That loud thud you heard last weekend from the Southeast was then-No. 1 Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) going down. Grayson, the defending Class AAAAA champion, will regroup Friday but it must sting because the Rams were headed to a national championship. This week two schools debut in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school football national rankings – No. 19 Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.) and No. 25 St. Ignatius (Cleveland).
Triple Option
What we learned
Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.) is the new No. 1 team in the land. Florida’s defending Class 7A state champion is off this weekend and should peel off seven wins to close out a perfect regular season but the playoffs are another story and normally treacherous for the a top-seed. Manatee earned a hard fought victory Friday against then-No. 17 Central (Miami, Fla.), which dropped out the rankings after suffering a second defeat.
Upsets make high school football a most unpredictable game and last weekend top-ranked Grayson was upended by Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), 22-7. It’s time to see if the Rams rebound against Dacula but more important can they run the table for another state title.
Two Northern New Jersey schools recorded impressive victories on the road. No. 16 Bergen Catholic (Oradell) and regionally ranked Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) each took down national opponents.
In Nevada, BC outscored Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 42-35. Don Bosco went back to basics, a week after seeing its win streak halted at 46 games during a 20-10 win at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.). The Ironmen took advantage of special teams miscues. The teams are divisional brethren and will play in the regular season on Oct. 27 and likely in the Non-Public Group 4 final at MetLife Stadium in December.
The Blue Star Media Go-To 5 national scene continues to be murky but with the season for many states nearing the midway point, hopefully clarity is on the horizon. Hope to see you at a game. Pulcher, Imperfectus, Accuratiorem. – Christopher Lawlor
Game Balls
Thomas Tyner of Aloha (Ore.) had a game for the ages, earning him Blue Star Media National Player of the Week honors. It was a record setting performance Friday that saw the Oregon-bound running back rush for 643 yards and 10 touchdowns on 38 carries during a 84-63 shootout victory over Lakeridge (Lake Oswego). Coincidentally it was Tyner’s 18th birthday on Sept. 14.
Tyner scored on runs of 20, 41, 62, 60, 65, 48, 41, 40, 34 and 10 yards. At halftime, he piled up 362 yards and five scores on 19 attempts. Tyner smashed the state’s single-game rushing mark of 508 yards set in 2011 by Jake LaCoste of West Albany.
According to the National Federation Record Book, Tyner’s 10 rushing TDs is tied for second all-time with four players (12 is the record shared by two players). His rushing total was third all-time, with the record of 754 established by John Giannantonio of Netcong (N.J.) against Mountain Lakes in 1950.
This is clearly one of the great high school feats ever produced. Bravo, Thomas!
Games of Week
Better arrive early Friday when regionally ranked St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.) plays No. 2 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) at 7 p.m. PDT at Saddle College in Mission Viejo. Both teams enter 4-0 and looking for supremacy in the CIF-Southern Section. It’s the third meeting between the schools with St. Bonaventure having won them both.
St. Bonaventure has beaten powerhouses Corona Centennial and Alemany (Mission Hills) this season. Zachary Green had three TDs last week in a 56-25 win over Atasacdero.
RB Ryan Wolpin of Santa Margarita set a school-record with six rushing TDs last weekend against Carson. The Eagles are racking up some impressive numbers this season with 610 offensive yards against Trabuco Hills. Last week they set school records for points in a quarter (44), half (65) and game (72) in a 72-0 victory over Carson. QB Johnny Stanton compiled a school-record 414 total yards vs. Trabuco Hills, while Alex Ury was 10-for-10 on PATs last weekend.
Elsewhere, No. 16 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) travels to rivals St. Joseph Regional (Montvale) on Saturday afternoon. BC (2-0) looked sharp in a shootout win at Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).
In Indianapolis, Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) continues its schedule against regional opponents on Friday night against hometown Cathedral at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings
1. Manatee, Bradenton, Fla. (3-0)
Previous: 3.
Recap: Defeated then-No. 17 Central (Miami, Fla.), 44-34. RB Treyvon Walters and WR Marquel Hines each scored two TDs. Up next: Sept. 28 at Southeast (Bradenton).
2. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (4-0)
Previous: 4.
Recap: Defeated Carson, 72-0. Santa Margarita scored 44 points in the second quarter and led, 65-0, at the break. Coach Harry Welsh’s team has outscored four opponents, 189-20. Up next: Friday vs. St. Bonaventure (Ventura) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.
3. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (3-0)
Previous: 5.
Recap: Defeated St. Mary’s (Stockton), 21-13. QB Chris Williams scored on runs of 2 and 23 yards and RB Tiapepe Vitale rushed for 175 yards and a TD on 27 carries. Up next: Friday at Granada (Livermore).
4. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (3-0)
Previous: 6.
Recap: Defeated East St. John (Reserve), 34-7. QB Patrick Morton scored on a pair 1-yard runs. Up next: Thursday at Cohen (New Orleans).
5. Camden County, Kingsland, Ga. (4-0)
Previous: 7.
Recap: Defeated Beach (Savannah), 48-12. Up next: Sept. 28 at Valdosta.
6. Vista Murietta, Murietta, Calif. (3-0)
Previous: 8.
Recap: Defeated Redland East Valley, 59-14. QB Nick Stevens passed for three TDs and ran for another in the opening half. Treshon Broughton had a 7-yard fumble return for a TD. Up next: Friday vs. Cathedral Catholic (San Diego).
7. Butler, Matthews, N.C. (4-0)
Previous: 9.
Recap: Defeated Myers Park (Charlotte), 49-6. The Bulldogs played without star QB Riley Ferguson, who broke a bone in his throwing hand at the base of the thumb. Tennessee-bound signal caller will miss up to three weeks. RB Josh Glisson scored three TDs, threw for one and had 122 rushing yards on 14 carries. Up next: Friday vs. Rocky River (Mint Hill).
8. Trinity, Louisville, Ky. (3-0)
Previous: 10.
Recap: Defeated St. Xavier (Cincinnati), 14-13. Dayln Dawkins’ 3-yard TD run with 29.7 seconds tied it and Drew Ward’s PAT won it for the Shamrocks. Up next: Friday at Cathedral (Indianapolis).
9. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (2-1)
Previous rank: 1.
Recap: Lost to Parkview (Lilburn), 22-7. Up next: Friday vs. Dacula.
10. Moeller, Cincinnati (4-0)
Previous: 11.
Recap: Defeated St. (Louisville, Ky.), 34-27. Up next: St. Xavier (Cincinnati).
11. Lake Travis, Austin, Texas (3-0)
Previous: 12.
Recap: Defeated Westwood (Round Rock), 28-24. QB Baker Mayfield threw an 18-yard TD to Shaun Nixon with 2:24 left, rallying the Cavaliers from a 24-21 deficit. Up next: Friday vs. A&M Consolidated (College Station).
12. Hoover, Ala. (3-0)
Previous: 13.
Recap: Defeated Jackson-Olin (Birmingham), 50-0. The Bucs carried a 37-point lead into the second quarter. Calen Campbell rushed for two TDs and QB Connor Short threw for 118 yards and two scores. Up Next: Friday vs. Northridge (Tuscaloosa).
13. Ensworth School, Nashville, Tenn. (5-0)
Previous: 14.
Recap: Defeated Baylor School (Chattanooga), 42-17. RB Corn Elder rushed for a career-best 296 yards and four TDs. For the season he has rushed for 988 yards and 18 TDs. Friday at Battle Ground Academy (Franklin).
14. Katy, Texas (3-0)
Previous: 15.
Recap: Defeated The Woodlands (Conroe), 63-10. It was the Adam Taylor show as he contributed 183 rushing yards and five TDs and Rodney Anderson added 158 yards of offense and scored twice. Up next: Sept. 27 vs. Morton Ranch (Katy).
15. Allen, Texas (3-0)
Previous: 16.
