2021 Geico State Champions Bowl Series: Meet the 4 football programs playing in Las Vegas

Once again, it's time to add a little tinsel to the shiny Christmas ornament of postseason high school football.

For a fifth consecutive season, four state champions from around the country will square off in the GEICO State Champion Bowl Series.

Three of them - No. 7 Collins Hill in Georgia and unranked Highland of Arizona and Graham-Kapowsin of Washington - just won a state championship for the first time in school history. The other - unranked Chaminade-Madonna, of Florida - just won its sixth state title.

The bowl games will be held this weekend at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas - Highland vs. Chaminade-Madonna on Friday at 7:30 p.m. PT, followed by Collins Hill vs. Graham-Kapowsin on Saturday at 1 p.m. PT.

A closer look at the four participants:

CHAMINADE-MADONNA LIONS (11-1)

Coach: Dameon Jones, sixth season (65-13 record)

2021 state title: Defeated Berkeley Prep, 21-0. Running back Davion Gause rushed for 205 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and the Lions' defense limited Berkeley Prep to just 61 yards of total offense.

Three to see:

RB Davion Gause, soph. - Offense loaded with high-level, skill-position underclassmen - and this workhorse one of top tailback recruits for 2024.

DE Kenyatta Jackson, sr. - Top-100 Ohio State signee is king of speed off the edge, and was named school's first Gatorade state player of the year.

CB Ryan Turner, sr. - Defensive backfield full of D1 prospects, and this rangy lockdown cornerback (and Ohio State signee) best of all of them.

Outlook: If there's such a thing as a seasoned first-timer at the 2021 bowl series, the Lions are it. They have been in the 3A title game six seasons in a row - with four victories. And it's not difficult to see why Chaminade-Madonna was the best program in that classification - defense. It gave up just three points to opposing offense the entire postseason, led by tone-setting DEs Jamaal Johnson (19 sacks, headed to UCF) and Kenyatta Jackson (17 sacks, headed to OSU), who just don't let quarterbacks get settled. "We knew the defense was going to be the strength of the team this year ... because it was senior-heavy," Jones said. Extended run of success doesn't appear to be ending anytime soon with all the young talent on offense, paced by QB Cedrick Bailey (1,921 passing yards, 16 TDs) and RB Davion Gause (1,659 rushing yards, 17 TDs).

Quotable: "Getting off a plane is new, but the travel is going to be the same. We’ve played in a lot of big games - and a tough schedule gets you ready." - Dameon Jones

HIGHLAND HAWKS (11-3)

Coach: Brock Farrel, fifth season (45-17 record).

2021 state title: Defeated Chaparral, 31-10. Record-setting quarterback Gage Dayley had a near-perfect outing - 13-of-14, 234 yards, four touchdown - as the Hawks avenged last year's 6A title-game loss to Chaparral. Highland put it away on Dayley's fourth-down 31-yard score to Hunter Stewart to give the Hawks a 24-10 lead late in the third quarter.

Three to see:

DE Fisher Camac, sr. - Broken-arm injury midway through the fall ended his prep career, but he is team's best senior D1 player (UNLV commit).

QB Gage Dayley, sr. - He's not tall (5-foot-10), but he's deadly accurate with his passes - and his high IQ allows Farrel to change things up on fly.

LT Caleb Lomu, jr. - Breakout season along offensive line has netted Pac-12 offers from both in-state programs; plays his best against top talent.

Outlook: With all the traditional powerhouses roaming the state, surprised to see it the Hawks get the bowl-game nod? Well, Highland's coaching staff was caught off guard, too. After missing out as one of the top eight schools in Arizona's open-division state tournament, the Hawks were notified in the middle of last week that they were under consideration. And after beating Chaparral on Saturday night for the 6A crown, school athletic director Brandon Larson got word Sunday they were in. "He called and said, 'Pack your bags,'" Farrel said. Third-year starting QB Gage Dayley (2,536 passing yards, 28 TDs) makes it all go on offense, both as a playmaker and leader. and he has a cast of pass catchers to spread the wealth around to, notably senior WRs Hunter Stewart (37 catches, 671 yards, four TDs) and Jace Patton (34 catches, 508 yards, five TDs).

