When you play in the Big North – United in New Jersey and the Trinity League in southern California, a “W” isn’t a given. Just ask Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) and Mater Dei (California), who tumble out of the this week’s Top 25 after close league loses.
DBP, which was #10 last week, lost to arch-rival Bergen Catholic 10-3 on Saturday, while #18 Mater Dei lost to JSerra 17-10. JSerra’s only loss this season was by five points to #6 St. John Bosco.
Bergen Catholic soars into the poll at #11, even with two losses.
Why, you might ask?
Well, our rankings algorithm shows that the Crusaders have played the toughest schedule in the country with victories against out-of-state foes Bentonville (Arkansas), La Salle College High School (Pennsylvania) and St. Edward (Ohio). Both loses came against in-state opponents – #4 Paramus Catholic (44-7) and St. Peter’s Prep (49-20). St. Peter’s Prep was nationally-ranked at the time of that game.
Overall, Bergen Catholic’s opponents own a 45-15 record. No one team on the Crusaders’ 2014 schedule owns a sub-.500 record this year.
Re-entering the poll this week is Cedar Hill from Texas, which is coming off its very impressive win over former #5 DeSoto. The Longhorns began the year ranked #9 in our preseason poll, but fell-out after its early season loss to Skyline, which climbed two spots to #20 this week. DeSoto falls to #24 after the loss.
Aside from Bergen Catholic’s jump from our Knocking on the Door honorable mention category to #11, Colquitt County (Georgia) was our biggest climber, moving from #14 to #9. Like Bergen Catholic, the Packers are helped by playing in one of the the best leagues in the country.
High School Football America Top 25
1. (1) Allen Eagles (Texas)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated Flower Mound (Texas) 63-17
Fast Forward: at Plano (Texas), Friday
2. (2) De La Salle Spartans (California)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated Foothill (California) 56-21
Fast Forward: at Amador Valley (California), Friday
3. (3) Booker T. Washington Tornadoes (Florida)
Overall: 9-0
Rewind: defeated Norland (Florida) 28-14
Fast Forward: Edison (Florida), Saturday
4. (4) Paramus Catholic Paladins (New Jersey)
Overall: 7-0
Rewind: defeated Eastern Christian Academy (Maryland) 63-28
Fast Forward: at DePaul (New Jersey), Friday
5. (6) Bishop Gorman Gaels (Nevada)
Overall: 9-0
Rewind: Idle
Fast Forward: at Palo Verde (Nevada), Thursday
6. (7) St. John Bosco Braves (California)
Overall: 7-1
Rewind: defeated Orange Lutheran (California) 54-43
Fast Forward: vs. Servite (California), Friday
7. (9) Folsom Bulldogs (California)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated Rocklin (California) 56-21
Fast Forward: vs. Oak Ridge (California), Friday
8. (8) Miami Central Rockets (Florida)
Overall: 8-1
Rewind: defeated Carol City (Florida) 23-16
Fast Forward: vs. Jackson (Florida), Friday
9. (14) Colquitt County Packers (Georgia)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: Idle
Fast Forward: at Tift County (Georgia), Friday
10. (11) Bellevue Wolverines (Washington)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated Interlake (Washington) 56-12
Fast Forward: at Lake Washington (Washington), Friday
11. (NR) Bergen Catholic Crusaders (New Jersey)
Overall: 6-2
Rewind: defeated Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) 10-3
Fast Forward: Idle
12. (12) St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (Florida)
Overall: 7-1
Rewind: defeated Hollywood Hills (Florida) 48-0
Fast Forward: vs. Plantation (Florida), Friday
13. (13) Southlake Carroll Dragons (Texas)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated Heritage (Texas) 42-13
Fast Forward: vs. Haltom (Texas), Friday
14. (15) Buford Wolves (Georgia)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated North Oconee (Georgia) 58-3
Fast Forward: vs. Madison County (Georgia), Friday
15. (16) South Panola Tigers (Mississippi)
Overall: 9-0
Rewind: defeated Southaven (Mississippi) 38-27
Fast Forward: at Grenada (Mississippi), Friday
16. (18) Euless Trinity Trojans (Texas)
Overall: 8-1
Rewind: defeated Coppell (Texas) 33-17
Fast Forward: at Richland (Texas), Thursday
17. (19) Carmel Greyhounds (Indiana)
Overall: 10-0
Rewind: defeated Noblesville (Indiana) 28-6
Fast Forward: Fishers (Indiana), Friday – 6A Playoffs, 2nd Round
18. (20) Starkville Yellowjackets (Mississippi)
Overall: 9-0
Rewind: defeated Murrah (Mississippi) 31-6
Fast Forward: vs. Warren Central (Mississippi), Friday
19. (21) Good Counsel Falcons (Maryland)
Overall: 8-1
Rewind: defeated Archbishop Carroll (Washington DC) 55-12
Fast Forward: at Bishop O’Connell (Virginia), Friday
20. (22) Skyline Raiders (Texas)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: defeated MacArthur (Texas) 49-26
Fast Forward: vs. Turner (Texas), Friday
21. (23) Maryville Rebels (Tennessee)
Overall: 9-0
Rewind: defeated Bearden (Tennessee) 62-0
Fast Forward: at Farragut (Tennessee), Friday
22. (NR) Cedar Hill Longhorns (Texas)
Overall: 7-1
Rewind: defeated #5 DeSoto (Texas) 65-42
Fast Forward: vs. Mansfield (Texas), Friday
23. (24) Mainland Buccaneers (Florida)
Overall: 8-0
Rewind: Idle
Fast Forward: vs. Seabreeze (Florida), Friday
24. (5) DeSoto Eagles (Texas)
Overall: 7-1
Rewind: lost to Cedar Hill (Texas) 65-42
Fast Forward: Midlothian (Texas), Friday
25. (25) Brentwood Academy Eagles (Tennessee)
Overall: 8-1
Rewind: Idle
Fast Forward: at Ensworth (Tennessee), Friday
Knocking on the Top 25 Door (alphabetical order): Alemany (California), Archbishop Moeller (Ohio) Archbishop Rummel (Louisiana), Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania), Bingham (Utah), Blackman (Tennessee), Bothell (Washington), Brother Rice (Michigan), Cathedral (California), Chandler (Arizona), Cibolo Steele (Texas), Clay-Chalkville (Alabama), Corona Centennial (California), Crespi (California), Denton Guyer (Texas), Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), First Coast (Florida), Fort Osage (Missouri), Gilman (Maryland), IMG Academy (Florida), JSerra (California), Katy (Texas), Male (Kentucky), Manvel (Texas), Mater Dei (California), Midway (Texas), St. Edward (Ohio), St. Ignatius (Ohio), St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey), St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey), St. Xavier (Ohio), Serra (Gardena, California), Union (Oklahoma), Webb City (Missouri)
Dropping out: #10 Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), #18 Mater Dei (California)
