High school football rankings: No. 1 Mater Dei beats Servite 27-7 for CIF-SS title, sixth Top 25 win

The top-ranked Monarchs face Serra on Dec. 11 for the CIF Open Division championship.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) is one win away from going wire-to-wire as the top-ranked team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings after beating Servite (Anaheim) 27-7 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship. Friday's victory over the Friars was the sixth win for Mater Dei over a MaxPreps Top 25 opponent. No other team has more than two.

The Monarchs won their third section championship since 2017 behind a strong run game and dominant defense. Raleek Brown rushed for 162 yards and a score while David Bailey and Tanner Williams combined for 3.5 sacks. The defense held one of the most explosive offenses in the country to 133 total yards and a season-low seven points.

Mater Dei faces Serra (San Mateo) in the CIF Open Division state championship on Dec. 11 at Saddleback College (Mission Viejo) after the state announced Bowl Game pairings on Sunday. 

No. 2 Westlake (Austin, Texas) is in the best position to finish the season at No. 1 should the Monarchs lose against the Padres. The Chaparrals extended their win streak to 36 with a 56-0 victory over Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North (Pharr) in the third round of the 6A Division 2 bracket. Vandegrift (Austin) is up next with a spot in the state semifinal up for grabs.

No. 3 Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.) added another one-sided win to its resume with a 49-7 victory against Lowndes (Valdosta) to clinch a spot in the AAAAAAA semifinals. Missouri-bound quarterback Sam Horn accounted for over 350 yards of total offense and five touchdowns while five-star athlete Travis Hunter had over 100 yards receiving and two scores. The top-ranked player in the country also added an interception. The Eagles face the defending AAAAAAA state champs Grayson (Loganville) on Friday.

Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) moved up two spots to No. 4 after beating Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) 28-7 in the Non-Public Group A championship. This is the first time since 1998 the Crusaders went undefeated.

No. 9 Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.) became the first school to win back-to-back 6A state titles in Indiana as the Trojans beat Westfield 27-21 and finished the year 14-0 for the second consecutive season.

Four MaxPreps Top 25 teams will be competing for a state title this week, headlined by No. 18 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) seeking its third consecutive 7A championship Wednesday against (13-0) Central (Phenix City).

No. 19 Bixby (Okla.) has the second-longest active win streak in the country at 48 and looks for its fourth straight 6A-II title Thursday against (10-2) Deer Creek (Edmond).

No. 20 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) tries for its sixth straight 5A state title Saturday against (14-0) Gaffney and No. 25 Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) battles (14-0) Summit (Spring Hill) on Saturday trying to repeat as Division 1 Class 6A champs. 

MaxPreps Top 25 High School Football Rankings

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 1
Last week: Beat Servite (Anaheim) 27-7
Next week: Idle

2. Westlake (Austin, Texas)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 2
Last week: Beat Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North (Pharr) 56-0
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Vandegrift (Austin)

3. Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 3
Last week: Beat Lowndes (Valdosta) 49-7
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Grayson (Loganville)

4. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 6
Last week: Beat Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) 28-7
Season complete

5. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)
Record: 8-1 | Last week: 8
Season complete

6. Katy (Texas)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat King (Houston) 41-24
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Summer Creek (Houston)

7. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)
Record: 10-3 | Last week: 4
Last week: Lost to Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 27-7
Season complete

8. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 8
Season complete

9. Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.)
Record: 14-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat Westfield 27-21
Season complete

10. Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 10
Last week: Beat Lewisville 52-0
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Allen

11. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 11
Last week: Beat American Leadership Academy (Queen Creek) 38-14
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Saguaro (Scottsdale)

12. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 13-0 | Last week: 12
Last week: Beat Hillsborough (Tampa) 42-0
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Northwestern (Miami)

13. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 13
Last week: Beat Homestead 56-7
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Buchholz (Gainesville)

14. Centennial (Corona, Calif.)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 14
Season complete

15. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 15
Season complete

16. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 9-1 | Last week: 16
Season complete

17. Chandler (Ariz.)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 17
Last week: Beat Queen Creek 48-28
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Liberty (Peoria)

18. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 18
Last week: Idle
Next week: Dec. 1 vs. Central (Phenix City)

19. Bixby (Okla.)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 19
Last week: Idle
Next week: Dec. 2 vs. Deer Creek (Edmond)

20. Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.)
Record: 12-0 | Last week: 20
Last week: Beat Fort Dorchester (North Charleston) 21-14
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Gaffney

21. Milton (Ga.)
Record: 12-1 | Last week: 21
Last week: Beat Mill Creek (Hoschton) 36-27
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Walton (Marietta)

22. St. John's (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 22
Season complete

23. Central (Miami)
Record: 10-2 | Last week: 23
Last week: Beat Killian (Miami) 39-13
Next week: Dec. 3 vs. Baker County (Glen St. Mary)

24. Duncanville (Texas)
Record: 11-1 | Last week: 24
Last week: Beat Spring 42-7
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. DeSoto

25. Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
Record: 14-0 | Last week: 25
Last week: Beat Maryville 24-14
Next week: Dec. 4 vs. Summit (Spring Hill)