CHAOS: Four teams enter Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings after a weekend of upsets; No. 3 Bishop Gorman (NV) posts key victory

BENSALEM, Pa. – The unofficial last weekend of the summer produced several upsets in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings as chaos ruled.

In one weekend of schoolboy football, four teams—there might have been more—were dumped from the Elite 25 rankings. Four is normally off the radar. On a given week, one or two is the norm but four. Well, it’s a sign of the times when programs are scheduling nationally-themed games and traveling coast to coast is part of the meme.

Last weekend, there was travel between Hawaii and San Diego, Calif.; Washington and Los Angeles; Miami and Las Vegas and Georgia and southern California. That’s why the turnover in the Elite 25 occurred and will continue when powerhouse teams have non-district openings and national TV outlets are willing to set up the arrangements.

In Nevada, then-No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) rallied to beat then-No. 6 Central (Miami), 39-35. Trailing 35-33 with 91 seconds left, Hawaii-bound quarterback Micah Alejado engineering the game-winning drive that climaxed by Elija Lofton’s 1-yard run with 24 seconds left. The Gaels are 3-0 going into Friday’s border showdown with No. 19 Corona (Calif.) Centennial.

The Elite 25 rankings saw the movement of 14 teams with 10 going upward and four dipping. The biggest upward move was No. 20 Bixby (Okla.) three but No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) bumped up two within the top-5 after recording a thrilling win over a fellow-Elite 25 team.

Among the notable fallen teams was Maryland power St. Frances Academy (Baltimore). The Panthers are 0-3 and falling. For the last decade, SFA was seated at the dinner table but now are on the menu, and it does not get any easier with a road game at No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) Friday. No. 25 Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.) suffered a shock loss in North Carolina and plummeted seven slots but not out. Hughes has a bye this weekend and will regroup as Georgia’s top-ranked Class AAAAAA squad.

The Elite 25 newcomers include No. 16 Mill Creek (Hoschton, Ga.); No. 21 Cherry Creek (Greenwood, Village); No. 23 Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth, Calif.) and No. 24 Columbus (Miami). That’s four quality additions!

We’ll catch our breath for another week and monitor two more games pitting Elite 25 teams.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Sept. 12.

Additionally, the Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings will drop this week. Keep up on X (formerly Twitter) or visit our website for the volleyball announcement.

Before we sign off, please remember those who perished after the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. September 11, 2001, started out as a beautiful Tuesday morning when the unthinkable occurred. This horrific event reshaped our lives and being a resident of New Jersey and less than 10 minutes from the World Trade Center site, 9/11 is surreal.

I recall waking up and looking skyward for weeks to see the plumes of smoke from the smoldering pile of rubble. Walking down the street most were in a zombie like trance. Instead, people walked with their heads hung low and a look of disbelief etched in their faces.

If you did not know someone who perished, you still felt the grief. You prayed. You wept. Next week, the wounds will be reopened when the roll call or calling of names of those who were murdered takes place at the 9/11 site in lower Manhattan.

It’s sacred times around here and the rest of the world. Say a prayer for those who died that September morning or in the coming years. The police, fire fighters, emergency workers and average citizens who died in the last 20 years of residual effects is staggering. Essentially, they inhaled the poisonous soot and would later die.

Please remember these souls and their families.

Until then stay safe. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 5, 2023

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (3-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Defeated Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.), 62-0. The Monarchs rolled to a 48-0 lead at halftime as Stanford-bound QB Elijah Brown had a record night with 372 passing yards and seven touchdowns.

Next: Saturday vs. Kahuku (Hawaii).

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

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington, D.C.), 48-12.

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

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

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 6 Central (Miami), 39-25. For the second straight week, the Gaels will face an Elite 25 team. QB Micah Alejado completed 19 of 26 passes for 392 yards and three TDs. Miami-bound TE Elija Lofton ran for three scores and caught another. His 1-yard TD run with 24 seconds left won it, helping the Gaels stage an improbable comeback win after trailing 35-33.

Next: Friday vs. No. 19 Corona (Calif.) Centennial.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (2-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Game with regionally ranked Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) was canceled by Hurricane Idalia.

