Christopher Lawlor
Blue Star Media Go-To 25 High School Football Rankings; John Curtis scores big win
BENSALEM, Pa. – For the second consecutive week, the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings are static. The biggest movement was the loss by then-No. 3 Edna Karr (New Orleans). In a battle for Louisiana supremacy, the beat goes on as No. 23 John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.) pulled out a last minute 38-33 victory.
The Patriots held a 23-0 lead in the opening quarter, squandered it, but showed the resolve of a champion. The lower portion of the Go-To 25 rankings is dotted with one-loss teams. At this point, there is no need to drop them, but be forewarned: One more loss means curtains. To re-enter the rankings, a team must win a state or conference championship.
In New Jersey, there’s been a passing of the torch—at least for now. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey), a powerhouse program and national champion twice in recent years, has lost three straight and with Bergen Catholic (Oradell), No. 15 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) and No. 16 Paramus Catholic on the docket, look out! SJR is the real deal. This could be the finest team that veteran head coach Tony Karcich has coached. By his own admission, the Green Knights must complete the task at hand, but anything short of a state title would be a monumental upset. Karcich’s team is big, fast and strong. They wear down opponents—see Bergen Catholic, 49-6, on Saturday night—and will need that brawn against Paramus Catholic on Oct. 26.
Mark it down, that’s the regular season game of the year in New Jersey … maybe the nation!
There are a handful of games involving Go-To 25 teams this weekend and five enjoy a bye week.
In Las Vegas, No. 1 Booker T. Washington (Miami) makes a long trek to play unranked Bishop Gorman, the defending large-class Nevada state champion. The quickest way to get the attention of the Go-To 25 is to register a quality win over and play an aggressive schedule. The Gorman Gaels fall into that category. No. 8 Mount Carmel (Chicago) visits Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.) Saturday in a Chicago Catholic League tussle. No. 23 John Curtis travels to St. Augustine (New Orleans) and No. 2 Allen (Texas) hosts Plano East.
There’s never a dull moment on the high school level; too many subplots each week. That’s tonnage of stories in 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Remember to attend a game this weekend or sometime this fall. Support your local schoolboys on the gridiron. With some programs, it’s a way of life. The eyes of a nation are watching.
Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor
Blue Star Media Go-To 25 Rankings
1. Booker T. Washington, Miami (5-0)
Previous rank: 1.
Recap: Defeated Monsignor Pace (Opa Locka), 49-7. RB Mark Walton scored three TDs. Now it’s a cross-country trip to Nevada; that’s never an easy task.
Up next: Friday at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).
2. Allen, Texas (5-0)
Previous rank: 2.
Recap: Defeated Coppell, 31-10. The Eagles zoomed to a 17-0 lead in the first quarter. RB Tay Evans scored twice on short runs.
Up next: Friday vs. Plano East.
3. Central, Miami (3-1)
Previous: 4.
Recap: Idle.
Up next: Saturday vs. Homestead.
4. Hoover, Ala. (5-0)
Previous rank: 5.
Recap: Defeated Vestavia Hills, 17-7. The Bucs have won 20 straight and allowed only 100 yards of offense.
Up next: Friday vs. Bessemer City (Bessemer).
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (5-0)
Previous rank: 6.
Recap: Defeated San Ramon Valley (Danville), 47-21.
Up next: Friday at Servite (Anaheim) at Santa Ana Bowl.
6. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (4-0)
Previous rank: 7.
Recap: Idle.
Up next: Friday vs. Crenshaw (Los Angeles).
7. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (5-0)
Previous rank: 8.
Recap: Defeated McDowell (Erie), 56-7.
Up next: Saturday vs. Cardinal Mooney (Youngstown).
8. Mount Carmel, Chicago (4-0)
Previous rank: 9.
Recap: Defeated St. Rita (Chicago), 24-3.
Up next: Saturday at Loyola Academy (Wilmette).
9. Katy, Texas (5-0)
Previous rank: 10.
Recap: Defeated Katy Morton Ranch, 28-3. RB Kyle Porter scored on runs of 1, 1 and 11 yards. The Tigers have a week off at the midway point of regular season.
Up next: Oct. 11 vs. Katy Taylor.
10. Serra, Gardena, Calif. (5-0)
Previous rank: 11.
Recap: Defeated Narbonne (Harbor City), 36-13.
Up next: Oct. 11 at Harvard-Westlake (Studio City).
11. DeSoto, Texas (5-0)
Previous rank: 12.
Recap: Defeated South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie), 50-0. The Eagles average nearly 46 points per game.
Up next: Oct. 11 vs. Mansfield Timberview (Arlington).
12. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (5-0)
Previous: 13.
