Hs football rankings: St. John Bosco finishes No. 1 in final 2022 MaxPreps Top 25

St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) finished the year where it began as the No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school football rankings. The Braves are national champions for the second time in four years.

After starting the season at the top spot, Bosco returned to the No. 1 ranking in early October with a 17-7 loss against Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.). The Braves outscored their next five opponents 225-41, including a dominant 41-6 win over Mission Viejo to set up a rematch with Mater Dei in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 championship.

St. John Bosco avenged its only loss of the season, defeating the Monarchs 24-22 to win their fourth division championship since 2013. Two weeks later, the Los Angeles-area powerhouse became the first team since 2011 to post a shutout in the CIF. Open Division State Championship, previous undefeated best (San Mateo) 45-0.

Bosco (13-1) outscored opponents 592-111 on the season with wins over No. 3 Mater Dei and other state heavyweights from Hawaii, Oregon and Texas.

Senior quarterback Pierce Clarkson provided steady direction for the Braves, throwing for 2,351 yards and 30 touchdowns to go with nearly 500 yards rushing and five more scores. He threw for 264 yards and three touchdowns in a 24–22 win over Mater Dei that snapped a 29-game winning streak.

DeAndre Moore, Jahlil McClain, Matayo Uiagalelei and Israel Polk lead a talented receiving corps. Bosco also had a dynamic trio in the backfield with Cameron Jones, Khalil Warren and Chauncey Sylvester. Sean Haney, Sean Na'a and Mosiah Talanoa led the way in the trenches for one of the nation's best offensive lines.

Wiagalei, Vaca Hansen, Max Amasio and freshman Dutch Horisk led the way for a dominant Bosco defense that allowed fewer than eight points per game. Deven Bryant, Kingston Williams-Asa, Jordan Lockhart, Khmori Hawes and Sir Tyler Thomas lead the linebackers. The secondary could be the best in the country with Marcelles Williams, Aaron Williams, Peyton Woodyard, Jason Frasto-Ramos, R.J. Jones, Ty Lee and Tamal Johnson.

Head coach Jason Negro has led the Braves to four CIF Open Division state titles (2013, 2016, 2019, 2022) and two MaxPrep National Championships (2019, 2022). He is 139-26 in his 13-year tenure as the program's head coach. Bosco has been ranked in the top 10 nationally for seven straight years and in the MaxPreps top 25 for nine seasons, the longest active streak of any school in the country.

Past MaxPreps National Champions

2005 — Southlake Carroll (Southlake, Texas)
2006 — Southlake Carroll
2007 — St. Xavier (Cincinnati)
2008 — St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
2009 — Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
2010 — South Panola (Batesville, Miss.)
2011 — Don Bosco Prep
2012 — John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.)
2013 — Booker T. Washington (Miami)
2014 — Allen (Texas)
2015 — Katy (Texas)
2016 — Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
2017 — Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)
2018 — North Shore (Houston)
2019 — St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)
2020 — IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
2021 — Mater Dei

MaxPreps Top 25 football rankings

1. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)

Record: 13-1 | Last week: 1
Season complete

2. Central (Miami)

Record: 14-0 | Last week: 3
Last week: Beat American Heritage (Plantation) 38-31
Season complete

3. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.)

Record: 12-1 | Last week: 2
Season complete

4. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)

Record: 14-1 | Last week: 4
Last week: Beat Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.) 49-14
Season complete

5. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)

Record: 8-1 | Last week: 6
Season complete

6. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Record: 14-0 | Last week: 7
Last week: Beat Homestead 38-21
Season complete

7. Duncanville (Texas)

Record: 15-0 | Last week: 9
Last week: Beat North Shore (Houston) 28-21
Season complete

8. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore)

Record: 9-1 | Last week: 11
Season complete

9. North Shore (Houston)

Record: 15-1 | Last week: 8
Last week: Lost 28-21 to Duncanville
Season complete

10. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)

Record: 13-1 | Last week: 5
Last week: Lost 49-14 to Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Season complete

11. Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.)

Record: 14-1 | Last week: 12
Season complete

12. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.)

Record: 13-2 | Last week: 10
Last week: Lost 38-31 to Central (Miami)
Season complete

13. Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.)

Record: 13-0 | Last week: 13
Season complete

14. Lakeland (Fla.)

Record: 14-0 | Last week: 14
Last week: Beat Venice 21-14
Season complete

15. Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.)

Record: 15-0 | Last week: 15
Season complete

16. Westlake (Austin, Texas)

Record: 14-1 | Last week: 16
Season complete

17. St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio)

Record: 15-1 | Last week: 17
Season complete

18. Basha (Chandler, Ariz.)

Record: 12-1 | Last week: 18
Season complete

19. St. Joseph's Prep (Philadelphia)

Record: 12-1 | Last week: 19
Season complete

20. Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.)

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 20
Season complete

21. DeSoto (Texas)

Record: 14-2 | Last week: 21
Last week: Beat Vandegrift (Austin) 42-17
Season complete

22. Carrollton (Ga.)

Record: 14-1 | Last week: 22
Season complete

23. Columbus (Miami)

Record: 14-1 | Last week: 23
Last week: Beat Apopka 16-13
Season complete

24. Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.)

Record: 11-1 | Last week: 24
Season complete

25. Kahuku (Hawaii)

Record: 12-2 | Last week: 25
Season complete

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