BIG WONS: No. 2 St. John Bosco (CA) and No. 14 Chaminade-Madonna (FL) rally for impactful victories; teams from Arizona and Georgia join Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings

BENSALEM, Pa. – As summer winds down, autumn is less than two weeks out. And as you know the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings are just starting to heat up as teams will shift focus to games within their home states.

No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) and No. 14 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.) recorded humongous victories last Friday.

SJB rallied three times to overtake No. 12 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 21-14. Chaminade-Madonna, which saw their innovative offensive coordinator step down last week, managed a key 28-24 come-from-behind victory over No. 15 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.). The Lions (2-1) were down 10 points in the fourth quarter but tallied their final 14 points of the contest.

Both victories were against Elite 25 teams as national scheduling is the norm.

Elsewhere, things came to a head in southern California.

Last week, Blue Star Media reported Bishop Montgomery in Torrance, California forfeited their game on Aug. 29 to No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) due to the lack of players. That was merely the tip of the iceberg. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles school announced it will forfeit the remainder of the 2025 season. The root of the matter is rules violations, paying parents of transfer players, according to published reports.

Said in a letter from Bishop Montgomery principal Michele Starkey and school president Patrick Lee: “We recognize the gravity of this situation and we are deeply sorry for the lapse in oversight that resulted in violations of CIF-SS regulations. We are instituting corrective actions aimed at ensuring compliance and preventing such issues in the future.”

What a mess. Thankfully, the coach is no longer employed at the school and the program takes the year off to regroup.

This week No. 22 Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) and No. 23 Carrollton (Ga.) enter the Elite 25 rankings after impactful victories. Basha defeated then-No. 19 Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, 30-24, after surrendering a 24-0 lead. The Bears (2-0) play one of Arizona’s top teams on Friday at Williams Field (Gilbert) in a Game of the Week.

Carrollton (4-0) is an offensive juggernaut, averaging 45 points per game but will travel to unbeaten Gainesville, which is Georgia’s third-ranked Class 5A team.

Otherwise, 16 teams from the Elite 25 shifted positions from the previous week while there were two additions and seven remained the same. Additionally, 13 teams gained ground this week with No. 19 Mount Carmel moving up four slots. Four teams dropped down with No. 24 Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.) slipping six.

As the Elite 25 moves into mid-September, keep an eye on these Games of the Week (all on Friday): No. 25 East St. Louis (Ill.) at No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas); No. 8 Buford (Ga.) vs. Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.); No. 19 Mount Carmel at Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Ill.); No. 15 American Heritage at Edna Karr (New Orleans); No. 1 Mater Dei at Corona (Calif.) Centennial and No. 6 North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) at Denton (Texas) Guyer.

RIP

Finally, two iconic coaches died over the weekend.

First, condolences to the family of G.A. Moore, a legendary coach from North Texas. It was reported on Friday, Sept. 5 he passed away at home surrendered by family members. He was 86.

Moore, a Hall of Fame coach, won eight Texas state championship football games and retired at the end of the 2011 season. He compiled a 429-97-9 record and went out as the state’s winningest coach, which has since been surpassed.

Moore was born and raised in Pilot Point and later played there and then at North Texas State (now University of North Texas), graduating in 1962. He would coach his alma mater Pilot Point for several stints, rival Celina, Sherman and Aubrey.

During a 14-year run (1988-2001) at Celina, he led the Bobcats in 1995 and then four straight from 1998-2001.

In Michigan, longtime Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills) Al Fracassa passed away on Sunday, Sept. 7. He was aged 92.

Fracassa started at Brother Rice in 1969 and remained there until retiring in 2013. He retired with a then-state record 430 wins and nine Michigan state championships. He sent more than 300 players to college, 13 of whom played in the NFL.

Fracassa, who I interviewed for a feature piece while at USA TODAY in 2001, was an affable man and a standout player at Michigan State. He was the NFL Coach of the Year in 1997 and was a four-time Michigan coach of the year. His teams ruled the Detroit Catholic League for decades.

Rest easy, gentlemen. The Good Lord must have needed help with the heavenly X’s and O’s.

Don’t forget to take a moment to remember 9/11 on Thursday morning. It’s been 24 years since Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes on September 11, 2001, crashing into the World Trade Center’s North and South Towers in lower Manhattan, one into the Pentagon in Northern Virginia and the fourth into a field in Shanksville, Pa.

Those heinous, gutless actions took the souls of 2,977. The events crushed our national sense of security and sent the nation into profound grief, which some in this area—the New York Metropolitan area—are still in mourning.

There will be ceremonies with a solemn reading a roll call of the names of those who died by living family members starting at 8:46 a.m. EDT on Thursday. If you have a chance, please pause to remember those who were senselessly killed and pray for them and their families and friends.

Amen.

Well, that’s it for the first week of September. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Tuesday, Sept. 16.

Keep up with us on X (formerly Twitter) for big announcements and other stories on the football field and the hardwood. Enjoy the final two weeks of summer. The Elite 25 boys basketball preseason rankings will drop in mid-October.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 9, 2025

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (3-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Defeated Kahuku (Hawaii), 21-18. Leading 14-10 with two minutes remaining, Malachi Roby’s 8-yard TD run gave the Monarchs some breathing room only to see the Hawaiians stage a late comeback that fell short.

