BENSALEM, Pa. – Two schools from Georgia have been added to the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football rankings. And that includes a familiar face who after two weeks re-enter the Elite 25.
No. 16 Buford (Ga.), the top-ranked team in Georgia’s Class AAAAAA, debuts after a 3-0 start. No. 19 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.) returns after securing a quality win in Philadelphia.
Okay, that’s it for the second weekend in September. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings return in Sept. 21.
We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor
Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 14, 2021
1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (2-0)
Previous rank: 1.
Recap: Defeated Liberty (Henderson, Nev.), 49-7, at the Polynesian Football Classic in Las Vegas. Sophomore quarterback Elijah Brown hit on 15-of-16 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns.
Next: Sept. 24 vs. La Mirada.
2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (4-0)
Previous: 2.
Recap: Defeated East St. Louis (Ill.), 42-26. Junior QB Pierce Clarkson can beat you with arm but last weekend he had a pair of TDs of 51 and 10 yards in the first half and Chedon James sped 17 yards for another. The Braves a large task this week heading Virginia for a national matchup.
Next: Friday at No. 24 Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.).
3. Westlake, Austin, Texas (3-0)
Previous: 3.
Recap: Defeated Mansfield Summit, 59-21.
Next: Sept. 24 at Del Valle (Austin).
4. Collins Hill, Suwanee, Ga. (4-0)
Previous: 4.
Recap: Shut out Rome, 34-0.
Next: Friday vs. Alpharetta.
5. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (3-0)
Previous: 5.
Recap: Defeated Northwestern (Miami), 52-14.
Next: Friday vs. Jones (Orlando).
6. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (4-0)
Previous: 6.
Recap: Defeated Spain Park (Hoover), 49-3. The Warriors surrendered their first points of the season after three straight shutouts.
Next: Friday vs. Hewitt-Trussville.
7. Katy, Texas (3-0)
Previous: 7.
Recap: Defeated Dickinson, 28-21.
Next: Thursday vs. The Woodlands.
8. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (3-0)
Previous: 9.
Recap: Defeated Prosper, 31-0.
Next: Friday vs. Arlington Martin.
9. Chandler, Ariz. (2-0)
Previous: 9.
Recap: Defeated Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), 17-7.
Next: Friday at O’Connor (Phoenix).
10. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (2-0)
Previous: 11.
Recap: Idle.
Next: Saturday vs. Delbarton (Morristown).
11. Bixby, Okla. (2-0)
Previous: 12.
Recap: Idle.
Next: Friday vs. Stillwater.
12. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (4-0)
Previous: 13.
Recap: Defeated Lehi, 52-7. The Chargers scored 21 points in each of the first two quarters for a 42-0 lead at the break. Backup QB Isaac Wilson threw for four TDs.
Next: Friday at American Fork.
13. St. Xavier, Cincinnati (4-0)
Previous: 15.
Recap: Defeated Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.), 41-10. QB Brogan McCaughey threw for three first-half TDs and ran for another and RB Charles Kellom added two more in the team’s 12 straight win. The Bombers enter GCL South play against one of their rivals.
Next: Friday at Moeller (Cincinnati) to be played at University of Cincinnati’s Nippert Stadium.
14. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (3-0)
Previous: 16.
Recap: Defeated Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 35-7, in the Polynesian Football Classic. Sophomore QB Micah Alejado hit on 10-of-12 passes for 369 yards and three TDs and his favorite target was Zachariah Branch had 131 receiving yards and two scores. The Gaels are off to Arizona to face one its top 6A teams.
Next: Friday at Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.).
15. Servite, Anaheim, Calif. (3-0)
Previous: 18.
Recap: Defeated Bishop Amat (La Puente), 58-7. Arizona-bound QB Noah Fifita passed for 261 yards and three TDs, including a pair to WR Tetairoa McMillan. The Friars have outscored three foes, 156-38.
Next: Friday at Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth).
16. Buford, Ga. (3-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
Recap: Defeated Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.), 44-17.
Next: Friday vs. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.).
17. Jesuit, Tampa, Fla. (3-0)
Previous: 19.
Recap: Defeated Bloomingdale (Valrico), 32-14. The Tiger led 15-0 at halftime and scored 14 points in the third quarter to wrap up their third win.
The Tigers enter Class 6A, District 10 action this weekend.
Next: Friday at Hillsborough (Tampa).
18. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (2-1)
Previous: 20.
Recap: Defeated American Heritage (Plantation), 24-16. The Raiders rebounded after a loss.
Next: Friday vs. Monsignor Pace (Miami Gardens). WR Camden Brown caught a 15-yard TD pass from QB Zion Turner in the third quarter for a 21-14 lead. Isaiah Hedge also grabbed a scoring pass in the first quarter.
Next: Friday vs. Monsignor Pace (Miami Gardens).
19. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (3-1)
Previous: Not ranked.
Recap: The Eagles re-enter the Elite 25 after knocking off then-No. 10 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia), 28-21.
Next: Sept. 24 at McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.)
20. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (1-1)
Previous: 10.
Recap: Lost to Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.), 28-21.
Next: Friday vs. Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) to be played at University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field.
21. St Frances Academy, Baltimore (1-1)
Previous: 16.
Recap: Defeated Franklin (Reisterstown, Md.), 47-6.
Next: Friday at Good Counsel (Olney, Md.).
22. Center Grove, Greenwood, Ind. (3-0)
Previous: 22.
Recap: Defeated Ben Davis (Indianapolis), 45-21.
Next: Friday at North Central (Indianapolis).
23. Atascocita, Humble, Texas (2-0)
Previous: 23.
Recap: Defeated Klein Oak, 43-21. Huge road game this weekend.
Next: Friday at Denton Guyer.
24. Oscar Smith, Chesapeake, Va. (2-0)
Previous: 24.
Recap: Defeated Grassfield (Chesapeake), 57-0. The Tigers host a national power this weekend.
Next: Friday vs. No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).
25. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (3-0)
Previous: 25.
Recap: Defeated Northeast (Philadelphia), 34-0. QB Robert Long tossed three TDs in the first half and finished 19-of-31 for 153 yards. RB Paul Lefkowitz added a TD run and Ryan Adams had a pick-six for the Marauders.
Next: Saturday vs. Seton Hall Prep (West Orange).
Dropped: No. 14 North Shore (Galena Park, Texas) and No. 15 De La Salle (Concord, Calif.).
High-Fives by Region
East
- Gonzaga, Washington, D.C. (3-0)
- Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (3-0)
- St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (3-0)
- De Paul Catholic, Wayne, N.J. (2-0)
- Stone Bridge, Ashburn, Va. (3-0)
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midwest
- St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (4-0)
- Cathedral, Indianapolis (4-0)
- Muskego, Wis. (4-0)
- Bellevue (Neb.) West (3-0)….TH
- Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (3-0)
Southland
- Hoover, Ala. (4-0)
- Denton (Texas) Guyer (3-0)
- Oakland, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (3-0)
- Chambers, Charlotte, N.C. (4-0)
- Northwestern, Miami (2-1)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
- Corona (Calif.) Centennial (3-0)
- De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (2-1)
- Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (2-0)
- Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (3-0)
- Graham (Wash.)-Kapowsin (2-0)
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 in December. 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. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.
