No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna (FL) tops another team from Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings; No. 5 St. John Bosco (CA) upended in Hawaii

BENSALEM, Pa. – Every so often the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings are rife with decisions.

Upsets occur. Do you drop the team that loses and add the one that springs the upset? That’s why the Elite 25 is subjective and decisions are occasionally difficult.

Take last Saturday night on the Hawaiian island of Oahu some 2,500 miles from Los Angeles. Kahuku aided by two phantom calls in the final minute rallied to upset then-No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.), 30-23. The Red Raiders were up 22-3 in the second quarter before the Braves staged a comeback that gave them a 23-22 lead with eight minutes to go.

A week earlier, Kahuku (5-1) lost by 47 points at top-ranked Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), the primary Trinity League rivals for St. John Bosco. So, what happened within seven days? Home cooking. Nice win but Kahuku remains in the Far West Region, slotting at No. 2.

It’s a conundrum that pops up regularly.

No. 5 St. John Bosco slipped three positions and plays Mater Dei on Oct. 13 and likely in sectional playoffs in November.

The real heavy lifting occurred in the Ohio Rust Belt, where No. 24 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) lost at Massillon (Ohio) Washington, 15-13. The Eagles, who were top-ranked in the Associated Press Ohio Division I rankings, dipped to 4-1. They were dumped 16 spots in the Elite 25 after the untimely setback. The Eagles have three quality wins and will go on to play some of the top teams in Ohio, including archrivals St. Ignatius (Cleveland), Moeller (Cincinnati) and Archbishop Hoban (Akron).

Meanwhile, No. 23 Washington improved to 5-0 and was No. 3 in last week’s Ohio Division II rankings. Washington could move to No. 1 over Hoban when the rankings are dropped by the Associated Press this week.

Regardless, the Tigers are the lone addition to the Elite 25 rankings this week.

Elsewhere, there is a game that will likely jolt the top of the Elite 25 rankings on Thursday when No. 8 Central (Miami) plays No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.) in a South Florida showdown. Kickoff is 7 p.m. EDT on ESPN2.

It should be one of more appetizing games of the season and is must-see TV.

And this from NFL Communications. The league dropped annual statistics regarding high school representation from opening weekend rosters.

Several players from traditional Blue Star Media Elite 25 teams bolster the numbers.

There were 19 players from Detroit (Mich.) high schools on Kickoff Weekend rosters, the most of any city. Bradenton (Fla.) had the second most players (17) followed by Houston (Texas) with 16 players.​ Bradenton is misleading because it is the home to IMG Academy, which draws players nationally and are not necessarily from the Florida Gulf Coast city.

“Detroit football is tough, it’s real gritty and grimy there. There’s a lot of talent though,” said New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, who attended Martin Luther King Jr. High School in Detroit. “Lots of people with a story. The majority of people that I know in the league from Detroit, they worked really hard to get out, and they made it.”

“High school football is the bedrock for advancement in our great game,” said NFL Vice President of Football Development Roman Oben, a Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) and Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy alumnus.

“Recently, we have experienced growth in high school participation. It is amazing to see players making NFL rosters who come from nontraditional states not considered hot bed recruiting regions. Talent can come from all over the globe, and it takes growth from all areas to make up NFL rosters.”

Chew on these numbers.

States with most NFL players: Texas (with 187), Florida (178), California (173), Georgia (150), Ohio (67), North Carolina (66), Louisiana (64), Alabama (60), Pennsylvania (55) and Michigan (51) are the top-10.

As for high schools with the most in the league, it’s IMG Academy (14); American Heritage (Plantation, Fla., with 11); St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla., 8); Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) and DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.) both 7; Northwestern (Miami, 6) and Cass Tech (Detroit) and Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) both five.

States with the most players per capita include Georgia which has 150 players (pop. 10,711,908) or 1 in 71,413 people; Louisiana 64 from 4,657,757 or 1 in 72,777; Alabama 60 from 5,024,279 or 1 in 83,738; Mississippi 32 from 2,961,279 or 1 in 92,540; and Florida 178 from 21,538,187 or 1 in 121,001.

So, the conclusion?

The top-5 states per capita are the natural footprint of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). No wonder Alabama, LSU and Georgia have won recent National Championships, shutting out the rest of the country save Clemson twice (in 2016 and ’18). They reside in hotbeds for recruiting and future pros and Clemson is in the neighboring state of South Carolina, which ranks eighth (39 players in 5,118,425 or 1 in 131,242). Football rules in the South.

Okay, that’s it for the week.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings return on Sept. 26.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Sept. 19, 2023

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (4-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Idle. The Monarchs head to the East Coast this weekend for their last nonleague game.

Next: Friday at St. Frances Academy (Baltimore).

2. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (5-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Liberty (Henderson), 49-6. The Gaels have hit the midway point of the season.

Next: Friday at Silverado (Las Vegas).

3. Duncanville, Texas (3-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Mansfield Lake Ridge, 76-0. RBs Devine Green, Caden Durham and JaQualon Armstrong ran for two touchdowns apiece and QB Keelon Russell passed for 177 yards and two TDs.

Next: Friday vs. Cedar Hill.

4. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (4-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Glenville (Cleveland), 28-6.

Next: Sept. 29 vs. Bartram Trail (St. Johns).

5. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (4-1)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Upset by Kahuku (Hawaii), 30-23. The Braves enter their bye week before starting a run of five Trinity League games.

Next: Sept. 29 at Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita).

6. Buford, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Carver (Atlanta), 31-0.

Next: Friday vs. Marietta.

7. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (3-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Beaumont United.

8. Central, Miami (1-1)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Game with Carol City was postponed by inclement weather. The Rockets led 14-0 in the first quarter.

Next: Thursday vs. No. 9 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood).

9. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (4-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated then- No. 17 American Heritage (Plantation), 28-16.

Next: Thursday at No. 8 Central (Miami).

10. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (3-1)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Defeated Western (Davie), 48-22.

Next: Friday vs. Treasure Coast (Port St. Lucie).

11. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (3-1)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 28-7.

Next: Sept. 30 at Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.).

12. DeSoto, Texas (3-0)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated Skyline (Dallas), 42-17, in the District 11-6A opener. RB Marvin Duffey rushed for 90 yards and two TDs on 13 carries and QB Darius Bailey completed 8 of 13 passes for 188 yards and two scores to WR Antonio Pride Jr.

Next: Friday at Waxahachie.

13. Westlake, Austin, Texas (3-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Lake Travis (Austin).

14. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Cedar Grove (Ellenwood).

15. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated Cedar Grove (Ellenwood), 56-35

Next: Friday at Parkview (Lilburn).

16. Walton, Marietta, Ga. (4-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Marietta, 52-8.

Next: Sept. 29 at North Paulding (Dallas).

17. Bixby, Okla. (3-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday vs. Norman North.

18. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (4-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Defeated Arvada (Colo.) West, 42-0.

Next: Friday at Regis Jesuit (Aurora).

19. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (2-1)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Lost to then-No. 10 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood), 28-16.

Next: Sept. 29 vs. Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale).

20. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (5-1)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Defeated Mountain Ridge (Herriman), 56-14. Utah-bound QB Isaac Wilson accounted for six TDs, passing for five and running for one.

Next: Friday at Riverton.

21. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (4-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Orange (Calif) Lutheran, 40-6.

Next: Friday vs. Saguaro (Scottsdale, Ariz.).

22. Columbus, Miami (4-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Palmetto (Miami), 15-0.

Next: Friday vs. Northwestern (Miami).

23. Massillon (Ohio) Washington (5-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 8 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 15-13.

Next: Friday vs. Middletown (Del.).

24. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (4-1)

Previous: 8.

Recap: Lost to Massillon Washington, 15-13. The Eagles hang in there despite a shocking loss.

Next: Saturday vs. River Rouge (Mich.).

25. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (3-1)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Defeated Seton Hall Prep (West Orange), 38-0. Junior WR Quincy Porter caught three TDs, pushing his totals to 21 catches for 422 yards and nine scores on the season. When the Crusaders led by 31 points at the break, junior QB Dominic Campanile hit on all 10 throws for 161 yards and four TDs.

Next: Friday vs Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey).

Dropped: No. 23 Langston Hughes (Fairburn, Ga.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Central Catholic, Pittsburgh (4-0)
2. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (3-0)
3. Imhotep Institute Prep, Philadelphia (4-0)
4. Freedom, Woodbridge, Va. (2-0)
5. St. Joseph Regional, Montvale, N.J. (3-1)

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

Midwest

1. Mount Carmel, Chicago (4-0)
2. Belleville, Mich. (4-0)
3. Archbishop Hoban, Akron, Ohio (4-0)
4. Lincoln-Way East, Frankfort, Ill. (4-0)
5. Kimberly, Wis. (4-0)

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

Southland

1. John Curtis Christian, River Ridge, La. (2-0)
2. Thompson, Alabaster, Ala. (3-0)
3. Norland, Miami (4-0)
4. Gainesville, Ga. (5-0)
5. Grimsley, Greensboro, N.C. (4-0)

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

Far West

1. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (4-0)
2. Kahuku, Hawaii (5-1)^
3. Serra, San Mateo, Calif. (3-0)
4. O’Dea, Seattle (3-0)
5. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (2-2)

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

^ Includes a forfeit victory

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.