TWO’ FER: No. 16 Lipscomb Academy (TN), No. 18 St. Edward (OH) win state titles; two Blue Star Media Elite 25 football ranking periods remain

BENSALEM, Pa. – Now that the distilling process is nearly complete, it’s time for “big boy” football to take over for the final two weekends of the high school football season.

That means states such as Arizona, California, Texas, Florida, Louisiana Pennsylvania and Georgia, will crown state champions. There are no guarantees in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings and with two weekends left, the race for No. 1 and the Blue Star Media National Champions is still to be determined.

No. 1 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) was off last weekend and will face Serra (San Mateo, Calif.) Saturday in the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division Bowl Championship. A win and the Braves will be in the driver’s seat for the national championship but teams from Florida and Texas as building their cases too.

Okay, let’s get to it.

Deep in the heart of SEC territory, a few stories unfolder last week with two young gunslingers coming up big in the big game and there’s a decorated coach headed to the college ranks.

In Auburn, Ala., eight-grade QB Trent Seaborn tossed five TD passes (yes, five!) when Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.) defeated Auburn, 49-24, last Wednesday in the Class 7A final at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Seaborn went 12 of 14 for 207 and left the game early when it was a blowout. Seaborn was named the game’s MVP but gave it to a senior teammate. That’s rare.

The Warriors (11-3), who looking to re-enter the Elite 25 after a rough patch in the regular season, have won fourth straight largest-classification titles under coach Mark Freeman. That’s a 10th title for Freeman, who also captured four at Bessemer Academy and two at Spanish Fort. Thompson ties Hoover for four in row in Alabama’s largest classification but the first in 7A. Hoover (2002-05) did in 6A when it was tops in Alabama.

There was one addition to the Elite 25 rankings, No. 24 Carrollton (Ga.) is in after knocking off previously unbeaten and No. 25 Colquitt County (Norman Park, Ga.), 35-27, in the Class AAAAAAA semifinals. Freshman quarterback Julian Lewis carved up the Packers for two touchdown passes, pushing his rookie year total to 43. Wow! That’s a career for some signal callers.

There was a coaching move after a Tennessee championship game.

In Chattanooga, Tenn., No. 16 Lipscomb Academy (Nashville, Tenn.) clinched the Tennessee Division II, Class AA championship for the second straight year, beating Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville), 42-0, in the final. It ended the tenure of coach Trent Dilfer (Super Bowl XXXV ring with the Baltimore Ravens in 2001), who was hired last week at UAB. Dilfer went 43-10 in four seasons. Junior Sherrill, a Vanderbilt recruit, was named the Most Valuable Player.

Elsewhere, kudos to St. Anthony’s (Melville, N.Y.) after a midweek rally for the ages. The Friars were down 20-0 to homestanding St. Francis (Athol Springs) later in the third quarter before springing a shocker in snowy, cold suburban Buffalo near Lake Erie.

The Friars (12-1) reduced the deficit to 20-7 at the end of third quarters en route to an improbable 27-20 win in the NYCHSAA Class AAA final. St. Anthony’s becomes the first-ever Catholic state champion from Long Island. The game was originally slated for Nov. 26 but was pushed back four days due to heavy snowfall in the Buffalo area. The Friars are ranked No. 4 in the East Region.

With Lipscomb Academy and No. 18 St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) winning state titles, the number of championship teams is six (CIF Sectional winners count) within the Elite 25. St. Edward annexed a second consecutive Ohio Division I crown last Friday. There are several champions from the regional rankings.

This week, champions will be crowned in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania. On the final weekend (Dec. 15-17), titles will be earned in Florida (larger schools) and Texas (all classifications).

That’s it for the first week in December. Just two weekends remain in the season.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 football rankings will return on Dec. 13 for the penultimate time.

If you are a “hoophead,” check out the Blue Star Media Elite 25 boys preseason rankings. For the next five months we’re spreading the news about the top teams and players as we do in girls volleyball and football. The basketball rankings will be updated around the holidays.

