BEN SALEM, Pa. – For the second straight week, the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings have remain quiet, there weren’t any additions, but there was some reshuffling in the middle of the pack.

This is part of the pursuit of state championships or the great anticipation.

The new look between ranked teams No. 8 through 16 reflects the strength of schedule and how those teams are currently playing with playoffs in full swing. There will be a handful of state or conference champions crowned before Thanksgiving and plenty more each weekend until December 18—the final weekend of the season. On December 23, there will be two bowl games played in Frisco, Texas, but that important announcement is still pending on the way things shake out in key states looking to participate.

Three games to keep an eye on this weekend include:

No. 3 DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) vs. Good Counsel (Olney) in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals. These rivals played last weekend, with the Stags staying unbeaten in a grind-it-out 21-7 victory. Always tough to beat a team in back to back games.

In the Midwest, Cass Tech (Detroit) plays at Saline in essentially the Division I quarterfinals on Friday night. The Technicians go head first into a hornet’s nest at 11-0 Saline. This winner of this one is set up to capture Michigan’s top classification.

In Ohio, it’s a real battle of Cincinnati when No. 15 Colerain (11-0) plays St. Xavier (6-5) Friday at Schwarm Stadium in nearby Hamilton. The Cardinals are undefeated and feature one of the nation’s top defenses—surrendering 114 points with three shutouts in 11 games—but nipped St. Xavier, 20-14, on Sept. 2. This time the game is slated for a neutral site for the right to move into the Division I, Region 4 final. That’s three wins away from the state title.

The next Elite 25 rankings are back November 15. Please support your local high schools as they play in the postseason. Enjoy the games! We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings. Nov. 8, 2016

1. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (10-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Crushed Sierra Vista (Las Vegas), 56-7. Ohio State-bound QB Tate Martell passed for 162 yards and four touchdowns and RB Biaggio Ali Walsh rushed eight times for 118 yards and three TDs. The Gaels, who clinched the Southwest League title and won for the 50th straight game, scored on all eight possessions.

Next: Thursday vs. Palo Verde (Las Vegas) in Class 4A Sunset Region first round.

2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (10-0)

Previous rank: 2.

Recap: Crushed JSerra (San Juan Capistrano), 59-7. The Monarchs took a 52-7 halftime lead and are firing on all cylinders heading into the sectional playoffs.

Next: Friday vs. Tesoro (Santa Margarita) in CIF-Southern Section Division I first round.

3. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (10-0)

Previous rank: 3.

Recap: Edged Good Counsel (Olney), 21-7. QB Beau English scored all three TDs. The Stags record their first undefeated regular season since 2009. Playing your rivals in back to back weeks won’t be easy. Maryland-bound OT Marcus Minor suffered a spinal contusion but is doing better.

Next: Friday vs. Good Counsel (Olney) in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals.

4. Allen, Texas (10-0)

Previous rank: 4.

Recap: Defeated Wylie, 49-0. Brown-recruit QB Mitchell Jonke threw for 162 yards and four TDs on 4 completions as the Eagles rolled to a 28-point edge at the break.

Next: Friday vs. Euless Trinity in the Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

5. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (8-0)

Previous rank: 5.

Recap: Idle. The Ascenders have two games left and no playoffs.

Next: Saturday vs. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore).

6. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (9-0)

Previous rank: 6.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Westwood (Fort Pierce) in Class 5A, Region 4 quarterfinals.

7. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (7-2)

Previous rank: 7.

Recap: Throttled Flanagan (Pembroke Pines), 45-19. The Raiders cruised to a 31-0 lead at the break.

Next: Friday vs. Palm Beach Lakes (West Palm Beach) in Class 7A, Region 4 first round.

8. McGill-Toolen, Mobile, Ala. (11-0)

Previous rank: 9.

Recap: Defeated Jeff Davis (Montgomery), 46-14, in Class 7A first round.

Next: Friday at Enterprise in 7A second round.

9. DeSoto, Texas (10-0)

Previous rank: 10.

Recap: Defeated South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie), 37-31, to complete a perfect regular season. TCU-bound QB Shawn Robinson passed for 201 yards and a TD and ran for an additional 99 yards and score.

Next: Friday vs. Killeen in the Class 6A, Division II bi-district playoff game.

10. Roswell, Ga. (10-0)

Previous rank: 8.

Recap: Nipped Cherokee (Canton), 20-14. A hard earned victory bags the Region 4 championship for the Hornets.

Next: Friday vs. Pebblebrook (Mableton) in Class AAAAAAA first round.

11. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (9-1)

Previous rank: 12.

Recap: Drilled South Gwinnett (Snellville), 45-3. The Rams are Region 8-AAAAAAA champions. They have allowed 82 points this season, holding opponents to 29 in the last seven.

Next: Friday vs. Mountain View (Lawrenceville) in Class AAAAAAA first round.

12. Cass Tech, Detroit (11-0)

Previous rank: 14.

