No. 2 Bishop Gorman (NV) records perfect regular season, No. 23 St. Edward (OH) rallies for massive win; Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings order stay put

BENSALEM, Pa. – The third weekend in October for the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings must be a case of the “eye of the hurricane.”

Whenever a tempest strikes or the roughest and toughest time of the season on a national level, there is a calmness that defines a weekend prior to the entire nation engaging in postseason football. We’ve already crowned three state champions in Alaska (see below) and the remainder of the nation will follow.

Just this weekend the Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, New Jersey (for public schools only) and Nevada revealed their first round playoff pairings. Utah, Wisconsin and Indiana have already played postseason tilts.

So, to put it mildly, there are no additions to the Elite 25 and no movement. In the coming weeks, the chaos will ensue and the Elite 25 will be shaken, stirred and reshuffled. That’s a football life in the months of November and December.

The Game of the Week is No. 3 Duncanville (Texas) visiting No. 12 DeSoto in a District 11-6A donnybrook. Both teams are unbeaten.

Elsewhere, imagine if you play for one of the top teams from California Interscholastic Federation -Southern Section Division 1. If you reached the title game a year ago, you would have run onto to the field at the iconic Rose Bowl for a chance at a championship.

And this year, well, there’s more good news. According to a Southern Section press release, “[it] will play the 2023 CIF‐SS‐Ford Division 1 Football Championship at the historic Los Angeles Coliseum this November. This will mark the first time in 26 years that the Coliseum has played host to a CIF‐SS championship event.”

The game is scheduled for “Black Friday” or the day after Thanksgiving on Nov. 24 at 7 p.m. PT. The game will be televised live on Bally Sports SoCal.

The release also stated: “The playing of this championship will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the LA Coliseum and marks the second year in a row the CIF‐SS Division 1 game will be contested at a stadium celebrating its history. Last year, the Rose Bowl Stadium hosted the game in its centennial year.”

How cool!

Obviously, things can shake the brackets that will be released next weekend but the odds are the rivalry between No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower) and No. 4 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) will be staged for the second time this term. But there are a few teams that might stage an upset.

In Anchorage, Alaska, two more state champions were crowned. Top-seeded Soldotna overwhelmed Lathrop (Fairbanks), 64-14, in the Division II final while West Anchorage topped South Anchorage, 34-21, for the Division I title. The previous week, Kenai Central bagged the Division III hardware.

Congratulations, well done!

Okay, time to check out for another week.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Oct. 31. Halloween … trick or treat!

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Oct. 24, 2023

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (8-1)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Defeated JSerra (San Juan Capistrano), 42-20. The Braves were up 7-3 after one quarter and 21-10 at halftime before blowing it open in the second half.

Next: Friday at Orange Lutheran.

2. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (10-0)^

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Coronado (Henderson), 49-7.

Next: Nov. 3 vs. Coronado (Henderson) or Desert Pines (Las Vegas) in NIAA Class 5A, Division 1 semifinals.

3. Duncanville, Texas (7-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Skyline (Dallas), 49-3.The District 11-6A crown is up for grabs this weekend. Junior LB Nehemiah Borner, sophomore Kevin Ford, Jr., and FS Ka’Davion Dotson-Walker each scored defensive touchdowns while Caden Durham rushed for two more.

Next: Friday at No. 12 DeSoto.

4. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (8-1)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, 55-13. The Monarchs bounced back after a tough loss and close out the regular season this weekend.

Next: Friday vs. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita).

5. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (7-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.), 53-7.

Next: Nov. 3 vs. St. Thomas More (Oakdale, Conn.).

6. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (8-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Avant Garde Academy (Hollywood), 64-0.

Next: Thursday at St. John Paul II Academy (Boca Raton).

7. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (8-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Defeated Collins Hill (Suwanee), 24-18.

Next: Friday at Dacula.

8. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (8-0)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Defeated Humble, 38-24. The Mustangs can clinch the District 21-6A title this weekend.

