The stage is set for another monster high school football showdown as No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) hosts No. 8 Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) on Saturday at the Santa Ana Bowl in a game that could reshape the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings. Mater Dei has held the top spot all season while Servite could bolster its resume if the Friars can beat the Monarchs for the first time since 2011.
Mater Dei has outscored its first six opponents 305-57 with notable wins over No. 5 St. John Bosco (Bellflower), Duncanville (Texas), Liberty (Henderson, Nev.), Orange Lutheran (Orange) and Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita).
Servite hasn't trailed at any point through their first eight games and own quality wins over Mission Viejo, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), Orange Lutheran (Orange) and Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita).
No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) improved to 6-0, holding on for a 24-14 win over St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.) in the Ascenders' first game in three weeks. Sophomore running back
Stacy Gage scored his third touchdown of the night to extend the lead to 10 with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. IMG Academy faces a big test this week against five-star wide receiver
Luther Burden and East St. Louis (Ill.) on Friday at Jackson State.
No. 4 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) recorded its fifth shutout of the season, beating Oak Mountain (Birmingham) 48-0 to improve to 9-0. The back-to-back 7A state champs have outscored their first nine opponents 448-26 and won 27 games in a row. Up next is a road trip against (9-0) Hoover on Oct. 22.
Jacob Manu leads Servite onto the field Friday against Orange Lutheran.
Photo by Terry Jack
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 1
Last week: Beat Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) 56-3
Next week: Oct. 23 vs. No. 8 Servite (Anaheim)
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Beat St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.) 24-14
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. East St. Louis (Ill.)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 3
Last week: Beat Hays (Buda) 77-0
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Akins (Austin)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 4
Last week: Beat Oak Mountain (Birmingham) 48-0
Next week: Oct. 22 at Hoover
Record: 7-1 | Last week: 5
Last week: Beat Orange Lutheran (Orange) 49-25
Next week: Oct. 22 at Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 6
Last week: Beat St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) 21-10
Next week: Oct. 23 at Seton Hall Prep (West Orange)
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat North Gwinnett (Suwanee) 35-7
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Mountain View (Lawrenceville)
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 8
Last week: Beat JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) 53-0
Next week: Oct. 23 at No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana)
Record: 9-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat Cathedral (Indianapolis) 21-6
Next week: Idle
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 10
Last week: Beat Cinco Ranch (Katy) 49-3
Next week: Idle
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 22 at Queen Creek
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 12
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 21 at V.R. Eaton (Fort Worth)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 13
Last week: Beat Jefferson (Tampa) 24-0
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Blake (Tampa)
Record: 8-0 | Last week: 14
Last week: Beat Norco 48-24
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Roosevelt (Eastvale)
Record: 7-1 | Last week: 15
Last week: Beat Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale) 39-14
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Dillard (Fort Lauderdale)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 16
Last week: Beat Desert Vista (Phoenix) 63-17
Next week: Idle
Record: 5-1 | Last week: 17
Last week: Beat Life Christian Academy (Chester, Va.) 47-8
Next week: Idle
Record: 7-1 | Last week: 18
Last week: Beat Palo Verde (Las Vegas) 49-0
Next week: Oct. 22 at Foothill (Henderson)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 19
Last week: Beat McKinley (Baton Rouge) 66-6
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. St. Amant
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 20
Last week: Beat Page (Sand Springs) 58-14
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Muskogee
Record: 6-1 | Last week: 21
Last week: Beat Walton (Marietta) 51-29
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Hillgrove (Powder Springs)
Record: 7-0 | Last week: 22
Last week: Beat River Bluff (Lexington) 48-0
Next week: Oct. 22 vs. Lexington
Record: 6-1 | Last week: 23
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 22 at Roswell
Record: 6-0 | Last week: 24
Last week: Idle
Next week: Oct. 22 at DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)
Record: 5-2 | Last week: 25
Last week: Beat Edison (Miami) 45-6
Next week: Oct. 23 at North Miami Beach
