High school football rankings: Defending California state champion Mater Dei headlines 2024 Preseason MaxPreps Top 25

Chris Henry Jr., Nasir Wyatt, Kodi Greene, Daryus Dixson and Jordon Davison lead top-ranked Monarchs.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Zack Poff
By
Jul 13, 2024, 8:00am
For the fifth time since 2017, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) begins the season as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings. The Monarchs are coming off a 13-1 campaign and Open Division state title, their fourth over the last seven years.

There is a change on the sideline for the Orange County powerhouse. Raul Lara, who led Long Beach Poly (Long Beach) to a 142-30 record and five section titles from 2001-13, has replaced Frank McManus as head coach.

Mater Dei returns plenty of talent but has big shoes to fill at the quarterback position. Elijah Brown went 42-2 with two state titles during his four-year run as the starting signal caller. Senior Washington pledge Dash Beierly takes over after accounting for 2,500-plus yards of total offense and 29 touchdowns last season at Chaparral (Temecula).

Sophomore tight end Mark Bowman, senior running back Jordon Davison (Oregon commit) and wide receivers Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Marcus Harris (Oklahoma) and Chris Henry Jr. (Ohio State) provide Beierly with plenty of playmakers to get the ball to. Kodi Greene, Lex Mailangi and Sione Tohi (Arizona) headline one of the best offensive lines in the country.

The Monarchs might be even more loaded on the other side of the ball. 

Abduall Sanders Jr. (Alabama commit), Shaun Scott, Semi Taulanga, Tomu Topui and Nasir Wyatt (Oregon) lead the way on the front seven. Daryus Dixson (Penn State), Danny Lang, C.J. Lavender and Chuck McDonald III (Alabama) headline a talented secondary.

Mater Dei is joined by five other teams from California in the initial MaxPreps Top 25. St. John Bosco (Bellflower), Centennial (Corona), Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), Orange Lutheran (Orange) and Folsom all begin the season nationally-ranked.

While the Golden State is well-represented, Florida leads the way with seven teams slotted into the preseason rankings.


Read on for a complete look at the Preseason MaxPreps Top 25. Click on school name for team previews.

Head coach: Raul Lara
2023 record: 13-1 | Final ranking: No. 3

Head coach: Brent Browner
2023 record: 12-0 | Final ranking: No. 1

Head coach: Billy Miller
2023 record: 10-0 | Final ranking: No. 4

Head coach: Jason Negro
2023 record: 11-2 | Final ranking: No. 6

Head coach: Claude Mathis
2023 record: 15-0 | Final ranking: No. 5

Head coach: Ben Reaves
2023 record: 13-2 | Final ranking: No. 11

Head coach: Reginald Samples
2023 record: 14-1 | Final ranking: No. 8

Head coach: Matt Logan
2023 record: 9-3 | Final ranking: No. 14

Head coach: Dameon Jones
2023 record: 14-0 | Final ranking: No. 2

Head coach: Willie Gaston
2023 record: 15-1 | Final ranking: No. 12

Head coach: Roger Harriott
2023 record: 14-1 | Final ranking: No. 9

Head coach: Joey King
2023 record: 11-2 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Ryan Schneider
2023 record: 14-1 | Final ranking: No. 17

Head coach: Messay Hailemariam
2023 record: 5-6 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Jube Joseph
2023 record: 8-4 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Tim Roken
2023 record: 13-1 | Final ranking: No. 7

Head coach: Jon Ellinghouse
2023 record: 11-1 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Eric Kjar
2023 record: 13-1 | Final ranking: No. 13

Head coach: Vito Campanile
2023 record: 11-1 | Final ranking: 21

Head coach: Mike Smith
2023 record: 10-2 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Bryant Appling
2023 record: 11-2 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Patrick Nix
2023 record: 13-0 | Final ranking: No. 25

Head coach: Dominick Ciao
2023 record: 13-2 | Final ranking: No. 23

Head coach: Rod Sherman
2023 record: 5-6 | Final ranking: N/A

Head coach: Paul Doherty
2023 record: 13-2 | Final ranking: N/A

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