SBLive/SI Top 25 national high school football rankings (11/18/2024)

Centennial took down Mission Viejo in Southern California's "Public School Super Bowl"

Mater Dei remains No. 1 in the SBLive/SI Top 25 national high school football rankings. / Heston Quan

The marquee game of the week lived up to the billing as the “Public School Super Bowl” of Southern California went to Centennial, which defeated Mission Viejo 25-20 to shake up this week’s Power 25 rankings.

The Diablos fell out of the rankings with the season-ending defeat, while the Huskies re-enter the Power 25 at No. 23 as they now face No. 1 Mater Dei in a powerhouse CIF Southern Section Division 1 semifinal.

Also dropping out of the rankings is Auburn, which lost 34-21 to Thompson in the quarterfinals of the Alabama 7A state playoffs. Taking the Tigers’ place is Armwood, which is the top seed in its section of the Florida 6A playoffs.

Here’s the complete breakdown of Week 14 of our SBLive/SI Power 25 national high school football rankings.

SBLIVE/SI TOP 25 FOOTBALL RANKINGS

November 18, 2024

1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (10-0)

Previous ranking: 1. Last week: Def. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 33-13

The Monarchs got two long touchdowns from tight end Mark Bowman and scored off a blocked punt to get past the Trailblazers and advance to a much-anticipated semifinal against Centennial.

Next: Nov. 22 at No. 23 Centennial, CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs

2. Duncanville (Texas) (10-0)

Previous ranking: 2. Last week: Def. Temple (Texas) 49-7

Five-star Alabama-committed quarterback Keelon Russell threw three first-quarter touchdown passes and finished with four to go with a rushing touchdown as the Panthers cruised to the first-round win.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Rockwall (Texas), UIL 6A Division I playoffs

3. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) (9-1)

Previous ranking: 3. Last week: Def. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 49-3

The Gaels advanced to the Class 5A Division I championship game, scoring five second-half touchdowns with lightning-quick precision as Maika Eugenio threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns, with Kaina Watson catching seven passes for 188 yards and a touchdown.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Arbor View (Las Vegas), Nevada 5A Division I playoffs

4. Milton (Ga.) (11-0)

Previous ranking: 4. Last week: Def. Woodstock (Ga.) 42-7

The Eagles ran their home win streak to 12 and their overall win streak to 21, building a 42-0 halftime lead as TJ Lester ran for 118 yards and a touchdown on six carries and Luke Nickel threw for 151 yards and four touchdowns.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Dutchtown (Hampton, Ga.), Georgia 5A playoffs

5. North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) (11-0)

Previous ranking: 5. Last week: Def. Byron Nelson (Trophy Club, Texas) 56-21

The Panthers pulled away in the second half as sophomore running back Kiante Ingram ran for two touchdowns early in the third quarter, reaching 56 points for the eighth consecutive game.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Permian (Odessa, Texas), UIL 6A Division 1 playoffs

6. North Shore (Houston) (10-0)

Previous ranking: 6. Last week: Def. Deer Park (Texas) 56-13

The Mustangs breezed to a first-round playoff win, spreading the offensive wealth among 12 players, with Chris Thomas and D’Andre Hardeman Jr. scoring two touchdowns each.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Ridge Point (Missouri City, Texas), UIL 6A Division 1 playoffs

7. Carrollton (Ga.) (11-0)

Previous ranking: 7. Last week: Def. Dacula (Ga.) 46-7

The Trojans opened the state playoffs in dominant fashion, with junior quarterback Julian Lewis going 23 of 26 for 293 yards and four touchdowns, finding senior Kiyun Cofer seven times for 101 yards and a score.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Valdosta (Ga.), Georgia 6A playoffs

8. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) (9-1)

Previous ranking: 8. Last week: Def. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.) 41-10

The Crusaders opened their quest for a fourth consecutive Non-Public A championship by romping past the eighth-seeded Pirates behind Najee Calhoun’s 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns and Dominic Campanile’s 219 passing yards and three scores.

