High school football's weekend slate begins Thursday and is headlined by key state semifinal and championship matchups.
In California, No. 5
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) will travel to No. 4
Centennial (Corona) in the only showdown between teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 this week. Centennial won the regular season matchup 43-36 and has only lost once, to No. 7
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) in overtime.
The winner will head to the Rose Bowl and take on the victorious team in the game between Santa Margarita and No. 19
Orange Lutheran (Orange).
No. 4 Centennial topped No. 5 Mater Dei 43-36 back in September. Now the Huskies and Monarchs meet with a trip to the California Southern Section Division 1 final on the line. (PHOTO: Nathaniel Herbert)
In Tennessee a rivalry dating back to 1908 will determine whether
McCallie (Chattanooga) or No. 23
Baylor (Chattanooga) will advance to the Division II Class AAA championship game. McCallie captured the 2024 state title with a win over Baylor.
In the regular season meeting, unbeaten Baylor took down McCallie 38-35 as five-star running back
David Gabriel-Georges ran for 293 yards and three touchdowns.
The Class 6A championship in Utah is coming down to a pair of teams that know each other well. Since 2019
Corner Canyon (Draper) and
Lone Peak (Highland) have played each other every year in the regular season. Lone Peak took this year's game 42-21. In addition, the Chargers and Knights have met three times in the title game with Corner Canyon holding a 2-1 advantage.
Corner Canyon is looking to win its third straight state championship, something that hasn't been done in Utah's highest classification since
Northridge (Layton) from 2000-02.
Read on for a complete look at this week's biggest games.
Top 10 biggest games this week
No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) at No. 4 Centennial (Corona, Calif.)Friday, 7 p.m. (All times local) - Watch Live NFHS Network
Top players
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)
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)
Centennial pulled off a 43-36 win over the Monarchs when these heavyweights met back in September. The Huskies' only loss this year is to Santa Margarita, a team battling on the other side of the bracket with Orange Lutheran for the other spot in the championship.
McCallie (Chattanooga, Tenn.) at No. 23 Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
McCallie: QB
Elliott Drapeau (6-5, 210), RB
Kris Lloyd (6-0, 215), WR
Keeyshawn Tabuteau (6-0, 180), OL
Moussa Seck (6-4, 328), S
Loia Valade (5-11, 180)
Baylor: QB
Briggs Cherry (6-4, 215), RB
David Gabriel-Georges (6-0, 205), OT
Gabe Osenda (6-7, 330), DE
Braxton Rein (6-6, 230), S
Kolby Barrett (6-2, 190)
Baylor and McCallie have already played in the regular season with Baylor taking the game 38-35. A trip to the Division II Class AAA championship is on the line this time around. McCallie is No. 29 in our expanded top 100 and No. 2 in Tennessee. The Blue Tornado put up a heap of points and scored 100 total points in their two postseason wins.
Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) vs. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) Thursday, 2:30 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium
Top players
Corner Canyon: QB
Helaman Casuga (6-1, 210), RB
Weston Briggs (6-2, 205), WR
Kai Meza (6-1, 185), S
Diesel Dart (6-2, 185), DE
Jayden Pearce (6-2, 245)
Lone Peak: QB
Kepa Niumeitolu (6-1, 215), WR
Kennan Pula (6-3, 200), WR
Jaron Pula (6-3, 195), LB
Tevita Mounga (6-2, 210), LB
Anthon Grimmer (5-11, 201)
Corner Canyon is making its seventh consecutive state championship game appearance and third straight title. This is a rematch of the 2024 final won by the Chargers 30-27.
Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) at No. 25 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)Friday, 7 p.m.
Top players
Bergen Catholic: QB
Trey Tagliaferri (6-1, 190), RB
Najee Calhoun (5-11, 195), WR
Austin Busso (6-1, 185), DL
Jackson Vaughn (6-4, 225),
Amar'e Newell (5-11, 175)
Don Bosco Prep: QB
Carson Schoen (6-1, 190), RB
Dante DeLuca (5-10, 220), WR
Isaiah Alvarez (6-2, 175), LB
Mikahi Allen (6-3, 230), DB
Jack Demenna (5-10, 180)
These fierce New Jersey rivals meet for a second time this season with a trip to the Non-Public A championship on the line. Don Bosco won the first matchup 14-9 after holding the Crusaders to three second half points in a defensive masterpiece. Bergen has won four straight titles and three of them were against Don Bosco. The Ironmen are looking to complete their first undefeated season since 2011 but Bergen is looking to win its fifth straight championship.
Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) at Central (Phenix City, 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)
Central: QB
Bobby Coleman (6-1, 180), RB
Jayshaun Woodhouse (5-8, 175), WR
Braylen Averett (5-9, 165), DE
Tristan Lyles (6-1, 238), LB
Brennan Core (6-0, 210)
Both teams are ranked in our expanded top 100 and will battle this week for a berth in the Class 7A state championship game. Thompson has won five of the last seven state titles but will come into this game as the underdog, ranked No. 60 in the country. Central is No. 37 and won the championship in the two years that Thompson didn't, including 2023. The lone Central loss was to No. 2 IMG Academy in September. Two of Thompson's losses came against nationally-ranked opponents.
