Arizona, Louisiana and Texas schools enter Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings; No. 1 Allen (Texas) rolls

BENSALEM, Pa. – Now that the season is starting to heat up, so are the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings. With some teams already at five games—that’s the midway point of the regular season—others are still sifting through their byes weeks. This week six teams are coming off or heading into an off week.

Three new schools are added to the Elite 25: No. 20 Mountain Pointe (Phoenix); No. 21 Southlake (Texas) Carroll; and No. 22. Archbishop Rummel (Metairie, La.). No. 18 Moeller made the biggest dent, hopping five slots after blanking St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.), considering one of Kentucky’s top Class 6A teams.

The unquestioned game of the week is No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) at No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) Friday in a duel in the desert. The game will be televised on the ESPM family of networks. For those of you on the East Coast, you can still see your favorite local team on Friday night game and then order a pizza and check out two of the nation’s best. Another interesting matchup is No. 19 St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.) at IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). IMG is a football incubator boarding school, with at least 12 high-end college prospects. The Marauders will have their work cut out on the road.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings return September 29 with the fourth weekly installment. In the meantime, there are plenty of games to choose from in the coming weeks, please support your local schools. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football, Sept. 22, 2014

1. Allen, Texas (4-0)

Previous rank: 1.

What happened: Defeated Plano, 42-3. The Eagles are 2-0 in District 6-6A play as WR Jalen Guyton caught nine balls for 178 yards, including a 37-yard TD strike from Texas A&M-bound QB Kyler Murray (329 yards, two TDs passes) and two TD runs).

Next: Friday at Flower Mound Marcus.

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

Previous: 3.

What happened: Idle.

Next: Friday at No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

3. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (2-0)

Previous: 4.

What happened: Idle. The Ironmen look to make it two straight against Florida schools.

Next: Friday at Fort Pierce (Fla.) Central.

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

Previous: 5.

What happened: Defeated Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), 41-10. The Gaels needed to stay focused to hold off this southern California power.

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

5. DeSoto, Texas (4-0)

Previous: 6.

What happened: Defeated Cibolo Steele, 29-24, in Waco. QB Jaylin passed for 240 yards and three TD—including a pair to Kevin Thomas—and rushed for 111 yards and one score.

Next: Friday at Grand Prairie.

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

Previous: 7.

What happened: Defeated Upland, 28-14. The Monarchs needed a big-time second half effort to put away a pesky club.

Next: Friday at Edison (Huntington Beach).

7. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (4-0)

Previous: 8.

What happened: Defeated Del Oro (Loomis), 52-0.

Next: Saturday vs. Servite (Anaheim).

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

Previous: 9.

What happened: Defeated Miramar (Fla.), 20-12. The Raiders were without three suspended players for violating team policy. Trailing 12-7 heading into the fourth quarter, Zachary Cicero booted two field goals for a 13-12 edge, and Devonta’e Henry Cole’s late seven-yard TD gallop iced it.

Next: Friday at Nova (Davie).

9. Armwood, Seffner, Fla. (4-0)

Previous: 10.

What happened: Defeated Robinson (Tampa), 28-6.

Next: Friday vs. Jefferson (Tampa).

10. Euless (Texas) Trinity (4-0)

Previous: 11.

What happened:  Defeated North Shore (Galena Park), 29-21. QB Tyler Natee totaled 271 yards of offense and two TDs.

Next: Friday vs. Colleyville Heritage at Bedford’s Pennington Field.

11. Booker T. Washington, Miami (5-0)

Previous: 12.

What happened: Defeated Jackson, 55-7.

Next: Friday vs. Monsignor Pace (Miami Gardens).

12. Central, Miami (4-1)

Previous: 13.

What happened: Defeated Columbus (Miami), 42-14. Junior QB Jerrod Thomas fired four TD passes in a mercy-rule game. The Rockets now head into their bye week.

Next: Oct. 2 at Homestead.

13. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (4-0)

Previous: 14.

