Allen maintains No. 1 in Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings; five enter after fast starts

BENSALEM, Pa. – After three weeks of action, the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings are shifting. Because there is little sense to update the rankings until there have been at least two games played, five teams have been added.

No. 16 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) and No. 17 Colquitt County (Moultrie, Ga.) make the biggest splash after starting the season regionally ranked. St. Joseph Prep (Philadelphia), No. 10 in the preseason rankings, drops out after getting thumped by 28 points in a game that was halted by inclement weather. For the second straight season No. 13 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) held the upper hand in the regional matchup. Don Bosco hosts No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) in the Blue Star Media Game of the Week on Saturday (4 p.m. ET) at Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings return September 15 with the third 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. 9, 2014

1. Allen, Texas (2-0)

Previous rank: 1.

What happened: Texas A&M-bound QB Kyler Murray ran for 183 yards and five TDs and passed for two more in a 58-53 shootout win over then-No. 25 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.).

Next: Friday at McKinney Boyd.

2. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (1-0)

Previous: 2.

What happened: Defeated No. 6 American Heritage (Plantation), 38-7.

Next: Saturday at No. 13 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) in West Point, N.Y.

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

Previous: 3.

What happened: Opened with a 63-14 pasting of St. Louis School (Honolulu). Then QB Josh Rosen fired five TDs in a 48-3 win over Norwalk.

Next: Friday vs. Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.).

4. Katy, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 4.

What happened: The Tigers have outscored two opponents, 86-0.

Next: Friday at The Woodlands (Conroe).

5. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (2-0)

Previous: 5.

What happened: Defeated Gilman School (Baltimore), 38-7, and Glenville (Cleveland), 44-7.

Next: Saturday vs. St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.)

6. Cedar Hill, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 8.

What happened: QB Justin McMillan accounted for five TDs, including four on the ground in a 48-30 win over Arlington Bowie.

Next: Friday at Skyline (Dallas)

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

Previous: 9.

What happened: Defeated Brophy Prep (Phoenix), 44-0, Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), 48-27, and Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 23-20, in overtime. The Gaels are averaging 38 points per game.

Next: Friday at Corona (Calif.) Centennial.

8. DeSoto, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 11.

What happened: The Eagles have totaled 109 points in their two opening games.

Next: Saturday at South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

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

Previous: 12.

What happened: Defeated Corona Centennial, 38-18, and Villa Park, 63-0. The Monarchs won’t be tested until they play Trinity League opponents, St. John Bosco (Bellflower) and Servite (Anaheim).

Next: Sept. 19 vs. Upland.

10. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: 13.

What happened: The Spartans easily beat Jesuit (Carmichael), 63-0, and Serra (San Mateo), 41-13.

Next: Friday vs. Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.).

11. Armwood, Seffner, Fla. (2-0)

Previous: 14.

What happened: Defeated Durant (Plant City), 37-14, and Blake (Tampa), 37-0.

Next: Friday vs. Hillsborough (Tampa).

12. Euless (Texas) Trinity (2-0)

Previous: 19.

What happened: The Trojans edged Rockwall-Heath, 17-14, after tking a 17-0 lead in the second period.

Next: Thursday vs. Lancaster.

13. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (1-0)

Previous: 20.

What happened: Defeated No. 10 St. Joseph’s Prep )Philadelphia), 35-7.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) at the United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y.

14. Booker T. Washington, Miami (3-0)

Previous: 21.

What happened: Opened with a 57-21 rout of regionally ranked Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.). Then defeated Tucker (Ga.), 19-7, and No. 7 Central (Miami), 21-20.

Next: Friday at Carol City (Miami).

15. Central, Miami (2-1)

Previous: 7.

What happened: In the opening game, Beymar Piraquive drilled a 32-yard FG with 45 seconds left to defeat No. 16 Hoover (Ala.), 24-21. Lost to Booker T. Washington (Miami), 21-20.

Next: Friday at Coral Reef (Miami).

16. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: Defeated then-No. 17 Centreville (Va.), 31-14. Reggie Corbin pumped out 211 all-purpose yards in beating Virginia’s top-ranked large-class school.

Next: Saturday at Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.).

17. Colquitt County, Moultrie, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: The Packers rolled to a third straight win to open the campaign, whipping Crisp County (Cordele).

Next: Friday at Enterprise (Ala.).

18. Warren Easton, New Orleans (1-0)

Previous: 22.

What happened: Defeated St. Amant, 40-32.

Next: Friday vs. West Jefferson (Harvey).

19. Male, Louisville, Ky. (3-0)

Previous: 23.

What happened: Defeated Floyd Central (Floyds Knob, Ind.), 49-3; Butler (Louisville), 43-7; and Fairdale, 56-6.

Next: Friday at Jeffersontown (Louisville).

20. Bellevue, Wash. (1-0)

Previous: 24.

What happened: Defeated Serra (Gardena, Calif.), 31-14, for its 55^th straight win. Sam Richmond (three TDs) scored twice in the opening half when the Wolverines rolled to a 21-6 lead.

Next: Saturday vs. Alta (Sandy, Utah).

21. Buford, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: Defeated then-No. 15 McEachern (Powder Springs), 27-20. The two-time defending state champions are headed into a bye week.

Next: Sept. 19 vs. White County (Cleveland).

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

Previous: 6.

What happened: Lost to No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale), 38-7, but rebounded with a win over then-No. 18 Miramar, 30-26.

Next: Sept. 20 vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood).

23. Moeller, Cincinnati (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: Defeated Covington (Ky.) Catholic,  39-0. Senior QB Matt Crable threw for 274 yards and two scores. The Crusaders have outscored two opponents, 60-6.

Next: Friday at Xenia.

24. Jenks, Okla. (1-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

What happened: The two-time defending state champions opened with a resounding 35-6 win over Sand Springs. Now the Trojans face their blood rivals.

Next: Friday vs. Union (Tulsa) at Tulsa University’s Chapman Stadium.

25. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (1-1)

Previous: 25.

What happened: Defeated Greenwood,45-19, in opener, but fell to No. 1 Allen (Texas), 58-53. Don’t be surprised if the Silver Foxes run the table in the regular season.

Next: Friday vs. Boiling Springs (Spartanburg).

Dropped out: No. 10 St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia; No. 15 McEachern, Powder Springs, Ga.; No. 16 Hoover, Ala.; No. 17 Centreville, Clifton, Va.; and No. 18 Miramar, Fla.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (1-0)

2. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (2-0)

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

4. St. Anthony, Melville, N.Y. (1-0)

5. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (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. Clarkston, Mich. (2-0)

2. Carmel, Ind. (3-0)

3. Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (2-0)

4. Eden Prairie, Minn. (3-0)

5. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (2-0)

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

Southland

1. Archbishop Rummel, Metairie, La. (1-0)

2. South Panola, Batesville, Miss. (3-0)

3. Maryville, Tenn. (3-0)

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

5. Mainland, Daytona Beach, Fla. (2-0)

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

Far West

1. Chandler, Ariz. (2-0)

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

3. Mountain Pointe, Phoenix (3-0)

4. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (1-0)

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

Geography: 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 September until the conclusion of the 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.