BENSALEM, Pa. – Now the fun begins in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 high school football national rankings.
With several states in the postseason and the rest on the heels, it’s win or go home for teams. In the biggest shakeup of the season, five teams were dropped from the Elite 25. Those entering the rankings are No. 10 Dacula (Ga.), No. 11 Folsom (Calif.), No. 22 Carmel (Ind.), No. 23 Canisius (Buffalo, N.Y.) and No. 24 Hudson (Ohio). All five recorded huge wins over the weekend.
The Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings return November 3 with the ninth weekly installment. In the meantime, there are plenty of games to choose from, please support your local schools. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor
Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football, Oct. 27, 2014
1. Allen, Texas (8-0)
Previous rank: 1.
What happened: Defeated Flower Mound, 63-17. QB Kyler Murray accounted for five TDs, including four in the air. Notre Dame-bound WR Jalen Guyton caught nine balls for 163 yards and two scores.
Next: Friday at Plano West.
2. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (9-0)
Previous: 2.
What happened: Idle.
Next: Thursday at Palo Verde (Las Vegas).
3. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (8-0)
Previous: 4.
What happened: Defeated Foothill (Pleasanton), 56-21.
Next: Friday at Amador Valley (Pleasanton).
4. Booker T. Washington, Miami (9-0)
Previous: 5.
What happened: Defeated Norland (Miami), 28-14.
Next: Saturday vs. Edison (Miami).
5. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (7-1)
Previous: 6.
What happened: Defeated Orange (Calif.) Lutheran, 54-43. The Braves scored 20 straight points in the fourth quarter to blow open a tight game.
Next: Friday at Servite (Anaheim).
6. Central, Miami (8-1)
Previous: 7.
What happened: Defeated Carol City, 23-16.
Next: Friday vs. Jackson (Miami).
7. Colquitt County, Moultrie, Ga. (8-0)
Previous: 8.
What happened: Idle.
Next: Friday at Tift County (Tifton).
8. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (8-0)
Previous: 9.
What happened: Defeated Heritage (Colleyville), 45-23. The Dragons exploded for 24 unanswered points in the third period after trailing, 23-21, at halftime,
Next: Friday vs. Haltom (Haltom City).
9. Paramus (N.J.) Catholic (7-0)
Previous: 10.
What happened: Defeated Eastern Christian Academy (Elkton, Md.), 63-28. QB Willy Hansen completed 10 passes for 175 and six TDs in the opening half.
Next: Friday at De Paul Catholic (Wayne).
10. Dacula, Ga. (8-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
What happened: Defeated then-No. 23 Grayson (Loganville), 21-17.
Next: Friday at Archer (Lawrenceville).
11. Folsom, Calif. (8-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
What happened: Defeated Rocklin, 56-21.
Next: Friday vs. Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills).
12. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (7-1)
Previous: 12.
What happened: Shut out Hollywood Hills (Hollywood), 41-0. The Raiders have allowed only seven points in their last five games.
Next: Friday vs. Plantation.
13. Armwood, Seffner, Fla. (8-0)
Previous: 13.
What happened: Defeated C. Leon King (Tampa), 39-0.
Next: Friday vs. Chamberlain (Tampa).
14. Bellevue, Wash. (8-0)
Previous: 14.
What happened: Defeated Interlake (Bellevue), 56-12.
Next: Friday at Lake Washington (Kirkland).
15. Buford, Ga. (8-0)
Previous: 15.
What happened: Defeated North Oconee (Bogart), 34-0.
Next: Friday vs. Madison County (Danielsville).
16. Archbishop Rummel, Metairie, La. (8-0)
Previous: 17.
What happened: Defeated Jesuit (New Orleans), 10-7. Justin Mourain kicked a 28-yard field goal in the third quarter for the decisive score.
Next: Friday at Holy Cross (New Orleans).
17. Mainland, Daytona Beach, Fla. (8-0)
Previous: 19.
What happened: Idle.
Next: Friday vs. Seabreeze (Daytona Beach).
18. Male, Louisville, Ky. (9-0)
Previous: 20.
What happened: Manual (Louisville), 28-21. Ellis Cain’s 44-yard TD burst late in the fourth quarter won it for the Bulldogs.
Next: Friday at Christian Academy (Louisville).
19. South Panola, Batesville, Miss. (9-0)
Previous: 21.
What happened: Defeated Southaven, 38-27.
Next: Friday at Grenada.
20. Clarkston, Mich. (9-0)
Previous: 22.
What happened: Defeated Harrison (Farmington Hills), 31-24. Nolan Eriksen rushed for 216 yards and three TDs on 16 carries.
Next: Friday vs. Oxford in Division 1 playoffs.
21. Euless (Texas) Trinity (8-1)
Previous: 24.
What happened: Defeated Coppell, 33-10.
Next: Thursday at Richland (North Richland Hills).
22. Carmel, Ind. (10-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
What happened: Defeated Noblesville, 28-6, in Class 6A sectional semifinal.
Next: Friday vs. Fishers in the Class 6A sectional final.
23. Canisius, Buffalo, N.Y. (8-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
What happened: Defeated Bishop Timon-St. Jude (Buffalo), 37-8.
Next: Saturday vs. St. Francis (Athol Springs).
24. Hudson, Ohio (9-0)
Previous: Not ranked.
What happened: Defeated then-No. 18 Mentor, 41-27, in a matchup of unbeaten. QB Mitch Guadagni fired five TD passes.
Next: Friday at Twinsburg.
25. Chandler, Ariz. (8-1)
Previous: 25.
What happened: Defeated Basha (Chandler), 55-10. QB Bryce Perkins was near flawless connecting on 11-of-12 passes for 260 yards and three TDs.
Next: Friday vs. Highland (Gilbert).
Dropped out: No. 3 DeSoto, Texas; No. 11 Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J.; No. 16 Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif.; No. 18 Mentor, Ohio; and No. 23 Grayson, Loganville, Ga.
High-Fives by Region
East
1. St. Peter’s Prep, Jersey City, N.J. (6-1)
2. Bishop McDevitt, Harrisburg, Pa. (9-0)
3. Ocean Lakes, Virginia Beach, Va. (8-0)
4. Archbishop Stepinac, White Plains, N.Y. (8-0)
5. Central Valley, Monaca, Pa. (9-0)
Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.
Midwest
1. Brother Rice, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (9-0)
2. Eden Prairie, Minn. (9-0)
3. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (9-0)
4. Cass Tech, Detroit (9-0)
5. Omaha (Neb.) North (9-0)
Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
Southland
1. Maryville, Tenn. (9-0)
2. Skyline, Dallas (8-0)
3. Pearland, Texas (9-0)
4. Cedar Hill, Texas (7-1)
5. First Coast, Jacksonville, Fla. (8-0)
Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.
Far West
1. Hamilton, Chandler, Ariz. (8-1)
2. Bingham, South Jordan, Utah (9-1)
3. Punahou School, Honolulu (7-0)
4. Central Catholic, Portland, Ore. (7-1)
5. JSerra, San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (7-1)
Geography: 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 September 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 December 22. Follow him on Twitter: @clawlor.