What happened: Defeated McKinley Tech (Washington), 51-0.

Next: Saturday vs. Good Counsel (Olney, Md.).

14. Colquitt County, Moultrie, Ga. (5-0)

Previous: 15.

What happened: Defeated Pelham, 47-7. The Packers head into the bye week.

Next: Oct. 2 vs. Lowndes County (Valdosta).

15. Warren Easton, New Orleans (3-0)

Previous: 16.

What happened: Defeated Carver (New Orleans), 55-6.

Next: Friday at Woodlawn (Baton Rouge).

16. Bellevue, Wash. (3-0)

Previous: 18.

What happened: Defeated Mercer Island, 42-21. Senior Yofi Wyle scored four TD, two in each half, as the Wolverines scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter to break a 21-all tie.

Next: Friday at Sammamish.

17. Buford, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 19.

What happened: Defeated White County (Cleveland), 42-10. The Wolves have allowed only 30 points in four games, with two shutouts. Now the bye week kicks in.

Next: Oct. 3 at Chestatee (Gainesville).

18. Moeller, Cincinnati (4-0)

Previous: 23.

What happened: Defeated St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.), 26-0, for the team’s second shutout of the season. The Crusaders open GCL South play this weekend.

Next: Friday at St. Xavier (Cincinnati).

19. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (3-0)

Previous: 20.

What happened: Defeated Seton Hall Prep (West Orange), 48-10. Penn State-bound QB Brandon Wimbush was sensational, throwing for 241 yards and two TDs and rushed for 69 yards and two more scores. This weekend’s game at IMG Academy will be a challenge as the home team features more than 12 high-major prospects.

Next: Friday at IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.).

20. Mountain Pointe, Phoenix (5-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: Upended then-No. 24 Chandler, 45-42. The schedule continues to present more challenges this week against a storied program.

Next: Friday at Hamilton (Chandler).

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

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Abilene.

22.  Archbishop Rummel, Metairie, La. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: Defeated Acadiana (Lafayette), 34-9. QB Chase Fourcade—whose dad previously quarterbacked the New Orleans Saints—ran for two TDs and passed for two more as the defending Class 5A champions scored 14 unmatched points in the second for a 20-3 lead at intermission.

Next: Friday at Catholic (Baton Rouge).

23. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (2-1)

Previous: 22.

What happened: Defeated Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood), 35-7. The Patriots have another showdown in north Florida against a regionally ranked opponent.

Next: Friday at Mainland (Daytona Beach).

24. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (3-1)

Previous: 5.

What happened: Lost to Elder (Cincinnati), 21-14, at the vaunted Pit before 7,000 in Cincinnati.

Next: Saturday at Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) at Overpeck Park, Palisades Park.

25. Male, Louisville, Ky. (4-0)

Previous: 19.

What happened: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Ballard (Louisville).

Dropped out: No. 21 Katy, Texas; No. 24 Chandler, Ariz.; and No. 25 Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (4-0)

2. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (4-0)

3. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (3-0)

4. Canisius, Buffalo, N.Y. (3-0)

5. Bishop McDevitt, Harrisburg, Pa. (4-0)

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

Midwest

1. Clarkston, Mich. (4-0)

2. Carmel, Ind. (5-0)

3. Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (4-0)

4. Eden Prairie, Minn. (5-0)

5. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (4-0)

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

Southland

1. South Panola, Batesville, Miss. (4-0)

2. Maryville, Tenn. (4-0)

3. Mainland, Daytona Beach, Fla. (4-0)

4. Skyline, Dallas (3-0)

5. Pearland, Texas (4-0)..sat

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

Far West

1. Servite, Anaheim, Calif. (3-1)

2. Folsom, Calif. (4-0)

3. Alemany, Mission Hills. Calif. (4-0)

4. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (4-1)

5. Punahou School, Honolulu (3-0)

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

 About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 High School Football Rankings are released weekly from September 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 December 22. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.