MaxPreps Top 25 high school football scores: No. 1 Mater Dei holds on for 26-23 win over No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas

No. 8 American Heritage erases 28-0 deficit to pull out 31-28 win.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Zack Poff
By
Aug 23, 2025, 7:00pm
No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) held off a strong second half surge against No. 10 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) to hold on for a 26-23 win. The Monarchs jumped out to a 26-3 halftime lead, thanks to a strong first half from Wisconsin-bound quarterback Ryan Hopkins. He completed 8 of 13 passes for 232 yards and three touchdowns in his Mater Dei debut. 

Five-star wide receiver Chris Henry Jr. made a sensational 81-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter as he put together a huge performance in his first game in nearly a year after missing the majority of his junior season with a knee injury. He finished with four catches for 134 yards and two scores. 

The Raiders outscored Mater Dei 20-0 in the second half and cut the deficit to 26-23 with 1:36 left in the fourth quarter after Mason Mallory connected with Julius Jones for a five-yard touchdown. Mater Dei recovered the ensuing onside kick and Justin Lewis iced the game picking up a first down to run the clock out. 

No. 8 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) trailed St. Joseph's Prep 28-0 in the second half before roaring back to win 31-28. Running back Jonathan Bueno led the way with three rushing touchdowns while Dia Bell threw a touchdown to Jamar Denson, who had more than a dozen catches. With the game tied up 28-28, American Heritage senior kicker Kade Bailey drilled a 40-yard field goal to complete the comeback.

No. 14 Mission Viejo (Calif.) narrowly defeated No. 16 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) 7-3 in the MaxPreps Game of the Week. 

Mission Viejo trailed 3-0 in the second half when Ohio State commit Luke Fahey hit three-star junior Jack Junker for a 33-yard touchdown with 1:32 left in the third quarter to take a 7-3 advantage. 

Santa Margarita had a chance to win in the final minute of Carson Palmer’s debut as head coach of the Eagles. 

The Mission Viejo defense dominated all game, including in that final minute when Santa Margarita had a first down in the redzone. The Diablos defense stopped Santa Margarita on four straight plays to force a turnover on downs to win the game.

In the only other MaxPreps Top 25 matchup, No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) put a running clock on No. 7 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) and cruised to a 42-13 win. The Panthers are off next week and their next game is on Sept. 5 at No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.). This will be our MaxPreps Game of the Week and will have huge implications on the national rankings.

Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) got a quality road victory in Florida with a 17-15 win over No. 11 Northwestern (Miami) on Saturday. Reagan Toki and Nico Bland connected for two scores and Class of 2028 standout Marcus Fakatou led the way on defense.

That capped off the Trinity League going 3-0 in Florida as St. John Bosco rolled to a 31-0 win over Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.) in a game that was called at halftime because of weather. 

No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) opened its season at Hoover (Ala.) with a 34-13 victory. Senior running back Le'Khy Thompkins scored three rushing touchdowns, including a 60-yard run. Jayden Wade, the top prospect in the Class of 2028 threw a touchdown to fellow five-star sophomore Eric McFarland.

Five-star Faizon Brandon and No. 17 Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) narrowly defeated West Charlotte (Charlotte, N.C.) at Bank of America Stadium on Friday in overtime 28-27. Brandon ran in the game winning touchdown and has a record of 30-1 as a starter with a 4A state title last season.

MaxPreps Top 25 National Scoreboard

Saturday, 3:30 p.m. (All times local)

No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. 

No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) at Centennial (Las Vegas)

No. 4 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) vs. Rabun Gap-Nacoochee (Rabun Gap)
Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, 8 p.m. at St. Thomas Aquinas

No. 6 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at Hoover (Ala.)
Friday, 8 p.m.

No. 8 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) vs. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Friday, 6 p.m. 

Season opener: Sept. 5 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas)

No. 11 Northwestern (Miami) vs. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Saturday, 7 p.m.

No. 12 Centennial (Corona, Calif.) vs. Servite (Anaheim)

No. 13 Buford (Ga.) at Benedictine (Savannah)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. 


Season opener: Sept. 5 vs. Archbishop Shaw (Marrero)

No. 17 Grimsley (Greensboro, N.C.) vs. West Charlotte (Charlotte)
Friday, 8 p.m. at Bank of America Stadium - Watch live on NFHS Network

Season opener: Aug. 28 vs. Lancaster

No. 19 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) at West Broward (Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
Friday, 4 p.m.

Season opener: Aug. 28 vs. East St. Louis (Ill.)

No. 21 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) vs. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano)

Season opener: Aug. 29 vs. Central Catholic (Toledo, Ohio)

No. 23 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) vs. Carver Montgomery (Montgomery)
Thursday, 7 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network

Season opener: Aug. 29 at South Oak Cliff (Dallas)

No. 25 Carrollton (Ga.) vs. Columbia (Decatur)
Friday, 7:30 p.m. - Watch live on NFHS Network

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