High school football's weekend slate is headlined by California's Open Division championship game between No. 5
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) and No. 15
De La Salle (Concord).
In Carson Palmer's first season as head coach, Santa Margarita is in the state final for the first time since winning Division 1 in 2011. The Eagles have signature wins this season over
Mater Dei (Santa Ana),
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) and
Centennial (Corona) twice.
De La Salle is in the title game for the second straight year and the 13th time since 2009. Led by head coach Justin Alumbaugh, the Spartans have eye-popping wins over
Lakeland (Fla.),
Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) and
Pittsburg.
Southern California has won the Open Division crown eight straight years dating back to 2016.
Santa Margarita has soared all the way to the CIF Open Division title game with Carson Palmer as head coach. Next up for the Eagles is No. 15 De La Salle. (PHOTO: Rene Morales)
No. 2
St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) will take on No. 23
Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) in a game that was added to the schedule following the latter's state championship win last month.
St. Frances Academy is 7-0 since losing to
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 21-14 on Sept. 5 with key wins over
St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.),
The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) and
The St. James Performance Academy (Springfield, Va.) in that span. The Panthers have five shutouts in their past six games.
In Texas, No. 24
Allen will take on
Duncanville in the Conference 6A Division 1 semifinals. The Eagles are undefeated and hunting for their first state championship since 2017.
Duncanville got its revenge against
Waxahachie last week in the quarterfinals with a 35-27 win. Waxahachie handed Duncanville its only loss of the season in September by overcoming a 27-9 deficit to win 28-27. Now the Panthers are one win away from the state final, a place they have been five times since 2018.
Read on for a complete look at this week's biggest games.
Top 10 biggest games this week
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)
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)
Santa Margarita can end its magical season with its first state title since 2011. To reach the final the Eagles toppled then-No. 2 Centennial 42-7 at the Rose Bowl in the Southern Section Division 1 title game. De La Salle is representing Northern California in the state's highest classification after hanging on to beat North Coast Section foe Pittsburg 24-17 to remain undefeated.
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
0 - 0
1st Quarter
Provided by MaxPreps Staff Zack Poff.
Top players
St. Frances Academy: TE
Damon Hall (6-5, 215), ATH
Jermaine Smith (6-5, 215), DE
Zion Elee (6-4, 235), S
Jireh Edwards (6-2, 210), CB
Raylaun Henry (6-2, 180)
Corner Canyon: QB
Helaman Casuga (6-1, 210), RB
Weston Briggs (6-2, 205), WR
Kai Meza (6-1, 185), DE
Jayden Pearce (6-2, 245), LB
Mason Wood (6-2, 220)
This will be the first game for St. Frances Academy in over a month while Corner Canyon won the 6A title in Utah on Nov. 20. St. John Bosco is the only team to beat St. Frances this season, and the Panthers held a 14-7 lead late before the Braves pulled off the 21-14 win. Corner Canyon rebounded from a 42-21 regular season loss to Lone Peak and got its revenge in the state title with a 35-20 victory.
No. 24 Allen (Texas) vs. Duncanville (Texas) Saturday, 3 p.m. at Mesquite's Memorial Stadium - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Allen: QB
Jeremiah Daoud (6-3, 200), RB
Lyndon Spriggs (5-8, 170), WR
Carter Harris (6-4, 190), CB
Kai Wheaton (6-0, 178), LB
Ja'Prei Wafer (6-0, 210)
Duncanville: QB
J'Coryon Rivers (6-2, 180), RB
Robert Singleton (5-10, 180), WR
Trenton Yancey (6-0, 180), DE
Landon Barnes (6-4, 245), LB
Jaylyn Manning (6-2, 230)
Allen is 27-1 over the past two years and looking to get back to the state championship game for the first time since winning in 2017. The Eagles are coming off a 33-21 win in the quarterfinals against North Crowley, the team that beat Allen last season in the same round.
No. 3 Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) vs. DeSoto (Texas)Saturday, 2 p.m. Newsom Stadium
Top players
Southlake Carroll: QB
Angelo Renda (6-0, 180), RB
Davis Penn (5-11, 195), WR
Brock Boyd (6-2, 185), DL
Crawford Taylor (6-2, 240), LB
Robbie Ladd (5-11, 193)
DeSoto: QB
Legend Howell (6-2, 195), RB
SaRod Baker (5-11, 195), WR
Ethan Feaster (6-2, 180), S
DaMarion Ross (5-10, 180), DB
Ayden Marshall (5-11, 185)
Southlake Carroll fell to DeSoto in the 2023 semifinals and have only lost in the 2024 state championship game since. The Dragons are winning by an average margin of 42.5 points per game. DeSoto is ranked No. 64 and is coming off a 60-41 win where Baker rushed for 384 yards with seven rushing touchdowns. The winner will face off against either King or Vandegrift in the Conference 6A Division 2 final Dec. 20.
Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) vs. North Shore (Houston, Texas) Saturday, 3 p.m. at Aldine ISD Thorne Stadium
Top players
Lake Travis: QB
Luke McBride (6-3, 206), RB
Vann Hopping (5-11, 210), LB
Braeden Lott (6-2, 215), DL
Carter Buck (6-6, 250), DL
Ben Duncum (6-6, 255)
North Shore: QB
Kaleb Maryland (6-0, 194), RB
Hezekiah Johnson (6-0, 185), WR
Jaylen Bocard (6-1, 170), DT
Za'Qwaun Nunn (6-1, 285), DT
Xavier Waters (6-2, 310)
This is the eighth straight year that No. 87 North Shore has reached the semifinals and a win would vault the Mustangs into their sixth championship game over that span. No. 34 Lake Travis was last in a final in 2017 when Garrett Wilson was in high school. The Cavaliers are coming off a 27-19 quarterfinal win where the Lake Travis defense held Johnson scoreless in the second half.
