De La Salle Tumbles in Latest USA Today Super 25

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Don Bosco Prep's (Ramsey, NJ) come-from-behind 23-21 win over former #9 De La Salle (Concord, CA) helped to shuffle this week's USA Today Super 25. DBP pops-up three spots to #22, while the Spartans fall to #25.

Otherwise, a couple of close calls by former #4 Long Beach Poly (CA) and #13 Lakeland shuffled the deck a little with #10 Centennial (Corona, CA) and #21 Trinity (Louisville, KY) joining DBP as the biggest movers going up three spots each.

1. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 5-0, LW: #1
2. Trinity (Euless, TX) 4-0, LW: #2
3. Gateway (Monroeville, PA), LW: #3
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 3-0, LW: #5
5. Armwood (Seffner, FL) 5-0, LW: #6
6. Long Beach Poly (CA) 3-0, LW: #4
7. Carmel (IN) 6-0, LW: #7
8. Colerain (Cincinnati, OH) 6-0, LW: #8
9. River Hill (Clarksville, MD) 4-0, LW: #10
10. Centennial (Corona, CA) 3-0, LW: #13
11. Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) 5-0, LW: #11
12. Madison County (Madison, FL) 2-0, LW: #14
13. Lakeland (FL) 4-0, LW: #12
14. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 5-0, LW: #15
15. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 5-0, LW: #16
16. Skyline (Issaquah, WA) 4-0, LW: #17
17. Lake Travis (Austin, TX) 5-0, LW: #18
18. Stone Bridge (Ashburn, VA) 5-0, LW: #19
19. Northside (Warner Robins, GA) 5-0, LW: #20
20. Plano (TX) 5-0, LW: #21
21. Trinity (Louisville, KY) 4-0, LW: #24
22. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 2-1, LW: #25
23. Tuscaloosa County (Northport, AL) 5-0, LW: #22
24. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 5-0, LW: #23
25. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 2-1, LW: #9

LA Times Top 25 High School Football Rankings

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Except for Centennial, PAC-5 schools continue to dominate the LA Times Top 25 high school football rankings. Seven teams from the the PAC-5 are in the Top 10, and there are 14 PAC-5 schools overall in the Top 25.

The biggest change is Mater Dei's two spot drop to #5 after losing to #2 Centennial last weekend.

Here's the entire Top 25...

1. Long Beach Poly (2-0) , LW: #1
2. Centennial (2-0) , LW: #2
3. Crespi (3-0) , LW: #4
4. Mission Viejo (3-0) , LW: #5
5. Mater Dei (2-1) , LW: #3
6. St. Bonaventure 3-0, LW: #7
7. Servite (2-1) , LW: #6
8. Notre Dame (2-0), LW: #8
9. Oaks Christian (3-0) , LW: #9
10. Redlands Valley East (2-0) , LW: #10
11. Edison (3-0) , LW: #11
12. Los Osos (2-0) , LW: #12
13. Bishop Amat (2-1) , LW: #13
14. Upland (3-0) , LW: #15
15. Loyola (2-1) , LW: #17
16. Orange Lutheran (2-1) , LW: #14
17. Los Alamitos (2-0) , LW: #18
18. Lakewood (3-0) , LW: #19
19. Rancho Verde (3-0) , LW: #20
20. Corona Santiago (1-1) , LW: #21
21. Chaparral (1-1) , LW: #22
22. Tesoro (3-0) , LW: #23
23. St. John Bosco (3-0) , LW: #25
24. Serra (3-0) , LW: NR
25. Palmdale (2-0) , LW: NR

Centennial Wins SoCal Battle Against Mater Dei

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

It wasn't the track meet like last year, but Friday night's game between Southern California powers Centennial (Corona, CA) and Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA) didn't disappoint those that like offense.

The two team combined for 966 yards in total offense, and when the dust cleared, Centennial (#16 USA Today Super 25) stood the victor 47-35. The Huskies victory avenged last year's defeat to Mater Dei 51-37 when the two teams combined for 1,300 yards in total offense.

Mater Dei entered the game ranked #2 in California, while Centennial was #4.

To read more about the game from the Orange County Register, click here.

California Showdown Between #16 Centennial and Mater Dei

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle


Two of California's best high school football teams square-off Friday night in Santa Ana. Mater Dei (2-0) and USC-bound quarerback Matt Barkley will host Centennial (1-0), the #16 team in this week's USA Today Super 25. Mater Dei is ranked #2 in California, while Centennial is ranked #4.

For a game preview from the OC Register, click here.

Finalists for California State Bowl Championships Announced

#3 De La Salle (Concord, CA) will face #14 Centennial (Corona, CA) for California's Division I championship Saturday at the Home Depot Center.

The choice of Centennial was a tough one with nationally-ranked Birmingham (Lake Balboa, CA) and Long Beach Poly vying for the spot. In De La Salle, Centennial will have its hands full with a team that was won 16 North Coast Section championships. The Spartans played in last year's inaugural State Bowl and was ranked #1 in the country before losing to Canyon Country 27-13.

The Division II championship will feature San Diego Section champ Oceanside playing Novato. In Division III, St. Bonaventure (Ventura, CA) plays Modesto Central Catholic.

Click here to read more about how the teams were chosen.

#23 Centennial (CA) Routs Santiago

Santiago thought it would catch nationally ranked Centennial (Corona, CA) off-guard with an opening kickoff on-side kick...itt backfired when they couldn't come-up with the ball.

Centennial (7-1) immediately scored and never looked back in a 69-7 win. Running back Ryan Bass rushed for 214 yards and five scores, while quarterback Matt Scott rushed for 133 yards, ran for a touchdown and tossed two scoring passes.

Centennial had a little extra motivation in this one since last year Santiago protested the Huskies win on the field, saying Centennial used an ineligible coach on the field. The CIF Southern Section ruled in-favor of Santiago, but Centennial won its appeal to Mountain View League principals.

To read more about the victory, click here.