News Summary
Southern California high school football is set to feature an outstanding roster of talented receivers and tight ends across leading programs like Mater Dei and St. John Bosco. With recruits committed to major colleges, including Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas A&M, the competition is intensifying. Teams such as Cathedral, Mission Viejo, and Orange Lutheran are also honing in on their key players ahead of the season. Notably, the CIF reports a record number of transfers, adding more dynamics to the upcoming games. Excitement builds as teams prepare for matchups at SoFi Stadium.
Los Angeles, CA – High school football in Southern California is gearing up for an exciting 2025 season, showcasing an impressive lineup of talented receivers and tight ends across some of the region’s top programs. Both Mater Dei and St. John Bosco are highlighting their strength with exceptional depth in their receiving squads, which should capture the attention of scouts and fans alike.
Mater Dei’s roster features standout Ohio State commits Chris Henry Jr. and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, alongside Georgia commit Gavin Honore, who are poised to make significant impacts this season. The team’s tight end, Mark Bowman, is also set to showcase his skills as a USC commit. St. John Bosco is not to be overlooked, as it boasts Texas A&M commit Madden Williams and Oklahoma commit Daniel Odom. Adding depth, the roster includes Carson Clark (San Jose State commit) and promising sophomore DJ Tubbs.
At Cathedral, junior quarterback Jaden Jefferson will work with key targets, including junior Quentin Gates and senior Jalen Ross. Mission Viejo‘s offense will feature Miami commit Vance Spafford, benefiting from the addition of Jack Junker, a transfer from Santa Margarita. Speaking of Santa Margarita, the Mosley brothers, with Trent committed to USC and sophomore Grant, are expected to be key players this season.
Meanwhile, Orange Lutheran will see the return of Chris Flores Jr., who recorded an impressive 60 catches last year, alongside talented junior Nico Bland. Loyola transfer Markus Kier is making waves as a Princeton commit. Other notable athletes include Luc Weaver from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, who has improved his physical attributes and is gearing up for a strong senior year, and Ja’Myron Baker from Sierra Canyon, who is a USC commit.
Several athletes gained attention last season, such as Troy Foster from Huntington Beach, who caught 65 passes, and James Leicester from Dana Hills, who had an impressive 13 touchdown receptions. Key offensive weapon Damani Porras from Downey had 15 touchdown receptions as a sophomore, while Alijah Royster made his mark at Oxnard Pacifica with 13 touchdowns. Particularly noteworthy is Jordan Slye from Salesian, recognized as a two-way player starting this year.
Returning players also include Kamarie Smith from Long Beach Poly, lead receiver Jack Cunningham from Ventura, and Blake Wong from Norco, who had 40 receptions as a sophomore. In the City Section, Paul Turner from Birmingham, a transfer from Palmdale, had an impressive 15 touchdown receptions last year, while Demare Dezeurn, a notable athlete from Palisades, brings speed and skill to the squad.
On the tight end front, Mater Dei’s Mark Bowman and Luke Sorensen from Servite (Nebraska commit) are the prominent players of note this season. Additionally, Keawe Browne from Corona Centennial, standing at 6-5 and 230 pounds, and Jaden Hernandez from Long Beach Poly, measuring 6-3 and 235 pounds, add to the depth of talented tight ends. Also noteworthy are Andre Nickerson from Inglewood and Beckham Hofland from Los Alamitos, both committed to Southern Methodist and Boise State, respectively. Freshman Austin Miller from Bellflower, at 6-4, is anticipated to make a significant impact.
In addition to the player highlights, Mira Costa is noted for its strong special teams unit, anchored by kicker Nico Talbott, punter/holder Jackson Shevin, and long snapper Jackson Reach. Mater Dei’s football coach Raul Lara returns to Long Beach Poly for a passing tournament, where he previously won five Division 1 titles.
As the excitement for the season mounts, high school football games are scheduled to take place at SoFi Stadium in late August, featuring teams such as South Hills and Mayfair. The CIF has reported a record 7,099 transfers for the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, while changes to CIF transfer rules remain under discussion with no immediate proposals expected.
As Southern California teams prepare for another thrilling football season, the spotlight remains on the array of talent in the area, showcasing the athletic prowess that continues to grow each year.
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Additional Resources
- SI Preseason Power 25 Football Rankings
- California High School Football Scores
- Preseason Top 100 High School Football Rankings
- Google Search: high school football 2025
- 2025 HSFA Preseason Rankings
- Wikipedia: High School Football
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