Next: Friday vs. Atascocita (Humble).

9. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (8-1)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Defeated Monarch (Coconut Creek), 35-19.

Next: Friday vs. Dillard (Fort Lauderdale).

10. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (7-1)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.), 24-6. Isaiah West scored two TDs. The Hawks close out the regular season against their archrivals.

Next: Saturday vs. Roman Catholic (Philadelphia).

11. Buford, Ga. (7-1)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Dacula, 66-0.

Next: Friday vs. Mountain View (Lawrenceville).

12. DeSoto, Texas (7-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated Cedar Hill, 35-13. The District 11-6A title is on the line this weekend in the Metroplex.

Next: Friday vs. No. 3 Duncanville.

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

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated Austin High, 65-14.

Next: Friday vs. Austin Bowie.

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

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Lowndes County (Valdosta), 52-34. The game was even at 7 through one quarter before the teams combined for 48 points in the second and the Packers led 35-27.

Next: Friday vs. Valdosta.

15. Walton, Marietta, Ga. (8-0)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated Cherokee (Canton), 48-7.

Next: Friday vs. Osborne (Marietta).

16. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (9-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated Serra (Gardena), 35-28. RB Dane Dunn’s 2-yard TD run with 1:01 left snapped a 28-all tie.

Next: Friday vs. Chaminade (West Hills).

17. Bixby, Okla. (8-0)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated Westmoore (Oklahoma City), 78-28. The Spartans’ well oiled machine is averaging 64 points per game and put up a season-high last time out.

Next: Friday vs. Moore.

18. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (9-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Arapahoe (Centennial), 24-14. The Bruins trailed 14-10 after three quarters but rallied with 14 points to stay unbeaten. The regular season concludes this weekend.

Next: Friday at Grandview (Aurora).

19. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (6-1)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Defeated Naples, 38-17.

Next: Friday at Hallandale.

20. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (9-1)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Layton in Class 6A second round.

21. Norland, Miami (8-0)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Columbus (Miami), 16-3.

Next: Friday at North Miami Beach.

22. Massillon (Ohio) Washington (10-0)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Defeated Canton McKinley, 35-0.

Next: Friday vs. Central Crossing (Grove City) in Division II, Region 7 first round.

23. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (9-1)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Archbishop Hoban (Akron), 14-7.

Next: Friday vs. Elyria in Division I, Region 1 first round.

24. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (7-1)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated St. Peter’s Prep (Jersey City), 37-7. Junior QB Dom Campanile threw two TD passes to Quincy Porter and Rutgers-bound RB Kaj Sanders rushed for two scores.

Next: Friday at Paramus Catholic.

25. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (7-2)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Defeated Murietta Valley (Murietta), 63-27. RB Cornell Hatcher rushed for 265 yards and six TDs.

Next: Thursday at Norco.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Imhotep Institute Prep, Philadelphia (9-0)
2. Freedom, Woodbridge, Va. (6-0)
3. Central Bucks West, Doylestown, Pa. (9-0)
4. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (6-1)
5. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (7-1)

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

Midwest

1. Belleville, Mich. (9-0)
2. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (9-0)
3. Brownsburg, Ind. (9-0)
4. Lincoln-Way East, Frankfort, Ill. (9-0)
5. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (8-1)

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

Southland

1. Central, Miami (4-3)
2. Gainesville, Ga. (8-0)
3. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (9-0)
4. Clay-Chalkville, Pinson, Ala. (8-0)
5. Edna Karr, New Orleans (7-0)

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

Far West

1. Centennial, Peoria, Ariz. (8-0)
2. Kahuku, Hawaii (9-1)^
3. Serra, San Mateo, Calif. (8-0)
4. O’Dea, Seattle (8-0)
5. West Linn, Ore. (8-0)

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

^ Includes forfeit victories

Records are through Sunday’s games.

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings are released weekly from August 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. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) at @clawlor.