Top players
Santa Margarita: WR
Trent Mosley (5-10, 175), QB
Trace Johnson (6-2, 180), WR
Ryan Clark (5-9, 150), DT
Isaia Vandermade (6-4, 270), CB
Ca'ron Williams (6-0, 170)
Orange Lutheran: QB
Reagan Toki (6-1, 185), RB
Sean Morris Jr. (5-10, 215), WR
Nico Bland (6-2, 190), DE
Cory Panapa (6-1, 235), DE
Marcus Fakatou (6-7, 285)
Each of these teams pulled off an upset last week and square off Friday with a trip to the Rose Bowl on the line. Orange Lutheran knocked off No. 4 St. John Bosco 20-19 while Santa Margarita won at No. 7 Sierra Canyon 21-9. Lancers quarterback Toki hit his stride last week with two touchdowns. Now they face an Eagles defense that has helped pull off massive wins in the regular season over Mater Dei and Centennial, the two teams on the other side of the bracket.
Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.) at No. 2 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) Friday, 7 p.m. - Watch Live NFHS Network
Top players
Colquitt County: QB
Cohen Lawson (6-1, 195), RB
Jae Lamar (6-0, 205), WR
Antwan Lockett (6-0, 173), LB
McKenzie Graham (6-2, 180), CB
Ry'sheed Fuller (5-11, 170)
Grayson: QB
Deuce Smith (5-11, 190), RB
Ashton Turner (5-8, 200), WR
Dawson Quarterman (6-4, 210), LB
Tyler Atkinson (6-3, 221), LB
Eli Harris (6-2, 215)
Colquitt County has its toughest test of the season against the No. 3 team in the nation in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs. The Packers have lost to two teams in our expanded top 100 but are on a five-game winning streak, including a big win over top 100 Valdosta. Grayson won the state championship last year and hasn't seen a close game since August. Smith has stepped up at quarterback since four-star North Carolina pledge Travis Burgess was injured in the second game of the season. Over his past four games, Smith has thrown 10 touchdowns against one interception.
Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio) vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio)Friday, 7 p.m. at Paycor Stadium
Top players
Elder: QB
Kaden Estep (6-0, 170), LB
Derek Uran (6-2, 200), WR
Chase Walpole (6-1, 185), RB
Tommy Becker (5-11, 185), WR
Jackson Ruth (5-10, 170)
St. Xavier: QB
Jackson Frey (6-3, 205), LB
Brayden Reilly (6-3, 210), LB
Ja'Kobe Clapper (6-2, 215), LB
Aden Reeder (6-3, 215), ATH
Daniel Vollmer (6-2, 210)
A trip to the Division I final four is on the line for these squads that have already squared off once this season. Elder won the September matchup 23-13 after jumping out to a 23-0 lead. The Panthers are still undefeated but faced a scare last week in the third round of the playoffs by going down 23-0 in the third quarter to Princeton before roaring back for a 32-30 victory. St. Xavier had a comeback of its own last week when Vollmer scored a rushing touchdown in the final minute to send the Bombers past Archbishop Moeller 17-13.
Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.) at North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.)Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Lowndes: QB
Jayce Johnson (6-4, 210), RB
Mason Woods (5-9, 170), WR
Ar'Tavian Brown (6-4, 193), LB
Garrick Harris (6-0, 217), DB
Anthony Martin (5-9, 165)
North Gwinnett: QB
Elam Rahman (6-1, 204), RB
Kalil Mazone (6-1, 205), WR
Braylon Jackson (6-1, 190), CB
Bryson Ford (6-1, 180), LB
Jake Godfree (6-0, 215)
A trip to the round of eight in Class 6A is at stake between these teams ranked in our expanded top 100. North Gwinnett is No. 62 and the winners of 10 straight games since falling to No. 59 Douglas County in the season opener. No. 79 Lowndes started the season 8-0 before a 23-14 defeat to No. 75 Valdosta ended the Vikings' hopes of an undefeated season. Now these teams square off for the first time since 2019 when they met in the Class 7A semifinals.
No. 15 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) vs. Pittsburg (Calif.) Friday, 7 p.m. at Diablo Valley College - Watch Live NFHS Network
Top players
De La Salle: QB
Brayden Knight (6-3, 195), RB/DB
Duece Jones-Drew (5-8, 180), WR/DB
Jaden Jefferson (5-9, 170), LB
Landon Miller (6-2, 210), TE/LB
Landon Cook (6-5, 215)
Pittsburg: QB
Carlos Torres (6-0, 205), RB
Jari Alexander (5-10, 170), WR
R.J. Mosley Jr. (6-4, 180), LB
Japheth Tofaeono (6-1, 225), DL
Ha'angana Tau (6-2, 260)
These teams met in the North Coast Section Open Division title game last season and Pittsburg led 7-3 in the fourth with the ball inside the De La Salle's 10. The Pirates weren't able to score and eventually lost 10-7. Now, De La Salle is going for its 32nd consecutive section title with an undefeated record. Pittsburg has dropped one game to Archbishop Riordan, a team in our expanded top 100, by a score of 42-35.
