FOX ON THE RUN: No. 16 Dutch Fork (SC) captures fifth straight state title; Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall rankings features 11 state champions

BENSALEM, PA. – The biggest news of the week comes from the Southland Region, where four teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall football rankings won state championships.

If you are counting that brings the total to 11 champions with two teams done with seasons but did not play for state championships. Last weekend, No. 10 Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.), No. 12 Bixby (Okla.), No. 16 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) and No. 22 Bryant (Ark.) all returned to the winner’s podium in their state’s highest classification. For the Dutch Fork Silver Foxes it is a fifth straight South Carolina Class AAAAA title. Kudos to the winners, everywhere!

It also means no teams lost this week and so there is no movement in the Elite 25 Fall rankings but expect this rarity so late in the season to cease in the next two weeks.

This week, Arizona will crown state champions, including the big one pitting No. 5 Chandler and crosstown archrivals Hamilton for Open Division supremacy. The Southland Region is winding down with semifinal matchups in Florida, Kentucky and Louisiana. Georgia is at the quarterfinals stage while Texas schools from Class 6A and 5A will have a six-week run into January to determine four champions. Texas schools in Classes 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A are already underway.

There’s news from California.

Well, it appears that California won’t start practice this month and kick off in early January. Last week, the California Interscholastic Federation had no choice but to delay the start of football due to a recent spike in COVID-19 coronavirus infections.

The CIF press release said:

“The CIF does not expect the California Department of Public Health [CDPH] will issue any guidance allowing for schools to return to full practice and competition until after January 1, 2021, at the earliest. Thus, all full practice and competition start dates are officially on hold until updated guidance is issued.

“Therefore, to provide the 10 CIF Sections, our 1,605 member schools, and more than 800,000 student-athletes the best opportunity to compete in Season 1 Sports, once allowed by the CDPH and local county offices of public health, the CIF State Office is removing all Regional and State Championship events from the Season 1 Sports calendar. By canceling Regional and State Championship events, more student-athletes will have the opportunity to participate in a longer season, rather than a truncated season with Regional and State post-season play for a limited number of schools.”

So, a longer season for the state and essentially a limited postseason. Remember, everything is fluid, change is inevitable.

In Michigan, practice was supposed to resume today but that governor paused fall sports for a second time in three weeks. No word when the final three rounds of the MHSAA football playoffs will be played. More on this next week.

That’s a wrap.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall rankings return Dec. 15. That will be the penultimate ranking for 2020. We’ll go again Dec. 22; pause until early January when the Final Fall rankings drop following the Texas Class 6A and 5A finals.

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. Just over two weeks ‘til Christmas but Hanukkah starts Friday. Happy Holidays to all.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Fall football rankings, Dec. 8, 2020

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

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: The nation’s No. 1 team and District 21-6A champions enter the postseason this weekend.

Next: Thursday vs. Deer Park in UIL Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

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. (11-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Harrison (Kennesaw), 30-6, in Class AAAAAAA second round.

Next: Friday vs. West Forsyth (Cumming) in Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals.

5. Chandler, Ariz. (9-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Edged Liberty (Peoria), 35-34, in overtime in the Arizona Open Division semifinals. The Wolves stopped a two-point conversion to reach the title game. In the opening game of the season, the Wolves beat Liberty, 44-10, but this time it was a dogfight.

Next: Saturday vs. crosstown rivals Hamilton in Open Division final to be played at Desert Vista High School in Phoenix.

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

Previous: 6.

Recap: The Chargers won their third consecutive Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

7. Westlake, Austin, Texas (8-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Cedar Ridge (Round Rock) in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

Next: Friday vs. Austin High.

8. Duncanville, Texas (6-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Thursday vs. Harker Heights (Killeen) in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

9. Trinity. Louisville, Ky. (8-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Defeated Dixie Heights (Edgewood)m 56-0, in Class 6A quarterfinals. RB Armon Field rushed for 96 yards and three scores and RB Brad West added two running scores. QB Nathan McElroy was an efficient 7-of-9 for 83 yards and tossed TD passes to West and Colin Book. DB Roman Brown intercepted two passes on defense, including one for a pick-six. The defense has allowed 48 points in eight games. The Shamrocks will face their archrivals this weekend.

Next: Friday vs. St. Xavier (Louisville) in Class 6A semifinals.

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

Previous: 10.

