Arizona, New Jersey teams join Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings; Allen (Texas) still tops

BENSALEM, Pa. – The first month of the high school football season has seen several upsets and nationally ranked teams playing one another. In a recent trend, Blue Star Media Elite 25 teams are scheduling quality games to toughen them up for the league play and their state playoffs.

It has also produced some exciting results. To wit, last weekend the No. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) rocketed up the Elite 25 rankings after dismantling then-No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 24-7. The Florida school isn’t done with a rugged stretch as it travels to Miramar (Fla.) in a local clash.

Two teams join the Elite 25 rankings—No. 20 St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City) and No, 24 Chandler (Ariz.). Both have been impressive early on and still have challenges ahead. There are four games of note this weekend, beginning Thursday when No. 6 DeSoto (Texas) plays Cibolo Steele in Waco. The action continues Friday when No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) entertains unbeaten Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), No. 24 Chandler (Ariz.) meets Mountain Pointe (Phoenix) and No. 23 Moeller (Cincinnati) travels to St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.).

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings return September 23 with the fourth 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. 15, 2014

1. Allen, Texas (3-0)

Previous rank: 1.

What happened: Defeated McKinney Boyd , 58-28. Texas A&M-bound QB Kyler Murray fired five TD passes, including three Jalen Guyton (five receptions, 102 yards).

Next: Thursday at Plano.

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

Previous: 3.

What happened: Defeated Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.), 42-14. Senior RB Clifford Simms and junior Sean McGrew each scored two TDs in the second half.

Next: Sept. 26 at No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

3. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (3-0)

Previous: 5.

What happened: Defeated St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), 42-0.

Next: Saturday at Elder (Cincinnati).

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

Previous: 13.

What happened: Defeated tben-No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 24-7, at Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y.

Next: Sept. 26 at Fort Pierce (Fla.) Central.

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

Previous: 7.

What happened: Edged Corona (Calif.) Centennial, 43-42.

Next: Friday vs. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.).

6. DeSoto, Texas (3-0)

Previous: 8.

What happened: Defeated South Oak Cliff (Dallas), 53-13.

Next: Thursday vs. Cibolo Steele at McLane Stadium in Waco.

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

Previous: 9.

What happened: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Upland.

8. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (3-0)

Previous: 10.

What happened: Defeated Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), 56-28.

Next: Friday at Del Oro (Loomis).

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

Previous: 2.

What happened: Lost to then-No. 13 Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 24-7, on national TV. The Raiders play their third straight national-caliber team this weekend.

Next: Friday at Miramar (Fla.). 

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

Previous: 11.

What happened: Blanked Hillsborough (Tampa), 26-0, for a second straight shutout.

Next: Friday at Robinson (Tampa).

11. Euless (Texas) Trinity (3-0)

Previous: 12.

What happened: Defeated Lancaster, 24-7. QB Tyler Natee carried 17 times for 114 yards and two TDs.

Next: Friday at North Shore (Galena Park).

12. Booker T. Washington, Miami (4-0)

Previous: 14.

What happened: Defeated Carol City (Miami), 38-14.

Next: Friday at Jackson (Miami).

13. Central, Miami (3-1)

Previous: 15.

What happened: Defeated Coral Reef (Miami), 47-0.

Next: Thursday vs. Columbus (Miami).

14. Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (3-0)

Previous: 16.

What happened: Defeated Georgetown Prep (North Rockville, Md.). 36-3.

Next: Friday at McKinley (Washington).

15. Colquitt County, Moultrie, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 17.

What happened: Defeated Enterprise (Ala.), 38-10.

Next: Friday vs. Pelham.

16. Warren Easton, New Orleans (2-0)

Previous: 18.

What happened: Defeated West Jefferson (Harvey), 59-7. QB Deshawn Capers-Smith, a Texas A&M recruit, passed for six TDs and rushed for two more.  

Next: Friday vs. Carver (New Orleans).

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

Previous: 19.

What happened: Defeated Jeffersontown (Louisville), 49-12.

Next: Sept. 26 vs. Ballard (Louisville).

18. Bellevue, Wash. (2-0)

Previous: 20.

What happened: Defeated Alta (Sandy, Utah), 45-0. The Wolverines did all their scoring the in the first half.

Next: Friday vs. Mercer Island.

19. Buford, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 21.

What happened: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. White County (Cleveland).

20. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (2-0)

What happened: Waxed Bergen Catholic (Oradell), 49-20. Penn State-bound QB Brandon Wimbush hit on 19 passes for 331 yards and five TDs. The Marauders led 49-0 after three quarters.

Next: Saturday at Seton Hall Prep (West Orange).

21. Katy, Texas (2-1)

Previous: 4.

What happened: Lost to The Woodlands (Conroe), 24-7.

Next: Friday vs. Katy Mayde Creek.

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

Previous: 22.

What happened: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood).

23. Moeller, Cincinnati (3-0)

Previous: 23.

What happened: Defeated Xenia, 55-7.

Next: Friday at St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.).

24. Chandler, Ariz. (3-0)

What happened: Defeated Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 22-7. The Wolves have a donnybrook this week for Arizona supremacy.

Next: Friday at regionally ranked Mountain Pointe (Phoenix).

25. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (2-1)

Previous: 25.

What happened: Defeated Boiling Springs (Spartanburg), 60-24.

Next: Friday at Dorman (Roebuck).

Dropped out: No. 6 Cedar Hill, Texas and  No. 24 Jenks, Okla.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (3-0)

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

3. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (2-0)

4. Centreville, Clifton, Va. (1-1)

5. Bishop McDevitt, Harrisburg, Pa. (3-0)

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. (3-0)

2. Carmel, Ind. (4-0)

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

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

5. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (3-0)

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

Southland

1. Archbishop Rummel, Metairie, La. (2-0)

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

3. Maryville, Tenn. (3-0)

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

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

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

Far West

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

2. Mountain Pointe, Phoenix (4-0)

3. Folsom, Calif. (3-0)

4. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (3-0)

5. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (2-1)

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.