No. 9 Milton (GA) survives rain, No. 19 Buford (GA) in Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings early season gridiron showdown; No. 5 Bishop Gorman (NV) rolls into Florida after big win

BENSALEM, Pa. – The first major weekend of high school football is in the books and there was a matchup in Georgia between teams from the Blue Star Media Elite 25 preseason rankings. Technically, the action kicked off on the weekend of August 8-10 in Hawaii but the mainland is in play.

All was peachy in Georgia last Friday when the schedule was stuffed with games statewide but three Elite 25 teams were involved, including No. 9 Milton (Alpharetta) edging then-No. 12 Buford, 13-10, in a monsoon that featured a two-hour delay. The Indians, who are Georgia’s No. 1 team in Class 5A, led 13-0 and withstood a late rally. Buford, who started the season No. 1 in Class 6A, dipped seven slots in the Elite 25 but not out. The Wolves have a competitive schedule and look to rebound against Benedictine Military (Savannah) Friday.

Additionally, the Georgia High School Association will have seven classifications this year with Class 7A going away and 6A will be the largest. Georgia had eight classes since 2015, but the GHSA reasoned contraction will bring better competition and easier travel.

Four Elite 25 teams opened last weekend and 11 more are slated for Thursday through Sunday this week. One the key matchups pits No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) hosting No. 14 Corona (Calif.) Centennial is a massive game from the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Section. The two could meet again in November when the playoff brackets are revealed. No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) goes to regionally-ranked Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah.) Thursday night. The Ascenders will play at altitude (4,505 feet) or nearly a mile high.

Corner Canyon (1-0) crushed American Fork (Utah), 70-42. RB Bryton Brady led the Chargers with four TDs and junior QB Helaman Casuga tossed scoring passes of 50, 40, 80 and 35 yards. IMG brings plenty of firepower to the Beehive State.

Essentially, the power states of California, Florida and Ohio get going as do teams from Alabama, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky and Maryland. There are five teams from Texas that begin over the Labor Day Weekend or thes first weekend in September.

However, there’s a chance to watch six teams from the Elite 25, including three head to head tilts, highlighted on the ESPN High School Football Kickoff series Friday and Saturday from south Florida.

Here’s the schedule (all times are Eastern). Player rankings from ESPN 300 (Seniors in the Class of 2025) and ESPN Junior 300 (Class of 2026).

Friday
No. 19 Milton vs. No. 18 American Heritage, 7 p.m., ESPN
Last season, Milton won the Class 7A state title, one of the most competitive playoff brackets. The Eagles return most of their state championship team, including No. 50 ranked senior Ethan Barbour – TE (Georgia commit) and No. 174 senior C.J. Wiley – WR (Florida State).

American Heritage features one of the most talented young rosters in the country, including No. 8 ranked junior QB Dia Bell (Texas). No. 70 ranked junior WR Brandon Bennett will be Bell’s main target, while RB Byron Louis balances the offense.

Saturday
No. 5 Bishop Gorman at No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 4 p.m., ESPN

Bishop Gorman finished last season undefeated and Nevada large-class state champions. The Gaels are 1-0. No. 27 junior Justice Fitzpatrick is the highest ranked recruit on the team, but the Aquinas Raiders have seven players already committed to Division 1 programs and several more recruits fielding multiple offers.

No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) vs. No. 11 Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.), 8 p.m., ESPN2

St. John Bosco travels to Fort Lauderdale and reloads as one of the most talented teams in the country, and that continues with over ten recruits receiving multiple offers, including senior WR Kamryn Jones (Georgia, Michigan, Oregon offers) and No. 174 junior WR Daniel Odom. CM features No. 274 senior CB Chris Ewald (Miami), as well as three junior ranked players: No. 13 Jabari Brady – WR, No. 54 Derrek Cooper – RB and No. 273 Denarius Gray – WR (Auburn).

There’s one more game in the series Sunday as Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School, (Ga.) visits Baylor School (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 1 p.m., on ESPN.

That will do it for the third weekend in August and the first set of regular season rankings. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 return on Aug. 27 and go until the end of the season in December.

And the Blue Star Media Net 25 girls’ volleyball rankings will debut in early September and appear weekly on Wednesdays through late November.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings, August 20, 2024

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

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Idle. The defending Blue Star Media Elite 25 National champions have a tricky opener with first-year head coach Raul Lara taking the reins in the offseason.

Next: Thursday vs. No. 15 Corona (Calif.) Centennial.