Recap: Defeated Richardson, 52-17. Oliver Pierce carried nine times for 113 yards and two TDs. Up next: Friday vs. Hebron.
16. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (2-0)
Previous: 24.
Recap: Defeated then-No. 19 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 42-35. Jonathan Germano passed for 322 yards and three TDs and RB James Dawson carried 26 times for 107 yards and two scores. Up next: Saturday at St. Joseph Regional (Montvale).
17. Skyline, Dallas (2-1)
Previous: 2.
Recap: Lost to Bowie (Arlington), 38-36. A poor defensive effort cost the Raiders. Bowie rolled up 529 yards of offense and held a 38-16 lead after three quarters. Up next: Sept. 28 at Jesuit (Dallas).
18. Booker T. Washington, Miami (2-1)
Previous: 18.
Recap: Defeated Cedar Hill (Texas), 40-21. QB Treon Harris was a one-man wrecking crew totaling 328 (208 passing, 120 rushing) yards and accounted for four TDs and RB D’Von Ballard rushed for 139 yards and scored from 41 and 1 yards. Up next: Saturday vs. Jones (Orlando).
19. Byrnes, Duncan, S.C. (4-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Recap: Defeated Clinton, 41-0. Junior QB Shuler Bentley clicked on 19 of 31 passes for 367 yards and five TDs. Shaedon Meadors and Akia Booker (seven receptions, 125 yards) each hauled in two scoring receptions. Booker added an 8-yard TD run. Up next: Friday vs. Boiling Springs (Spartanburg).
20. Goose Creek, S.C. (4-0)
Previous: 20.
Recap: Defeated Fort Dorchester (North Charleston), 56-14. Friday at Dutch Fork (Irmo).
21. Bellevue, Wash. (3-0)
Previous: 21.
Recap: Defeated Sammamish, 69-0. The Wolverines scored 29 points in the opening quarter and never looked back. Up next: Friday vs. Lake Washington (Kirkland).
22. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (2-1)
Previous: 19.
Recap: Lost to then-No. 24 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), 42-35. Friday at Servite (Anaheim, Calif.) at Cerritos College.
23. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (3-1)
Previous: 25.
Recap: Defeated H. D. Woodson (Washington, D.C.), 49-0. Junior RB Leo Ekwoge ran for 100 yards and three TDs as the Falcons jumped to a 28-0 lead after one quarter. Up next: Saturday at Gonzaga (Washington).
24. Plant, Tampa, Fla. (2-1)
Previous: 25.
Recap: Defeated Jefferson (Tampa), 53-20. QB Aaron Banks passed for 262 yards and two TDs and Wesley Bullock rushed for a pair scores. Up next: Sept. 28 at Tampa Tech.
25. St. Ignatius, Cleveland (4-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Recap: Defeated Strong Vincent (Erie, Pa.), 40-0. The Wildcats average 46 points per game. Up next: Friday at McDowell (Erie, Pa.).
Dropped: No. 17. Central (Miami) lost to then-No. 3 Manatee (Bradenton), 44-34; and No. 22 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) lost to Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 20-10.
High-Fives by Region
East
1. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (3-0)
2. LaSalle College, Wyndmoor, Pa. (3-0)
3. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (1-1)
4. Gateway, Monroeville, Pa. (3-0)
5. Phoebus, Hampton, Va. (3-0)
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 (4-0)
2. Colerain, Cincinnati (4-0)
3. Carmel, Ind. (5-0)
4. Bolingbrook, Ill. (4-0)
5. Christian Brothers College, St. Louis (4-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
South
1. Lassiter, Marietta, Ga. (3-0)
2. Cibolo (Texas) Steele (3-0)
3. DeSoto, Texas (3-0)
4. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (2-1)
5. Central, Miami (1-2)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
1. Skyline, Sammamish, Wash. (3-0)
2. St. Bonaventure, Ventura, Calif. (4-0)
3. Jesuit, Portland, Ore. (3-0)
4. Kahuku, Hawaii (4-0)
5. Jordan, Sandy, Utah (4-0)
Geography: Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 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 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.
