Mitch Stephens

Mitch Stephens

Joined: Jun 19, 2024

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

Just like they did in 2025, Santa Margarita found a way to defeat Centennial again on Friday night in the No. 1 Game of the Week for Aug. 26, 2026. See result and all the rest of the other top games of the night below.

De La Salle junior Landon Miller follows in the footsteps of many great linebackers at his school and in the state, including former Spartan DJ Williams. His sixth-ranked Spartans travel to No. 22 Serra-San Mateo, alma mater of the great Tom Brady, for a sterling Friday Night Lights opener.

Santa Margarita poses after winning the 2025 CIF State Open Division championship with a 47-13 win over De La Salle at Saddleback College; Friday the third-ranked Eagles travel to No. 1 Corona Centennial in a huge 2026 Week 1 showdown.

St. John Bosco quarterback Koa Malau'ulu looks for a receiver against Bishop Gorman during Gorman's 38-28 season opening victory..

Bishop Gorman quarterback Ace Amina (1), who had four passing touchdowns, escapes the pressure of St. John Bosco's Josiah Poyer (10), during Gorman's 38-28 season-opening victory.

California

Braves fight back from huge hole like 2014, but this time their done in by a former teammate in tough defeat in Las Vegas

St. John Bosco Maliq Allen and the Braves are off to the races from the top spot in the California preseason Top 25

California

High School On SI counts down California's high school football preseason Top 25 right ahead of the 2026 season. Here is the best of the best

De La Salle junior Landon Miller follows in the footsteps of many great linebackers at his school and in the state, including former Spartan DJ Williams.

California

A new swarming, sideline-to-sideline band of 'backers follow in the footsteps of some of the NFL's all-time best at the position

Folsom senior Brody Rudnicki, who came on late last season to lead the Bulldogs to the state 1-AA championship, is back in control for the entire 2026 season. Folsom is one of the state's Top 10 ranked teams heading into 2026. The season starts this week.

California

High School On SI counts down California's high school football preseason Top 25 ahead of the 2026 season, which starts this week. Three NorCal teams invade Top 25 today

3-star St. John Bosco quarterback Koa Malau'ulu has already started most of the last two seasons

California

Despite lack of 5- and 4-star players, game promises to come down to the last possession; Which team has more top-end talent

Santa Margarita defensive end Kingston Jimmerson (99) is one of the top sophomores in California

California

Between line destroyers inside and quarterback sackers from the edge, California always has some of the. best talent in the country; 2026 is no exception

Pacifica/Oxnard QB Taylor Lee threw for 4,059 yards and 53 touchdowns last year as a junior. His Tritons have won 51 games over the last five seasons.

California

High School On SI counts down California's high school football preseason Top 25 ahead of the 2026 season. Who will be No. 1?

Cathedral Catholic running back and safety Honor Fa'alave-Johnson is ranked the No. 36 senior in the country as a recruit by Rivals/On 3. He leads the Dons as the No. 16 team in the High School On SI preseason Top 25 California preseason rankings.

California

High School On SI counts down California's high school football preseason Top 25 ahead of the 2026 season. Who will be No. 1?

Chaparral's Eli Woodard returns for his senior season as one of the top targets to watch California

JSerra's Godschoice Eboigbodin will be on of the top rushers to watch this season.. He hopes to lead new coach Hardy Nickerson and his JSerra Catholic Lions to new heights. See where they are ranked in High School's On SI California Top 25 preseason football ranking.

Corona Centennial comes into the 2026 season ranked No. 2, according to the High School On SI Top 25 CIF-SS rankings.

JSerra Catholic offensive tackle Jack Schein (71) is headed to Colorado State. He's one of the Top 25 offensive linemen in California to watch in the 2026 season.