Recap: Unbelievable! That’s how to describe the Warriors’ improbable 29-28 victory over Auburn in the Super 7 Class 7A championship game. It was the second straight title for the Warriors and the eighth overall at three stops for head coach Mark Freeman. Trailing 28-19 in the final seconds, a blocked punt, 38-yard, scoop-and-score by Corbyn Williams and the PAT made it 28-26 with 18 seconds left. The Warriors recovered the ensuing onside kick and moved the ball into field goal range aided by two pass interference calls. Trevor Hardy’s 35-yard FG as time expired won it. Season complete.

11. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (8-0)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Walton (Marietta), 35-12, in the Class AAAAAAA second round. The Packers recorded three pick-sixes, including two from sophomore LB Antwan Daniels.

Next: Friday vs. Norcross in Class AAAAAAA quarterfinals.

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

Previous: 12.

Recap: Won third consecutive Class 6AII state championship, defeating Choctaw, 27-14, in the final for its 36^th straight triumph. It was the Spartans’ sixth title in the last seven years. The defense made big plays all night, including three sacks on Choctaw’s last series and sophomore FS Jakeb Snyder’s goal-line INT early in the fourth quarter to snuff out a drive. Sophomore RB Jersey Robb scored on a 2-yard run in the first quarter and junior Braylin Presley’s 28-yard TD run gave the Spartans a 14-7 lead in the second quarter. Connor Nolan’s 29-yard field goal early in the second made it 17-7 and were the game-winning points. Season complete.

13. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (6-1)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated Venice, 29-8, in Class 7A, Region 4 final. It was fourth time in five years the Raiders have beaten Venice in the playoffs. Junior RB Anthony Hankerson helped the Raiders build a 15-0 lead on scoring runs from 2 and 12 yards. It was 22-0 at halftime when Alabama-bound DE Dallas Turner blocked a punt and scooped it up in the end zone for a TD. The Raiders are two wins from winning another state championship.

Next: Friday at Bloomingdale (Valrico) in Class 7A semifinals.

14. Central, Miami (6-1)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Lambasted Dunbar (Fort Myers), 40-0, in the Class 6A, Region 4 final.

Next: Friday vs. Palmetto in Class 6A 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: For the fifth straight year, the Silver Foxes are state champions after beating T.L. Hanna (Anderson), 28-6, in the Class AAAAA final. Playing in a driving rainstorm, the pass-oriented Silver Foxes retreated to the ground, where they produced four rushing TDs in the first half, two apiece from RBs Will Taylor and Jarvis Green. 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 (8-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Braswell (Denton), 59-35. The Eagles completed an eighth perfect regular season as QB General Booty tossed three first half TDs, finishing with 242 passing yards and four scores to clinch a 15^th straight district title (District 5-6A). WR Blaine Green had four catches for 141 yards and three scores.

Next: Friday vs. Plano West in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

19. Lake Travis, Austin, Texas (6-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Idle. The coronavirus wiped out the Cavaliers’ last two regular season games.

Next: Friday at Round Rock in Class 6A, Division I bi-district playoff game.

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

Previous: 22.

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

21. Brother Martin, New Orleans (8-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Held off rivals Jesuit (New Orleans), 36-34, in the LHSAA Division I quarterfinals. The Crusaders trailed 34-24 late in the fourth quarter but scored 12 unanswered points to advance within two games of a state title. RB Jaylon Spears’ TD with 6:21 left made it 34-30. After the defense forced a punt QB Garrett Mmahat scored the game-winner from 8 yards with 49 seconds left. Spear wound up rushing for 153 yards and three TDs on 27 carries. The Crusaders rolled up 465 yards of offense. This weekend the defense better step up with a championship-pedigree program on tap.

Next: Friday vs. Catholic (Baton Rouge) in Division I semifinals.

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

Previous: 24.

Recap: Won Class 7A state championship, defeating North Little Rock, 27-17. RB Tanner Anderson was named the 7A Most Valuable Player after carrying 18 times for 146 yards and two TDs and had four receptions for 26 yards. Season complete.

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: None.

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. Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (15-0)*
2. Tompkins, Katy, Texas (8-0)
3. Jenks, Okla. (11-1)*
4. Lowndes County, Valdosta, Ga. (9-1)
5. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (9-2)

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

Far West

1. Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (8-1)
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.