The final weekend of September features several teams in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school football rankings coming off byes or headed into their off weekend. This week features two additions, one from the East Region and another from the Midlands.
Triple Option
What we learned
After playing a handful of games, five teams are coming off byes while two are headed into their respite this weekend. It’s always good for time off to refocus efforts and allow the nagging injuries heal before teams embark on the long haul, culminating with a state championship appearance. That includes No. 1 Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.), which restarts its quest for Florida’s Class 7A crown and the mythical national championship.
The top game of the week was played in New Jersey, where then-No. 16 Bergen Catholic (Oradell) lost to unranked St. Joseph Regional (Montvale), 38-37, in overtime. The difference was a missed PAT by the Crusaders, who tumble out of the Go-To 25 rankings after a brief stay.
What’s interesting in the East Region, where two Pennsylvania schools sit atop, followed three North Jersey rivals – St. Joseph Regional, Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey) – all of whom play in the same division. BC and Bosco play in late October and could meet again in the state final. Bosco and St. Joseph tentatively play on Thanksgiving Day morning.
Life in Texas’ largest classification (5A) isn’t easy and newcomer No. 23 Lake Travis of Austin (up from Class 4A, Division I) found out after dropping its first game in a few seasons and 12 spots in the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings.
There’s a new look in the Midlands and Far West regions, where teams were reshuffled after losses and replaced with stronger sides. That doesn’t mean teams are banished for the season … perhaps only temporally.
Joining the Go-To 25 rankings are No. 24 Colerain (Cincinnati) and No. 25 North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), a pair of schools from the Blue Collar Football Belt. Both Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are top-notch high school football cities. North Allegheny is the favorite to win the WPIAL and PIAA Class AAAA titles, while Colerain plays in one of the nation’s most difficult and competitive areas (Ohio’s Region 4, Division I). Colerain will see the likes of St. Xavier, Moeller, Elder and Sycamore to just to reach the state semifinals. The Region 4 winner could face Region 1 (Cleveland area), with ranked No. 22 St. Ignatius, the title holder, or St. Edward awaiting in the Ohio large-class state final.
The action continues to pick up in Texas, Florida, Georgia and California, where the competition remains stiff. No. 2 Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) suffered a major blow (see story below).
Some states have three or four games left before the road to state championship begins. So, hope to see you at a game this weekend. Pulcher, Imperfectus, Accuratiorem. – Christopher Lawlor
Game Ball
Dorian O’Daniel of No. 20 Good Counsel (Olney, Md.) was rested last week, hoping to rejuvenate his wheels (bruised thigh) for league rivals Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.). It was simply brilliant logic as the Clemson-bound running back/linebacker was marvelous, earning Blue Star Media National Player of the Week honors.
O’Daniel, the stealth 6-foot-2, 205-pounder, manufactured the 336 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries as the Falcons wiped out the Jesuit school, 45-24, in Washington Catholic Athletic Conference action. O’Daniel scored on runs of 42 and 62 yards on two of his first three carries. Later he found the end zone from 1 and 11 yards, finishing his quad.
Good Counsel, the two time defending WCAC champions, has a week off before entertaining DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) in their annual donnybrook on Oct. 5. Given the circumstances and rest, O’Daniel could be primed for another storied performance.
Games of Week
The pomp and pageantry of high school football is deeply seeded in traditional rivalries. Beat your biggest rivals and it’s bragging rights for a year or until the next meeting. Many players swear that if you won one game all season – against the bitter rivals – and a season is complete.
That’s the sentiment in Louisville, Ky.; where Friday night it’s the Vatican Bowl between No. 8 Trinity and St. Xavier annually draw nearly 40,000 to University of Louisville’s Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. The game pairing two all-male Catholic schools with deep ties to the community, kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Trinity has won 21 Kentucky state championship, including the last two in Class 6A (largest classification). Since 1958, St. Xavier narrowly leads 31-30-2.
In Georgia, No. 5 Camden County (Kingsland) visits Valdosta (3-1) Friday at Cleveland Field at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium, 8 p.m. ET. Camden (4-0) is fresh off a bye week, but Valdosta topped Newton (Covington), 31-7, on Homecoming. Valdosta is celebrating its Centennial Season and has accrued the most high school football victories (872-206-34 overall) all-time. The game is a key Region 1-AAAAAA matchup, which go a long way in determining a regular season champion and playoff seeding. Camden is the Georgia Class AAAAAA’s top-ranked team and could play No. 10 Grayson in the state final.
From the Huddle
Word out of California is not good for No. 2 Santa Margarita. Standout quarterback Johnny Stanton suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury it was determined by team doctors, with surgery pending.
Stanton, a Nebraska recruit, led the Eagles to the 2011 CIF-SS Pac-5 and CIF Division I State Championship and a 5-0 record to start the 2012 season.
