High school flag football rankings: JSerra Catholic strengthens hold on No. 1 in MaxPreps Top 25 after Flag Football Showdown championship

California teams Orange Lutheran, Huntington Beach and Merced rise into top 10 after strong showings in San Diego.

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Sep 14, 2026, 4:00pm
After the MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown in Chula Vista, Calif., this past weekend, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) remains No. 1 in the MaxPreps Top 25.

JSerra Catholic went 4-0, including three victories Saturday alone to improve to 15-0 overall and claim the inaugural tournament championship. The Lions, who have won 43 games in a row dating back to last year, outscored opponents 87-6 with the only points allowed coming in the final against Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.).

Sophomore receiver/defensive back Tessa Russell was named the tournament MVP after producing over 100 receiving yards in three of the four games and four touchdowns. She also added 10 flag pulls and two interceptions defensively. Sophomore teammate Kate Meier was named the tournament's Offensive MVP, completing 76 percent of her passes for 894 yards and 13 total touchdowns.
MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown championship game opponents JSerra Catholic and Newport Harbor took the field together Saturday in the San Diego area. JSerra emerged as the winner to claim the inaugural MaxPreps FFS title. (PHOTO: Mike Manzano)
MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown championship game opponents JSerra Catholic and Newport Harbor took the field together Saturday in the San Diego area. JSerra emerged as the winner to claim the inaugural MaxPreps FFS title. (PHOTO: Mike Manzano)
Showdown runner-up Newport Harbor remains in the same position as last week at No. 3 after going 3-1 in the tournament with wins over Mission Hills (San Marcos, Calif.), Carlsbad (Calif.) and an overtime thriller against Huntington Beach (Calif.) before falling to JSerra. Scarlett Guyser was named the tournament's Defensive MVP for the Sailors.

Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) leapfrogged Newport Harbor into the No. 2 spot this week after going 3-0. The Lancers went unbeaten at the Showdown but were left out of the championship bracket due to tiebreaker rules. The Lancers earned victories over San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.), Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and Central (Phenix City, Ala.).

Orange Lutheran has Trinity League matchups with JSerra Catholic on Sept. 15 and Oct. 13.

Merced (Calif.) moves up to No. 9 after one of the most emphatic victories of the tournament, snapping Central's 62-game win streak with a 20-12 win on Day 1. Averie Steverson hauled in 127 yards with three touchdown passes from Antonia Lejarde. Ayasha Beavers and Alyssa Oseguera had interceptions in the victory. 

Teams from Arizona and Georgia kick off their seasons this week while Kansas begins its first sanctioned season Sept. 23.

Read on for a complete look at this week's rankings.
Merced jumped to No. 9 in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 after a major victory over Central of Alabama at the MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown. (PHOTO: Rene Morales)
Merced jumped to No. 9 in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 after a major victory over Central of Alabama at the MaxPreps Flag Football Showdown. (PHOTO: Rene Morales)
MaxPreps Top 25

1. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)
Record: 15-0 | Last week: 1

2. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 14-1 | Last week: 4

3. Newport Harbor (Newport Beach, Calif.)
Record: 14-2 | Last week: 3

Record: 9-0 | Last week: 9

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 5

6. Mountain View (Loveland, Colo.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 10

7. Huntington Beach (Calif.)
Record: 8-3 | Last week: 14

8. North Oconee (Bogart, Ga.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 8

9. Merced (Calif.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 25

10. Moody (Ala.)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 11

11. Central (Phenix City, Ala.)
Record: 5-2 | Last week: 2

12. Western Christian (Upland, Calif.)
Record: 14-2 | Last week: 9

13. Wakefield (Raleigh, N.C.)
Record: 3-0 | Last week: 13

14. Greenbrier (Evans, Ga.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 12

15. Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 15

16. Pope (Marietta, Ga.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 16

17. Saint Joseph (Lakewood, Calif.)
Record: 10-0 | Last week: 17

18. St. Charles North (St. Charles, Ill.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 18

19. Grandview (Aurora, Colo.)
Record: 7-1 | Last week: 23

20. Mountain Vista (Highlands Ranch, Colo.)
Record: 6-1 | Last week: 24

21. Legend (Parker, Colo.)
Record: 6-1 | Last week: 7

22. Dos Pueblos (Goleta, Calif.)
Record: 12-2 | Last week: 19

23. Glenbrook South (Glenview, Ill.)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: NR

24. Westlake (Westlake Village, Calif.)
Record: 9-3 | Last week: 21

Record: 9-4 | Last week: 22

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