Recap: Defeated Channelview, 59-0. RB Justin Green rushed for three TDs and WR Kevian DeLeon caught two scoring receptions.
Up next: Oct. 11 at Port Arthur Memorial.
13. Ensworth, Nashville, Tenn. (5-0)
Previous rank: 14.
Recap: Defeated McCallie School (Chattanooga), 28-14. It’s a colossal local rivalry game this weekend.
Up next: Friday vs. Montgomery Bell Academy (Nashville).
14. North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga. (4-0)
Previous: 15.
Recap: Idle.
Up next: Friday at Duluth.
15. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (3-0)
Previous: 16.
Recap: Defeated Bergen Catholic (Oradell), 49-6. The Green Knights scored off a blocked punt, long pass and interception all in the opening 10 minutes.
Up next: Friday at Wayne Hills (Wayne).
16. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (4-0)
Previous rank: 19.
Recap: Defeated St. Ignatius (Cleveland), 44-10. The Paladins raced to a 23-7 lead at the break.
Up next: Oct. 12 vs. St. Mark’s (Wilmington, Del.)
17. Moeller, Cincinnati (5-0)
Previous rank: 20.
Recap: Defeated St. Xavier (Cincinnati), 20-17, in overtime. Matt Coughlin kicked a 35-yard FG to win it.
Up next: Saturday vs. LaSalle (Cincinnati).
18. Sandy Creek, Tyrone, Ga. (3-0-1)
Previous rank: 17.
Recap: Defeated Fayette County (Fayetteville), 54-19.
Up next: Friday vs. Troup County (LaGrange).
19. Cibolo (Texas) Steele (4-1)
Previous rank: 18.
Recap: Defeated San Marcos, 51-7. The Black and Silver Knights have won four straight by lopsided margins.
Up next: Oct. 11 vs. King (Corpus Christi).
20. Apopka, Fla. (5-1)
Previous rank: 21.
Recap: Defeated Freedom (Orlando), 49-0. The Blue Darters have one more game until they can enjoy a bye week.
Up next: Friday vs. West Orange (Winter Garden).
21. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (3-1)
Previous rank: 22.
Recap: Defeated Nova (Davie), 58-6. The Raiders rebounded after tough loss.
Up next: Friday at South Broward (Hollywood).
22. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (5-0)
Previous rank: 23.
Recap: Defeated Edison (Huntington Beach), 21-7. The Monarchs trailed, 7-6, but rallied for 15 points in the fourth quarter.
Up next: Oct. 11 vs. Servite (Anaheim) at Angel’s Stadium, Anaheim.
23. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (3-1)
Previous rank: 24.
Recap: Defeated then-No. 3 Edna Karr (New Orleans), 38-33. The Patriots blew a 23-0 lead in the first quarter but RB George Moreira scored his third TD, a 4-yard run, to decide it with 26 seconds left. The Patriots have another donnybrook this weekend.
Up next: Friday at St. Augustine (New Orleans).
24. Edna Karr, New Orleans (2-1)
Previous rank: 3.
Recap: Upset by then-No. 24 John Curtis Christian (River Ridge), 38-33. Trailing 23-0 after one quarter, QB Devante Noil fired four TDs, including a pair each to Glenn Irons and Jeriah Tolbert, but it wasn’t enough. The Coogs are still the favorite in Louisiana’s Class 4A.
Up next: Friday at Cox (Harvey).
25. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (5-1)
Previous rank: 25.
Recap: Defeated Good Counsel (Olney), 21-0. The Stags sit atop the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference but still must play archrivals Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.).
Up next: Saturday vs. Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.).
Dropped: None.
High-Fives by Region
1. Oscar Smith, Chesapeake, Va. (4-0)
2. Upper St. Clair, Pittsburgh (5-0)
3. Ocean Lakes, Virginia Beach, Va. (4-0)
4. Bishop McDevitt, Harrisburg, Pa. (5-0)
5. Coatesville, Pa. (5-0)
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midlands
1. Cass Tech, Detroit (5-0)
2. Colerain, Cincinnati (5-0)
3. Center Grove, Ind. (6-0)
4. Blue Springs, Mo. (5-0)
5. Eden Prairie, Minn. (4-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
South
1. Jenks, Okla. (4-0)
2. University, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (5-0)
3. Mallard Creek, Charlotte, N.C. (5-0)
4. Brandon, Miss. (5-0)
5. Northwestern, Rock Hill, S.C. (5-0)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
1. Mission Viejo, Calif. (5-0)
2. Folsom, Calif. (5-0)
3. Mountain Pointe, Phoenix (6-0)
4. Bellevue, Wash. (4-0)
5. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (6-0)
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 23. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.
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