SOUTHERN section News

For nearly two decades, Corona Centennial has been one of California's premier high school football programs. Under longtime head coach Matt Logan, the Huskies have built a national reputation, won multiple CIF championships, produced countless Division I athletes, and consistently played one of the toughest schedules in the country. Yet one question remains entering the 2026 season:

Is this finally the year Corona Centennial breaks through and wins it all?

What we know is this: Centennial enters the season as one of the nation's highest-ranked teams. MaxPreps has the Huskies ranked No. 8 nationally in its preseason Top 25, a reflection of both the talent on the roster and the program's consistency under Logan, who is entering his 30th season and has more than 300 career victories.

We also know Centennial is not taking the easy route.

The Huskies' nonleague schedule includes Servite, Santa Margarita, Mater Dei, Rancho Cucamonga, and De La Salle before league play even begins. Few programs anywhere in the country willingly face that caliber of competition week after week.

History shows Centennial has been close before. The Huskies captured a California state championship in 2008 and have reached several of the state's biggest games over the years. However, in the modern era of Southern California football, programs like St. John Bosco and Mater Dei have often stood in the way of additional state and Open Division championships.

The expectations haven't changed.

Centennial annually fields one of California's most talented rosters, and every season begins with championship aspirations. The program has proven it can compete with anyone. The next step is turning that potential into another championship run against a schedule that leaves little room for error.

Whether this becomes the year Corona Centennial "breaks through" cannot be answered today. That answer will be earned on Friday nights against some of the nation's best competition.

What is certain is that the Huskies have the coaching, the tradition, the national respect, and another opportunity. Now comes the hardest part—proving it on the field.