DOG DAYS OF SUMMER: No. 19 Langston Hughes (GA) enters Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings after thrilling win; No. 1 Mater Dei (CA) triumphs in coach’s debut

BENSALEM, Pa. – The dog days of summer claimed one from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings but there’s only one newcomer from Georgia.

When the preseason Elite 25 was released Aug. 1, it was widely known the first three weeks would separate the pretenders from the contenders. That’s a phrase normally applied for the postseason but with the proliferation of schoolboy football in the last decade and the national pairings and made-for-TV games in the offing, it has assisted in finding the correct order for the Elite 25.

With multiple national matchups, it’s easier to decipher who moves into the Elite 25 and who drops. This week No. 19 Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.) joins the Elite 25 and is Georgia’s op-ranked Class AAAAAA team. Hughes needed a late rally to push by Carrollton (Ga.), 39-34. High is a dangerous team and could run the table.

Overall, 19 Elite 25 teams shifted positions this week with five remaining put and one newcomer. Nineteen teams will debut this weekend. The biggest drops were No. 15 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) down 12 slots and No. 22 Corona (Calif.) Centennial cratering 10.

No. 11 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), the two-time defending Ohio Division I champions (large-school classification), bumped up five spots after winning a battle of border state champions last Saturday.

With two weekends in the books, there’s a lot of football left. Florida, Pennsylvania and Texas schools have their openers this weekend along with most of the Northeast.

In California, Frank McManus won his coaching debut for No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) in a 28-14 win over then-No. 12 Corona Centennial. McManus took over for coaching icon Bruce Rollinson, who retired following the 2022 season. The Monarchs have a supercharged schedule and have targeted a fourth California Interscholastic Federation  state title since 2017. The CIF-Southern Section is loaded and winning the Trinity League is a major chip.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Aug. 22 to reflect the opening two weekends. And the Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings will drop in early September. Keep up on Twitter for the volleyball announcement.

Before we shove off, here the lineup for the GEICO ESPN High School Football Kickoff which will be held over two weekends, starting on Aug. 18 in Georgia.

Seven from the Elite 25 will be featured over three days starting Friday night.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Aug. 22, 2023

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

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 12 Corona (Calif.) Centennial, 28-14. Stanford-bound QB Elijah Brown fired a a pair of touchdown passes. The Monarchs were up 14-0 at halftime.

Next: Saturday at Bingham (South Jordan, Utah).

2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (1-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Liberty (Las Vegas, Nev.), 42-22. It was the Braves’ 16th straight win against out-of-state foes.

Next: Saturday at No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).

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

Previous: 4.

Recap: Crushed then-No. 24 Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.), 35-10.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 9 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia) to be played in Ocean City, N.J.

4. Duncanville, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

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

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated No. 25 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah). 63-42. RB Micah Kaapana ran for two scores and Hawaii-bound QB Micah Alejado passed for three more.

Next: Friday vs. Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) to be played in Beaverton, Ore.

6. Central, Miami (0-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Sept. 1 at No. 5 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

7. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (0-0)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Idle. The Raiders are riding a 27-game win streak.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).

8. Buford, Ga. (1-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Shut out No. 3 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore), 18-0. Georgia recruit Dylan Raiola tossed two TDs.

Next: Sunday vs. Mallard Creek (Charlotte, N.C.).

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

Previous: 9.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 5 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) to be played in Ocean City, N.J.

10. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at The Woodlands.

11. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (1-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated Center Grove (Greenwood, Ind.), 27-10.

Next: Sunday vs. Good Counsel (Olney, Md.).

12. DeSoto, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Allen.

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

Previous: 14.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 15 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore).

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

Previous: 17.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Ridge Point (Missouri City).

15. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (0-1)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Lost to then-No. 10 Buford (Ga.), 18-0.

Next: Saturday at No. 13 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.).

16. Katy, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. Clear Springs.

17. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (1-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.)., 48-17.

Next: Friday vs. Stockbridge.

18. Basha, Chandler, Ariz. (0-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Westwood (Mesa).

19. Langston Hughes, Fairburn, Ga. (1-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Ohio State-bound QB Prentiss Noland threw a 25-yard game-winning TD to Jovanni McGee with 1:11 left to rally by Carrollton (Ga.), 39-34. The Panthers trailed late when Noland rolled out and fired into the end zone to win it and the defense made a stand to clinch it.

Next: Friday vs. McEachern (Powder Springs).

20. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (0-0)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.).

21. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (0-0)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic.

22. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (0-1)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Lost top-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 28-14. Regardless of the loss, the Huskies remain in the Elite 25 but barely.

Next: Friday vs. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) to be played at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

23. Mission Viejo, Calif. (1-0)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated El Camino (Oceanside), 38-13.

Next: Friday vs Citrus Valley (Redlands).

24. Bixby, Okla. (0-0)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Thursday vs. Owasso to be played at University of Tulsa University’s Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium.

25. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (1-1)

Previous: 25.

Recap: The Chargers split their first two games. They lost to then-No. 6 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.), 63-42. Utah-pledge QB Isaac Wilson accounted all six TDs, rushing and passing for three apiece. Also defeated Granger (West Valley City), 55-7, as Wilson tossed TDs of 65, 77, 22 and 78 yards and ran one in from 31 yards on opening weekend.

Next: Friday vs. Lone Peak (Highland).

Dropped: No. 23 Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (0-0)
2. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (0-0)
3. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (0-0)
4. Iona Prep, New Rochelle, N.Y. (0-0)
5. Toms River (N.J.) North (0-0)

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

Midwest

1. Ben Davis, Indianapolis (1-0)
2. Belleville, Mich. (0-0)
3. Cathedral, Indianapolis (1-0)
4. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (1-0)
5. East St. Louis, Ill. (0-0)

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

Southland

1. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (1-0)
2. Walton, Marietta, Ga. (1-0)
3. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (1-0)
4. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (0-0)
5. Lipscomb Academy, Nashville, Tenn. (0-1)

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

Far West

1. Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (0-0)
2. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (1-0)
3. Kahuku, Hawaii (2-0)
4. Saguaro, Scottsdale, Ariz. (0-0)
5. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (1-0)

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 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 X (formerly Twitter) at @clawlor.

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