Three teams from Florida, South Carolina and Texas slide into Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings; No. 1 Mater Dei (CA) goes for another CIF Open Division title

BENSALEM, Pa. – It was a crazy weekend for the Blue Star media Elite 25 football rankings as three teams were added. Two of which re-enter the rankings after advancing in their respective state playoffs.

With two weekends of high school football left, No. 19 Westlake (Austin, Texas) and No. 24 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) are back after sitting out for a few months. Westlake (13-1) plays No. 6 North Shore (Galena Park) Saturday in the UIL Class 6A, Division I state semifinals. The Chaps knocked off archrivals Lake Travis (Austin) by a touchdown in the regional final.

Aquinas (11-3) advanced to the FHSAA Class 5A final this week after beating Manatee (Bradenton) in the semifinals. The Raiders (11-3) face No. 17 Lakeland in the final on Thursday night in nearby Miami.

No. 20 Dutch Fork (Irmo, S.C.) is one win away from capturing the Class AAAAA, Division I title and will meet Summerville on Saturday for the hardware. It will be the 12^th time the Silver Foxes (12-0) have reached a state final.

It appears the Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Championship could come down to the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division Bowl Game on Saturday at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo. No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) plays No. 13 De La Salle (Concord) in a battle of the unbeatens. Kickoff is 8 p.m. PT and it will be shown live on Spectrum News 1 and Spectrum SportsNet.

Tickets are $15 for general admission and Children/Students/Seniors (65+) – $10. Tickets are available online only through CIF’s ticketing partner, GoFan (gofan.co).

Well, that’s game of the week due to the magnitude of the result. Also, check out the Florida state championships and the Texas Class 6A Divisions I and II involving Elite 25 teams. For more information and tickets to the Florida championship game click here.

Elsewhere, the postseason honors started rolling out last week. The 2024 Gatorade State Football Players of the Year were announced. I ran this great program for Scholastic Coach back in the late 1980s and ‘90s for nearly a decade.

Founder Bruce Weber, Coach’s publisher and marketing whiz, created the program that emphasized athletics, academics and extracurriculars in various sports starting in 1985. Jeff George, who had a long NFL career, was the first national winner out of Indianapolis. This year’s state winners can be accessed here.

My esteemed boss Mr. Weber passed away in 2019 but his legacy lives on in the Gatorade program.

As for the first full weekend in December, there are three additions; 11 teams remained the same, including the top-9; one team dipped four slots and 10 moved up with No. 18 Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.) ascending three spots after repeating in AIA Open Division.

That’ll do it for another week. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings return on Dec. 17 for the penultimate time. The Elite 25 final rankings will be released on Sunday, Dec. 22.

I’m Just Saying: Feeling generous during the holiday season? Think about supporting the year-round work of Marine Toys for Tots and make a lasting impact in the lives of disadvantaged children. With your generous donation, the United States Marine Corps can continue their mission of providing toys, books, and emotional support to those who need hope the most. A contribution goes beyond the holiday season, ensuring that children experience the joy of play and the power of imagination throughout the year. Donate here.

Finally, don’t forget to donate to the relief efforts for those who were affected by hurricanes this fall in the Carolinas and along the East Coast. Go to the American Red Cross. No amount is too small.

Bye for now.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Football Rankings, Dec. 10, 2024

1. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (12-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Idle. The countdown for another national championship has begun.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 13 De La Salle (Concord) in the CIF Open Division final.

2. Duncanville, Texas (13-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated Cypress Bridgeland, 31-13, in the Class 6A, Division I Region 2 final. Additionally, QB Keelon, named Texas’ Gatorade Player of the Year last week, completed 15 of 29 passes for 237 yards and a touchdown and RB JaQualon Armstrong rushed for two TDs.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 4 North Crowley (Fort Worth) in Class 6A, Division I state semifinals to be played at Eagle Stadium in Allen.

3. Milton, Alpharetta, Ga. (13-0)

Previous: 3.

Recap: Defeated Lee County (Leesburg), 56-28, in Class AAAAA semifinals.
Next: Dec. 17 vs. Langston Hughes (Fairburn) in Class AAAAA final to be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

4. North Crowley, Fort Worth, Texas (14-0)

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Allen, 35-7, in the Class 6A, Division I Region 1 final. RB Kiante Ingram ran for 130 yards and two TDs.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 2 Duncanville in the Class 6A, Division I semifinals to be played Eagle Stadium in Allen.

5. Carrollton, Ga. (14-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 10 Buford, 30-17 in Class AAAAAA semifinals. QB Julian Lewis passed for 193 yards and two TDs.

Next: Dec. 18 vs. Grayson (Loganville) in Class AAAAAA final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

6. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (14-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated No. 16 Atascocita (Humble), 49-21, in Class 6A, Division I final. QB Kaleb Bailey passed for 192 yards and two scores and ran for 250 yards and two more six-pointers.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 19 Westlake (Austin) in Class 6A, Division I state semifinals to be played at Legacy Stadium in Katy.

7. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (11-2)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 final. Season complete.

8. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (11-1)*

Previous: 8.

Recap: Won the Class 5A, Division 1 state championship. Season complete.

9. Bergen Catholic, Oradell, N.J. (11-1)*

Previous: 9.

Recap: Won a fourth consecutive NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship. Season complete.

10. Corner Canyon, Draper, Utah (13-1)*

Previous: 11.

Recap: Won a second consecutive Class 6A state champion. Season complete.

11. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (7-2)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Season complete.

12. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (12-0)*

Previous: 13.

Recap: Won a third consecutive MIAA A Conference championship. Maryland-bound QB Malik Washington was named Maryland’s Gatorade Player of the Year. Season complete.

13. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (12-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Idle.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 1 Mater Dei (Santa Ana) in CIF Open Division final.

14. Buford, Ga. (12-2)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Lost to No. 5 Carrollton, 30-17, in Class AAAAAA semifinals. Season complete.

15. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (9-3)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Advanced to CIF-Southern Section Division 1 semifinals. Season complete.

16. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (12-2)

Previous: 17.

Recap: Defeated Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville), 35-6, in Class 1A semifinals.

Next: Wednesday vs. Clearwater Central Catholic in Class 1A state final to be played at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.

17. Lakeland, Fla. (13-0)

Previous: 18.

Recap: Defeated Niceville, 34-33, in three overtimes in the Class 5A state semifinals. The Dreadnaughts stopped a two-point conversion in the third extra session to win it.

Next: Thursday vs. No. 25 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) in Class 5A final to be played at South Dade Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium in Miami.

18. Liberty, Peoria, Ariz. (12-1)*

Previous: 21.

Recap: Won the AIA Open Division state championship, defeating Basha (Chandler), 35-17, in the final. The Lions were up 21-10 at halftime after scoring a TD late in the second quarter. Season complete.

19. Westlake, Austin, Texas (13-1)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Lake Travis (Austin), 24-17, in the Class 6A, Division I, Region 4 final.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 6 North Shore (Galena Park) in Class 6A, Division I state semifinals to be played at Legacy Stadium in Katy.

20. Dutch Fork, Irmo, S.C. (12-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Spartanburg, 24-0, in Class AAAAA Division I semifinals. The Silver Foxes enter the Elite 25 after recording their sixth shutout of the season.

Next: Friday vs. Summerville in Class AAAAA state final.

21. Mission Viejo, Calif. (10-1)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Season complete.

22. DeMatha, Hyattsville, Md. (10-1)*

Previous: 23.

Recap: Won the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship. Season complete.

23. St. Joseph’s Prep, Philadelphia (12-2)*

Previous: 24.

Recap: Won the PIAA Class 6A state championship for the third straight season, defeating Central Catholic (Pittsburgh), 35-6 in the final. The Hawks rolled to a 28-6 lead at halftime as RB Khyan Billups rushed for three TDs, including one from 80 yards. Season complete.

24. Orange (Calif.) Lutheran (8-4)

Previous: 25.

Recap: Advanced to in CIF-Southern Section, Division 1 semifinals.

25. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (11-3)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated Manatee (Bradenton), 16-13, in Class 5A state semifinals. The Raiders return to the Elite 25 just in time for the state championship game in their backyard.

Next: Thursday vs. No. 17 Lakeland in Class 5A state final.

Dropped: No. 16 Atascocita (Humble, Texas); No. 20 Moeller (Cincinnati) and No. 22 Gaffney (S.C.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (8-3)
2. DePaul Catholic, Wayne, N.J. (11-1)*
3. Oscar Smith, Chesapeake, Va. (14-0)
4. Phoebus, Hampton, Va. (13-0)
5. Christian Brothers Academy, Syracuse, N.Y. (14-0)*

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

Midwest

1. East St. Louis, Ill. (13-1)*
2. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (12-2)*
3. Avon, Ohio (16-0)*
4. Brownsburg, Ind. (13-1)*
5. Maple Grove, Minn. (13-0)*

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

Southland

1. Venice, Fla. (13-1)
2. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (14-0)
3. Edna Karr, New Orleans (12-0)
4. Northwestern, Rock Hill, S.C. (13-0)
5. Bixby, Okla. (11-2)*

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

Far West

1. O’Dea, Seattle (13-0)*
2. Saint Louis School, Honolulu (9-3)*
3. West Linn, Ore. (11-1)*
4. Pittsburg, Calif. (12-2)
5. Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village, Colo. (12-1)*

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

* Denotes a state or conference postseason champion [Note: a second asterisk indicates a team has multiple postseason titles.]

Records are through Sunday

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.