No. 15 Corona Centennial (CA) knock off then-No. 1 Mater Dei (CA); St. John Bosco (CA) moves into top spot in Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – Down went No. 1 Mater Dei of Santa Ana, Calif., and with it a fresh look at the top of the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings.

The normally sure-handed Monarchs were beaten by No. 15 Corona (Calif.) Centennial on Friday night thus becoming the first California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section team other than St. John Bosco (Bellflower) to do so.

It was a game that saw Monarchs second-year head coach Raul Lara drop his first game after opening his tenure in Orange County with 16 straight wins and a state and national championship in 2024.

Mater Dei (3-1) found itself down 28-0 after one quarter and 33-7 at the intermission. The Monarchs then peeled off 29 uninterrupted points in the third to grab a 36-33 lead. Jaden Walk-Green booted his second field goal of the game from 36 yards to tie it at 36-all in the fourth quarter.

Uncharacteristically, the Monarchs had six turnovers and the fifth one was costly. The Huskies (3-1) cashed in and a few plays later Malaki Davis scored on a 4-yard touchdown run to close out the scoring.

Yet the Huskies needed a defensive stand to close out the Monarchs and got it when Walk-Green intercepted his second pass of the game—he had a pick-six in the first quarter—and the Husky fans were jubilant.

Walk-Green was sensational with two picks, including one he returned for the TD, and two field goals. Jonathan McKinley had three sacks and recovered a fumble. Plus, Centennial head coach Matt Logan posted win No. 298 and should get his 300^th on Oct. 3.

With the loss, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), Mater Dei’s biggest league rival, ascends to No. 1. Of course, the two will meet on Halloween night at the Santa Ana Bowl for the Trinity League title. But suddenly the CIF-Southern Section Division I championship is up for grabs. There are five teams from the Elite 25 in contention, including St. John Bosco, Mater Dei, Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth), Mission Viejo and Corona Centennial. That loaded bracket suddenly is the top in the land assuming all five are added.

Speaking of No. 25 Mission Viejo, the Diablos debut in the Elite 25 after a moving to a 4-0 record in a 34-24 win over powerhouse Lincoln (San Diego). The Diablos, who compete in a strong Alpha League, are for real and have a strong chance to run the regular season table. Los Alamitos and Edison (Huntington Beach) will have their say. Obviously, Centennial rejoins the Elite 25 after that scintillating victory.

Call it parity in southern California. It’s going to be a great race to the sectional final in November.

As for this week’s Elite 25 rankings, the two aforementioned teams from southern California were added. Four teams in the Top-5 moved up a slot and No. 5 Mater Dei dipped four. Eighteen teams maintained their positions from the previous week.

The upcoming weekend features four games of interest involving Elite 25 teams.

The obvious choice for Game of the Week is No. 5 Mater Dei at No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) on Friday with a 7:30 p.m. PDT at Fertitta Field. It will test the resolve of Mater Dei after a shock loss and see if the Gaels can defend home field. Tickets should be bought in advance here.

In Highland, Utah, Lone Peak (4-1) hosts No. 10 and 5-0 Corner Canyon (Draper) on Friday at 7 p.m. MDT. The Chargers are ranked No. 1 in Utah Class 6A and the Knights are No. 3. Lone Peak’s lone loss was a 35-14 decision at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) but this one will have an impact on the Region 3 standings with No. 2 American Fork waiting for its shot at both teams. QB Helaman Casuga is the triggerman for the Chargers, throwing for 1,123 yards and 16 TDs and running for 201 yards and five more scores in five games.

In Georgia, No. 23 Carrollton (Ga.) hosts Parker (Birmingham, Ala.) Friday in a borderline battle of two unbeatens. Parker is 4-0 and Carrollton is 5-0.

Heading back to California for a rare Thursday night game with No. 21 Sierra Canyon taking on Orange (Calif.) Lutheran at 7 p.m. PDT at Orange Coast College’s Lebard Stadium in Costa Mesa. OLu (3-1) has its hands full with a killer schedule over the next four weeks, starting with Sierra Canyon before heading into a bye week. Then it’s No. 5 Mater Dei on Oct. 3 and No. 1 St. John Bosco on Oct. 10.

Kudos to junior running back Ty Keys of Poplarville (Miss.) who ran for 507 yards and scored eight TDs on 17 carries in a wild 60-54 win over Hancock (Kiln). Keys just missed on the Mississippi state rushing mark of 543 yards set in 2015.

Never forget a good man like Charlie Kirk. The conservative activist was senselessly gunned down last Wednesday in a rally on the campus of Utah Valley University in Orem. He was 31.

Erika Kirk, wife of Charlie, posted a Bible verse just hours before the Utah event: “Psalm 46:1 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Wow! Words are powerful. Keep his memory alive and pray for his wife and two young children, who will grow up not getting to know their dad.

