Mater Dei Crowned Top High School Football Team
In an exciting end to the high school football season, Santa Ana, California, is buzzing with pride as Mater Dei has been named the number one private school football team in the nation, according to the final 2024 High School Football America Private Schools 100 rankings. The team completed the season with a perfect record of 13-0, solidifying its status as the national champion.
Mater Dei takes the top spot, just ahead of Bishop Gorman from Nevada. The deciding factor for the rankings was Mater Dei’s impressive 31-15 victory over Bishop Gorman on September 6. This is the closest Gorman has finished to the top since they won the HSFA national title back in 2016.
The success of Mater Dei is significant, as ten of their thirteen wins came against teams that were also in the Private Schools 100 rankings. Notably, two of these victories were against their conference rival, St. John Bosco, which finished the season ranked third.
The Trinity League, known for its competitiveness, saw all six of its teams finish in the top rankings, with Orange Lutheran coming in at eighth, JSerra at nineteenth, Santa Margarita at twenty-first, and Servite at twenty-third. This league has now established itself as the number one high school football league in America.
Other notable schools in the top ten include Bergen Catholic from New Jersey at fourth, St. Frances Academy from Maryland at fifth, IMG Academy from Florida at sixth, and Chaminade-Madonna, which claimed its fourth straight Florida championship to land at seventh.
Wrapping up the top ten are American Heritage from Plantation, Florida, at ninth, and St. Thomas Aquinas, who recently celebrated a record sixth straight Florida state title, finishing at tenth.
As the season comes to a close, the rankings reflect the competitive nature of high school football across the country, with many teams showcasing their talents and hard work. Mater Dei’s triumph serves as an inspiration for aspiring young athletes nationwide.