Next: Friday at Corona Centennial.

2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (3-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 8 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 21-14. Texas A&M-pledge Madden Williams had seven receptions for 180 yards and a TD. Sophomore QB Koa Malau’ulu threw for 283 yards and three TDs, including the game-winner to Carson Clark with 4 minutes left, breaking a 14-all tie.

Next: Friday vs. Serra (San Mateo).

3. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (2-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Hebron (Carrollton), 35-7.

Next: Friday at Byron Nelson (Trophy Club).

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

Previous: 4.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday at Coronado (Las Vegas).

5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (3-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 35-14.

Next: Friday vs. No. 25 East St. Louis (Ill.).

6. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated DeSoto, 36-27. The Panthers have a brutal road game this weekend.

Next: Friday at Denton Guyer.

7. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.), 63-13. QB Deuce Smith hit on 19-of-25 passes for 244 yards and three TDs. The Rams head into their bye week.

Next: Sept. 19 at Grovetown.

8. Buford, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Defeated Roswell, 65-21. One of the nation’s top games is this weekend at Buford’s state-of-the-art stadium.

Next: Friday vs. Douglas County (Douglasville).

9. Duncanville, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated South Oak Cliff (Dallas), 35-28.

Next: Sept. 19 at Waxahachie.

10. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (4-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 18 Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.), 45-14. Texas A&M-bound QB Helaman Casuga accounted for five TDs, rushing for one and passing for four from 30, 15, 1 and 80 yards.

Next: Friday vs. Brighton (Salt Lake City).

11. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (2-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated West Boca Raton (Fla.), 21-14. Sophomore QB Trey Tagliaferro hit on 14-of-24 passes for 269 yards and three TDs. Austin Busso had six receptions for 155 yards and two scores of 30 and 83 yards.

Next: Friday at Winslow Township (Atco).

12. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (1-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Lost to No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 21-14. QB Jae’Oyn Williams rushed for a TD and 130 yards. The Panthers have another high-end opponent in the City of Brotherly Love up I-95 this weekend.

Next: Saturday at St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia).

13. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (2-1)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated Columbus (Miami), 42-7. The Raiders raced to a 28-0 lead at the intermission.

Next: Friday vs. Western (Davie).

14. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (2-1)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated No. 14 American Heritage (Plantation), 28-24. The Lions rallied for 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to erase a 24-14 deficit.

Next: Friday at Edison (Miami).

15. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (1-1)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Lost to then- No. 16 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood), 28-24. The Patriots coughed up a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. The week’s road game is against Louisiana’s top-ranked team.

Next: Friday at Edna Karr (New Orleans).

16. Bixby, Okla. (2-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated Charles Page (Sandy Springs), 56-7.

Next: Sept. 19 vs. Choctaw.

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

Previous: 20.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Blessed Trinity (Roswell).

18. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (2-1)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Tuscaloosa County (Northport), 69-0.

Next: Friday at Oak Mountain (Birmingham).

19. Mount Carmel, Chicago (2-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated rivals St. Rita (Chicago), 35-14. QB Emmett Dowling completed 19-of-31 passes for 263 yards and four TDs and ran for another. He also tossed two scoring strikes to WR Marshaun Thornton.

Next: Friday at Nazareth Academy (La Grange Park, Ill.).

20. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (2-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Imhotep Prep Charter (Philadelphia), 30-14. The Stags led 7-0 at halftime but rang up 23 points in the third quarter for a commanding 30-0 edge.

Next: Friday at Roman Catholic (Philadelphia).

21. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (3-0)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated Punahou School (Honolulu), 45-0. The Blazers have not allowed point in three games this season.

Next: Friday at Downey.

22. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 17 Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, 30-24. The Bears return to the Elite 25 after scoring the game’s initial 24 points before the visitors forged a tie. With less than 3 minutes left, RB Joshua Gaines scored the winning TD. QB Brodie Vehrs ran for a score and threw for one in the first half.

Next: Friday at Williams Field (Gilbert).

23. Carrollton, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Lithia Springs, 63-0. The Trojans enter the Elite 25 averaging 45 points in four wins. Last week, they led 37-0 after nine minutes but up next is an undefeated opponent.

Next: Friday at Gainesville.

24. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (1-1)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Lost to then-No. 11 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah), 45-14. The defending Arizona Open Division champions stick in the Elite 25 for now.

Next: Friday at Highland (Gilbert).

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

Previous: 25.

Recap: Game with Gadsden County (Havana, Fla.) was cancelled by the Florida team.

Next: Friday at No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

Dropped: No. 13 Douglas County (Douglasville, Ga.) and No. 17 Orange (Calif.) Lutheran.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. La Salle College High, Wyndmoor, Pa. (3-0)
2. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (2-0)
3. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (2-0)
4. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (2-0)
5. Iona Prep, New Rochelle, N.Y. (1-0)

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. (3-0)
2. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (3-0)
3. Cass Tech, Detroit (2-0)
4. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (3-0)
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. (2-0)
2. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (3-0)
3. Allen, Texas (2-0)
4. Bryant, Ark. (2-0)
5. Edna Karr, New Orleans (1-0)

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

Far West

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

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.