Recap: Defeated Dearborn, 24-7, in Division I district final. The Technicians are three wins from a state championship. Now a stern test awaits on Friday night.

Next: Friday at Saline in Division I region final.

13. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (10-0)

Previous rank: 11.

Recap: Defeated Duluth, 56-0. The Hawks won three consecutive Region 6 titles.

Next: Friday vs. Newton (Covington) in Class AAAAAAA first round.

14. Jenks, Okla. (10-0)

Previous rank: 15.

Recap: Defeated Santa Fe (Edmond), 52-35. RB Rueben Thompson ran for three TDs and QB Ian Corwin rushed for two scores and threw for one in a wild regular season finale. If the Trojans capture their first postseason assignment this weekend, rivals Union (Tulsa) or Broken Arrow await in the semifinals.

Next: Friday vs. Southmoore (Moore) in the Class 6A, Division I first round.

15. Colerain, Cincinnati (11-0)

Previous rank: 16.

Recap: Defeated Springboro, 35-14, in Division 1, Region 4 quarterfinals. RB Monalo Caldwell rushed 20 times for 176 yards and three TDs and QB Gunnar Leyendecker completed five passes for 80 yards and two scores.

Next: Friday vs. St. Xavier (Cincinnati) in Division I, Region 4 semifinals to be played in Hamilton, Ohio.

16. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (8-2)

Previous rank: 13.

Recap: Defeated Orange Lutheran, 47-28.

Next: Friday vs. Upland in CIF-Southern Section Division I first round.

17. Mountain Pointe, Phoenix (11-0)

Previous rank: 17.

Recap: Waxed Cesar Chavez (Laveen, Ariz.), 52-14 in Class 6A first round. RB Rashie Hodge Jr. scored three TDs and totaled 130 yards from scrimmage.

Next: Friday vs. Desert Ridge (Mesa) in 6A quarterfinals.

18. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (12-0)

Previous rank: 18.

Recap: Defeated Lehi, 37-14, in the Class 5A quarterfinals.

Next: Thursday vs. Fremont (Plain City) in 5A semifinals at University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.

19. Maryville, Tenn. (11-0)

Previous rank: 19.

Recap: Defeated Coffee County (Manchester) in Class 6A first round, 56-14. The Rebels scored all 56 points in the first half.

Next: Friday vs. Dobyns-Bennett (Kingsport) in 6A second round.

20. Saguaro, Scottsdale, Ariz. (11-0)

Previous rank: 20.

Recap: Defeated Amphitheater (Tucson), 56-7, in Class 4A first round.

Next: Friday vs. Peoria in in 4A quarterfinals.

21. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (9-0)

Previous rank: 21.

Recap: Drubbed Roman Catholic (Philadelphia), 45-7, in the Class AAAAAA Catholic League Red Division semifinals. The Hawks scored all 45 points in the first half.

Next: Friday vs. La Salle College (Wyndmoor, Pa.) in AAAAAA Catholic League Red Division final.

22. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (11-0)

Previous rank: 22.

Recap: Defeated Oswego East, 22-3, in Class 8A second round.

Next: Saturday at Huntley in 8A quarterfinals.

23. Trinity, Louisville, Ky. (11-0)

Previous rank: 23.

Recap: Defeated Ohio County (Hartford), 69-0, in Class 6A first round.

Next: Friday vs. Eastern (Louisville) in 6A second round.

24. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (9-0)

Previous rank: 24.

Recap: Defeated Archbishop Shaw (Marrero), 36-13. The Patriots completed an undefeated regular season. QB Collin Guggenheim hit on all five passes for 60 yards and a TD, and Donell Jones carried eight times for 83 yards and a score. The Patriots received a rare bye in the playoffs.

Next: Nov. 18 vs. Jesuit (New Orleans) or Archbishop Rummel (Metairie) in Division I quarterfinals.

25. The Woodlands, Texas (10-0)

Previous rank: 25.

Recap: Ripped College Park. 63-10. The Highlanders need six wins to capture state hardware.

Next: Friday vs. Mesquite Horn in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (10-1)
2. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (7-2)
3. Imhotep Charter, Philadelphia (9-0)
4. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (7-2)
5. North Penn, Langhorne, Pa. (11-0)

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

Midwest

1. East St. Louis, Ill. (11-0)
2. Kimberly, Wis. (12-0)
3. Wayne, Huber Heights, Ohio (10-0-1)
4. Totino-Grace, Fridley, Minn. (10-0)
5. North, Omaha, Neb. (11-0)

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

Southland

1. Lake Travis, Texas (9-1)
2. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (10-0)
3. Mainland, Daytona Beach, Fla. (9-0)
4. Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (11-0)
5. Apopka, Fla. (9-0)

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

Far West

1. East, Salt Lake City, Utah (12-0)
2. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (9-1)
3. Mission Viejo, Calif. (10-0)
4. Kahuku, Hawaii (10-1)
5. West Linn, Ore. (10-0)

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 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 in late December. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.