Until the next time, stay safe. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Football Rankings, Dec. 6, 2022

1. St. John Bosco, Bellflower, Calif. (12-1)*

Previous rank: 1.

Recap: Idle. The Braves play the state final close to home.

Next: Saturday vs. Serra (San Mateo) in CIF State Championship Bowl Open Division final at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.

2. Westlake, Austin, Texas (14-0)

Previous: 2.

Recap: Defeated San Antonio Brennan, 47-7, in Class 6A, Division I Region 4 final.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 4 North Shore (Galena Park, Texas) in Class 6A, Division I semifinals at Houston’s Rice Stadium.

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

Previous: 3.

Recap: Season complete.

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

Previous: 4.

Recap: Defeated Atascocita (Humble), 38-7, in Class 6A, Division I Region 3 final

Next: Saturday vs. No. 2 Westlake (Austin, Texas) in Class 6A, Division I semifinals at Houston’s Rice Stadium.

5. St. Thomas Aquinas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (13-0)

Previous: 5.

Recap: Defeated Jesuit (Tampa), 45-3, in Class 3M semifinals.

Next: Dec. 15 vs. Homestead in Class 3M final to be played at Fort Lauderdale’s DRV PNK Stadium.

6. Central, Miami (13-0)

Previous: 6.

Recap: Defeated Lakewood (St. Petersburg, Fla.), 39-21, in Class 2M semifinals.

Next: Dec. 16 vs. No. 15 American Heritage (Plantation) in Class 2M final to be played at Fort Lauderdale’s DRV PNK Stadium.

7. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (13-1)*

Previous: 8.

Recap: Won Class 5A state championship. It was the Gaels’ 12th Nevada state title in the last 13 terms. Season complete.

8. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (8-1)

Previous: 9.

Recap: The Ascenders do not compete for a postseason championship. Season complete.

9. Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, Hollywood, Fla. (12-0)

Previous: 10.

Recap: Defeated True North Classic Academy (Miami), 56-0, in Class 1M semifinals.

Next: Thursday vs. Clearwater Central Catholic in Class 1M final to be played at Tallahassee’s Gene Cox Stadium.

10. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (8-1)

Previous: 11.

Recap: Season complete.

11. Duncanville, Texas (13-0)

Previous: 12.

Recap: Defeated Westfield (Spring), 28-21, in Class 6A, Division I Region 1 final.

Next: Saturday vs. Prosper in Class 6A, Division I semifinals at Ford Stadium in Dallas.

12. Denton (Texas) Guyer (14-0)

Previous: 13.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 7 Southlake Carroll, 45-21, in Class 6A, Division II, Region 1 final.

Next: Saturday vs. DeSoto in Class 6A, Division II semifinals at the Ford Center in Frisco.

13. Katy, Texas (14-0)

Previous: 14.

Recap: Defeated C.E King (Houston), 56-34, in Class 6A, Division II Region 3 final.

Next: Saturday vs. Vandergrift (Austin) in Class 6A, Division II semifinals to be played at San Antonio’s Alamodome.

14. Longview, Texas (14-0)

Previous: 15.

Recap: Defeated Mansfield Timberview, 37-21, in Class 5A, Division I Region 2 final.

Next: Saturday vs. Aledo in Class 5A, Division I semifinals to be played at Kincaide Stadium in Dallas.

15. American Heritage, Plantation, Fla. (13-1)

Previous: 16.

Recap: Defeated Bolles School (Jacksonville), 21-14, in Class 2M state semifinals.

Next: Dec. 16 vs. No. 6 Central (Miami) in Class 2M state final to be played at Fort Lauderdale’s DRV PNK Stadium.

16. Lipscomb Academy, Nashville, Tenn. (13-0)*

Previous: 17.

