No. 24 Hamilton (AZ) slides into Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings; No. 1 St. John Bosco (CA) and No. 16 Mater Dei (CA) renew rivalry this weekend

BENSALEM, Pa. – Let’s get right to it.

The October calendar expires in a few days and high school football shifts to the postseason with key states such as New Jersey, Illinois and Pennsylvania having drawn up brackets.

And that’s just fine for the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings. This week, it’s win or go home for teams and there are some fascinating rivalries being renewed from coast to coast.

Two teams were added to the Elite 25 rankings with No. 18 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) returning and No. 22 Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) moving in after knocking off a local rival that was previously ranked by Blue Star Media.

There was zero movement in the Elite other than the two additions and 23 teams remained positioned the same as the previous week.

So, the key games that will shake the Elite 25 start at the top when No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) hosts No. 16 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in a Trinity League donnybrook on Friday at 7 p.m. PT. This game is sold out and will determine the Trinity champion. The Braves are 9-0 and looking to complete a perfect regular season and the Monarchs are 7-2 but have one loss in the league. If Mater Dei wins, it could create a three-way logjam. The game will be streamed live for a cost.

Teams from the regional rankings have intriguing games. On Thursday, Mission Viejo (Calif.) visits Los Alamitos (Calif.) at 7 p.m. The Alpha League title is at stake with both teams at 8-1 but Los Al lost last weekend to San Clemente, 28-9.

La Salle College High (Wyndmoor, Pa.) and rival St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia) play for the Philadelphia Catholic League title and a berth in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association District Class 6A 12 playoffs. The game is Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on the campus of Villanova University in suburban Philadelphia. Get tickets here. La Salle won the regular season matchup.

More games this week from the Elite 25 include: Friday, No. 7 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) hosts St. James Performance (Springfield, Va.); No. 18 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) at No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale); Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.) at No. 11 Carrollton (Ga.); Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) at No. 14 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) and No. 24 Edna Karr (New Orleans) at John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.).

In Illinois, there’s a first round playoff game between two reigning state champions. Loyola Academy (Wilmette) travels to No. 17 Mount Carmel (Chicago) on Saturday in the Class 8A playoffs. Loyola won the 8A title last November but has slumped to 4-4 this season and is the 32^nd and final seed in the bracket. Last year, Mount Carmel won Class 7A for the third straight time and a state record 16^th championship. This year, the Caravan were bumped up to 8A creating games against their league rivals for a second consecutive weekend.

Looking forward to all the games because they all matter.

Well, that’s it for the fourth weekend of October. Hard to believe but we are less than a week from November with Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hanukkah just around the corner. Boy, time flies!

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings will return on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Have a Happy Halloween and say prayers for those faithfully departed family and friends on Sunday, Nov. 2 or All Soul’s Day. Also, don’t forget to vote on Nov. 4 because your voice will be heard and will make a difference. Oh, yes, change your clocks back one hour on Sunday, Nov. 2. Daylight Savings Time is over until March, 8, 2026.

Keep up with us on X (formerly Twitter, @clawlor) for all announcements and other exclusives from the gridiron and the hardwood. The preseason Elite 25 boys basketball rankings will drop this week and the girls in mid-November.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Oct. 28, 2025

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (9-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Shut out Servite (Anaheim), 42-0. One of the nation’s top rivalries is renewed this weekend in Southern California.

Next: Friday vs. No. 16 Mater Dei (Santa Ana).

2. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (9-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated L.D. Bell (Hurst), 49-0.

Next: Friday vs. Keller Central.

3. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (8-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated East St. Louis (Ill.), 38-14.

Next: Saturday at The Hun School (Princeton, N.J.).

4. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (9-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated South Gwinnett (Snellville), 42-3. One game left in the regular season.

Next: Friday at Newton (Covington).

5. Buford, Ga. (9-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Mountain View (Lawrenceville), 55-7.

Next: Friday vs. Mill Creek (Hoschton).

6. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (9-1)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Shadow Ridge (Las Vegas), 43-0.

Next: Nov. 14 vs. Foothill (Henderson, Nev.)  in Nevada Class 5A Open Division semifinals.

7. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (7-1)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. St. James Performance Academy (Springfield, Va.).

8. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (8-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Defeated American Heritage (Plantation), 19-12.

Next: Friday vs. No. 18 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood).

9. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (8-1)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated Norco, 59-49.

Next: Friday vs. Chaparral (Temecula)

10. Bixby, Okla. (8-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated Mustang, 38-22.

Next: Friday vs. Deep Creek (Edmond).

11. Carrollton, Ga. (9-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Douglas County (Douglasville).

12. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (9-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated Bishop Amat (La Puente), 40-0.

Next: Friday at Loyola (Los Angeles).

13. Allen, Texas (8-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Prosper, 31-30.

Next: Friday vs. McKinney Boyd.

14. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (8-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.), 23-20, in overtime.

Next: Friday vs. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).

15. Clay-Chalkville, Pinson, Ala. (10-0)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated Pinson Valley (Pinson), 51-14.

Next: Nov. 7 vs. TBA in Class 6A first round.

16. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (7-2)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 40-7. The Monarchs get ready for the Holy War.

Next: Friday at No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower).

17. Mount Carmel, Chicago (9-0)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.), 35-24. QB Emmett Dowling threw for 298 yards and two TDs and ran for two more. The Caravan also won the CCL/ESCC Blue Division with a 3-0 record.

Next: Saturday vs. Loyola Academy in Class 8A first round.

18. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (7-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale), 47-0.

Next: Friday at No. 8 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale).

19. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (7-1)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated Brophy College Prep (Phoenix), 38-3.

Next: Friday vs. O’Connor (Phoenix).

20. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (8-0)

Previous: 20. Defeated Paramus (N.J.) Catholic, 28-0.

Next: Friday vs. St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City).

21. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (7-1)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Saginaw Boswell, 69-17.

Next: Thursday at Mansfield.

22. Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (8-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 18 Basha (Chandler), 28-12. The Huskies return to the Elite 25 after winning a rivalry game.

Next: Thursday vs. Cesar Chavez (Laveen).

23. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (8-1)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Layton in Class 6A first round.

24. Edna Karr, New Orleans (8-0)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated Warren Easton (New Orleans), 63-12.

Next: Friday at John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.).

25. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (6-3)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Defeated Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, 28-7.

Next: Friday vs. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano).

Dropped: No. 18 Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) and No. 22 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. La Salle College High, Wyndmoor, Pa. (8-1)
2. St. James Performance Academy, Springfield, Va. (8-0)
3. Harrisburg, Pa. (10-0)
4. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (9-1)
5. Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse, N.Y. (8-0)

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. (9-0)
2. Cass Tech, Detroit (9-0)
3. Elder, Cincinnati (10-0)
4. Detroit Catholic Central, Novi, Mich. (9-0)
5. Olentangy Orange, Lewis Center, Ohio (10-0)

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

Southland

1. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (9-0)
2. Bryant, Ark. (8-0)
3. Baylor School, Chattanooga, Tenn. (8-0)
4. Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (9-0)
5. Lowndes, Valdosta, Ga. (9-0)

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

Far West

1. Mission Viejo, Calif. (8-1)
2. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (8-0)
3. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (9-0)
4. West Linn, Ore. (8-0)
5. Folsom, Calif. (8-1)

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.