MaxPreps Top 25 high school football scores: No. 14 Langston Hughes beats No. 12 Carrollton 39-34 in instant classic

The first MaxPreps Top 25 matchup of the season lived up to the hype. No. 14 Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.) held on for a 39-34 win against No. 12 Carrollton (Ga.) on ESPN2. The Trojans jumped out to a 22-6 lead early but the defending Class AAAAAA state champs reeled off 27 straight points to take a 33-22 lead midway through the third quarter.

Julian Lewis and the Trojans responded and scored the next 12 points to take a 34-33 lead with just over four minutes remaining. Ohio State bound quarterback Air Noland connected with Jovanni McGee with just over a minute left for a 25-yard score to take a 39-34 lead. The Panthers defense stuffed Carrollton on the final play of the game to extend their winning streak to 16.

The top-rated recruit in the Class of 2024 — Dylan Raiola — led No. 10 Buford (Ga.) to an 18-0 shutout win against No. 6 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore). The defense dominated all four quarters and the special teams made some key plays. Raiola threw for two scores in his Wolves' debut. Tyshun White and KJ Bolden each had one touchdown reception. Bolden also had an interception on defense.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) opened the season with a 28-14 win against No. 15 Centennial (Corona, Calif.). The Monarchs were up 21-0 after three quarters but the Huskies cut the deficit to 21-14 after a 55-yard pick-six from Tayten Beyer with just over four minutes remaining. Mater Dei put the game out of reach when 2024 Georgia commit Nate Frazier ran it in from five yards out to put the Monarchs up 28-14 with just over two minutes left.

No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) erased a 28-21 halftime deficit and cruised to a 63-42 win over Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah).

No. 3 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) beat Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 42-22 as the Braves begin their quest to become the first team to repeat as MaxPreps National Champs since Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas) did in 2006. The Braves have a huge road test at No. 9 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) next Saturday.

No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) snapped No. 19 Lipscomb Academy's (Nashville, Tenn.) 21-game win streak with a one-sided 35-10 win to open the 2023 season. 

• • 28
    Mater Dei
  • 14
    Centennial

  8/18 Final

• • 63
    Bishop Gorman
  • 42
    Corner Canyon

  8/18 Final

• • 22
    Liberty
  • 42
    St. John Bosco

  8/18 Final

• • 35
    IMG Academy
  • 10
    Lipscomb Academy

  8/18 Final

• • 0
    St. Frances Academy
  • 18
    Buford

  8/18 Final

• • 39
    Langston Hughes
  • 34
    Carrollton

  8/18 Final

• • 27
    St. Edward
  • 10
    Center Grove

  8/19 Final

• • 17
    Dutch Fork
  • 48
    Colquitt County

  8/19 Final