For the third straight year, the top Catholic high school football teams have a special national ranking. The Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Top 25 Catholic High School Football Poll, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, is out for the 2019 season.

In 2018, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) was named the CAC Top 25 National Champions for 2018.  The Monarchs, who also won the CAC National Championship in 2017, reigned supreme throughout the season and bounced back from their one on-field loss to No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) to win the sectional title enroute to the CIF Open Division Bowl Game championship.

Check out the 2019 Top 25 preseason poll (2018 records shown):

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (13-1)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (13-2)
3. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. (10-0)
4. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (9-1)
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-2)
6. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (10-2)
7. Saint Louis School, Honolulu, Hawaii (11-0)
8. Eastside Catholic, Sammamish, Wash. (13-1)
9. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (15-0)
10. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (13-0)
11. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C (9-3)
12. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (11-3)
13. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (12-1)
14. DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, Md. (8-3)
15. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (10-2)
16. JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (9-3)
17. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (7-4)
18. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (11-3)
19. Salpointe Catholic, Tucson, Ariz. (13-1)
20. Nazareth Academy, LaGrange Park, Ill. (12-1)
21. Cardinal Gibbons, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-2)
22. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh, Pa. (7-4)
23. Cathedral Prep, Erie, Pa. (13-3)
24. Bishop Dunne, Dallas, Texas (11-3)
25. Bishop Kelley, Tulsa, Okla. (10-3)

Follow the CAC Top 25 through social media at www.Facebook.com/CACTop25 and on Twitter @CACTop25. 

For the second straight year, the Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Top 25 Catholic High School Football Poll, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, crowns top-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) as the CAC Top 25 National Champions for 2018.  The Monarchs reigned supreme throughout the season and bounced back from their one on-field loss to No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) to win the sectional title enroute to the CIF Open Division Bowl Game championship.

Overall, CAC Top 25 teams accounted for 18 state or postseason conference championships and two wins in the GEICO Bowl Series.

Additionally, Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.) head coach Tim McFarlin has been named the 2018 CAC Top 25 Catholic High School Football Coach of the Year.

McFarlin and his Titans completed a remarkable season after defeating Cartersville, 23-9, for the program’s second straight Georgia Class AAAA state championship on December 12. The victory upped Blessed Trinity’s season record to a perfect 15-0 and 90-18-1 in nine seasons since McFarlin was hired.

McFarlin was chosen from among all Catholic high school football coaches across the nation by a panel that includes representatives of CAC Top 25 presenting sponsors Siena Heights University and Global Football, and ranking coordinator Christopher Lawlor.

“This award is for our entire football program and it is such an honor to be recognized,” said McFarlin. “Blessed Trinity is a wonderful place to coach. I came here after thirty years in public schools and it’s been an awesome experience. I’ve really enjoyed following the CAC Top 25 rankings this year and the football is at this level is competitive, so we consider ourselves very proud to be included in the ranking.”

Global Football president Patrick Steenberge said, “I want to congratulate Tim McFarlin on his recognition as the CAC Top 25 coach of the year for 2018. Tim has done an amazing job building Blessed Trinity into a statewide and national powerhouse in a few short years. I got to know Tim ahead of the Titans’ Ireland trip in 2016 and found him to be a dedicated, highly-motivated, student-athlete focused mentor, who always has the best intentions for his kids. He is a great example of the positive high school coaching across America.”

In the last six seasons, McFarlin shepherded the move from Class AA to AAA to AAAA. In that stretch, the veteran coach is 65-6-1 with the two state crowns.

“There was a lot more pressure on us this year,” added McFarlin. “Last year we were under the radar and there were two or three programs expected to win and we were ranked fifth or six. This year, it was Blessed Trinity who were the favorites to win and we were ranked number one in the state from week one. I’m fortunate to have a veteran staff and we talked about how we would deal with that expectation. As much as possible, we tried to ignore it, but that’s easier said than done.”

McFarlin’s team was at a disadvantage in the state final when he decided to sit Notre Dame-bound defensive ace JD Bertrand, who injured his knee in the state semifinals.

“We had to deal with injuries and that threw a lot of uncertainty into the game, but the kids who stepped up responded especially well and took responsibility,” McFarlin explained.

Cartersville entered the game beaten in 14 games and averaging over 38 points. McFarlin’s defense held the Hurricanes to a season-low point total and flustered their offense with an array of looks and fronts as Cartersville failed to score a TD for the first time in four seasons.

