National Champions: Booker T. Washington of Miami claims Blue Star Media Go-To 25 rankings mythical title

BENSALEM, Pa. – Well, it’s over. What a ride it was for the Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school football rankings. In the end, power states Florida, Texas and California combined for 11 teams in the final rankings. Florida contributed five schools and Texas added four.

Kudos to Booker T. Washington (Miami), Florida’s two-time Class 4A state champions, and now coach Tim “Ice” Harris can claim NATIONAL CHAMPIONS, according to Blue Star Media. The Tornadoes were a machine, plowing through opponents, including a key early-season matchup against No. 3 Central (Miami). BTW held the top spot wire-to-wire. Though No. 2 Allen (Texas) made a late push and claimed another Texas large-class title, it would be difficult to knock aside BTW. Allen is a favorite to be next year’s preseason No. 1.

More congratulations to 22 of the Go-To 25’s schools, which won state, sectional or league championships. That’s quite an accomplishment. For the three schools in the Go-To 25 final rankings that failed in their last game, it would have been hard to drop them after great campaigns. Those schools are rewarded for strength of schedules in schoolboy football hotbeds.

Three schools entered the Go-To 25 rankings just under the wire while a familiar face won its way back into the exclusive club.

No. 11 South Dade (Homestead, Fla.) had the most impressive postseason, annexing the Class 8A championship in Florida. The Bucs toppled defending champion and No. 15 Apopka in the process. When South Dade won, it gave Miami-Dade County four state champions in the nation’s most fertile recruiting grounds. Shout it out!

No. 12 Cedar Hill (Texas), which lost two of its first four games, rebounded to claim a second state title, upsetting No. 20 Katy in the Class 5A, Division II final.

No. 14 East Jefferson (Metairie, La.) ran the table, going 15-0 en route to Louisiana’s Class 4A crown. EJ completed the program’s first undefeated season in 59 years of existence; first playoff victories in 43 season (since 1970) and maiden voyage to the state final. That’s why you play the game. You’ll never know when a magical season is about to unfold.

So, it’s a wrap.

Special shout out to Tony Karcich, the former head coach of No. 19 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), who stepped down after 38 seasons and winning his 20^th state or sectional title. I first met Tony as a reporter back in the 1980s with The Record. Later he was a key figure in New Jersey when I helped run the Reebok Preseason Combines in the 1990s. First thing that stands out is class. He always had time to answer a question, go beyond the distance to coordinate the combines, shape and mold young men into responsible adults and help a student-athlete from other schools find a college home. His players call him a player’s coach. That’s rarified air in the coaching industry. Simply put: He’s a great guy.

Every state has one of those coaches who just understood the big picture. Tony isn’t retiring—he’s still the St. Joseph athletic director—but knew this might be last on the Green and Gold’s sidelines. It won’t surprise me if he resurfaces one day, but for now he’s going hand the keys of the kingdom to his former player and assistant Augie Hoffmann. Many thanks to TK!

To all the fans, players, coaches, cheerleaders, band members, flag twirlers and sideline dancers that make up Friday nights across our great land—Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It’s been one helluva ride. In fact it was a gas!

We’ll see you in August with the preseason football rankings. Now it’s time to shift the Blue Star Media focus to boys and girls basketball rankings.

Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

2013 Blue Star Media Go-To 25 high school football final rankings

1. Booker T. Washington, Miami (14-0)**

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Won Class 4A championship.

2. Allen, Texas (16-0)**

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Pearland, 63-28, in Class 5A, Division I final before 54,345 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. Junior QB Kyler Murray threw four TDs and ran for 188 yards and another score as the Eagles successfully defended their title and took home the silverware for the third time in six years.

3. Central, Miami (14-1)**

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Armwood (Seffner), 52-7, in Class 6A final. RB Dalvin Cook ran for 223 yards and four TDs on 19 carries as the Rockets pocketed state hardware for the second consecutive year.

4. Hoover, Ala. (15-0)**

Previous: 4.

Recap: Won Class 6A championship.

5. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (16-0)**

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated No. 5 De La Salle (Concord), xx-20-14, in CIF Open Division final. Also defeated Corona Centennial, 70-49, in Southern California regional final.

6. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (14-1)**

Previous: 5.

Recap: Lost to then-No. 6 St. John Bosco (Bellflower), 20-14, in CIF Open Division final. It was the first loss in 40 games and the first to a California school since 2008. Won Northern California Region Open Division title, beating then-No. 21 Folsom, 45-17.

7. Maryville, Tenn. (15-0)**

Previous: 11.

Recap: Won Class 6A championship.

