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High School Football: Winners and Losers from Nov. 13-15

IMG_8358by: Andy Villamarzo7 hours agoAndy_Villamarzo
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Now that the high school football regular seasons for most of the country have wrapped up, coaches and players have fully turn their attention to the playoffs. The week of Nov. 13-15 provided more surprises and upsets around the country as games become that much more important around this time of the year. We’re looking at the players who impressed, the coaches who stood out and the fans who are either celebrating or scratching their heads. This week, we’re highlighting the biggest winners and losers – the people and moments that made the past weekend memorable.

WINNERS

Santa Margarita Catholic Eagles (Calif.): If there’s any team that looks like they might be the biggest beneficiary of St. John Bosco’s surprising first round upset loss to Orange Lutheran its the Santa Margarita Catholic Eagles. Coming off a 21-9 win over previously undefeated Sierra Canyon, Carson Palmer’s team is playing their best football right now and could be well on their way to doing the unthinkable: Winning the CIF Southern Section. What looked like a project that might take a year or two has been fast forwarded to the present now and that’s the Eagles being as good as they come in California. Though talks of this club being a mythical national champion are not for this year, no matter what happens moving forward, Santa Margarita Catholic has the country’s attention.

Knox Community (IN) QB/RB Myles McLaughlin: Keep racking up the accomplishments, Myles McLaughlin. McLaughlin set two national rushing records in touchdowns (71) and yards (4,768) for a single season in Knox Community’s 28-21 victory over Angola. The senior is now gaining interest from colleges and recently received a collegiate offer from Ball State. Now within reach is the all-time career rushing record as McLaughlin needs 365 yards to tie and 366 to pass Derrick Henry‘s national record of 12,124 yards. With potentially two more games to go if Knox can reach the IHSA Class 3A state title game, McLaughlin is on his way.

St. Frances Academy Panthers (Md.): Though some may look at St. John Bosco’s loss as one that might hurt St. Frances Academy’s chances of being in play for a mythical national crown, you might want to think again. What if the Panthers play one more game? When Rivals spoke to Panthers head coach Messay Hailemariam right after the cancelation of the IMG Academy game, the lead man didn’t rule out the prospect of playing another contest this season. “We’ll wait and see. It’s so early to figure that out at this point. I’m going to try to just keep my guys practicing and prepping like they’re prepping for a bowl game, but that’s how hungry my players are, even though they’ve committed to colleges,” Hailemariam said. What if the Panthers play one more game against a strong national opponent? That could be enough to vault St. Frances Academy in most rankings to No. 1.

LOSERS

St. John Bosco Braves (Calif.): We’ve mentioned them twice above already, but St. John Bosco’s season ending in the opening round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs almost seems unreal when considering the body of work. Winning games like against St. Frances Academy, Santa Margarita Catholic and St. Louis (HI) were the highlights of the Braves’ 9-0 run. It was these last two games against Mater Dei and Orange Lutheran that everything went wrong for Jason Negro and crew. The Braves looked to still be well on their way to being the favorites for the CIF Southern Section Division I title, but instead they’ll be watching the semifinals and championship from the friendly confines of home. It was a season that could’ve been in what looked like the year Bosco would get a leg up on their rivals, Mater Dei.

McEachern Indians (Ga.): We can’t just focus all of the upset talk around St. John Bosco as there was a Georgia high school football Top 25 team that made a surprising first round exit in the GHSA Class 6A playoffs. The McEachern Indians were ranked amongst the top 15 teams in the Peach State and ended up falling at home to No. 41 ranked Walton, 28-24. When it came to surprising results down in the Southeast, this one stood out among them all. Armed with one of the most talented 2028’s in four-star safety Casey Barner, the Indians seeing their season end this early is just another reminder that on any given Friday, someone can be upset, even in high school football.

Officiating crew at Orlando Evans-Pace (Fla.) game: Being on hand for this one makes this a difficult one to avoid and we know officials have a tough job in high school football games, but this one particular call came from an FHSAA Class 6A, Region 1 quarterfinal between Pace and Orlando Evans. The Patriots ended up winning the playoff game, 20-6, but one call late in the third quarter might be one of the worst touchdown calls you’ve ever seen. Evans’ quarterback Derone Rogers threw up a pass on a fourth down to Eastern Michigan commit Carl Jean-Bart for which at first glance might have looked like a touchdown. When getting a slower second glance at it, though, via video, the ball clearly hit the ground and bounced back up to Jean-Bart. What could’ve been a very impactful call if Evans would’ve won the game, but thankfully the missed decision didn’t play a factor at the end, with Pace moving onto the region semifinals.

How to Follow National High School Football

For high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the state, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the gridiron excitement across the country.