High school football rankings: Storied De La Salle joins MaxPreps Top 25 after 4-0 start

A familiar name is the only new team to join the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings this week as De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) checks in at No. 25. The Spartans have cruised to a 4-0 start outscoring the opposition 175-45. 

De La Salle faces its toughest test Saturday against No. 20 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) at California Memorial Stadium. 

This will be the first meeting between the programs since 2015 when De La Salle beat Centennial 28-21 in the Open Division state championship game. All five previous meetings in the series have come in the title game with the Spartans owning a 4-1. No. 8 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) added another marquee win to its resume with a 25-8 victory against Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) on the road. The Gaels became the first out-of-state team in 28 tries to beat the Monarchs and snapped their five-game skid against the perennial Southern California power. Corey Hinton Jr. rushed 19 times for 210 yards for the winners

No. 3 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) erased a 24-7 halftime deficit outscoring The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) 41-3 in the second half to pull off a 48-27 win. Jayden Wade threw three touchdowns with two going to Eric McFarland lll and the other to Osani Gayles, who added a 99-yard kickoff return score. Aaryn Washington had a pick-six to give the Ascenders their first two-score lead. 

A huge showdown in Georgia takes place Friday as No. 18 Thomas County Central (Thomasville) goes to No. 21 Lee County (Leesburg). Central, which was won seven of 10 meetings between the schools since 2010, is riding a 19-game win streak and winning by an average margin of 43.2 points per game this season.

The MaxPreps Game of the Week takes place in New Jersey in a rematch of last year's Non-Public A state championship game as No. 24 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) hosts St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) on Friday. 

St. Joseph Regional won its first state title since 2018 with a 24-21 victory last November. The Green Knights have won two in a row since starting the year with losses against Chicago Mt. Carmel (Chicago, Ill.) and Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.). Bosco is off to a 4-0 start and have won every game by at least 24 points. 

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 1

Last week: Beat Archbishop McCarthy (Southwest Ranches) 40-7

This week: Idle

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 2

Last week: Beat Hewlett Sports Academy (Waldorf) 43-0

This week: Friday vs. King/Drew (Los Angeles)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 3

Last week: Beat The First Academy (Orlando) 48-27

This week: Friday vs. Legacy School of Sports Science (Spring, Texas)

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 4

Last week: Beat Norco 34-0

This week: Idle

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 5

Last week: Beat Grayson (Loganville) 23-13

This week: Friday at Seckinger (Buford)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 6

Last week: Beat Orange Lutheran (Orange) 28-10

This week: Friday vs. Pacifica (Oxnard)

Record: 4-1 | Last week: 7

Last week: Beat South Dade (Homestead) 45-7

This week: Thursday vs. Homestead

Record: 4-1 | Last week: 8

Last week: Beat Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 25-8

This week: Friday vs. Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas)

Record: 4-1 | Last week: 9

Last week: Beat Saint Louis (Honolulu, Hawaii) 63-21

This week: Idle

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 10

Last week: Beat Prosper 51-21

This week: Friday vs. Princeton

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 11

Last week: Beat Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville) 42-0

This week: Friday vs. Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville)

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 12

Last week: Beat West Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.) 49-6

This week: Friday at Archer 

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 14

Last week: Beat Tuscaloosa County (Northport) 62-7

This week: Idle

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 15

Last week: Beat Casteel (Queen Creek) 44-25

This week: Friday at Williams Field (Gilbert)

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 16

Last week: Beat Green Run (Virginia Beach, Va.)

This week: Friday at West Mecklenburg (Charlotte)

Record: 5-0 | Last week: 17

Last week: Beat Fishers 49-10

This week: Friday Friday vs. Westfield

Record: 4-1 | Last week: 13

Last week: Lost 25-8 to Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)

This week: Idle

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 19

Last week: Beat Brooks County (Quitman) 69-0

This week: Friday at No. 21 Lee County (Leesburg)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 20

Last week: Beat Duncanville 47-30

This week: Friday vs. Crowley

Record: 2-2 | Last week: 21

Last week: Beat Rancho Cucamonga 41-7

This week: Saturday at No. 25 De La Salle (Concord)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 22

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. No. 18 Thomas County Central (Thomasville)

Record: 3-1 | Last week: 23

Last week: Beat Jackson (Miami) 54-18

This week: Friday at Northwestern (Miami)

Record: 3-1 | Last week: 24

Last week: Idle

This week: Friday vs. Saint Andrew's (Boca Raton)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: 25

Last week: Beat Paramus Catholic (Paramus) 35-9

This week: Friday vs. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale)

Record: 4-0 | Last week: NR

Last week: Beat St. Mary's (Stockton) 44-7

This week: Saturday vs. No. 20 Centennial (Corona)