He completed 59 of 88 passes for 949 yards with 11 touchdowns this season while rushing for 386 yards on 47 carries (8.2 yards per carry average), and eight touchdowns. Stanton is the Eagles’ all-time total offense leader with 5,558 yards and fourth on the school’s career passing yardage list with 3,576 yards.
Last season Stanton rushed for 1,528 yards and scored 25 TDs, becoming the school’s first signal caller to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season and was named Trinity League Most Valuable Player, All-CIF-Southern Section Offensive Player of the Year and all-state honors.
Elsewhere, Mike Richardson of Marble Falls (Texas) must have a sore arm after Thursday’s performance. The senior quarterback hit on 35 of 44 passes for a state record 725 yards and seven TDs in a 62-55 win over Boerne Champion. He broke the previous mark of 683 yards set by Dylan Sheffield of Wichita Falls last year.
His counterpart, Champion’s QB Kyle Poeske, threw for 595 yards (fourth all-time in Texas). Richardson totaled nearly as many as yards in Thursday’s game than he accrued in the three previous one. For the season, he’s completed 104 of 153 (68%) for 201 TDs and only one interception. Several small majors are sniffing around, but Richardson’s eye-opening talent is gaining momentum. His coach is Todd Dodge, who built a national powerhouse at Southlake Carroll before leaving for a short stint as head coach at the University of North Texas.
Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings
1. Manatee, Bradenton, Fla. (3-0)
Previous rank: 1.
Recap: Idle. The Hurricanes had a much-earned early season respite but it’s back to work. Up next: Friday at Southeast (Bradenton).
2. Santa Margarita, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif. (5-0)
Previous: 2.
Recap: Defeated St. Bonaventure (Ventura), 35-27. The Eagles head in a bye week after a hard-fought win that wasn’t clinched until RB Ryan Wolpin sped 50 yards for a TD with 90 seconds left. DL Hunter Graham then record a QB sack, recovering a fumble on the SB 41 to end it. Wolpin compiled 196 yards and two scores on 23 carries. Up next: Oct. 5 vs. Servite (Anaheim) at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.
3. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (4-0)
Previous: 3.
Recap: Defeated Granada (Livermore), 48-14. Junior QB Chris Williams managed a solid game plan, completing 12 of 16 passes for 190 yards and ran for four TDs. RB Tiapepe Vitale ran for 123 yards and a TD while WR Andrew Buckley snagged eight balls for 144 yards. Up next: Friday vs. Livermore.
4. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (4-0)
Previous: 4.
Recap: Defeated Cohen (New Orleans), 56-0. Seven different players scored and Mattrell McGraw returned an interception 55 yards for a TD. QB Patrick Morton completed five passes for 119 yards and two TDs. Up next: Friday at Riverside (Reserve).
5. Camden County, Kingsland, Ga. (4-0)
Previous: 5.
Recap: Idle. Up next: Friday at Valdosta.
6. Vista Murietta, Murietta, Calif. (4-0)
Previous: 6.
Recap: Defeated Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 21-10. Up next: Friday at Palisades (Pacific Palisades).
7. Butler, Matthews, N.C. (5-0)
Previous: 7.
Recap: Defeated Rocky River (Mint Hill), 40-6. RB Josh Glisson totaled 126 offensive yards and three TDs. Up next: Friday vs. East Mecklenburg (Charlotte).
8. Trinity, Louisville, Ky. (5-0)
Previous: 8.
Recap: Defeated Cathedral (Indianapolis), 24-16. Trinity’s quick-strike offense produced a pair of TDs in a three-minute span to down the two-time Indiana Class 4A champions in Lucas Oil Stadium. Dalyn Dawkins broke off a 40-yard TD run and then James Quick caught a 72-yard TD pass to pull away for a 30th straight win. Up next: Friday vs. St. Xavier (Louisville) at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium.
9. Hoover, Ala. (3-0)
Previous: 12.
Recap: Defeated Northridge (Tuscaloosa), 55-7. The Bucs blew open the game, scoring 27 points in the second quarter for a 41-7 lead at intermission. Up next: Friday at Vestavia Hills.
10. Grayson, Loganville, Ga. (3-1)
Previous rank: 9.
Recap: Defeated Dacula, 45-7. The Rams bounced back from a rare loss, with Wayne Gallman running for two TDs and QB David McTier sprinting for one and hitting Korey Anderson for a 75-yard scoring strike. Up next: Friday at Shiloh (Snellville).
11. Ensworth School, Nashville, Tenn. (6-0)
Previous: 11.
