BEDEVILED: No. 14 Norcross (GA) Blue Devils surge into Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall football rankings with big win; No. 5 Chandler (AZ) bags second straight title

BENSALEM, Pa. – It was just matter of time. The law of average finally caught the Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall football rankings and dragged down three teams. That means three postseason losses, opening the door for three newcomers.

When examining three teams that dropped out from Texas, Louisiana and Georgia, at least one perhaps two can be considered upsets. For this late in the season, especially when the brackets tightened and reach the quarterfinal and semifinal stages in power states, many will argue there aren’t any upsets only justly earned victories.

Well, we welcome No. 14 Norcross (Ga.), No. 21 Oakland (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and No. 22 Tompkins (Katy, Texas). Oakland already annexed the Tennessee large-school title (Class 6A) a week ago to conclude a 15-0 mark. Oakland’s 56-33 triumph over Brentwood was punctuated by junior MVP Jordan James, who rushed for 230 yards and tied a state championship game record with six TD runs. Oakland’s running game produced a rushing yardage edge of 468-55.

Tompkins has been on the radar since upsetting ISD rivals Katy, a preseason Elite 25 Fall team, on Oct. 5. Last weekend, Tompkins rolled in its playoff opener. Norcross made the biggest splash this going from cusp of the Elite 25 Fall rankings inside the top-15. The Blue Devils beat then-No. 11 Colquitt County (Norman Park) in the Georgia Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals.

For the week, the top-11 teams were static and 18 overall maintained their positions. There are 12 state champions with No. 5 Chandler (Arizona) capturing a fifth straight Open Division title. Two teams from Florida play for state championships this week while No. 9 Trinity (Louisville) plays in Kentucky’s Class 6A final Saturday. Two Georgia schools hook up in the game of the week: No. 4 Grayson (Loganville) vs. No. 14 Norcross in the semifinals.

That’s it for now.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall rankings return Dec. 22. This marks the final ranking of 2020 and we’ll return with the Elite 25 Final Fall rankings on Jan. 19. That will reflect the championship game results from Louisiana, Georgia and Texas Class 6A and Class 5A.

Remember to stay safe, mask up, practice social distancing and support the small businesses in your area that have taken major financial hits since March. We’re nearly at the most wonderful day of the year, Christmas. So, stay healthy.

A reminder the Elite 25 boys’ and girls’ updated basketball rankings will drop in early January but we’ll give you a heads up next week. The coronavirus is really surging and hoops is on pause for the most part.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall football rankings, Dec. 15, 2020

1. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (11-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: The nation’s top-ranked team and Auburn-bound QB Dematrius Davis are at it again as the playoffs opened last week when they throttled Deer Park, 59-7, in the UIL Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game. Davis completed 13-of-18 passed for 266 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 9 yards for another. WR David Amador caught three passes for 105 yards and a 52-yard scoring strike.

Next: Thursday at Pearland Dawson in the Class 6A, Division I Area playoff game to be played at Challenger Columbia Stadium, Webster.

2. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (6-0)*

Previous: 2.

Recap: Won its third straight PIAA Class AAAAAA state championship. Season complete.

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

Previous: 3.

Recap: The Ascenders do not complete for a state championship. Season complete.

4. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (12-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Blanked West Forsyth (Cumming), 33-0, in Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals. QB Jake Garcia, who recently decommitted from USC, tossed two TD strikes and LB Derrell Farrar added a 52-yard, pick-six in the second quarter to make it 13-0. The Rams face an undefeated opponent this weekend.

Next: Friday vs. No. 14 Norcross in Class AAAAAAA semifinals.

5. Chandler, Ariz. (10-0)*

Previous: 5.

Recap: Won a second consecutive Arizona Open Division state championship, edging rival Hamilton (Chandler), 23-21. Hamilton could’ve won it in the final second but misfired on a 27-yard field goal. Central Florida-recruit QB Mikey Keene threw for TD pass and finishes 23-0 in two years of as a starter. RB Eli Sanders scored three TDs and rushed for 133 yards on 19 carries and ran for scores of 80 and 1 yards. The Wolves built a 23-7 early in the fourth quarter only to see their neighbors come within a whisker of supplanting them from state supremacy. This year wasn’t their time but the Year of the Wolf. Season complete.

6. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (14-0)*

Previous: 6.

Recap: The Chargers won their third consecutive Class 6A state championship. Last week, QB Jaxson Dart was named Utah’s Mr. Football after putting up eye-popping number of 4,691 yards passing and a state record 67 TDs on 240-of-345 efficiency. His favorite target man, WR Noah Kjar, was the Class 6A MVP after catching 97 ball for 1,918 yards and 22 scores (19.8 yards per reception). Season complete.

7. Westlake, Austin, Texas (9-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated Cedar Ridge (Round Rock), 57-14, in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

Next: Friday vs. Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) in Class 6A, Division I Area playoff game to be played at Pflugerville’s The Pfield.

8. Duncanville, Texas (7-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Defeated Harker Heights (Killeen), 60-14, in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game. QB Grayson Jones passed for 265 yards and three scores and RB Malachi Medlock ran for three TDs.