Next: Nov. 23 vs. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), New Jersey Non-Public A playoffs

9. Lakeland (Fla.) (10-0)

Previous ranking: 10. Last week: Def. Spoto (Riverview, Fla.) 51-6

The Dreadnaughts kicked off their playoff run with an easy victory, leading 37-0 at halftime as Malik Morris ran for two touchdowns and Chad Williams had two touchdown passes.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Gaither (Tampa, Fla.), Florida 5A playoffs

10. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) (10-1)

Previous ranking: 11. Last week: Def. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) 31-29

The Braves survived a quarterfinal scare from the Eagles, erasing a 13-point second-half deficit by taking advantage of two turnovers and getting 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Maliq Allen — including a 66-yard burst early in the fourth quarter for the go-ahead score.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Orange Lutheran, CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs

11. Boyle County (Danville, Ky.) (12-0)

Previous ranking: 12. Last week: Def. Letcher County Central (Whitesburg, Ky.) 47-6

The Rebels led 41-0 at halftime and amassed 470 total yards as they breezed to a second-round victory. The bigger news was senior wide receiver Montavin Quisenberry flipping his commitment from West Virginia to Kentucky.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Corbin (Ky.), Kentucky 4A Region 4 quarterfinals

12. Westlake (Austin, Texas) (10-1)

Previous ranking: 13. Last week: Def. Vista Ridge (Cedar Park, Texas) 46-17

Rees Wise’s big second half helped the Chaparrals pull away from an 18-10 halftime lead as he finished with 262 passing yards and touchdown passes of 43 and 70 yards to Brody Wilhelm (four catches for 154 yards).

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Brennan (San Antonio, Texas), UIL 6A Division 1 playoffs

13. Buford (Ga.) (10-1)

Previous ranking: 14. Last week: Def. East Coweta (Sharpsburg, Ga.) 57-9

The Wolves gave up the game’s first score and trailed 9-7 early in the second quarter before seizing control of their first-round playoff game, with quarterback Dayton Raiola going 9 of 14 for 227 yards and Chris Garland returning an interception for a touchdown.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.), Georgia 6A playoffs

14. Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.) (12-0)

Previous ranking: 15. Last week: Def. McDonogh (Owings Mill, Md.) 31-7

University of Maryland commit Malik Washington had the perfect ending to his high school career, running for one score and throwing two touchdown passes in becoming the first quarterback to win three consecutive MIAA A titles.

Next: Season over 

15. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.) (11-0)

Previous ranking: 16. Last week: Def. Memphis University School (Memphis, Tenn.) 45-6

The Red Raiders scored on five of their first seven possessions and breezed to the Division II-AAA semifinals. Junior quarterback Briggs Cherry was 13 of 16 for 318 yards and four touchdowns in the first half as Baylor built a 35-6 halftime lead. He finished 16 of 23 for 334 yards and five scores.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Brentwood (Tenn.) Academy, Tennessee Division II-AAA playoffs

16. Atascocita (Humble, Texas) (10-1)

Previous ranking: 17. Last week: Def. Dickinson (Texas) 50-45

After coasting through the final couple weeks of the regular season, the Eagles received a wakeup call from the Gators, who scored in the final two minutes but couldn’t recover the onside kick. Junior running back Cardae Mack had a big night for Atascocita, rushing for 334 yards and four touchdowns.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Pearland (Texas), UIL 6A Division 1 playoffs

17. Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.) (9-1)

Previous ranking: 18. Last week: Idle

The Lions begin defense of their Open Division title this week.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Higley (Gilbert, Ariz.), Arizona Open Division quarterfinals

18. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) (9-2)

Previous ranking: 19. Last week: Def. St. John Paul Academy (Boca Raton, Fla.) 63-0

