No. 22 Mission Viejo (CA), No. 23 Archbishop Spalding (MD) enter Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings; blockbuster games in California and Texas highlight upcoming slate

BENSALEM, Pa. – The unofficial end of summer brought change to the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings.

Whenever Labor Day Weekend comes to pass, it signals back to school and football season. Although the first day of fall is Sunday, September 22 or less than three weeks out, the mentality shifts away from crowded beaches and parks and vacations and moving back in is the return to normalcy.

And normal was anything but true for the Elite 25 as two teams dropped out and a total of six teams lost. There were two games with head to head matchups involving Elite 25 teams in Ohio and New Jersey.

Let’s start with the additions. No. 22 Mission Viejo (Calif.) checked in during a bye week but is one of California’s top-5 teams and a powerhouse in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section. In the DMV, No. 23 Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.) made a case for national attention after knocking off DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.). The Cavaliers (2-0) will navigate a difficult schedule the remainder of the way but could go undefeated.

Last week, No. 10 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and No. 18 Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah) were the talk of the Elite 25. Corner Canyon chalked up an upset home win over IMG and some called it the greatest win in program history. IMG rebounded with a gutty 27-14 victory over then-No. 16 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.). The Ascenders evened their record at 1-1 and will host Florida juggernaut Cocoa Friday. In Utah, Corner Canyon tumbled 10 spots when it lost to Lone Peak (Highland), 28-21. The Chargers scored 14 points in the fourth quarter but that was it. Corner Canyon hangs around and Lone Peak moves into the Far West Region.

No. 25 Corona (Calif.) Centennial dipped to 0-2 and 10 spots in the Elite 25. The Huskies are hanging by a thread and with a challenging schedule ahead, they can justify the confidence by returning to winning ways. QB Husan Longstreet, a Texas A&M pledge, returned to the field after missing a week with a toe injury. According to reports, Longstreet played the first two series of the contest, a 31-15 loss to Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), and then rotated series with the backup. That’s two losses to Trinity League brethren—the Huskies fell to No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) on Aug. 24.

Speaking of Mater Dei, the Monarchs will have a stiff challenge when No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) visits the Santa Ana Bowl Friday at 7 p.m. PT. Get tickets here. If you can’t get in, the game will be televised locally by Bally Sports SoCal. The NFHS Network will provide live streaming of the game for a charge.

Elsewhere, the action picks up in the Dallas Metroplex as No. 3 DeSoto hosts No. 15 North Crowley (Fort Worth) Friday.

It’s head to head games like these that help reshape the Elite 25. This week the change was palpable as 11 teams rose and four slipped. Eight teams remained the same—that goes for the top-6—plus there were three teams that had bye weeks, including Mater Dei and Bishop Gorman. No. 14 Orange (Calif.) Lutheran and No. 15 North Crowley ascended six slots while No. 19 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia) plunged 12 and No. 25 Corona Centennial went down 10.

Change is inevitable.

That’s a wrap for the month of August. One month of the season down and four left. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 return on Sept. 10.

Additionally, the Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings debut Wednesday, Sept. 4. Teams from Texas, Indiana and Florida will comprise the top of the heap.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings, Sept. 3, 2024

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (1-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Idle. The Monarchs should be rested for the nation’s game of the week.

Next: Friday vs. No. 4 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

2. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Eastwood (El Paso, Texas), 71-14.

Next: Saturday at Sierra Canyon School (Chatsworth).

3. DeSoto, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.), 70-0. Dual threat QB Keiden Ryan completed 10 passes for 156 yards and two TDs and ran for 75 yards and two more scores on eight carries.

Next: Friday vs. No. 15 North Crowley (Fort Worth).

Opens: Aug. 31 vs. Creekside (Fairburn, Ga.).

4. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (2-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.).

5. Duncanville, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Idle. The Panthers are the last team from the

Opens: Friday vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

6. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Alpharetta, 58-0.

Next: Sept. 13 at Blessed Trinity (Roswell).

7. Carrollton, Ga. (3-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Defeated Rome, 44-22. USC-bound QB Julian Lewis hit on 30 of 35 throws for 352 yards and five TDs and ran for another.

Next: Friday vs. Lithia Springs.

8. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Shut out South Oak Cliff (Dallas), 38-0. After a scoreless first quarter, the Mustangs exploded for 35 points in the second and rolled.

Next: Friday at Crowley.

9. Westlake, Austin, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated Prosper, 35-14. WR Brody Wilhelm caught scoring strikes of 8, 18 and 15 yards.

Next: Friday vs. San Benito.

10. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (1-1)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 16 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.), 27-14. QB Ty Hawkins, a SMU recruit, accounted for all four TDs.

Next: Friday vs. Cocoa (Fla.).

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

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes), 51-0.

Next: Friday vs. Columbus (Miami).

12. Massillon (Ohio) Washington (2-0)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated GlenOak (Canton), 45-0. QB Jalen Slaughter threw three TD passes for the second straight week. Now the Tigers host the Jersey Boys in a huge intersectional matchup.

Next: Friday vs. No. 20 Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.).

13. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (2-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 7 St. Joseph’s Prep (Philadelphia), 35-21. Junior RB Brandon White scored two TDs as the Eagles put up 35 points in the second quarter.

Next: Saturday vs. Boyle County (Danville, Ky.)

14. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (2-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Defeated Rancho Cucamonga, 45-14. T.J. Lateef, a Nebraska recruit, passed for five TDs.

Next: Friday vs. St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) to be played at Orange Coast College in Costa  Mesa.

15. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (1-0)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Lancaster, 29-21. QB Chris Jimmerson Jr. tossed three TDs to WR Quentin Gibson. The Panthers have their hands full this weekend.

Next: Friday at No. 3 DeSoto.

16. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (2-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Upended by Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 28-21. After recording the biggest win in program history the previous week, the Chargers were down 28-7 at halftime and a fourth-quarter rally fell short.

Next: Friday vs. Farmington.

17. Buford, Ga. (1-1)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Roswell.

18. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (1-0)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Defeated Desert Edge (Goodyear), 22-0. A stout defense and Dominic Lombardo’s two TDs fueled the win.

Next: Friday vs. O’Connor (Phoenix).

19. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (0-1)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Lost at No. 18 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 35-21.

Next: Saturday at Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.).

20. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (0-1)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Lost to No. 10 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), 27-14. Ohio State-bound WR Quincy Porter got the Crusaders on the board in the third quarter with a 90-yard TD reception. QB Dominic Campanile threw for two scores.

Next: Friday at No. 12 Massillon (Ohio) Washington.

21. Gaffney, S.C. (0-0)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated J.L. Mann (Greenville), 42-40, in overtime. The game went down to the final play but Gaffney’s defense thwarted a potential game-tying two-point conversion. LB Andrew Ruppe scored the game winning TD in the extra session and tacked on the two-pointer for a 42-34 lead.

Next: Friday vs. Greenville.

22. Mission Viejo, Calif. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Idle. The Diablos enter the Elite 25 with a national game this weekend. So far, they’ve outscored two opponents, 76-14. The quarterbacking duo of Drai Trudeau and junior Luke Fahey have teamed for 486 passing yards and six TDs in two lopsided victories. CB Dijon Lee Jr. is an Alabama recruit and considered California’s top prospect.

Next: Friday vs. Liberty (Henderson, Nev.).

23. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (2-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 26-10, in the inaugural Cavalier Kickoff Classic. Maryland-bound QB Malik Washington threw for a score and darted 21 yards in the first quarter for another. The Cavaliers recorded their second straight quality win to open the season after beating Ohio power Archbishop Hoban (Akron).

Next: Friday vs. Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.).

24. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (1-1)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Defeated Western (Davie), 51-12. After an early hiccup, the Patriots rallied with an avalanche of points.

Next: Friday at Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood).

25. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (0-2)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Lost to Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 31-15. The Huskies are 0-2 for the first time since 1998. The Huskies remain in the Elite 25 but there’s zero margin for error.

Next: Friday vs. Timpview (Provo, Utah).

Dropped: No. 13 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.) and No. 21 Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (2-0)
2. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (1-0)
3. DePaul Catholic, Wayne, N.J. (1-0)
4. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (2-0)
5. Cardinal Hayes, Bronx, N.Y. (0-0)

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. (1-0)
2. East St. Louis, Ill. (1-0)
3. Lincoln-Way East, Frankfort, Ill. (1-0)
4. Cardinal Ritter College Prep, St. Louis (1-0)
5. Westfield, Ind. (2-0)

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

Southland

1. Phenix City (Ala.) Central (2-0)
2. Summer Creek, Humble, Texas (1-0)
3. Cocoa, Fla. (2-0)
4. Norland, Miami (2-0)
5. Douglas County, Douglasville, Ga. (3-0)

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

Far West

1. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (3-0)
2. JSerra Catholic, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (2-0)
3. Serra, San Mateo, Calif. (1-0)
4. Kahuku, Hawaii (3-1)
5. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (1-0)

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. 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 in December of the 2024 season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.