St. Augustine broke into the MaxPreps Top 25 at No. 19 after a 52-14 rout of back-to-back Division I Select state champion Edna Karr. The 9-0 Purple Knights were led by quarterback Jaelle Noble, while Santa Margarita stayed No. 2 after finishing its first undefeated regular season since 1997 and earning the top seed in the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs.

By the Numbers
  • St. Augustine beat Edna Karr 52-14; Noble accounted for 7 touchdowns, throwing for 234 yards and rushing for 73.
  • Louis Brown III had 3 interceptions, including a 99-yard touchdown return.
  • Santa Margarita improved to 10-0 with a 43-21 win over Orange Lutheran.
  • St. Augustine is 21-2 over the past 2 seasons, with both losses coming against Edna Karr.
Yes, But

St. Augustine’s breakthrough comes after two losses to Edna Karr last season, but one dominant win does not settle how the Purple Knights will fare in the playoffs. The rankings also include teams with different records and playoff paths, so postseason results could quickly reshape the national picture.

State of Play
  • St. Augustine is ranked No. 19 and next faces Archbishop Rummel.
  • Santa Margarita earned the No. 1 seed in a Southern Section Division 1 bracket that includes 4 other Top 25 teams.
  • Florida’s inaugural Open Division tournament begins Nov. 13, with St. Thomas Aquinas, Columbus and Chaminade-Madonna among the expected field.
  • 16 Top 25 teams are idle this week because of byes or pending preliminary playoff results.
What's Next

St. Augustine will try to carry its momentum into Friday’s matchup with Archbishop Rummel. Playoff brackets in California and Florida will put several ranked teams on a collision course, with results likely to shift the rankings.

Bottom Line

St. Augustine’s win was more than a rankings breakthrough: it marked a decisive reversal against the team that had handed the Purple Knights both of their recent losses.