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5 Must-See High School Football Plays From Sept. 24-26: Which Was Best?

From a five-star running back taking flight to a game-winning Hail Mary, watch five of the best high school football plays from the weekend and vote for your favorite.
Roland Padilla|

Another week of high school football brought another collection of plays that almost have to be seen to be believed.

Before getting to this week's nominees, though, it's time to crown the winner of last week's High School On SI Play of the Week poll.

Last Week's Play of the Week

JSerra (CA) quarterback Hayes Cloutier appeared to have nowhere to go before reversing course and zigzagging through the defense for a 27-yard touchdown to seal the game.

Now, it's time to pick a new winner.

From a five-star running back going airborne to a last-second Hail Mary and a quarterback launching himself into the end zone, here are five of the best plays from around high school football this past week.

High School On SI narrowed the week down to five must-see plays from across the country.

Watch each nominee below, then cast your vote for the High School On SI High School Football Play of the Week.

Baylor School's (TN) David Gabriel Georges goes airborne over defender

David Gabriel Georges continues to find new ways to make defenders miss.

The five-star Baylor running back and Tennessee commit took flight against Montgomery Bell Academy, hurdling a defender and somehow staying upright while getting hit in midair.

There was only one problem: The spectacular play was wiped out by a hurdling penalty. Georges responded on the very next snap by finding the end zone anyway. He finished with 87 rushing yards and two touchdowns on eight carries as Baylor improved to 6-0 with a 45-17 victory.

Millard South (NE) Nebraska commit Trae Taylor takes flight

Trae Taylor decided going around the defense wasn't necessary. Going over it worked just fine.

The five-star Nebraska quarterback commit took off toward the end zone against Omaha North and launched himself over a defender for the score.

The highlight was just one piece of a monster night for Taylor. He accounted for seven touchdowns — four through the air and three on the ground — as Millard South escaped with a 49-47 victory to remain undefeated.

Call it his best John Elway impression.

North Central's (IN) Chase Grove drops it in the bucket

Sometimes the best highlights don't need a broken tackle or someone jumping over a defender.

This one was all about touch.

North Central's Chase Grove helped produce a picture-perfect pass-and-catch connection, dropping the football into a tight window for a big play.

Grove, a 2028 quarterback committed to Iowa, has established himself as one of the top young quarterbacks in Indiana and committed to the Hawkeyes earlier this month.

Sometimes you just have to tip your cap to a throw and catch executed about as well as it can be.

Note: Instagram link would not embed and play can be found here

Knoxville Catholic (TN) Alabama commit Braylen Gibbs wins it on a Hail Mary

It is hard to draw up a more dramatic finish than this.

Knoxville Catholic trailed Hoover, 17-14, with just seconds remaining and needed a miracle.

Quarterback Mack Bartholomew gave his team a chance, heaving the ball toward the end zone as time expired. Alabama commit Braylen Gibbs did the rest, coming down with the football in a crowd for the game-winning touchdown.

The Hail Mary gave Knoxville Catholic a 20-17 road victory, and it was Gibbs' second touchdown catch of the night.

When the game is on the line, sometimes you just have to throw it up and let your playmaker make a play.

Dakota Guerrant finds the end zone for Harper Woods (MI)

Dakota Guerrant showed exactly why he is one of the country's most highly regarded wide receiver prospects.

The Harper Woods senior got the football with the game tied against Groves and turned the opportunity into six points, finding his way into the end zone to put the Pioneers back in front.

Guerrant and Harper Woods eventually pulled away for a 41-13 victory. The 6-foot-2 senior is rated among the nation's top wide receivers and is committed to Oregon.

Get the ball into the hands of your best athletes and let them go to work.

Watch all five plays, then cast your vote for the High School On SI High School Football Play of the Week.

Voting will determine the High School On SI Play of the Week. Voting will end at 11:59 p.m. PT on Oct. 4.

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Roland Padilla
ROLAND PADILLA

Roland Padilla is a high school sports journalist, NIL specialist, and analytics strategist covering primarily West Coast track and field, basketball, and football for High School On SI. He began his career in 2015 reporting on Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook’s Thunder era for ClutchPoints before moving into full NBA coverage. He later worked directly with the founder/CEO of Ballervisions, shortly leading programming and cross-platform social strategy during its viral 2016 rise covering the Ball brothers—a run that helped propel the brand toward its eventual ESPN acquisition and evolution into SportsCenter NEXT. A three-sport alumnus and current throwing coach at Damien High School, and a former NCAA track athlete at UC San Diego, Roland blends athlete-development knowledge with advanced analytics in his role as a Senior Analyst at DAZN and Team Whistle. He has supported content strategy for major global and U.S. sports properties including World Rugby, FIFA Club World Cup, the New York Mets, MLS, X Games, the Premier League, the NFL, and the Downs2Business podcast. With a strong background in NIL rules, athlete branding, and recruiting, Roland helps families, athletes, and readers navigate the rapidly changing high school sports landscape—bringing national-level storytelling and clarity to the next generation of athletes.

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