Well, that’s it for the second week of September. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Tuesday, Sept. 23.

Keep up with us on X (formerly Twitter, @clawlor) for big announcements and other stories from the gridiron and the hardwood. Enjoy the final week of summer, the autumnal equinox is Monday, Sept. 22.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 16, 2025

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (4-0)

Previous rank: 2.

Recap: Defeated Serra (San Mateo), 42-0.

Next: Friday vs. Saint Louis (Honolulu, Hawaii).

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

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Byron Nelson (Trophy Club), 52-3.

Next: Friday vs. Euless Trinity.

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

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Coronado (Las Vegas), 79-6.

Next: Friday at Mandarin (Jacksonville).

4. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (4-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 25 East St. Louis (Ill.), 35-10. Zyren Menor caught three TD passes from QB Maika Eugenio. Menor also returned a kick 94 yards for a score. The Gaels have their biggest regular season home game in years.

Next: Friday vs. No. 5 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.).

5. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (3-1)

Previous: 1.

Recap: Lost to Corona Centennial, 43-36. The Monarchs were down 28-0 in the first quarter and stormed back for a 36-33 lead in the fourth quarter but couldn’t close the door.

Next: Friday at No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

6. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (3-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Denton Guyer, 28-27.

Next: Thursday vs. Rockwall.

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

Previous: 7.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Grovetown.

8. Buford, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Defeated Douglas County (Douglasville), 34-26. The Wolves led 24-6 at halftime.

Next: Friday vs. Discovery (Lawrenceville).

9. Duncanville, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Waxahachie.

Opens: Sept. 5 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

10. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (5-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated Brighton (Salt Lake City), 56-14. Texas A&M-bound QB Helaman Casuga threw for six TDs, including two to Lucas Jackson.

Next: Friday at Lone Peak (Highland).

11. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (3-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Winslow Township (Atco), 41-14. Sophomore QB Trey Tagliaferro passed for 149 yards and three TDs. The Crusaders will finally have a home game this weekend.

Next: Saturday vs. Pope John XXIII (Sparta).

12. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (2-1)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia), 34-26.

Next: Friday vs. HSA Academy (Waldorf, Md.).

13. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (3-1)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated Western (Davie), 45-6.

Next: Friday at McArthur (Hollywood).

14. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (2-1)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Sept. 22 at Edison (Miami).

15. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (3-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 43-36. The Huskies return to the Elite 25 after pulling off a stunning upset. The Huskies led 33-7 at halftime but the Monarchs rallied for a 36-33 edge. Malaki Davis broke a 36-all tie on a four-yard run to take the lead with 2:27 left.

Next: Friday at Rancho Cucamonga.

16. Bixby, Okla. (2-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday. vs. Choctaw.

17. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (3-1)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated Blessed Trinity (Roswell), 21-10.

Next: Friday at Chattahoochee (Alpharetta).

18. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (3-1)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Oak Mountain (Birmingham), 41-0. The Warriors recorded their second straight shutout.

Next: Friday vs. Vestavia Hills.

19. Mount Carmel, Chicago (3-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Ill.), 42-23.

Next: Friday vs. St. Ignatius College Prep (Chicago).

20. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (3-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Defeated Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), 44-7.

Next: Friday vs. Mount Zion Prep Academy (Landham, Md.).

21. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (4-0)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Downey, 49-7.

Next: Thursday at Orange (Calif.) Lutheran to be played on the campus of Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.

22. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (3-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Williams Field (Gilbert), 42-14.

Next: Friday at Mountain View (Mesa).

23. Carrollton, Ga. (5-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Gainesville, 43-21. RB Cam Wood ran for 145 yards and four scores.

Next: Friday vs. Parker (Birmingham, Ala.).

24. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (2-1)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated Highland (Gilbert), 43-3.

Next: Friday vs. ALA (Queen City).

25. Mission Viejo, Calif. (4-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Lincoln (San Diego), 34-24.

Next: Friday at McCallie School (Chattanooga, Tenn.).

Dropped: No. 15 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) and No. 25 East St. Louis (Ill.).

High-Fives by Region

East

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

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. (4-0)
2. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (4-0)
3. Cass Tech, Detroit (3-0)
4. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (4-0)
5. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (2-0)

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

Southland

1. Edna Karr, New Orleans (2-0)
2. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (3-0)
3. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (3-0)
4. Allen, Texas (3-0)
5. Bryant, Ark. (3-0)

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

Far West

1. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (3-1)
2. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (3-1)
3. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (3-0)
4. Beaverton, Ore. (2-0)
5. Saint Louis School, Honolulu (3-0)

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

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.