8. Dwyer, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. (15-0)**

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Niceville, 55-39, in Class 7A final. It the program’s first undefeated season and second state title since winning the 4A crown in 2009. Alonzo Smith ran for 219 yards and two TDs and QB Daniel Parr tossed three TDs and rushed for another.

9. Moeller, Cincinnati (14-1)**

Previous: 12.

Recap: Won Division I championship.

10. Mountain Pointe, Phoenix (14-0)**

Previous: 17.

Recap: Won Division I championship.

11. South Dade, Homestead, Fla. (14-1)**

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 9 and defending champion Apopka, 41-28, in Class 8A final. The Buccaneers’ victory and first state crown gave Miami-Dade County four state champions this season.  Tyre Brady’s 15-yard fumble return for a score was the final blow that snuffed out a potential game-winning drive.

12. Cedar Hill, Texas (14-2)**

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 7 Katy, 34-24, in Class 5A, Division II final. The Longhorns cashed in on two Katy fumbles and a muffed kickoff to rally from a 24-10 deficit in the fourth quarter. It was the program’s second state title under coach Joey McGuire.

13. Jenks, Okla. (14-0)**

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated archrivals Union (Tulsa), 38-22, in Class 6A final. The Trojans won their 14^th state title and 11^th under head coach Allan Trimble. Cameron Booty rushed for 176 yards and two TDs on 26 carries and Steven Parker caught five passes for 164 yards and a score and picked off a pass on defense.

14. East Jefferson, Metairie, La. (15-0)**

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 13 Edna Karr (New Orleans), 38-28, in Class 4A final. The Warriors rallied three times from seven point deficits to knock off the defending champions. Isaac Espinoza kicked a 31-yard field goal, snapping a 31-all tie and Jamal Veazey’s 30-yard INT for a TD iced it.

15. Apopka, Fla. (13-2)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Lost to South Dade (Homestead), 34-28, in Class 8A final.

16. Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (14-0)**

Previous: 18.

Recap: Won third straight Division 2 championship. Coaching legend Al Fracassa goes out on a high note.

17. Bellevue, Wash. (13-0)**

Previous: 19.

Recap: Won Class 3A championship.

18. Norcross, Ga. (13-2)**

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 16 North Gwinnett (Suwanee), 31-14, in Class AAAAAA final. Myles Autry helped the Blue Devils re-enter the rankings by returning a kickoff 92 yards for a score and later sped 69 yards for another score to become Georgia’s first team to capture back-to-back titles in the highest class.

19. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (10-1)**

Previous: 20.

Recap: Won Non-Public, Group 3 championship. Coach Tony Karcich stepped after 38 seasons (at two schools) and 20 state and sectional championships and 338 career wins. Former Green Knight and NFL lineman Augie Hoffmann inherits the program from his mentor.

20. Katy, Texas (15-1)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Lost to Cedar Hill, 34-24, in Class 5A, Division II final. In semifinals, defeated San Antonio Johnson, 52-0. The Tigers were denied a record-tying state championship.

21. DeSoto, Texas (14-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Lost to No. 2 Allen, 42-35, in Class 5A, Division I semifinals.

22. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (11-1)**

Previous: 22.

Recap: Won Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship.

23. Blue Springs, Mo. (14-0)**

Previous: 23.

Recap: Won Class 6 championship.

24. Mount Carmel, Chicago (13-1)**

Previous: 24.

Recap: Won Class 7A championship.  

25. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (14-0)**

Previous: 25.

Recap: Won Class 6A championship. It’s the program’s first title since going back-to-back in 1952 and ’53. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 10 Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.); No. 13 Edna Karr (New Orleans); No. 16 North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.); and No. 21 Folsom (Calif.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (10-2)**

2. L.C. Bird, Chesterfield, Va. (16-0)**

3. Centreville, Clifton, Va. (15-0)**

4. St. Anthony, Melville, N.Y. (11-1)**

5. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (12-3)**

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

Midlands

1. Eden Prairie, Minn. (12-0)**

2. Mentor, Ohio (13-2)

3. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (11-2)

4. Naperville (Ill.) Central (11-3)**

5. Dowling, West Des Moines, Iowa (14-0)**

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

South

1. North Gwinnett, Suwanee, Ga. (13-2)

2. Mallard Creek, Charlotte, N.C. (16-0)**

3. Northwestern, Rock Hill, S.C. (15-0)**

4. Griffin, Ga. (15-0)**

5. Edna Karr, New Orleans (13-2)

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

Far West

1. Chaminade, West Hills (14-2)**

2. Serra, Gardena, Calif. (13-1)

3. Folsom, Calif. (14-1)**

4. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (13-2)**

5. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (14-0)**

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

** State, sectional or postseason conference champion

About: The Blue Star Media Go-To 25 High School 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 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 December 23. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.