2018 Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Top 25 Final Rankings / January 2, 2019

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (13-2) ! # *
2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (13-1)2
3. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (13-0)*
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (15-0)*
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (12-1)
6. Saint Louis School, Honolulu, Hawaii (11-0)*
7. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. (10-0)
8. Blessed Trinity, Roswell, Ga. (15-0)*
9. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-2)
10. Christian Brothers College, St. Louis, Mo. (12-1)*
11. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas, Nev. (11-3)*
12. Charlotte (N.C.), Catholic (15-1)*
13. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (9-3)*
14. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (10-2)*
15. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (9-1)
16. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (10-2)
17. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (12-2)*
18. Eastside Catholic, Sammamish, Wash. (13-1)*
19. Cardinal Gibbons, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-2)*
20. Xavier, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (13-0)*
21. Columbus, Miami, Fla. (14-1) @
22. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (11-3)*
23. Nazareth Academy, LaGrange Park, Ill. (13-1)*
24. Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines, Iowa (11-2)*
25. Cathedral Prep, Erie, Pa. (13-3)*

! Catholic Athletes for Christ Top 25 National Champions

* Won a state or conference postseason championship

# Includes a forfeit loss

@ Includes a forfeit win

Special Consideration: Bishop Dunne (Dallas, Texas)*; Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)*; Catholic Memorial (Waukesha, Wis.)*; Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.)*; Calvert Hall College (Baltimore, Md.)*; St. John’s Prep (Danvers, Mass.)*; St. Thomas Aquinas (Overland Park, Kan.)*; De La Salle Collegiate (Warren, Mich.)*; Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.)*; JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.); McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.); DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.); Memorial (Evansville, Ind.); Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.); Trinity Catholic (St. Louis, Mo.)*; Bishop Dwenger (Fort Wayne, Ind.)*; Marist (Atlanta, Ga.); St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.)*; Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.); Malvern (Pa.) Prep; Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas); Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic*; Cathedral Catholic (San Diego, Calif.); Marist (Chicago, Ill.); St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.); Conwell-Egan (Fairless Hills, Pa.); St. John Vianney (St. Louis, Mo.)*; Aquinas Institute (Rochester, N.Y.)*; San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.); Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.); Mount Carmel (Chicago, Ill.); Bishop Chatard (Indianapolis, Ind.); St. Anthony’s (South Huntington, N.Y.); Clearwater (Fla.); Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.); Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.); Covington Catholic (Park Hills, Ky.) and St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta, Ga.).

The Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Catholic High School Top 25 Poll, announced this morning and presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, is highlighted by two teams in the Top 5 that will meet Saturday night for the CIF State Football Championship Bowl Game.

No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) (12-2) will play No. 4 De Sa Salle (Concord) (12-0) on Saturday evening at 11 p.m. (Eastern) / 8 p.m. (Pacific).  Mater Dei won last year’s meeting between the schools in the CIF Open Division Bowl Game final. The winner of the game will be in position to capture the CAC 2018 National Championship.

This week’s Top 10 teams are:

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (12-2)
2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (13-1)
3. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (15-0)
4. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (12-0)
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-1)
6. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (12-0)
7. Saint Louis School, Honolulu, Hawaii (11-0)
8. St. Francis Academy, Baltimore, Md. (9-0)
9. Blessed Trinity, Roswell, Ga. (14-0)
10. Columbus, Miami, Fla. (14-0)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.

The Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Catholic High School Top 25 Poll, announced this morning and presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, has a new No. 1. For the first time this season there’s someone other than St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at top and it’s a familiar name: the 2017 champion Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.).

Mater Dei and Bosco flip-flopped rank as the Monarchs avenged a regular season loss to the Trinity League brethren. Mater Dei defeated Bosco, 17-13, in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 final are one win from an overall state title.

This week’s Top 10 teams are:

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (12-2)
2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (13-1)
3. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (14-0)
4. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (11-0)
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (12-1)
6. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (11-0)
7. Saint Louis School, Honolulu, Hawaii (11-0)
8. St. Francis Academy, Baltimore, Md. (9-0)
9. Blessed Trinity, Roswell, Ga. (13-0)
10. Covington Catholic, Park Hills, Ky. (14-0)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.

No. 17 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) is back in the CAC Top 25 after a thrilling, last-second 46-43 win over rivals DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference final. This was the Eagles’ fourth WCAC title.  CAC Player of the Week Caleb Williams, QB of No. 17 Gonzaga was at the controls of defeating then-No. 9 St. John’s College (Washington) in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals. Williams then authored the perfect ending and fantastic finish to a season all rolled into one as Gonzaga pulled off a last-second 46-43 stunner over then-No. 16 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) in the WCAC final on Sunday night. Williams heaved a 53-yard “Hail Mary” pass on the game’s final play to wide receiver John Marshall that capped the game and was the third lead change in last 29 seconds. The dual-threat QB had a busy night, accounting for six touchdowns, with two on the ground from 25 and 21 yards, one reception off a trick play and three in the air.

This weekend, No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) meets No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 final. For the third time in as many years, these Trinity League rivals meet in the sectional final at Cerritos College in Norwalk. The teams have split the last two sectional titles but Bosco captured the regular season contest, 41-18, on Oct 13.

