High school football rankings: No. 1 Mater Dei, No. 2 St. John Bosco set for rematch in CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship

The stage is set for a No. 1 vs. No. 2 rematch in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship as Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) and St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) both won big in the semifinals last week. The top-ranked Monarchs won their 29th game in a row with a dominant 52-0 win over Los Alamitos. The Braves, who jumped back to No. 2, took down Mission Viejo 41-6 and have outscored their last five opponents 225-34 since a 17-7 loss against Mater Dei on Oct. 7.

St. John Bosco's move to No. 2 in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings comes after St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) lost 27-16 against IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and No. 3 Central (Miami) struggled against rival Northwestern (Miami) before pulling out a 34-30 win.

The Panthers dropped from No. 2 to No. 13 after the loss while the Rockets stayed at No. 3.

It will be the second No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown of the year, only this time the roles are reversed as the Monarchs, then ranked No. 2, beat then-No. 1 St. John Bosco 17-7 in October. Mater Dei has made it to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship six consecutive years and will be going for its fourth section title since 2016. They won it in 2017, 2018 and 2021.

The Braves will be playing in their eighth section championship game since 2013. They won it in 2013, 2016 and 2019.

IMG Academy was one of the biggest movers moving up from No. 10 to No. 6 after snapping the Panthers' 16-game winning streak. Five-star Ohio State commit Carnell Tate had a monster night hauling in two touchdowns and junior defensive back Jordon Johnson-Rubell made one of the biggest plays of the game with a near 100-yard pick-six right before halftime to take a 20-8 lead. It was the final game of the season for both teams.

No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) won its 13th state title since 2007 with a one-sided 70-6 rout of Bishop Manogue (Reno) in the 5A championship. The Gaels scored touchdowns on all eight of their first-half possessions.

The biggest upset last week was Walton (Marietta, Ga.) taking down previously ranked Buford (Ga.) 42-35 in the second round of the AAAAAAA playoffs. The Wolves were ranked at No. 6 but dropped out of the after the loss. Walton is close to joining the MaxPreps Top 25 and if the Raiders keep winning they will join the national rankings. Up next is Julian Lewis and Carrollton (Ga.) in the quarterfinals.

Los Alamitos and Mission Viejo dropped out of the MaxPreps Top 25 along with Buford making room for three new teams.

Southlake Carroll (Southlake, TX), Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati) and St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia) check in at Nos. 23, 24 and 25, respectively.

The Dragons improved to 12-0 with a 69-14 win over Frenship (Wolfforth) to advance to the third round of the 6A Division 2 playoffs. Moeller advanced to the Ohio Division 1 semifinals with a 38-20 win over Lakota West (West Chester) and it was its third win against a team in our expanded top 100 list. The Hawks have won nine in a row since a season-opening loss against No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). They are three wins away from winning their fourth 6A state title since 2018.

MaxPreps Top 25 football rankings

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 1

Last week: Beat Los Alamitos 52-0

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower)

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 4

Last week: Beat Mission Viejo 41-6

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana)

Record: 11-0 | Last week: 3

Last week: Beat Northwestern (Miami) 34-30

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Norland (Miami)

Record: 13-1 | Last week: 5

Last week: Beat Bishop Manogue (Reno) 70-6

Record: 10-0 | Last week: 7

Last week: Beat Avant Garde Academy (Hollywood) 48-0

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Cardinal Newman (West Palm Beach)

Record: 8-1 | Last week: 10

Last week: Beat St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) 27-16

Record: 11-0 | Last week: 8

Last week: Beat Atlantic (Delray Beach) 63-14

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 9

Last week: Beat Dickinson 43-34

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Cinco Ranch (Katy)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 11

Last week: Beat New Braunfels 45-14

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. San Benito

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 12

Last week: Beat Boynton Beach 49-0

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale)

Record: 11-0 | Last week: 13

Last week: Beat Wylie 41-0

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. The Woodlands

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 14

Last week: Beat Highland Park (Dallas) 63-42

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club)

Record: 9-1 | Last week: 2

Last week: Lost 27-16 to IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Record: 10-0 | Last week: 15

Last week: Idle

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. O'Connor (Phoenix)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 16

Last week: Beat Webb (Knoxville) 44-7

Next week: Idle

Record: 11-0 | Last week: 17

Last week: Beat Mitchell (New Port Richey) 47-10

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Lake Minneola (Minneola)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 18

Last week: Beat Memorial (Houston) 62-21

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Summer Creek (Houston)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 19

Last week: Beat North Forsyth (Cumming) 77-16

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Woodward Academy (College Park)

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 20

Last week: Beat North Cobb (Kennesaw) 43-7

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Westlake (Atlanta)

Record: 13-1 | Last week: 21

Last week: Beat Mentor 27-0

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Lincoln (Gahanna)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: 22

Last week: Beat Harrison (Kennesaw) 49-28

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. North Gwinnett (Suwanee)

Record: 9-1 | Last week: 23

Last week: Idle

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek)

Record: 12-0 | Last week: NR

Last week: Beat Frenship (Wolfforth) 69-14

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. McKinney

Record: 13-1 | Last week: NR

Last week: Beat Lakota West (West Chester) 38-20

Next week: Nov. 25 vs. Springfield

Record: 9-1 | Last week: NR

Last week: Beat Northeast (Philadelphia) 49-6

Next week: Nov. 26 vs. Parkland (Allentown)