No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) is one win away from going wire-to-wire as the top-ranked team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings after beating Servite (Anaheim) 27-7 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship. It was the sixth win for the Monarchs against a MaxPreps Top 25 opponent. No other team has more than two.
The Monarchs won their third section championship since 2017 behind a strong run game and dominant defense.
Raleek Brown rushed for 162 yards and a score while
David Bailey and
Tanner Williams combined for 3.5 sacks. The defense held one of the most explosive offenses in the country to 133 total yards and a season-low seven points.
No. 2 Westlake (Austin, Texas) is in the best position to finish the season at No. 1 should the Monarchs lose against the Padres. The Chaparrals extended their win streak to 36 with a 56-0 victory over Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North (Pharr) in the third round of the 6A Division 2 bracket. Vandegrift (Austin) is up next with a spot in the state semifinal up for grabs.
No. 3 Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.) added another one-sided win to its resume with a 49-7 victory against Lowndes (Valdosta) to clinch a spot in the AAAAAAA semifinals. Missouri-bound quarterback
Sam Horn accounted for over 350 yards of total offense and five touchdowns while five-star athlete
Travis Hunter had over 100 yards receiving and two scores. The top-ranked player in the country also added an interception. The Eagles face the defending AAAAAAA state champs Grayson (Loganville) on Friday.
Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) moved up two spots to No. 4 after beating Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) 28-7 in the Non-Public Group A championship. This is the first time since 1998 the Crusaders went undefeated.
No. 9 Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.) became the first school to win back-to-back 6A state titles in Indiana as the Trojans beat Westfield 27-21 and finished the year 14-0 for the second consecutive season.
This week, four MaxPreps Top 25 teams will be competing for a state title this week, headlined by No. 18 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) seeking its third consecutive 7A championship Wednesday against (13-0) Central (Phenix City).
No. 19 Bixby (Okla.) has the second-longest active win streak in the country at 48 and looks for its fourth straight 6A-II title Thursday against (10-2) Deer Creek (Edmond).
No. 20 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) tries for its sixth straight 5A state title Saturday against (14-0) Gaffney and No. 25 Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) battles (14-0) Summit (Spring Hill) on Saturday trying to repeat as Division 1 Class 6A champs.
Zion Turner, St. Thomas Aquinas
Photo by Laura Martin
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 1
Last week: Beat Servite (Anaheim) 27-7
Next week: Idle
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Beat Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North (Pharr) 56-0
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Vandegrift (Austin)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 3
Last week: Beat Lowndes (Valdosta) 49-7
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Grayson (Loganville)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 6
Last week: Beat Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) 28-7
Season complete
Record: 8-1 | Last week: 8
Season complete
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat King (Houston) 41-24
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Summer Creek (Houston)
Record: 10-3 | Last week: 4
Last week: Lost to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 27-7
Season complete
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 8
Season complete
Record: 14-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat Westfield 27-21
Season complete
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 10
Last week: Beat Lewisville 52-0
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Allen
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Beat American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek) 38-14
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Saguaro (Scottsdale)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 12
Last week: Beat Hillsborough (Tampa) 42-0
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Northwestern (Miami)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 13
Last week: Beat Homestead 56-7
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Buchholz (Gainesville)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 14
Season complete
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 15
Season complete
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 16
Season complete
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 17
Last week: Beat Queen Creek 48-28
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Liberty (Peoria)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 18
Last week: Idle
Next week: Dec. 1 vs. Central (Phenix City)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 19
Last week: Idle
Next week: Dec. 2 vs. Deer Creek (Edmond)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 20
Last week: Beat Fort Dorchester (North Charleston) 21-14
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Gaffney
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 21
Last week: Beat Mill Creek (Hoschton) 36-27
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Walton (Marietta)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 22
Season complete
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 23
Last week: Beat Killian (Miami) 39-13
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Baker County (Glen St. Mary)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 24
Last week: Beat Spring 42-7
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. DeSoto
Record: 14-0 | Last week: 25
Last week: Beat Maryville 24-14
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Summit (Spring Hill)
