Friday night in San Diego isn't just about the beach or a nice dinner in Little Italy. If you’ve ever stood on the sidelines at Southwestern College or felt the concrete vibrate at a packed Lincoln High home game, you know it’s different here. The air gets crisp, the stadium lights hum, and for a few hours, the entire county focuses on a single patch of turf.
Honestly, trying to keep up with San Diego HS football scores feels like a full-time job lately. The 2025-2026 season was a absolute whirlwind that flipped the script on everything we thought we knew about the local "hierarchy."
Remember when everyone assumed the Open Division was a lock for the North County powerhouses? Or that Lincoln would just steamroll through the state playoffs again? Things didn't exactly go to plan.
The Shocking Reality of the 2025-26 San Diego HS Football Scores
We have to talk about that Open Division final. Cathedral Catholic vs. Carlsbad. On paper, it looked like Carlsbad’s year. They had Eli MacNeal dealing at quarterback and a defense that felt like a brick wall for three quarters. When they went up 16-0 in the third, most people in the stands were already checking traffic for the ride home.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
✨ Don't miss: Simona Halep and the Reality of Tennis Player Breast Reduction
Cathedral Catholic didn't just win; they staged a 20-point explosion that felt like a fever dream. That 20-16 final score is going to be talked about in Del Mar and Carmel Valley for a long, long time. It wasn't just a win; it was a statement that the Dons still have that "championship DNA" people love to quote.
Division I: The Granite Hills Dynasty?
If you aren't paying attention to what’s happening in El Cajon, you’re missing the best story in the section. Granite Hills knocked off top-seeded Lincoln 41-29 in the Division I championship. Think about that. Lincoln is a factory for NFL talent, yet the Eagles erased a 14-0 deficit like it was nothing.
Zachary Benitez. Remember that name. The junior quarterback was surgical, throwing for 309 yards and 4 touchdowns. He found Noah Walker for three of those scores. Walker finished with 189 receiving yards. It was one of those performances where you just stop taking notes and just watch in awe.
Meanwhile, over in Division II, Santa Fe Christian ended the season as the only undefeated team in the section. They beat Steele Canyon 44-41 in a game that featured a 99-yard kickoff return by Nico Jara. It was pure chaos. The kind of game that reminds you why we follow San Diego HS football scores with such obsession.
🔗 Read more: NFL Pick 'em Predictions: Why You're Probably Overthinking the Divisional Round
Why the Rankings Don't Tell the Whole Story
People love to obsess over the MaxPreps rankings. Currently, Cathedral Catholic sits at the top with an 11-3 record, followed by Granite Hills (10-4). But if you just look at the wins and losses, you miss the nuance.
- Lincoln High: They finished 10-3. Most teams would kill for that. But for the Hornets, losing that D1 final felt like a massive upset.
- Mission Hills: Ranked 3rd overall. They were 9-2 but got bounced earlier than expected.
- Santa Fe Christian: They were 13-0 heading into the state regionals but lost a heartbreaker to Rio Hondo Prep (26-21).
The strength of schedule in San Diego is brutal. You’ve got the Avocado West League, which basically devours its own. Mission Hills, La Costa Canyon, and Carlsbad are constantly beating each other up. By the time they hit the playoffs, they’re either battle-hardened or just plain exhausted.
The State Playoff Reality Check
San Diego teams usually travel well, but the 2025 state run was a bit of a reality check for the section.
- Granite Hills fell to Oxnard-Pacific 42-35 in a Southern Regional final that came down to the wire.
- Christian High made a deep run in Division 5-AA, beating Central Union 28-14 for the section title, but then got shut out 37-0 by Bishop O'Dowd in the State Championship.
- Valley Center actually pulled off a huge win in the state regionals against Christian (27-13) before their season eventually wound down.
It’s a reminder that while San Diego is a powerhouse, the state of California is massive. The gap between a Division 1-A and a Division 5-AA title is a canyon, both in terms of roster depth and resources.
💡 You might also like: Why the Marlins Won World Series Titles Twice and Then Disappeared
Small Schools, Big Impact
We can't just talk about the big names. Morse High School is basically the "comeback kid" of the year. They went 1-9 in 2024. This year? They won the Division 5 title by beating Hoover 45-30. Superior Garror is a legit human highlight reel. He had four touchdowns in that final—three on the ground and a 60-yard punt return.
And don't sleep on the 8-man circuit. St. Joseph’s Academy absolutely dominated Borrego Springs 68-13 in their final. It’s a different version of the game, but the passion in those smaller communities is just as intense.
How to Track Scores Like a Pro
If you're still relying on a single app for your San Diego HS football scores, you're probably getting delayed info. The real ones know you have to triangulate.
- The "Big Three": MaxPreps for the official brackets, Scorebook Live (SBLive) for the live play-by-play, and the San Diego Union-Tribune for the post-game analysis.
- X (Twitter) is King: Follow accounts like @SDFNLMagazine or @EastCountySports. They usually have the score on the board before the referee even signals the touchdown.
- CIF San Diego Section Site: This is where you go for the "official" word on eligibility and playoff seedings, though it's not always the prettiest website to navigate.
Actionable Insights for the Offseason
The pads are off for now, but the work doesn't stop. If you're a parent, player, or just a die-hard fan, here is what you should be doing right now:
- Watch the Transfer Portal: It’s not just for college anymore. Keep an eye on the "big moves" this spring. San Diego is notorious for high-profile players switching schools during the offseason, which completely shifts the power balance for 2026.
- Spring Ball Scrimmages: Check the local calendars for May and June. It’s the first chance to see who the new QB1 will be for teams like Carlsbad or Lincoln.
- Support the Multi-Sport Athlete: A lot of these football stars are on the track or the baseball diamond right now. Seeing them compete in other arenas gives you a better sense of their "clutch" factor.
The 2025-26 season proved that ranking and pedigree don't mean a thing once the whistle blows. Whether it was Cathedral Catholic’s miracle comeback or Morse’s "worst-to-first" journey, the real story was written on the field, not in a preseason poll. Keep your eyes on the rising juniors—the 2026 season is already shaping up to be even more unpredictable.