Top 25 California high school football rankings (10/28/2024)

Mission Viejo moves into No. 2 spot after top-ranked Mater Dei's dominating win over St. John Bosco
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt scored Mater Dei's first of eight touchdowns in a 59-14 route of St. John Bosco at Santa Ana Stadium on Friday, October 25, 2024.
Kayden Dixon-Wyatt scored Mater Dei's first of eight touchdowns in a 59-14 route of St. John Bosco at Santa Ana Stadium on Friday, October 25, 2024. / Heston Quan

The annual Super Bowl of the regular season took place Friday at Santa Ana Stadium where Mater Dei, the top-ranked team in the nation and state, according to SBLive, hit on every cylinder to throttle No. 2 St. John Bosco, 59-14, a shocking score to be sure.

The score was 45-0 at halftime as the Monarchs (8-0) got 309 yards passing and five total touchdowns from Washington bound quarterback Dash Beierly.

These two Trinity League, section, state and national powers have combined to win every CIF Open Division title game since 2015. Every season but 2021 — there was no 2020 season due to the pandemic — the teams have met for the Southern Section crown.

The winner of the regular-season game doesn't always have the upper hand in the playoffs. In fact, the teams have split their two meetings in 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2023. Last season was a prime example of how the regular-season showdown evidently triggers a revenge factor as Bosco won in October (28-0) but lost by the same margin in the section finals (35-7).

It's doubtful St. John Bosco could possibly make up this kind of a ground in about a month and there's a possibility there might be another opponent waiting for the Monarchs in the Southern Section finals as Mission Viejo, Orange Lutheran and Servite are all strong contenders.

Both teams were victorious Friday heading into this week's game as Mater Dei handled state No. 9 JSerra Catholic, 41-17, and St. John Bosco edged then No. 7 Servite, 27-17.

CALIFORNIA SCORES (OCT. 24-26)

CALIFORNIA TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS (10/28/2024)

1. Mater Dei (8-0)

high school football, california, Southern Section
Mater Dei senior quarterback Dash Beierly threw for 308 yards and four touchdowns and added a 40-yard TD run in the Monarchs' 59-14 win over St. John Bosco Oct. 25 at the Santa Ana Bowl. / Photo: Heston Quan

Previous rank: 1
Last week results: Beat St. John Bosco, 59-14
Next: Friday vs. Orange Lutheran

2. Mission Viejo (7-0)

Previous rank: 3
Last week results: Beat Edison, 49-24
Next: Friday vs. Los Alamitos

3. St. John Bosco (8-1)

Previous rank: 2
Last week results: Lost to Mater Dei, 59-14
Next: Friday vs. JSerra Catholic

4. Orange Lutheran (7-2)

Previous rank: 4
Last week results: Beat Servite, 38-0
Next: Friday at Mater Dei

5. De La Salle (8-0)

high school football, California
De La Salle senior RB Dominic Kelley with some tough rushing yards Oct. 25 against Monte Vista in a 42-7 win. / Photo: Eric Taylor

Previous rank: 5
Last week results: Beat Monte Vista, 42-7
Next: Friday vs. California

6. Corona Centennial (6-2)

Previous rank: 6
Last week results: Beat Norco, 60-21
Next: Friday at Chaparral

7. Sierra Canyon (6-3)

Previous rank: 7
Last week results: Beat Loyola, 45-0
Next: Friday at Gardena Serra

8. JSerra Catholic (6-3)

Previous rank: 9
Last week Beat Santa Margarita, 35-33
Next: Friday at St. John Bosco

9. Pittsburg (7-1)

Previous rank: 10
Last week results: Beat Liberty, 47-15
Next: Friday at Deer Valley

10. Oaks Christian (7-2)

Previous rank: 11
Last week results: Beat Camarillo, 50-0
Next: Friday vs. Simi Valley

11. Folsom (8-1)

Previous rank: 14
Last week results: Beat Jesuit, 55-10
Next: Friday at Granite Bay

12. San Diego Lincoln (7-2)

Previous rank: 15
Last week results: Beat St. Augustine, 63-0
Next: Friday vs. Madison

13. Gardena Serra (7-2)

Previous rank: 13
Last week results: Beat Bishop Amat, 52-21
Next: Friday vs. Sierra Canyon

14. Servite (6-3)

Previous rank: 8
Last week results: Lost to Orange Lutheran, 38-0
Next: Friday vs. Santa Margarita at Trabuco Hills

15. Inglewood (9-0)

Previous rank: 12
Last week results: Beat Palos Verdes, 27-3
Next: Friday at Culver City

16. Murrieta Valley (7-2)

Previous rank: 16
Last week results: Beat Vista Murrieta, 57-55
Next: Friday at Eastvale Roosevelt

17. Santa Margarita (3-6)

Previous rank: 17
Last week results: Lost to JSerra Catholic, 35-33
Next: Friday vs. Servite

18. Oak Hills (9-0)

Previous rank: 18
Last week results: Beat Sultana, 58-0
Next: Friday at Ridgecrest Burroughs

19. Newbury Park (9-0)

Previous rank: 19
Last week results: Beat Thousand Oaks, 38-0
Next: Friday at Rio Mesa

20. Downey (8-1)

Previous rank: 20
Last week results: Beat Warren, 27-7
Next: Friday vs. Mayfair

21. Clovis East (9-0)

Previous rank: 21
Last week results: Beat Buchanan, 42-11
Next: Friday vs. Clovis North

22. Chaparral (7-2)

Previous rank: 22
Last week results: Beat Roosevelt, 49-0
Next: Friday vs. Corona Centennial

23. Saint Francis (7-1)

Previous rank: 23
Last week results: Beat Sacred Heart Cathedral, 49-24
Next: Friday at Valley Christian

24. San Juan Hills (8-1)

Previous rank: 24
Last week results: Beat Neport Harbor, 42-10
Next: Friday at Tesora

25. Clovis North (7-2)

Previous rank: 25
Last week results: Beat Clovis West, 31-9
Next: Friday at Clovis East


HONORABLE MENTION: Bakersfield (8-1), Bakersfield Christian (7-2), Capo Valley (8-1), Cardinal Newman (8-0), Cathedral Catholic (7-2), Cathedral (8-1), Damien (7-2), Edison (6-3), Leuzinger (7-2), Millikan (8-2), Rocklin (8-1), San Ramon Valley (7-1), St. Mary's-Stockton (7-2), Yorba Linda (8-1).



Published
Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.