. at Ford Field
Top players
Cass Tech: QB
Donald Tabron II (6-3, 180), WR
Corey Sadler Jr. (5-10, 185), WR
Mylan Griggs (6-1, 172), LB
Marcus Jennings (6-3, 200), OL
Khalief Canty (6-5)
King: ATH
Darryl Flemister (6-0, 160), S
Jaidon Windom (6-2, 180), RB
Michael Dukes (6-2, 195), DL
Jameer Henry (6-5, 305), DL
Gregory Keller (6-2, 324)
These Detroit schools are meeting at Ford Field in the Public School League championship for the sixth straight season. Cass has won four of those five games including the last three. This teams met Sept. 19 and Cass Tech pulled off a 27-22 win. Neither team has allowed a point since. While Cass Tech is nationally ranked, this matchup is always close. Over the past 10 meetings since 2020, seven of them have been decided by a touchdown or less.
Waxahachie (Texas) at Cedar Hill (Texas) Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Waxahachie: QB
Jerry Meyer III (6-0, 175), RB
Taylen Strange (5-7, 185), WR
Kohen Brown (6-1, 190), S
JayQuan Snell (6-3, 200), DB
Hector Calderon III (5-7, 180)
Cedar Hill: QB
Omowale Muhammid (6-1, 170), RB
Jaylen Williams (5-7, 175), WR
Braylon Caston (5-10, 160), DL
Jalen Brewster (6-4, 305), DL
Desman Manuel (6-2, 305)
Waxahachie had one of the biggest upsets of 2025 after taking down then No. 10 Duncanville 28-27 in September. The Indians are ranked No. 94 in our expanded top 100 and will be going against one of the top defensive lines in the nation. Brewster is the No. 1 defensive lineman in the nation and committed to Texas Tech earlier this month. Also on the Cedar Hill defensive line is Manuel, a Colorado State pledge.
Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) at Hoover (Ala.) Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Thompson: QB
Trent Seaborn (6-1, 191), RB
Urijah Casey (5-9, 177), WR
Darion Moseley (6-0, 185), DE
Cam Pritchett (6-3, 240), DB
Eli King (5-11, 170)
Hoover: QB
Kaleb Freeman (6-2, 190), RB
J.R. Mosley (5-9, 205), WR
Jeremiah Tabb (6-2, 190), LB
Jovon Pulliam (6-2, 225), LB
Theodus Sanders (6-0, 195)
Thompson is knocking on the door of the MaxPreps Top 25 and checks in at No. 31 with losses to No. 3 Grayson and No. 23 Clay-Chalkville by a combined five points. Junior four-star quarterback Seaborn has been dealing this season with 21 passing touchdowns. Including rushing touchdowns, he has 95 career scores in his career. Hoover is ranked No. 9 in the state and has four straight games of scoring over 40 points. The buccaneers have shown they can hang with the big dogs after holding No. 4 IMG Academy to 34 points in the season opener.
No. 11 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) vs. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) Saturday, 7 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Mater Dei: TE
Mark Bowman (6-5, 235), WR
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (6-2, 185), WR
Chris Henry Jr. (6-5, 210), DB
Danny Lang (6-1, 170), DL
Matamatagi Uiagalelei (6-3, 240)
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 and quarterback
Ryan Hopkins has had a rollercoaster season, losing twice for the first time since 2015. In big wins over No. 6 Bishop Gorman and No. 14 St. Thomas Aquinas, Hopkins has dazzled, completing 70 percent of his passes for 522 yards and six touchdowns. In the two losses to No. 5 Centennial and Santa Margarita, the Wisconsin commit has seen his completion percentage fall to 52 percent with 360 yards and three touchdowns. Servite hasn't beaten Mater Dei since 2011, a streak that has lasted 14 games. The Friars are ranked No. 88 in our expanded top 100 and No. 12 in California with a close 17-7 loss to No. 9 Santa Margarita highlighting the slate.
Lewisville (Texas) at Coppell (Texas)Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Lewisville: QB
Tre Williams (6-0, 185), RB
Tenel Hill (5-10, 200), WR
Traejan Mueller (6-0, 170), LB
Devin Robinson (6-0, 180), DT
Keegan Grubbs (5-11, 299)
Coppell: QB
Carter Zingelmann (6-5, 220), RB
Dylan McAfee (5-11, 195), WR
Jacob Anene (6-2, 175), DL
Godson Osuji (6-3, 225), S
Tyrell Roberson (6-0, 180)
Lewisville is off to its best start since reaching the 6A-D1 state regionals in 2021. Junior quarterback Williams leads an electric offense that averages 38 points per game, including 49 last week. Quarterback Zingelmann leads Coppell in passing and rushing yards as a sophomore after replacing Edward Griffin, who is at Baylor after leading the Cowboys to a 12-1 record last season. Zingelmann is the No. 9 rated quarterback in the Class of 2028 with offers including Baylor and Houston.
