High school football: Best team from all 50 states entering the 2023 season

MaxPreps Top 25 teams Mater Dei, IMG Academy, Buford, Duncanville represent four big states.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Zack Poff
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Jul 10, 2023, 11:45am
We released the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25 last month along with an expanded look at the Top 100 and we now zone in on the best high school football team in every state heading into the 2023 season.

Headlining the list of teams is Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), which begins the season at No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25 for the fourth time since 2017. The Monarchs are the only team in the country that has finished ranked in the top 3 in each of the last five years.

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Duncanville (Texas) and Buford (Ga.) represent the other three big states. They begin the year ranked at Nos. 4, 8 and 10, respectively.

Our preview of the 2023 campaign continues later this week as we start looking at the top 10 by position, starting with quarterbacks on July 12.
Alabama — Thompson (Alabaster)
Four-time defending 7A state champs have gone 50-5 since 2019.

Alaska — Colony (Palmer)
The 2022 MaxPreps Alaska Player of the Year Jack Nash is back after leading the Knights to the Division 1 title.

Arizona — Basha (Chandler)
Won the school's first state title last season winning the Open Division and are the only team from the Grand Canyon State in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25 at No. 18.

Arkansas — Bryant
Quad Sanders takes over as head coach after spending the previous five seasons as the defensive coordinator. The five-time defending 7A state champs are 61-3 since 2018.

California — Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
This Monarchs squad is as talented as the 2017 and 2021 teams that went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the country.

Four-time defending Class 5A state champs have gone 47-4 since 2019.

Have five of the state's top seven recruits, according to 247Sports, in Luke Reynolds, Jerod Smith, Jacob Smith, Elijah Newby and Dante Reno.

Delaware — Smyrna
Defending 3A state champs have to replace some key players but bring back all-state linebacker Cole Moyer and all-state defensive lineman Brandon West.

District of Columbia — St. John's
The DMV power begins the season as the first team outside of the MaxPreps Top 25 and a win over No. 21 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) in the first game of the year would get them in.

Ascenders squad as talented as the team in 2020 that went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25.

Georgia — Buford
Wolves were already loaded before the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024 Dylan Raiola transferred from Arizona.

Hawaii — Kahuku
Back-to-back Open Division state champs have not lost to an in-state opponent since 2019.

Idaho — Rigby
Defending 5A state champs return all-state quarterback Luke Flowers.

Illinois — East St. Louis
Defending Class 6A state champs bring back plenty of talent led by Pops Battle, Leontre Bradford, TaRyan Martin, Jesse Watson and Charles Bass.

Three-time defending Class 6 state champs have gone 40-2 since 2020.

Back-to-back Class 5A state champs return all-state selections Draven Woods, Connor Moberly and Brayden Harmon.

Jayden Woods, Gus Hawkins, Tristan Baker and Truman Griffith are all back for the four-time defending 5A state champs.

The Broncos won their first state title in school history last season going 15-0, outscoring the opposition 612-70.

J.T. Curtis led the Patriots to the Division 1 select state title in 2022 and enters this season with 615 career wins. He's six away from breaking John McKissick's all-time mark of 620 wins.

Defending Class C state champs are coming off an undefeated season and return all-state quarterback Noah Carpenter.

The No. 6 team in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25 is loaded with talent led by Michael Van Buren, Ify Obidegwu, Blake Woodby, DeJuan Williams, Edrees Farooq, Trent Wilson and James Carrington.

The back-to-back Division 2 state champs have won 26 games in a row heading into 2023.

Michigan — Belleville
Only team from Michigan ranked in the MaxPreps Top 25 has won back-to-back Division 1 state titles and has Bryce Underwood, the top-rated quarterback in the Class of 2025.

Last year's Class 5A state runner-up returns a lot of talent led by 2024 Minnesota commit Jalen Smith and starting quarterback Bart McAninch.

Mississippi — Starkville
Defending 6A state champs will have one of the best quarterback/wide receivers duos with Trey Petty and Braylon Burnside both back.

Back-to-back Class 6 state champs have not lost a game against an in-state opponent since 2020.

Back-to-back Class B state champs have gone 23-2 over last two years.

Defending Class A state champs return a lot of talent led by 2024 Notre Dame commit Teddy Rezac, three-star quarterback Anthony Rezac and three-star athlete Caleb Benning.

Las Vegas power begins 2023 season as the No. 2 team in MaxPreps Top 25.

New Hampshire — Pelham
The Pythons begin the season riding a 31-game win streak and won the Division II state title in 2022 after back-to-back Division III championships in 2020 and 2021.
Crusaders are the only team from New Jersey in the MaxPreps Top 25 at No. 24.

New Mexico — Cleveland (Rio Rancho)
Three-time defending 6A state champs have to replace some key players on offense but will still be loaded with talent led by all-state linebacker Stratton Shufelt.

Went undefeated against in-state opponents last season and have the second-rated player in the Empire State in recent Rutgers commit Korey Duff Jr.

North Carolina — Providence Day (Charlotte)
Back-to-back NCISAA Division 1 state champs return a lot of talent led by 2024 Michigan commit Jadyn Davis and top-rated prospect in the Class of 2025 David Sanders Jr.

North Dakota — Shanley (Fargo)
Defending 11AA state champs return all-state selections in wide receiver Sam Ovsak and linebacker Adam Leininger.

Back-to-back Division 1 state champs begin the season at No. 16 in MaxPreps Top 25.

Oklahoma — Bixby
Five-time defending state champs are 61-2 since 2018.

Oregon — West Linn
Defending 6A state champs return plenty of talent led by Wiley Donnerberg, Gus Donnerberg, Hunter Haines, Baron Naone, Ridge Huot, Stephen Del Giudice and Jake Normoyle.

The Hawks go for their eighth state title since 2013 and begin the season at No. 11 in MaxPreps Top 25.

The state's top-ranked team last season returns all-state selections Justin Denson, Jameszell Lattiser, Terrence Campbell, Kyle Elliott and Herlin Perry.

South Carolina — Dutch Fork (Irmo)
Tom Knotts has led Silver Foxes to 154-23-1 record and seven state titles during his first 12 years as head coach.

South Dakota — Jefferson (Sioux Falls)
Last year's 11AAA state champs are coming off a 12-0 season and bring back plenty of talent led by 2024 Wisconsin commit Thomas Heiberger.

Kevin Mawae takes over as head coach and the No. 19 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 begins the season riding a 21-game win streak.

Texas — Duncanville
Defending 6A Division 1 state champs are loaded with talent, led by five-star edge rusher Colin Simmons and five-star wide receiver Dakorien Moore.

Last year's 6A state runner-up is 74-6 and won three state titles since Eric Kjar was hired as head coach before the 2017 season.

Defending Division 1 state champs return the 2022 MaxPreps Vermont Player of the Year Jackson Sumner.

Virginia — Highland Springs
Loren Johnson has led the Springers to five state titles since 2015 and the defending Class 5 state champs are coming off a 15-0 season.

Washington — Yelm
Won the school's first football state title in 2022 and return key players led by last year's MaxPreps Washington Player of the Year Brayden Platt.

West Virginia — Huntington
Defending AAA state champs bring back all-state selections Robby Martin, Kiyou Jackson, Zah Jackson, Wayne Harris and Johnny Aya-ay.

Wisconsin — Kimberly
Have won six state titles since 2013 including the Division 1 championship last season.

The Braves won their 13th state title in school history last season.

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