High School Football Playoffs: Bracket Updates Nationwide
High school football playoffs are well underway and almost complete in every U.S. state. Here are a few updates on how the playoffs in some of America’s more prominent football states have gone as of now.
Alabama
Make it three in a row for Thompson, as the Warriors defeated Central-PC for the 7A crown. Clay-Chalkville won the 6A title after a shootout with Hueytown.
California
Folsom cruised to a 20-3 state title win in the Division I CIF Sac-Joaquin playoffs, and Mater Dei defeated Servite 27-7 to win the Southern Section title. Folsom will play Cathedral Catholic in the Division 1-2A state championship after knocking off De La Salle in the semifinals. Mater Dei will take on Serra in the Open Division finals.
Florida
Venice will face off against Apopka on Dec. 18 for the 8A title, while perennial power St. Thomas Aquinas will take on Tampa Bay Tech in the 7A finals the day before. Cocoa and Cardinal Gibbons will face off in 4A, while Jesuit plays Pine Forest in 5A. 3A features a red-hot Chaminade-Madonna squad, who will play Berkeley Prep.
Georgia
The top-five ranked Collins Hill Eagles will face Milton in the 7A state championship, and Buford will look for its third straight in 6A. Warner Robins makes yet another appearance in 5A, and they’ll face Calhoun.
Louisiana
Westgate and Easton fight for the 4A title this week after Edna Karr fell in the semifinals. Catholic-BR defeated Jesuit 14-10 for the Division I title, and E.D. White will take on University Lab for the Division II championship on Dec. 11.
New Jersey
Bergen Catholic cruised through the Non-Public A bracket to win another title, defeating Don Bosco Prep in the last game. Red Bank Catholic took down DePaul Catholic for the Non-Public B title.
Ohio
St. Edward was challenged in the Division I finals by Springfield but still came away with the title. No. 7 seed Winton Woods upset power Archbishop Hoban for the Division II title, and Clinton-Massie barely edged out Ursuline 29-28 for the Division IV championship.
Texas
Everything’s bigger in Texas, including the size of the playoffs with 64 teams. In the 6A D1 semifinals this week, North Shore will take on Lake Travis, and Southlake Carroll will face off against Duncanville. The 6A D2 semifinals are headlined by Katy facing Westlake for a finals berth, with the other matchup between Guyer and Tomball.
Utah
Lone Peak avenged a 45-7 loss in the 2020 6A state championship with a 49-42 win in the 2021 edition. No. 7 seed Lehi took down No. 3 Stansbury, No. 2 Timpview, and No. 1 Springville in consecutive games to claim the 5A title. Ridgeline dominated Dixie 45-20 to earn the 4A state title.
Written by: Dhruv Mohan
