No. 1 Mater Dei (CA) holds serve, wins another state title; teams from Alabama and Florida debut in Blue Star Media Elite 25 penultimate football rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – One.

In music lore it’s the loneliest number. That’s also the weeks left in the season and how many Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings that remain. What started in the summer heat in the early starting states Alaska, Hawaii and Utah, is down to Georgia and Texas closing down the season.

It’s been a long season, somehow it always is, but it goes fast.

The news out of last weekend were results in Texas, Florida, Alabama and California.

We’ll start on the West Coast because No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) captured the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division Bowl game, shutting out then-No. 23 Serra (San Mateo), 35-0. It was a crowning and final performance for one of the state’s winningest quarterbacks in Elijah Brown. The Stanford commit fired four touchdown passes and wound up with a 42-2 record and two CIF Open Division Bowl titles in four years under center.

The Monarchs improved to 13-1 and hold onto the top spot in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings for now but is it enough? Simply put: to be determined.

No. 2 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) has a legitimate argument for No. 1 as does teams from Florida and Texas. Florida schools wrapped up their seasons last weekend in Tallahassee but Texas features state championship games at AT&T Stadium in Arlington for a four-day run, starting Wednesday morning and concluding Saturday with two games involving three Elite 25 teams in Class 6A, Divisions I and II.

In the 6A Division I final, No. 7 North Shore (Galena Park) meets No. 10 and defending champions Duncanville at 3 p.m. CT. That’s followed by No. 6 DeSoto facing Summer Creek (Humble) in 6A Division II at 7 p.m. For the entire UIL schedule and how to get ticket click here.

Additionally, unbeaten No. 19 Aledo (Texas) goes for the Class 5A, Division I crown against 14-1 Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) Friday night.

In Atlanta, nine Georgia High School Association state titles are up for grabs beginning Monday through Wednesday in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. We’re most concerned with the Class AAAAAAA final between No. 11 Walton (Marietta) and regionally ranked Milton (Alpharetta) Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET.

Walton goes for its first state title since the 2011 season when it fell in the final. Keep an eye on both quarterbacks who will play in the ACC. Walton’s Jeremy Hecklinski is headed to Wake Forest and Milton’s Luke Nickel will sign with Miami. Expect it to be a shootout with both gunslingers airing it out.

There are two newcomers to the penultimate Elite 25 rankings—both from Southland Region.

No. 20 Central (Phenix City, Ala.) completed a perfect 13-0 season after annexing the Alabama Class 7A state title in a tight 21-19 win over four-time champions Thompson (Alabaster) in the final. Wide receiver Cam Coleman showed why he is one of the nation’s top players at his position and will ply his trade at Auburn next fall after turning in a monster effort.

Perhaps the shock of the weekend was No. 24 Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.) capturing the Florida Class 2M state championship, beating then-No. 15 Norland (Miami), 28-20, in the final. The Buccaneers slide into the Elite 25 and belong here. They took down a pair of Elite 25 teams on back-to-back weekends, including No. 25 American Heritage (Plantation) in the 2M semifinals.

Tremendous job, Bucs! Take a bow.

Currently, 12 teams from the Elite 25 have won state championships. Congratulations to the champions.

Well, that’s it for the second week in December. Two states remain.

Happy Hannukah to our friends that observe this holiday of lights. Enjoy the eight days of presents and your family and friends.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return for the final time this season on Dec. 17. We’ll drop the rankings early and declare our National Champion. We’ll also reshuffle the order accordingly. Expect change.

If you live in Atlanta or the Dallas Metroplex areas, you are lucky because these are the final venues for the 2023 schoolboy football postseason. State championship games in Dallas and Atlanta will be contested indoors in NFL stadiums. So, weather won’t be a deterrent. Get out and support the future pros and student-athletes suiting up for the final time in their gridiron careers.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Dec. 12, 2023

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (13-1)*

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Won the CIF Open Bowl game for the fourth time since 2017, defeating then-No. 23 Serra (San Mateo), 35-0, in the final. Stanford-bound QB Elijah Brown closed out his illustrious four-year career with a sparkling 42-2 record and hit on 17 of 22 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns to four different receivers. Brown finished his career with 9,277 passing yards and 115 TDs. Season complete.

2. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (12-0)^*

Previous: 2.

Recap: Won Class 5A, Division 1 state championship. Season complete.

3. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (9-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: The Ascenders do not compete for a state title. Season complete.

4. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (11-2)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Advanced to CIF-Southern Section Division 1 final. Won Trinity League title. Season complete.

5. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (14-0)*

Previous: 5.

Recap: Won a third consecutive state championship, shutting out Clearwater Central Catholic, 56-0, in the Class 1M final. It took the Lions only 30 seconds to find the end zone and the rout was on. North Carolina State-bound QB Cedrick Bailey passed for four TDs and caught and WR Jermiah Trader, who headed to Ohio State, hauled in a pair of scores. Season complete.

6. DeSoto, Texas (14-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Southlake Carroll, 45-38, in Class 6A, Division II semifinals. RB Deondrae Riden Jr. ran for 254 yards and two TDs on 34 carries and QB Darius Bailey threw for 189 yards and two more scores.

