NEW BLOOD: Five teams join Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings in major shakeup; No. 13 Douglas County (GA) surging, No. 12 Bergen Catholic (NJ) wins late down the shore

OCEAN CITY, N.J. – The gridiron and the shore turned out to be the perfect combination on Thursday, Aug. 28.

When you are a New Jersey resident and head to the beach for a day in the sun and sand, simply are going “down the shore.” But that had different vibe when the Battle at the Beach Classic was staged for the fourth time at scenic Carey Stadium adjacent to the boardwalk with the Atlantic Ocean waves crashing in the background.

Originally known as Battle at the Boardwalk, the event rolled out 12 games over three days on the Labor Day Weekend. Friday and Saturday the games were played at Rowan University in Glassboro. Although it had a South Jersey feel, the Thursday quad featured three teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings in the final two games of the day.

Full disclosure, we sat alone in the stands as a paying customer with a reporter’s notebook in hand. It was hard not to be impressed with the talent and the overall production. It was a nearly three-hour grind south on the Garden State Parkway to exit 25 to the picturesque city on the sea.

So, what was the lowdown?

Well, No. 12 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) pulled one out of the fire and rolled the dice to beat No. 25 East St. Louis (Ill.), 22-21. The Crusaders were down 21-14 and wound up blocking a punt, which was returned for a touchdown with 83 seconds left. Instead of going for the tie, coach Vito Campanile called for the two-pointer and sophomore Trey Tagliaferri tossed a pass to junior Bryan Porter for the unlikely win.

In the nightcap, No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) stomped Winslow (Atco, N.J.), 35-21. Winslow is considered New Jersey’s top-ranked public school but fell behind 21-0 in the first quarter but played well the rest of the way.

Hey, it was a great day down the shore and I’ll be back in 2026.

As for the latest Elite 25 rankings, there was a major shakeup with a record five teams joining. With Elite 25 teams playing national schedules in August and early September, these matchups lead to newcomers before teams settle into league, conference or district play.

Two from Texas dropped out and two from southern California are in. No.13 Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.), No. 17 Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, No. 22 Mount Carmel (Chicago), No. 23 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) and No. 24 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.) make their debuts.

Douglas County is the third-ranked team in Georgia’s Class 6A. The California schools play in the one of the toughest sections in the nation (CIF-Southern Section) and feature challenging schedules. Mount Carmel and DeMatha knocked off Elite 25 teams to earn their way in. Mount Carmel converted a two-point conversion on the game’s final play to nip then-No. 19 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 43-42, in Ironton, Ohio. The Caravan have at least eight high-major players on their roster and have an Illinois record 15 state titles. The Caravan is top-ranked in the competitive Chicagoland rankings, according to the  Chicago Sun-Times.

Thirteen teams remained the same, including the top-11. Four moved up with No. 14 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) rising eight slots. No. 21 Thompson (Alabaster, Fla.) fell nine spots as three lost their footing in the Elite 25.

This weekend states such as Massachusetts, Kansas, Louisiana, Washington and Maryland get underway. No. 10 Duncanville (Texas) has a difficult home game with South Oak Cliff (Dallas) and becomes the final Elite 25 to open the season.

Elsewhere in Georgia, an interstate matchup between a Peach State powerhouse and defending Class 6A champions and a championship team from Alabama played Friday. No. 7 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) edged No. 21 Thompson (Ala.), 24-23, mostly with a stout defense when it counted.

The Rams won but are without North Carolina-bound QB Travis Burgess for the rest of the season with an injury. That severely dents the Rams chances of repeating in Georgia’s largest classification (6A).

Burgess said via social media:

“I want to thank everyone for the thoughts, prayers, calls, and messages— it truly means the world to me. A special thanks to my family, my coaches, my teammates, the Grayson community, and the University of North Carolina coaches, players, and fans for their encouragement and support.

“Playing under the Friday night lights at Grayson these past two years has been the experience of a lifetime. Unfortunately, due to the injury I suffered last Friday, I won’t be able to finish out the season with my brothers on the field. It has been a blessing to represent Grayson, play in front of such amazing fans, and be coached by some of the best.

This is just the start of my journey. I look forward to recovery, and I’m excited for the next chapter at UNC. Thank you again for all the love and support! Much love, TB.”

In parts of two games, Burgess threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns on 16 completions.

Keep on an eye on five games this Friday: No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) hosts No. 8 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) in the game of week; No. 11 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) entertains No. 18 Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.); No. 16 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.) at No. 14 American Heritage in a Broward County showdown; No. 17 Orange Lutherans visits Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) and St. Rita (Chicago) at No. 22 Mount Carmel in a Chicago Catholic League donnybrook.

We’ll have all the results.

Here’s an update to a story that we featured last week regarding Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) claiming victory over Bishop Montgomery (Torrance). The top-ranked Monarchs were scheduled to play last Friday but instead took the forfeit. Since then, head coach Ed Hodgkiss of Bishop Montgomery is no longer the football coach or co-athletics director at the school. As of Sunday afternoon, no coach had been named.

Sticky situation indeed.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Keep up with us on X (formerly Twitter) for big announcements and other stories on the football field and the hardwood. Enjoy the final three weeks of summer.

Bye for now.

Stay safe. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 2, 2025

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (2-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Claimed a forfeit win over Bishop Montgomery (Torrance) after the use of ineligible and lack of rostered players.

