The high school football season kicks into high gear this week as the best slate of games in years goes down, including four matchups featuring MaxPreps Top 25 teams.
No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) begins its 2022 season this week in a much-anticipated trip to Texas to take on perennial Lone Star State power Allen. This is the second straight year fans get a huge California-Texas showdown after Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) rolled out and beat Duncanville 45-3 last season.
Speaking of the second-ranked Monarchs, they head to Nevada in a MaxPreps Top 25 showdown in the desert against No. 6 Bishop Goman. Mater Dei cruised to a 42-0 season-opening win over West (Salt Lake City) as junior quarterback
Elijah Brown threw five touchdowns and improved to 18-0 in his prep career.
The Gaels, meanwhile, got their season underway last week with an impressive 42-7 win over Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah). This is the third meeting between the two national powers with Mater Dei winning the first two by an average margin of 28 points per game.
There are three other MaxPreps Top 25 matchups this week as No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) hosts No. 14 Central (Miami), No. 13 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) takes on No. 17 St. John's (Washington, D.C.) and No. 19 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) faces No. 25 Los Alamitos (Calif.). Both the latter games are at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in the Broward County vs. The USA Showcase.
Los Alamitos was the only new team to join the national rankings as previous No. 14 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) dropped out after a 38-7 loss to Buford (Ga.). The Wolves moved up one spot to No. 10.
Micah Alejado, Bishop Gorman
Photo: Jules Karney
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 1
Next week: Aug. 26 at Allen (Texas)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Beat West (Salt Lake City) 42-0
Next week: Aug. 26 at No. 6 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 3
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. East St. Louis (Ill.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 4
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. No. 14 Central (Miami)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 5
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 6
Last week: Beat Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) 42-7
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 7
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. Ridge Point (Missouri City)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 8
Next week: Idle
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat Santiago (Corona) 85-0
Next week: Aug. 26 at Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Beat Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) 38-7
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 10
Next week: Aug. 25 vs. The Woodlands
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 12
Next week: Idle
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 13
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. No. 17 St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 15
Next week: Aug. 26 at No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 16
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 17
Next week: Aug. 26 at Wharton (Tampa)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 18
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. No. 13 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 19
Next week: Aug. 25 vs. Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 20
Last week: Beat Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.) 38-20
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. No. 25 Los Alamitos (Calif.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 21
Next week: Aug. 27 vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 22
Last week: Beat Marietta 32-12
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. Eagle's Landing (McDonough)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 23
Next week: Aug. 26 at Clearwater
Record: 1-0 | Last week: 24
Last week: Beat Central Catholic (Toledo) 23-20
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. Central Catholic (Pittsburgh)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 25
Next week: Aug. 26 vs. Clear Springs (League City)
Record: 1-0 | Last week: NR
Last week: Beat Garces Memorial (Bakersfield) 41-0
Next week: Aug. 26 at No. 19 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)