Next: Friday at Ben Davis (Indianapolis).

5. Duncanville, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Rockledge (Fla.), 44-0.

Next: Sept. 15 at Mansfield Lake Ridge.

6. Buford, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated North Cobb (Kennesaw), 45-28. The Wolves enter their bye week.

Next: Sept. 15 vs. Carver (Atlanta).

7. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Defeated Spring, 53-0.

Next: Friday at Spring Westfield.

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

Previous: 9.

Recap: Defeated Rock Creek Christian Academy (Upper Marlboro, Md.), 42-14.

Next: Saturday at Elder (Cincinnati).

9. Central, Miami (0-1)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Lost to No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 39-35.

Next: Friday at Booker T. Washington (Miami).

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

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated Fort Myers, 49-0.

Next: Friday vs. Cocoa.

11. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (1-1)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City, N.J.), 42-0. Five different players rushed for scores and QB Jack O’Connell threw for 118 yards and a TD and rushed for another.

Next: Friday at Lakeland (Fla.).

12. DeSoto, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday at South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

13. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (2-0)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale), 41-4.

Next: Friday vs. No. 18 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.).

14. Westlake, Austin, Texas (2-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Converse Judson, 47-0.

Next: Friday vs. Akins (Austin).

15. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated Tift County (Tifton), 40-2.

Next: Friday vs. Lee County (Leesburg).

16. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Archer (Lawrenceville), 42-7. The Hawks enter the Elite 25 before heading into the bye week.

Next: Sept. 15 at Cedar Grove (Ellenwood)

17. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (2-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville), 27-14.

Next: Friday at Glades Central (Belle Glade).

18. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (2-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Defeated Iona Prep (New Rochelle, N.Y.), 38-7. Junior QB Dominic Campanile tossed TD passes of 78, 28, 58 and 6 yards to Quincy Porter.

Next: Friday at No. 13 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.).

19. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (2-1)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Punahou School (Honolulu), 50-43.

Next: Friday at No. 3 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

20. Bixby, Okla. (2-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Har-Ber (Springdale, Ark.), 75-18.

Next: Friday at Sandy Springs.

21. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Legacy (Broomfield), 42-14. The Bruins are Colorado’s four-time state champions.

Next: Friday at Chatfield (Littleton).

22. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (3-1)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated Farmington, 42-3. Utah-pledge QB Isaac Wilson threw four TD passes.

Next: Friday at Syracuse.

23. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (3-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Liberty (Henderson, Nev.), 56-0.

Next: Sept. 15 at Orange Lutheran.

24. Columbus, Miami (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Killian (Miami), 38-0.

Next: Friday at Jesuit (Tampa).

25. Langston Hughes, Fairburn, Ga. (2-1)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Lost to Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 30-27. The Panthers remain in the Elite 25 for now.

Next: Sept. 15 at New Manchester (Douglasville).

Dropped: No. 15 Katy (Texas); No. 17 Basha (Chandler, Ariz.); No. 22 Mission Viejo (Calif.) and No. 25 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (2-0)
2. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (2-0)
3. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (2-0)
4. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (2-0)
5. Imhotep Institute Prep, Philadelphia (2-0)

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

Midwest

1. Mount Carmel, Chicago (2-0)
2. Ben Davis, Indianapolis (3-0)
3. Belleville, Mich. (2-0)
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (2-0)
5. Lincoln-Way East, Frankfort, Ill. (2-0)

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

Southland

1. Walton, Marietta, Ga. (2-0)
2. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (1-0)
3. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (1-0)
4. Starkville, Miss. (2-0)
5. St. Xavier, Louisville, Ky. (3-0)

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

Far West

1. Kahuku, Hawaii (4-0)^
2. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (3-0)
3. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (2-0)
4. Serra, San Mateo, Calif. (2-0)
5. O’Dea, Seattle (1-0)

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

^ Includes a forfeit victory

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings are released weekly from August 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 at the conclusion of the 2021 season. Follow him on Twitter (or X) at @clawlor.