Next: Saturday vs. Summer Creek (Humble) in Class 6A, Division II final to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

7. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (15-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 10 Westlake (Austin), 23-14, in Class 6A, Division I semifinals.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 10 Duncanville in Class 6A, Division I final to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

8. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (14-1)*

Previous: 8.

Recap: Won the Class 3M state championship, defeating Homestead, 31-28, in the final. It was the fifth straight state crown for the Raiders who closed the season on a 13-game winning streak. Season complete.

9. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (13-1)*

Previous: 9.

Recap: Won the Class AAAAAA state championship, defeating North Allegheny (Wexford), 45-23, in the final. Cincinnati-bound quarterback Samaj Jones contributed to five TDs and the Hawks won their eighth state title in 10 appearances, all since 2013. Season complete.

10. Duncanville, Texas (13-1)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated North Crowley (Fort Worth), 52-10, in Class 6A, Division I semifinals. RB Caden Durham was a one-man wrecking ball, running for 226 yards and scored five TDs.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 7 North Shore (Galena Park) in Class 6A, Division I final to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

11. Walton, Marietta, Ga. (14-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Idle. The Raiders have a rare midweek title game on Georgia’s biggest stage.

Next: Wednesday vs. Milton (Alpharetta) in Class AAAAAAA final to be played in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

12. Bixby, Okla. (13-0)*

Previous: 13.

Recap: Won the second straight Class 6A-I state championship and ninth in 10 years. Season complete.

13. Westlake, Austin, Texas (14-1)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Lost to No. 7 North Shore (Galena Park), 23-14, in Class 6A, Division I semifinals. The Chaps run at a state title fell two games short but it was a great campaign. Season complete.

14. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (13-1)*

Previous: 14.

Recap: Won Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

15. Massillon (Ohio) Washington (16-0)*

Previous: 16.

Recap: Won OHSAA Division II state championship. Season complete.

16. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (15-1)*

Previous: 17.

Recap: Won OHSSA Division I state championship for the third straight year. Season complete.

17. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (11-1)*

Previous: 18.

Recap: Won third straight Non-Public A state championship. Season complete.

18. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (12-1)*

Previous: 19.

Recap: Won Arizona Open Division state championship. Season complete.

19. Aledo, Texas (15-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Defeated Forney, 45-7, in Class 5A, Division I semifinals. Hawk  Patrick-Daniel rushed for 203 yards and two TDs on 29 attempts and Davhon Keys ran for four more scores.

Next: Friday vs. Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) in Class 5A, Division I final to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

20. Central, Phenix City, Ala. (13-0)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Won Class 7A state championship, beating Thompson (Alabaster), 21-19, in the final. Auburn-bound WR Cam Coleman had four receptions for 143 yards, including a clutch 73-yard reception early in the fourth quarter when the Red Devils were up 14-13, and was named the game’s Most Valuable Player. It was the program’s third state title and first since 2018, and halted Thompson’s four-year reign atop Alabama’s largest classification. Season complete.

21. Buford, Ga. (11-2)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Advanced to Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals. Season complete.

22. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (12-1)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Advanced to Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals. Season complete.

23. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (9-3)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Advanced to CIF-Southern Section Division 1 semifinals. Season complete.

24. Berkeley Prep, Tampa, Fla. (13-2)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Won Class 2M state championship, beating then-No. 15 Norland (Miami), 28-20, in the final. RB Dallas Golden carried 24 times for 162 yards and a TD and QB Cooper Hayes completed four passes for 67 yards and two scores of 7 and 26 yards. Hayes also ran for a scored from 1 yard in the fourth quarter to give the Buccaneers a 28-13 lead. They closed the season beating Elite 25 teams on back-to-back weekends. Season complete.

25. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (10-2)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Advanced to Class 2M semifinals. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 15 Norland (Miami) and No. 23 Serra (San Mateo, Calif.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Imhotep Institute Prep, Philadelphia (15-0)*
2. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (10-1)*
3. Freedom, Woodbridge, Va. (14-0)*
4. Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse, N.Y. (14-0)*
5. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (12-2)**

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

Midwest

1. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (14-0)*
2. Mount Carmel, Chicago (13-1)*
3. Southfield (Mich.) A&T (13-1)*
4. Southeast Polk, Pleasant Hill, Iowa (13-0)*
5. Ben Davis, Indianapolis (13-1)*

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

Southland

1. Clay-Chalkville, Pinson, Ala. (14-0)*
2. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (12-2)
3. Ruston, La. (14-0)*
4. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (12-1)
5. Norland, Miami (14-1)

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

Far West

1. Mission Viejo, Calif. (13-3)*
2. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (13-0)*
3. Kahuku, Hawaii (11-2)^*
4. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (11-1)
5. Columbine, Littleton, Colo. (14-0)*

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

* Denotes a state or conference postseason champion [Note: a second asterisk indicates a team has multiple postseason titles.]

^ Includes forfeit victories

Records are through Saturday’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. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @clawlor.