Folsom (Calif.) vs. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.)Friday, 8 p.m. at Saddleback College - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Folsom: QB
Brody Rudnicki (6-2, 210), WR
Jameson Powell (5-11, 175), WR
Rob Larson (6-3, 195), LB
E.J. Coleman (6-1, 205), DB
Jason Hill Jr. (6-1, 175)
Cathedral Catholic: QB
Brady Palmer (6-2, 210), RB/S
Honor Fa'alave (6-1, 190), WR
Isaac Cook (6-1, 185), LB
Samuel Samuela (5-11, 215), LB
Kevin Clark (6-2, 195)
This is the third time these top 100 teams have battled for a 1-AA state crown after splitting games in 2018 and 2021. The Dons are No. 52 and led five-star junior Fa'alave who has 28 touchdowns on offense and two interceptions on defense. Five-star quarterback Ryder Lyons suffered an injury last week for No. 39 Folsom but was replaced valiantly by three-star junior Rudnicki, who led a second half double-digit comeback by completing eight of his nine passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns.
No. 11 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) vs. Lakeland (Fla.)Thursday, 7:30 p.m. at Pitbull Stadium - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
St. Thomas Aquinas: QB
Mason Mallory (6-3, 200), RB
Virgil Lemons (5-10, 190), WR
Julius Jones Jr. (5-11, 175), DE
Wyatt Smith (6-6, 240), DE
Daniel Norman (6-4, 235),
Lakeland: QB
Kelin Hendrix (5-10), RB
Ahnarri Cooper (5-10, 200), WR
Cameron Fuse (6-2, 185), LB
Malik Morris (6-1, 230), DL
Santana Harvey (6-5, 235)
In a rematch of the 2024 state championship, the Raiders go for a state record seventh consecutive Florida crown against No. 66 Lakeland Thursday. St. Thomas Aquinas has won 13 straight games since falling 26-23 to then No. 1 Mater Dei in August. Lakeland is going for its 10th state title in program history and first since 2023. The Dreadnaughts have shown they can hang with top teams with a 10-6 loss coming to No. 15 De La Salle in California back in August.
Gainesville (Ga.) at Rome (Ga.) Thursday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live NFHS NetworkTop players
Gainesville: LB
Xavier Griffin (6-4, 215), EDGE
Jamarion Matthews (6-3, 255), DL
Ayden Cain (6-2, 275), QB
Kharim Hughley (6-0, 195), OT
Tyler Ford (6-5, 325)
Rome: QB
Aidan McPherson (5-11, 180), WR
Jeremy Winston (6-3, 175), WR/DB
Darnell Collins (6-4, 190), DL
Brooklyn Spivery (6-3, 335), DT
A.J. Adams (5-10, 275)
A spot in the AAAAA title game is on the line between these top 100 teams. No. 31 Gainesville led fellow top 100 Langston Hughes 37-16 in the fourth quarter of the semifinals before winning 40-32. Rome checks in at No. 82 and is looking to win its first state title since 2017, when the Wolves defended their title from 2016. Rome has won 11 straight games since starting the season 0-2. One loss was to No. 1 Carrollton by a 28-21 score.
Aledo (Texas) vs. Lone Star (Frisco, Texas) Friday, 7 p.m. at Vernon Newsom Stadium
Top players
Aledo: QB
Lincoln Tubbs (5-11, 185), RB
Kaden Winkfield (5-11, 190), WR
Kaydon Finley (6-2, 205), DE
Cooper Cyphers (6-2, 240), LB
Chase Wilburn (6-0, 210)
Lone Star: QB
Trey Wright (5-11, 175), ATH
Rece Hoyt (6-2, 200), WR
Davian Groce (6-2, 195), DL
Marcel Dominguez (6-1, 230), DL
Christopher Knauls (6-4, 266)
A trip to the Conference 5A Division 1 final is on the line between these 14-0 teams ranked in our top 100. Aledo is ranked No. 38 and won back-to-back titles in this classification from 2022-23. The Bearcats took down Ryan 43-17 in the semifinals, after narrowly defeating the same team in October. Lone Star is No. 84 and looking for its first state championship. The Rangers reached the 5A Division 2 game in 2015 but lost 22-6. This season Lone Star has scored at least 42 in all four playoff wins, including 58 in the semifinals.
Hough (Cornelius, N.C.) vs. Millbrook (Raleigh, N.C.) Thursday, 8 p.m. at University of North Carolina - Watch live NFHS Network
Top players
Hough: QB
Ethan Royal (6-2, 195), RB
JaMarion Morrison (5-9, 209), WR
Jaylen Byers (6-0, 170), LB
L.J. Porter (6-0, 215), DB
Micah Bright (6-0, 185)
Millbrook: QB
Bryson Gray (6-3, 190), RB
Brilison McCullers (5-10, 200), WR
Malachi Gilchrist (5-9, 167), DE
Rashad Streets (6-4, 230), LB
Quinton Cypher (6-3, 220)
These top 100 squads are looking to win the first state championship in school history in Chapel Hill on Thursday. Hough is No. 65 and coming off a 24-0 win in the semifinals. The Huskies have five shutouts on the season and allow just 7.2 points per game. Millbrook is ranked No. 93 and made a second half comeback to win 14-7 on its side of the bracket. The Wildcats have not allowed more than 15 points in any game this season.