Recap: Won Division II, Class AA state championship, shutting out Christ Presbyterian Academy (Nashville), 42-0. Liberty-bound QB Hank Brown completed 23 of 28 yards for 268 yards and three TDs, including all three to Vanderbilt-recruit WR Junior Sherrill, who caught 11 balls for 141 yards. RB Drew Patterson rushed for 86 yards and two cores on 20 carries. The Mustangs won their second straight title, sending coach Trent Dilfer out a winner before he departed to become the head coach at UAB. Season complete.

17. Mount Carmel, Chicago, (13-0)*

Previous: 18.

Recap: Won Class 7A state championship. It was the program’s 14th state title. Season complete.

18. St. Edward, Lakewood, Ohio (15-1)*

Previous: 19.

Recap: Won a second consecutive Division I state championship, defeating Springfield, 28-14. The game was tied at 7 after one quarter when the Eagles exploded for two TDs for a 21-7 lead. RB Marvin Bell carried 24 times for 170 yards and two scores. QB Casey Bullock totaled 203 yards and two TDs, rushing for 101 yards and one TD and throwing for 102 and another score. It was the program’s sixth state title and fourth since coach Tom Lombardo took over in 2015.

Season complete.

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

Previous: 20.

Recap: Won the Non-Public A state championship for the second straight season. Season complete.

20. Southlake (Texas) Carroll (13-1)

Previous: 7.

Recap: Lost to then-No. 13 Denton Guyer, 45-21, in Class 6A, Division II Region 1 final. The Dragons remain in the Elite 25 for now. Season complete.

21. Basha, Chandler, Arizona (11-1)

Previous: 22.

Recap: Defeated Chandler, 13-0, in Arizona Open Division semifinals.

Next: Saturday vs. Saguaro (Scottsdale) in Arizona Open Division final at Arizona State’s Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe.

22. Mill Creek, Hoschton, Ga. (13-1)

Previous: 23.

Recap: Defeated Milton (Alpharetta), 48-14, in Class AAAAAAA semifinals.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 24 Carrollton in Class AAAAAAA final at Atlanta’s Center Parc Stadium.

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

Previous: 24.

Recap: Defeated Garnet Valley (Glen Mills), 48-7, in PIAA Class AAAAAA semifinals.

Next: Saturday vs. Harrisburg in PIAA Class AAAAAA final at Cumberland Valley’s Chapman Field in Mechanicsburg.

24. Carrollton, Ga. (14-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Recap: Defeated then-No. 21 Colquitt County (Norman Park), 35-27, in Class AAAAAAA semifinals.

Next: Saturday vs. No. 22 Mill Creek (Hoschton) in the Class AAAAAAA final at Atlanta’s Center Parc Stadium.

25. Colquitt County, Norman Park, Ga. (13-1)

Previous: 21.

Recap: Lost to Carrollton, 35-27, in Class AAAAAAA semifinals. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 25 Buford (Ga.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Archbishop Spalding, Severn, Md. (11-1)*
2. Don Bosco Prep, Ramsey, N.J. (9-3)
3. Catholic Memorial, West Roxbury, Mass. (12-0)*
4. St. Anthony’s, Mehlville, N.Y. (12-1)**
5. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (8-4)*

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. (14-0)*
2. Loyola Academy, Wilmette, Ill. (13-1)*
3. De La Salle Collegiate, Warren, Mich. (13-1)*
4. Toledo (Ohio) Central Catholic (15-1)*
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. Bryant, Ark. (12-0)*
2. Destrehan, La. (13-0)…5A final
3. Columbus, Miami (13-1)…D17-7
4. Lakeland, Fla. (13-0)…D17-1-4S
5. Bixby, Okla. (14-1)*

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

Far West

1. Serra, San Mateo, Calif. (13-0)*…D10-11pm
2. Los Alamitos, Calif. (9-3)
3. De La Salle, Concord, Calif. (10-3)*…final—fr-11
4. Kahuku, Hawaii (12-2)*
5. Skyridge, Lehi, Utah (13-1)*

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.]

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 at the conclusion of the 2022 season. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.