Quotable: "To (earn a bowl berth) the first time we won a state title is cool. And it's an honor to represent the state of Arizona." - Brock Farrel

COLLINS HILL EAGLES (15-0)

Coach: Lenny Gregory, fifth season (42-21 record).

2021 state title: Defeated Milton, 24-8. The Eagles made up for last year's Class 7A state finals loss behind a big game from quarterback Sam Horn, who threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, wide receiver Travis Hunter (10 catches, 153 yards, TD) and a defense that limited Milton to 203 yards and a lone touchdown with 7:20 remaining.

Three to see:

QB Sam Horn, sr. - Missouri signee can run a little - and pass a lot. He became the state's eighth prep quarterback to eclipse 10,000 career yards.

WR Travis Hunter, sr. - The consensus top recruit in the country will likely play cornerback at Florida State, but he caught 46 touchdown passes for career.

DE Asani Redwood, sr. - High-motor pass rusher an absurd senior season off the edge (116 tackles, 43 TFL, 19 sacks) - and will play at West Virginia.

Outlook: How dominant was seventh-ranked Collins Hill this fall? It became the first big-school program since 1971 to win every game on it schedule by 15 or more points. Credit the 23 seniors who laid the groundwork for this type of historic showing, led by record-setting QB Sam Horn (3,708 passing yards, 35 TDs; 4,316 yards of total offense, 42 total TDs), a true dual threat who, when nothing else is open, can throw it up to WR Travis Hunter (76 catches, 1128 yards, 10 TDs), who missed nearly a month with an ankle injury before returning for the home stretch of playoff games. "It’s the greatest quarterback-and-receiver combo probably in the state of Georgia’s history,” Gregory told SBLive correspondent David Friedlander. But equally impactful is a defense that features standouts at all levels, and one that plays with "great fundamentals," Gregory said.

Quotable: "This is a great opportunity for them to get on a plane, travel to a different state and play on ESPN. I am excited for our football program." - Lenny Gregory

GRAHAM-KAPOWSIN EAGLES (14-0)

Coach: Eric Kurle, 16th season (152-41 record).

2021 state title: Defeated Lake Stevens, 44-7. Under a steady downpour, the Eagles rushed for a Class 4A state championship game-record 524 yards, led by running back Zackary Lee (190 yards, two TDs) and quarterback Joshua Wood (172 yards, two TDs). It was Kurle's first state title in 26 years of coaching, spanning three schools.

Three to see:

DT Curtis and Hunter Hill, sr. - While other teammates have a showy side, these Idaho State-bound twins just want to get a hold of you in the trenches - and win.

LT Vega Ioane, sr. - This has been one of the state's most grinding power rushing attacks in recent memory, and this Power 5 recruit is biggest reason why.

QB Joshua Wood, sr. - When the football is in his hands, he is electric - and the top in-state signal caller, and EWU commit, is Gatorade state player of year.

Outlook: Many of Eric Kurle's coaching peers were thrilled for the longtime man in charge, who led Graham-Kapowsin to 16 consecutive playoff trips before winning the state championship. And even though QB Joshua Wood (2,222 passing yards, 31 TDs; 535 rushing yards, 10 TDs) has plenty of D1 pass-catching options, notably WR Julian Mason and TE Andrew Savaiinaea, the Eagles made in the playoffs by running the football, paced by RB Zackary Lee (1,174 rushing yards, 11 TDs). The rested Eagles know they are underdogs in this showdown against Collins Hill, but with the level of big guys they can rotate along both lines, they certainly have a chance in the desert. "We will compete and get after it," Kurle said.

Quotable: "This is set up like a college bowl game ... so they are excited. They want to play. And these teams in it are really good." - Eric Kurle

(Featured file photo by Cecil Copeland)