No. 2 Mater Dei (CA) climbs Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings ladder; familiar teams from Utah and Texas debut in national rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – If you missed it, the action returned to the City of Lights, the Entertainment Capital of the World or Las Vegas last Friday.

Known for late nights at the gambling tables, world-class shows, desert heat and the likes of Bishop Gorman High School football, the city in Southern Nevada rarely disappoints. And the matchup between then-No. 4 Bishop Gorman and then-No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), both regulars in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings, continued to raise the roof on the national scene.

For the fifth time in the regional series between powerhouse programs separated by 268 miles, Mater Dei won 27-24 in a game that went down to the final quarter.

The game was close throughout and tied at 14 by the intermission and 21 in the third. However, trailing 24-21, Mater Dei quarterback Ryan Hopkins (252 yards passings) tossed a 37-yard touchdown pass to Ohio State-bound WR Chris Henry Jr. with 6:06 left. Gorman had a chance to tie it a few minutes later but misfired on a 47-yard field goal. Still, the Gaels (4-1) matriculated the ball near midfield in the final minute but came up short on fourth-and-three.

The No. 2 Monarchs (3-1) hopped up three slots with the victory and soothed the frayed nerves the previous week’s loss to No.aslkhg Corona (Calif.) Centennial. Gorman, which plays one of the most challenging nonleague slates with an emphasis on Elite 25 type teams, dipped four spots with plenty of football remaining.

Gorman played without two key wide outs in Hawaii-recruit Isaiah Nickels and sophomore Zyren Menor, both of whom fuel the passing game and special teams in the return game.

Elsewhere, two schools earned their way into the Elite 25 rankings. No. awlrgh Allen (Texas) and No. 24 Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) return to the rankings for the first time this season but certainly not the first-ever for either program.

Check it out

With some of the states at the midway point and several Elite 25 teams in their bye week, here are five games that will impact the upcoming rankings (all times local).

No. 7 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) at Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Saturday, 7 p.m. PDT; No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at Phenix City (Ala.) Central, Friday, 8 p.m. CDT; No. 8 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), Friday, 7 p.m. EDT; No. 13 Bixby (Okla.) at Jenks (Okla.), Friday, 7 p.m. CDT; and Skyridge (Lehi, Utah) at No. 25 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), Friday, 7 p.m. MDT.

Bergen Catholic, Bixby and Corner Canyon have important in-state games with local ramifications for league and region standings.

Lastly, we held off until Monday afternoon until the Elite 25 were updated. We waited for No. 11 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.) finished a suspended game with Edison (Miami). The Lions won the game  56-6 in a game was started on Friday, Sept. 12 and completed 10 days later in Miami.

Before we sign off, Shanah Tovah (or translated “have a good year”) to our Jewish readers who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, from Sept. 22-24. It is the first of the High Holy Days and the start of the Year 5786. The Highest Holy Day is Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) from sundown Oct. 1 to sunset on Oct. 2. God’s Blessings!

Well, that’s it for the third week of September. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Tuesday, Sept. 30.

Keep up with us on X (formerly Twitter, @clawlor) for big announcements and other stories from the gridiron and the hardwood. We’re officially in autumn and it means healthy doses of football.

Bye for now.

Be safe. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Editor’s note: This story was updated Monday, Sept. 22 at 11:30 p.m. EDT

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 23, 2025

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (5-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Defeated Saint Louis (Honolulu, Hawaii), 49-20.

Next: Oct. 3 at JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano).

2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (4-1)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 27-24. USC-bound TE Mark Bowman caught five balls for 105 yards and two scores and WR Chris Henry Jr. made six receptions for 116 yards and the game-winning TD with 6:06 remaining.

Next: Oct. 3 at Orange Lutheran.

3. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (4-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Euless Trinity, 44-6.

Next: Thursday at Keller Timber Creek.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (4-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Mandarin (Jacksonville), 55-7.

Next: Friday at Phenix City (Ala.) Central.

5. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (5-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated Grovetown, 51-0.

Next: Friday vs. Newton (Covington).

6. Buford, Ga. (5-0)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Defeated Discovery (Lawrenceville), 71-0. The Wolves will enjoy a bye week at the midway point of the schedule.

Next: Oct. 3 vs. Collins Hill (Suwanee).

7. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (4-1)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Lost to then-No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 27-24. The Gaels fell to 0-5 all-time versus the Monarchs. QB Maika Eugenio threw for two TDs.

Next: Saturday at Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).

8. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (4-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Pope John XXIII (Sparta), 35-0. The Crusaders did all the scoring in the first half. Sophomore QB Trey Tagliaferro passed for scores from 43 and 51 yards. RB Walter Snee darted 35 yards to give his team a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. Earlier in the week, sophomore DL Jackson Vaughn accepted an invitation to the Navy All-American Bowl.

Next: Friday at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey).

9. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (3-1)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated HSA Academy (Waldorf, Md.), 66-0.

Next: Friday vs. Prep Sports Academy (Ala.).

10. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (4-1)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated McArthur (Hollywood), 31-7.

Next: Oct. 3 vs. Hollywood Hills.

11. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (3-1)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Edison (Miami), 56-6, in a game suspended for 10 days and completed on Monday, Sept. 22 afternoon. The score was 28-6 in the third quarter when things resumed.

Next: Friday vs. Western (Davie).

12. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (4-1)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 42-14.

Next: Oct. 3 at Roosevelt (Eastvale).

13. Bixby, Okla. (3-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated Choctaw, 57-7. The Spartans have a hug rivalry game this weekend.

Next: Friday vs. Jenks.

14. Carrollton, Ga. (6-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Parker (Birmingham, Ala.), 43-7.

Next: Oct. 3 at Westlake (Atlanta).

15. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (5-0)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, 41-9.

Next: Oct. 3 vs. Serra (Gardena).

16. Allen, Texas (4-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Plano, 56-0.

Next: Friday vs. McKinney.

17. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (4-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Defeated Mount Zion Prep Academy (Landham, Md.), 41-0.

Next: Oct. 3 vs. Riverdale Baptist School (Upper Marlboro).

18. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (4-1)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated Chattahoochee (Alpharetta), 50-0.

Next: Friday at Cambridge (Milton).

19. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (4-1)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Vestavia Hills, 35-3.

Next: Friday at Clay-Chalkville.

20. Mount Carmel, Chicago (4-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago), 41-14. The Caravan scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to clinch it.

Next: Friday at Benet Academy (Lisle).

21. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (4-0)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Defeated Mountain View (Mesa), 31-13.

Next: Friday vs. Queen Creek.

22. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (3-1)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated American Leadership Academy (Queen City), 48-7.

Next: Friday vs. Pinnacle (Phoenix).

23. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (3-1)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Upended by Rockwall, 37-35, in the last minute. The Panthers lost for the time in 19 games.

Next: Friday at Mansfield Legacy.

24. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (5-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 10 Corner Canyn (Draper), 42-21. The Knights were up 28-21 at halftime and scored 14 in the fourth quarter to wrap it up. QB Cruz Christensen tossed four TDs passes, including three to Jaron Pula. The Knights will line up with another regional power this weekend on the road.

Next: Friday at American Fork.

25. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (5-1)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Lost to Lone Peak (Highland), 42-21, committing five turnovers. The Chargers remain in the Elite 25 and will have a chance to avenge the loss likely in the Class 6A final or semifinals in November.

Next: Friday vs. Skyridge (Lehi).

Dropped: No. 9 Duncanville (Texas) and No. 25 Mission Viejo (Calif.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. La Salle College High, Wyndmoor, Pa. (4-0)
2. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (3-0)
3. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (4-0)
4. Iona Prep, New Rochelle, N.Y. (3-0)
5. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (1-3)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. Brownsburg, Ind. (5-0)
2. Cass Tech, Detroit (4-0)
3. Lincoln-Way East, Frankfort, Ill. (4-0)
4. Archbishop Moeller, Cincinnati (4-1)
5. Elder, Cincinnati (5-0)

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Edna Karr, New Orleans (3-0)…sa
2. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (4-0)
3. Summer Creek, Humble, Texas (3-0)
4. Bryant, Ark. (3-0)
5. Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (5-0)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Mission Viejo, Calif. (4-1)
2. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (3-1)…-sa-gorman
3. Los Alamitos, Calif. (6-0)..fr
4. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (4-0)
5. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (4-0)…bye-th-fr

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Records through Sunday’s games

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings are released weekly from August until the conclusion of the high school season. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in December. Follow him on X (or Twitter) at @clawlor.