Next: Saturday vs. Skyline (Dallas) in Class 6A, Division I Area playoff game to be played at Dallas’ Kincaide Stadium.

9. Trinity. Louisville, Ky. (9-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: The Shamrocks shone on special teams as Jack Dingle recovered a blocked punt in the end zone and Branden Stearman rumbled 45 yards for a score off a fake punt in a 31-0 shellacking of archrivals St. Xavier in the Class 6A semifinals. RB Bradley West added scoring runs of 10 and 3 runs as the Shamrocks go for their state-record 27^th state championship this weekend against another crosstown rival in Lexington.

Next: Saturday vs. Male (Louisville) in Class 6A final at University of Kentucky’s Kroger Field.

10. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (14-0)*

Previous: 10.

Recap: Won second consecutive Class 7A state championship. Season complete.

11. Bixby, Okla. (11-0)*

Previous: 12.

Recap: Won third consecutive Class 6AII state championship. Season complete.

12. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (7-1)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Smashed Bloomingdale (Valrico), 37-14, in Class 7A semifinals. RB Anthony Hankerson rushed for three TDs of 7, 27 and 42 yards. The Raiders carried a 16-8 lead into the break when junior QB Zion Turner scored on a 1-yard keeper. The win means Aquinas will make its 20^th state championship game appearance this weekend with Florida-tying 11 crowns in the school’s trophy case.

Next: Saturday vs.. Edgewater (Orlando) in Class 7A state final at Florida State University’s Doak Campbell Stadium.

13. Central, Miami (7-1)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Palmetto, 47-20, in Class 6A semifinals. Sophomore Keyone Jenkins had a monster game, hitting on 16 of 22 passes for 366 yards and five TDs and rushed for a score and a two-point conversion in the rout. The Rockets are back in the state final for the second straight year.

Next: Friday vs. Lake Minneola (Minneola) in Class 6A final at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.

14. Norcross, Ga. (13-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Upended then-No. 11 Colquitt County (Norman Park), 17-7, in Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals. The Blue Devils slide into the Elite 25 Fall rankings after a huge win but have another challenge this weekend.

Next: Friday vs. No. 4 Grayson (Loganville) in the Class AAAAAAA semifinals.

15. Center Grove, Greenwood, Ind. (14-0)*

Previous: 15.

Recap: Won Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

16. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (10-0)*

Previous: 16.

Recap: Won fifth straight state championship by capturing the Class AAAAA title. Season complete.

17. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (11-0)*

Previous: 17.

Recap: Won fifth state championship in six years, capturing the Division II crown. Season complete.

18. Allen, Texas (9-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Plano West, 34-14, in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game. QB General Booty completed 12-of-20 passes for 183 yards and two TDs and ran for another score.

Next: Friday vs. South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie) in the Class 6A, Division I Area playoff game to be played at Globe Life Park, Arlington.

19. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (10-2)*

Previous: 22.

Recap: Won Ohio Division I state championship. Season complete.

20. Bryant, Ark. (13-0)*

Previous: 24.

Recap: Won Class 7A state  championship. Season complete.

21. Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (15-0)*

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Won Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

22. Tompkins, Katy, Texas (9-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Fort Bend Travis (Richmond), 42-10, in the Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

Next: Friday vs. Cy-Fair (Cypress) in the Class 6A, Division Area playoff game.

23. Cathedral, Indianapolis (13-1)*

Previous: 23.

Recap: Won Indiana Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

24. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (5-1)

Previous: 24.

Recap: New Jersey did not conduct state championships this year. Season complete.

25. Raymore-Peculiar, Mo. (12-2)*

Previous: 25.

Recap: Won Class 6 state championship. Season complete.

Dropped out: No. 11 Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.), No. 19 Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) and No. 21 Brother Martin (New Orleans, La.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Pine-Richland, Gibsonia, Pa. (11-0)*
2. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (4-2)
3. Central York, York, Pa. (10-1)
4. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (6-3)
5. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (6-2)

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

Midwest

1. De Smet Jesuit, St. Louis (6-1)
2. Belleville, Mich. (9-0)
3. Westside, Omaha, Neb. (12-0)*
4. Century, Bismarck, N.D. (10-0)*
5. Muskego, Wis. (9-0)

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

Southland

1. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (10-2)
2. Lowndes County, Valdosta, Ga. (10-1)
3. Jenks, Okla. (11-1)*
4. Oak Grove, Hattiesburg, Miss.(13-0)*
5. Katy, Texas (10-1)

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

Far West

1. Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (8-2)
2. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (9-0)*
3. Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (7-1)
4. Rocky Mountain, Meridian, Idaho (9-0)*
5. Orem, Utah (8-2)*

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

^ Will play season in Winter/Spring 2021

 * Won state championship

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings are released weekly from September until the conclusion of the high school season. For the 2020-2021 school year, there will be two separate rankings in the fall and winter/spring due to coronavirus concerns. 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 June 2021. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.