The Lions rolled to the first-round win as Bekkem Kritza and Tyler Chance each had three touchdown passes and freshman Alexander Beltran led the defensive effort with four tackles for loss.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Saint Andrews (Boca Raton, Fla.), Florida Class 1A playoffs

19. Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati) (11-1)

Previous ranking: 20. Last week: Def. Princeton (Cincinnati) 28-10

In a rematch of the season-opener, the Crusaders again defeated their King of the Block rivals behind another solid game from senior quarterback Matt Ponatoski, who was 28 of 39 for 315 yards and four touchdowns to lead his team to the regional finals. Ponatoski has 48 touchdown passes, moving him past Joe Burrow to 17th on the state’s all-time single-season list.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati), Ohio Region 4 playoffs

20. Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) (12-1)

Previous ranking: 21. Last week: Def. Lehi (Utah) 35-34 (OT)

The Chargers earned the chance to defend their state championship by the margin of an extra-point try in overtime doinking off the left upright of the narrower goal posts at the University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. Junior Bronson Evans’ 14-yard touchdown pass on fourth down to Kai Meza with 19 seconds left forced overtime, and Kingston Cooper’s 11-yard run in overtime gave Corner Canyon the lead.

Next: Nov. 21 vs. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), Utah 6A state championship

21. Weddington (Matthews, N.C.) (10-0)

Previous ranking: 22. Last week: Def. A.L. Brown (Kannapolis, N.C.) 54-7

The Warriors held the Wonders to 193 yards, and Nick Diamond ran for three touchdowns and Anthony Barrino had two as they built a 34-7 lead after one quarter.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Sun Valley (Monroe, N.C.), North Carolina 4A playoffs

22. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) (11-0)

Previous ranking: 25. Last week: Def. San Marin (Novato, Calif.) 42-10

The Spartans used a balanced rushing attack to overwhelm the Mustangs, rolling up 326 yards on the ground, led by Derrick Blanche’s 75 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Pittsburg (Calif.), CIF North Coast Section Open Division final

23. Centennial (Corona, Calif.) (9-2)

Previous ranking: NR. Last week: Def. Mission Viejo (Calif.) 25-20

The Huskies ousted the Diablos from the Power 25 and made their return with a quarterfinal victory in the marquee matchup of the week. Husan Longstreet  threw for 236 yards and a touchdown, and Fifita Tauteoli-Moore intercepted a pass by Drai Trudeau on fourth down at the 2-yard line to seal the victory. 

Next: Nov. 22 vs. No. 1 Mater Dei, CIF Southern Section Division 1 playoffs

24. East St. Louis (Ill.) (11-1)

Previous ranking: 23. Last week: Def. Glenwood (Chatham, Ill.) 58-14

The Flyers got a battle from the Titans for 2½ quarters, with Herchel Walker’s touchdown run drawing the hosts within 26-14 before East St. Louis took control to reach the semifinals for the sixth consecutive season. Senior running back Christopher Bennett Jr. (Lindenwood commit) ran for four touchdowns, with his last an 80-yarder that answered Walker’s score.

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Richards (Oak Lawn, Ill.), Illinois 6A playoffs 

25. Armwood (Seffner, Fla.) (11-0)

Previous ranking: NR. Last week: Def. Melbourne (Fla.) 49-0

Syncere Styles ran for one touchdown and caught another, and Olontae Dean returned an interception for a touchdown as the Hawks cruised to the 6A regional semifinals. 

Next: Nov. 22 vs. Plant (Tampa, Fla.), Florida 6A playoffs

Dropped out

9. Mission Viejo (Calif.)

23. Auburn (Ala.)

Just missed 

Bryant (Ark.)

Crown Point (Ind.)

DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.)

DeSoto (Texas)

Edna Karr (New Orleans)

IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Lee County (Ga.)

Marana (Tucson, Ariz.)

North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.)

Owasso (Okla.)

Southlake Carroll (Texas)

St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia)

Venice (Fla.)

Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)

— René Ferrán | rferran.scorebooklive@gmail.com

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