Recap: Defeated Battle Ground Academy (Franklin), 35-7. The Tigers won their 14th straight but trailed, 7-0, at the half. RB Corn Elder provided a second half spark with 193 rushing yards and three scores on 30 carries. Up next: Friday at Pope John Paul II (Hendersonville).
12. Katy, Texas (3-0)
Previous: 14.
Recap: Idle. Up Next: Thursday vs. Morton Ranch (Katy).
13. Byrnes, Duncan, S.C. (5-0)
Previous: 19.
Recap: Defeated Boiling Springs (Spartanburg), 35-7. Junior QB Shuler Bentley completed 28 of 41 passes for 436 yards and five TDs, including 11 balls to Evan Sudduth (141 receiving yards, TD). The Rebels led, 14-7, late in the third period when they broke it open. Up next: Friday at Spartanburg.
14. Allen, Texas (4-0)
Previous: 15.
Recap: Defeated Hebron, 42-10. RB Jeff Harris paced a balanced attack, rushing for 160 yards and two TDs on 11 carries and Marcus Ward added two TDs. Up next: Friday at Coppell.
15. Booker T. Washington, Miami (3-1)
Previous: 18.
Recap: Defeated Jones (Orlando), 68-13. The Tornadoes wreaked havoc Saturday night with an offensive blitz. Up next: Friday at Edison (Miami).
16. Skyline, Dallas (2-1)
Previous: 17.
Recap: Idle. Up next: Friday at Jesuit (Dallas).
17. Goose Creek, S.C. (5-0)
Previous: 20.
Recap: Defeated Dutch Fork (Irmo), 28-17, for its 18th straight win. The Gators trailed twice, 10-0 and 17-14; but Rico Blanding scored his second 1-yard TD run and Rashard Alston added an 8-yarder late to close out the scoring. Up next: Friday vs. Beaufort.
18. Bellevue, Wash. (4-0)
Previous: 21.
Recap: Defeated Lake Washington (Kirkland), 56-0. Senior SS Michael Carson had a 2-yard fumble return for a TD and the picked off a pass and returned it 11 yards for a score in the 28-point first quarter showing for the Wolverines. QB Jack Meggs ran and passed for a TD. Up next: Friday vs. Juanita (Kirkland).
19. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (3-1)
Previous: 19.
Recap: Defeated Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), 42-0. Junior RB Nathan Starks rumbled for TDs of 15, 5 and 81 yards. Up next: Friday vs. Legacy (North Las Vegas).
20. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (4-1)
Previous: 23.
Recap: Defeated Gonzaga (Washington), 45-24. Clemson-bound Dorian O’Daniel, the national player of the week, shredded the defense for 336 yards and four scores. The Falcons earned a deserved bye week heading into a rivalry game. Up next: Oct. 5 vs. DeMatha (Hyattsville).
21. Plant, Tampa, Fla. (2-1)
Previous: 24.
Recap: Idle. Up next: Friday at Tampa Tech.
22. St. Ignatius, Cleveland (5-0)
Previous: 25.
Recap: Defeated McDowell (Erie, Pa.), 34-10. QB Mike LaManna fired three TDs passes of 30, 54 and 79 and totaled 246 yards for the Wildcats on the road. Up next: Saturday vs. Glenville (Cleveland).
23. Lake Travis, Austin, Texas (3-1)
Previous: 11.
Recap: Lost to A&M Consolidated (College Station), 30-28. Up next: Friday vs. Austin High.
24. Colerain, Cincinnati (5-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Recap: Defeated Sycamore (Cincinnati), 28-21. QB Alfred Ramsby rushed for 141 yard and two TDs (63 and 6 yards) on 19 tries as the Cardinals built a 28-7 in a Great Miami Conference showdown. Up next: Friday at Mason.
25. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (4-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Recap: Defeated Pine-Richland, 35-3. QB Mack Leftwich tossed three TDs and RB Alex DeCiantis ran for two more and 201 yards as the Tigers bagged their 20th straight win vs. WPIAL competition. Up next: Friday vs. Butler.
High-Fives by Region
East
1. LaSalle College, Wyndmoor, Pa. (4-0)
2. Gateway, Monroeville, Pa. (4-0)
3. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (2-1)
4. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (2-1)
5. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (2-1)
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midlands
1. Bolingbrook, Ill. (5-0)
2. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (5-0)
3. Maine South, Park Ridge, Ill. (5-0)
4. Moeller, Cincinnati (4-1)
5. Carmel, Ind. (6-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
South
1. Lassiter, Marietta, Ga. (4-0)
2. Cibolo (Texas) Steele (4-0)
3. DeSoto, Texas (4-0)
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. (4-0)
2. Kahuku, Hawaii (5-0)
3. Jordan, Sandy, Utah (5-0)
4. Crespi, Encino, Calif. (6-0)
5. Elk Grove, Calif. (5-0)
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.