Next: Friday vs. Kahuku (Hawaii).

2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Eastwood (El Paso, Texas), 66-7.

Next: Friday No. 8 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore).

3. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (1-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Midland, 49-0. QB Angelo Renda threw for 248 yards and three TDs and RB Brooks Biggers ran 16 times for 103 yards and two scores.

Next: Friday vs. Hebron (Carrollton).

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (2-0)

Previous: 4.

Opens: Defeated Winslow Township (Atco, N.J.), 35-14, at the Battle at the Beach in Ocean City, N.J.

Next: Sept. 13 at Coronado (Las Vegas).

5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (2-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Kahuku (Hawaii), 38-0. The Gaels have two shutouts and have outscored the opposition 90-0 in two wins.

Next: Friday vs. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah).

6. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Lancaster, 22-18. QB Hayes Cloutier threw for 204 yards and three TDs.

Next: Friday vs. DeSoto,

7. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 12 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.), 24-23, in overtime. The game was tied at 17 heading into the extra session. RB Ashton Turner scored his second TD to give the Rams a 24-17 lead and then held off Thompson’s chance at a two-point conversion to seal it. Essentially, the Rams’ defense won and LBs Tyler Atkinson (Texas recruit) and Anthony Davis Jr. (Mississippi) were back in the lineup for the first time this season.

Next: Friday vs. Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.).

8. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (1-0)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Idle. The Panthers have a high-profile game on the West Coast this weekend.

Next: Friday at No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).

9. Buford, Ga. (2-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Idle. The Wolves have an early season bye week.

Next: Friday vs. Roswell.

10. Duncanville, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Idle. The Panthers have a late opening game against a formidable opponent

Opens: Friday vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

11. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (3-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Fremont (Ogden), 67-21. QB Helaman Casuga accounted for six TDs, including four in the air and two rushing.

Next: Friday vs. No. 18 Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.).

12. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (1-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 18 East St. Louis (Ill., 22-21, at Battle By the Beach in Ocean City, N.J. The Crusaders needed late heroics when junior Amar’e Newell returned a blocked punt for a TD to make it 21-20 with 83 seconds left and then sophomore QB Trey Tagliaferro tossed the winning two-point conversion to junior Bryan Porter to win it.

Next: Friday at West Boca Raton (Fla.).

13. Douglas County, Douglasville, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Newton (Covington), 27-21. QB Mike Jones passed for 209 yards and score to Ra’keith Kelly. Kennedy Green’s 1-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter snapped a 21-all deadlock.

Next: Friday at Langston Hughes (Fairburn).

14. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (1-0)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. No. 16 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood).

15. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (1-1)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes), 72-6.

Next: Friday at Columbus (Miami).

16. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (1-1)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated McArthur (Hollywood), 28-14.

Next: Friday at No. 14 American Heritage (Plantation).

17. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 27-24.

Next: Friday at Basha (Chandler).

18. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (1-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Shut out Mountain View (Mesa), 37-0,

Next: Friday at No. 11 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah).

19. Bixby, Okla. (1-0)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Defeated Owasso, 49-21.

Next: Friday at Charles Page (Sandy Springs).

20. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (2-1)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated Alpharetta, 31-6. The Indians meet one of the state’s top Class 4A teams this week.

Next: Sept. 12 vs. Blessed Trinity (Roswell).

21. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (1-1)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Lost to No. 7 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 24-23.

Next: Friday vs. Tuscaloosa County (Northport).

22. Mount Carmel, Chicago (1-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 19 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 43-42. The Caravan went for a two-point conversion on the final play and rallied from a 42-41 deficit.

Next: Friday vs. St. Rita (Chicago).

23. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (1-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 23 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia). The Stags trailed 10-3 at the intermission but rallied for two TDs in the third quarter and 28 points in the fourth. Coach Bill McGregor’s team is for real.

Next: Friday vs. Imhotep Prep Charter (Philadelphia).

24. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Oaks Christian (Westlake Village), 63-0. The Blazers enter the Elite 25 for the first time after recording their second straight shutout.

Next: Saturday vs. Punahou School (Honolulu).

25. East St. Louis, Ill. (0-1)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Dropped a heartbreaker to No. 14 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), 22-21. A special team gaffe in the last minute cost the Flyers in Ocean City, N.J.

Next: Saturday at Gadsden County (Havana, Fla.).

Dropped: No. 13 Westlake (Austin, Texas); No. 19 Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati ); No. 21 Corona (Calif.) Centennial No. 23 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia) and No. 24 North Shore (Galena Park, Texas).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. La Salle College High, Wyndmoor, Pa. (2-0)
2. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (1-0)
3. DePaul Catholic, Wayne, N.J. (1-0)
4. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (1-1)
5. Iona Prep, New Rochelle, N.Y. (0-0)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. Brownsburg, Ind. (2-0)
2. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (2-0)
3. Cass Tech, Detroit (1-0)
4. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (2-0)
5. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (1-0)

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (1-0)
2. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (2-0)
3. Allen, Texas (1-0)
4. Bryant, Ark. (1-0)
5. Edna Karr, New Orleans (0-0)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Mission Viejo, Calif. (2-0)
2. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (1-0)
3. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (1-1)
4. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (1-1)
5. Saint Louis School, Honolulu (1-0)

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings are released weekly from August until the conclusion of the high school season. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in December. Follow him on X (or Twitter) at @clawlor.