This week’s Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Catholic High School Football Poll Top 10 teams, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, are:

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (13-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (11-2)
3. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (13-0)
4. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (11-0)
5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (11-1)
6. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (10-0)
7. Saint Louis, Honolulu, Hawaii (10-0)
8. St. Francis Academy, Baltimore, Md. (9-0)
9. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (10-1)
10. Blessed Trinity, Roswell, Ga. (12-0)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.

St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) continued its dominant 2018 season with a playoff game this past weekend.  St. John Bosco Junior QB DJ Uiagalelei threw for 255 yards and four TDs as the Braves overwhelmed Serra (Gardena), 49‐0, in the CIF‐Southern Section Division 1 first round.  RB George Holani chipped in with two rushing scores. Coach Jason Negro’s team hits the road for a quarterfinal matchup at San Clemente this Friday night.

This week’s Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Catholic High School Football Poll Top 10 teams, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, are:

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (11-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (9-2)
3. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (9-0)
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (11-0)
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (10-0)
6. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (9-1)
7. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. (7-0)
8. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (8-0)
9. Saint Louis, Honolulu, Hawaii (9-0)
10. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (8-1)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.

This week’s Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) Catholic High School Football Poll Top 10 teams, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, are:

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (10-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (8-2)
3. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (8-0)
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (10-0)
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (10-0)
6. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (8-1)
7. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. (6-0)
8. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (7-0)
9. Saint Louis, Honolulu, Hawaii (9-0)
10. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (8-1)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.

Global Football also announced that high school American football will return to Ireland in 2020 with multiple games taking place in and around Dublin on August 28.

Global Football will celebrate almost a quarter of a century as the world’s leading exporter of the sport outside of the United States, by again organizing the showcase spectacular as a partner event of the 2020 Aer Lingus College Football Classic. The University of Notre Dame and Navy will play at Aviva Stadium on August 29, the day following the high school games extravaganza, with all the prep school players enjoying the big NCAA contest. Anthony Travel, the longtime travel partner of Global Football, and Irish American Events Limited are again serving as the overall event producers. The three groups will team up again to plan and execute all travel logistics for each team and fan groups.

A total of 12 schools will venture across the Atlantic Ocean to experience the Irish culture and to compete in a series of games, with multiple venues in Greater Dublin hosting single, double or triple-headers of Friday Night American football games.

Global Football has established a web page dedicated to the 2020 event, which includes tour options for travelers, pricing, and how high school coaches can request an invitation and commit to joining the celebration in Dublin at www.GlobalFootball.com/Ireland-2020.

In connection with the Los Angeles Dodgers return to the World Series for the second consecutive year, the official news web site and publication for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles featured two articles highlighting the work of Catholic Athletes for Christ (CAC) — its Dodgers Mass ministry at Dodger Stadium and its creation/production of a Rosary CD featuring hall of fame Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully.

Check out the articles!

Dodgers Mass ministry article — click here

Vin Scully Rosary CD article — click here

Two new teams enter the CAC Catholic High School Football Poll released today and presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football.  Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.) (6-2) enter the poll at No. 23 following its 47-17 drubbing Doral Academy.  Xavier (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) (9-0) downed Marion 51-0 to clinch the 3A, District 4 crown.  It was the team’s 36th consecutive regular season win and 22nd consecutive win overall.

This week’s Top 10 teams in the ranking are:

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (9-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (7-2)
3. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (7-0)
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (9-0)
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (9-0)
6. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (7-1)
7. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. (5-0)
8. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (6-0)
9. Saint Louis, Honolulu, Hawaii (8-0)
10. DeMatha Catholic, Hyattsville, Md. (7-1)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.

In the most anticipated high school football game in the nation this season, CAC’s No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) defeated No. 2 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 41-18 last Saturday in Southern California.  Junior QB DJ Uiagalelei led the Braves with 279 yards in the air and five TDs, along with rushing for 60 yards.

Even with the loss, this week’s new CAC Catholic High School Football poll, presented by Siena Heights University and Global Football, Mater Dei remains the No. 2 team in the country.  Mater Dei takes on No. 10 JSerra on Friday night in another Trinity League clash. Another major matches this week include No. 25 Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.) at St. Anthony’s (South Huntington, N.Y.) and No. 22 Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.) at Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.) with the Chicago Catholic League Blue championship at stake.

This week’s Top 10 teams in the ranking are:

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (8-0)
2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (6-2)
3. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (7-0)
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (8-0)
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (8-0)
6. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (6-1)
7. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore, Md. (4-0)
8. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia, Pa. (5-0)
9. Saint Louis, Honolulu, Hawaii (8-0)
10. JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (7-1)

For more information on this week’s CAC Catholic High School Football Top 25 and each team, click here.