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

Previous: 2.

Recap: Idle. The Braves are off to southeast Florida.

Opens: Saturday at No. 11 Chaminade-Madonna College Prep (Hollywood, Fla.).

3. DeSoto, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Idle.

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

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

Previous: 4.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Thursday at Corner Canyon (Draper, Utah).

5. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (1-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Kahuku (Hawaii), 33-7. QB Melvin Spicer hit on 10 of 13 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns and the defense intercepted four passes. The Gaels travel to south Florida for a showdown on ESPN, 4 p.m. EDT.

Next: Saturday at No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).

6. Duncanville, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Idle. The two-time UIL defending Class 6A, Division champions have a late start date.

Opens: Sept. 6 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

7. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (0-0)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Idle. The Raiders will have their hands full this weekend but at least it’s a home game.

Opens: Saturday vs. No. 5  Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas).

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

Previous: 8.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Aug. 31 at No. 17 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio).

9. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (1-0)

Previous: 9.

Recap: Defeated No. 12 Buford (Ga.), 13-10. The game was sloppy and delayed two hours by rainy weather. Florida State-recruit and WR CJ Wylie had seven catches for 84 yards and a score.

Next: Thursday at No. 18 American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.).

10. Carrollton, Ga. (1-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated Woodward Academy (College Park), 24-14. USC-bound QB Julian Lewis recovered from an early interception, going 6 of 6 and three TDs as the Trojans held on for a 21-14 lead at the break. Lewis went 9 of 15 for 126 yards and the three scoring strikes on a rainy night.

Next: Friday vs. Columbia.

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

Previous: 11.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Saturday vs. No. 2 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.).

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

Previous: 13.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Aug. 30 vs. South Oak Cliff (Dallas).

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

Previous: 14.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Aug. 29 vs. Prosper.

14. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (0-0)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Thursday at No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana).

15. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (0-0)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Aug. 29 vs. No. 4 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) at the Battle of the Beach in Ocean City, N.J.

16. Massillon (Ohio) Washington (0-0)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Thursday vs. NFL Academy (England) to be played in Beaverton, Oregon at the Nike World Headquarters.

17. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (0-0)

Previous: .

Recap: Idle.

Next: Friday at Pickerington (Ohio)North.

18. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (0-0)

Previous: 19.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Friday vs. No. 9 Milton (Alpharetta, Ga.).

19. Buford, Ga. (0-1)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Lost to No. 9 Milton (Alpharetta), 13-10.

Next: Friday vs. Benedictine Military (Savannah).

20. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (0-0)

Previous: 20.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Friday at Serra (Gardena).

21. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (0-0)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Idle. The Panthers confirmed Saturday that senior RB Daniel Bray (5-9, 165), the 12^th rated player at his position in Texas, has transferred in from Abilene Cooper. Bray ran for 1,359 yards and tallied 22 TDs as a junior. He has 19 offers from mostly power conference schools.

Opens: Aug. 30 at Lancaster to be played in the Star Ford Center in Frisco.

22. Central, Miami (0-0)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Idle. Brutal opening night game for the Tornadoes.

Opens: Friday vs. Lakeland.

23. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (0-0)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Aug. 30 at Desert Edge (Goodyear).

24. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (0-0)

Previous: 24.

Recap: Idle.

Opens: Aug. 31 vs. East St. Louis (Ill.) to be played at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

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

Previous: 25.

Recap: Idle. Recently, WR Jamarcus Smith verbally committed to James Madison.

Opens: Aug. 30 at J.L. Mann (Greenville).

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (0-0)
2. Good Counsel, Olney, Md. (0-0)
3. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (0-0)
4. Imhotep Prep Charter, Philadelphia (0-0)
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. (0-0)
2. Ben Davis, Indianapolis (0-0)
3. Lincoln-Way East, Frankfort, Ill. (0-0)
4. Cardinal Ritter College Prep, St. Louis (0-0)
5. East St. Louis, Ill. (0-0)

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

Southland

1. Phenix City (Ala.) Central (0-0)..8/23
2. Summer Creek, Humble, Texas (0-0)
3. Norland, Miami (0-0)
4. Denton (Texas) Ryan (0-0)
5. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (1-0)

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

Far West

1. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (1-0)
2. Mission Viejo, Calif. (1-0)
3. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (1-0)
4. Kahuku, Hawaii (1-1)
5. Centennial, Peoria, Ariz. (0-0)

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.