It was a crazy weekend of high school football with plenty of upsets within the High School Football America 100, plus Mother Nature played havoc as well with many games in the northeast being delayed by storms that led to a couple of key cancellations. When the dust cleared in our proprietary algorithm, eleven new teams enter the HSFA 100 this week.
At the top were going to address the two weather games that I’m sure will cause lots of debate.
First, you’ll notice that St. Frances Academy (Maryland), No. 14 in last week’s rankings, is no longer in the Top 100. The Panthers, who are one of the most talented teams in the nation, led No. 11 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) Friday night 13-7 in the second half when the game was cancelled by school officials due to storms. That means the game doesn’t count on either SFA or SJP’s record.
Unfortunately for St. Frances, this is the only game against an opponent ranked within our Top 500, because of the decision earlier this year by teams in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association — SFA’s conference — to not play the Panthers, which left the school scrambling to fill-out its schedule. The rest of St. Frances’ schedule includes four schools from Canada, plus no opportunity to defend its MIAA championship.
I had considered dropping SFA from our preseason algorithm rankings when the news of the cancellation of MIAA games was announced, but I wanted to give the school the opportunity to find other opponents that could keep them in the national rankings. Unfortunately, as everyone knows, we don’t have an opinion poll…it’s an algorithm.
My personal opinion, which is separate from the HSFA algorithm, wanted to keep SFA highly-ranked, hoping that a win against St. Joseph’s Prep would keep them in the Top 100, albeit somewhere between No. 50 and No. 75, because of its weaker Strength of Schedule.
Now that the SFA-SJP game has no outcome, the Panthers’ new 2018 schedule, drops them out of the Top 100. Currently, SFA is ranked No. 181.
So to maintain the integrity of the algorithm, it had to be done. I hope fans understand this and I hope that St. Frances will be able to play a national schedule next year that will return them to the HSFA 100.
I also hope that my fellow rankers — USA TODAY Super 25, MaxPreps Xcellent 25, PrepNation.com and Prep Force — keep the Panthers in their opinion polls, because they truly are one of the top programs in the nation.
Now, the St. Frances-St. Joe’s game wasn’t the only fly in the ointment in the latest rankings.
No. 7 Good Counsel (Maryland) was tied at 35-all with 2:57 to go in its game against Archbishop Spalding, which is a member of the MIAA, when lightning brought play to a halt. The game wasn’t able to be resumed, so athletic officials from both schools decided to cancel the game with no outcome…meaning it doesn’t go into the record books as a tie. Because of this, Good Counsel remains 1-0 for the purpose of the algorithm. If school officials had decided to call the game a tie, it would have been calculated into the rankings.
Whew, with all of that out of the way…it’s time to congratulate the nine new members of our rankings: Centennial (Arizona) at No. 57, Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) at No. 78, Columbus (Florida) at No. 79, Milton (Georgia) at No. 80, Lone Peak (Utah) at No. 83, Fayetteville (Arkansas) at No. 87, Starkville (Mississippi) at No. 94, North Little Rock (Arkansas) at No. 95, Christian Brothers (Missouri) at No. 98, JSerra (California) at No. 99 and Wise (Maryland) at No. 100
There will be nine head-to-head matchups this week in the Top 100:
No. 2 Allen (Texas) vs. No. 82 East (Utah)
No. 4 IMG Academy (Florida) vs. No. 84 Liberty (Nevada)
No. 6 St. John’s College HS (Washington, DC) vs. No. 8 Miami Central (Florida)
No. 11 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) vs. No. 65 St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey)
No. 24 Hoover (Alabama) vs. No. 38 Thompson (Alabama)
No. 44 Carol City (Florida) vs. No. 79 Columbus (Florida)
No. 49 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, New Jersey) vs. No. 93 Imhotep Charter (Pennsylvania)
No. 64 Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) vs. No. 92 Owasso (Oklahoma)
No. 75 Gonzaga (Washington, DC) vs. No. 78 Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey)
High School Football America 100
| Rank, Team, State | Record | Last Week | Next Week |
| #1 Mater Dei (California) | (2-1)* | 1 | St. Mary’s (Stockton, California) |
| #2 Allen (Texas) | (1-0) | 2 | #84 East (Utah) |
| #3 St. John Bosco (California) | (3-0) | 3 | Paramount (California) |
| #4 IMG Academy (Florida) | (2-0) | 4 | #86 Liberty (Nevada) |
| #5 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) | (1-0) | 8 | Archbishop Wood (Pennsylvania) |
| #6 St. John’s College HS (Washington, DC) | (2-0) | 9 | #8 Miami Central (Florida) |
| #7 Good Counsel (Maryland) | (1-0) | 7 | Mount St. Joseph (Maryland) |
| #8 Miami Central (Florida) | (2-0) | 12 | #6 St. John’s College HS (Washington, DC) |
| #9 Pickerington Central (Ohio) | (2-0) | 10 | Trotwood-Madison (Ohio) |
| #10 DePaul Catholic (New Jersey) | (1-0) | 13 | Seton Hall Prep (New Jersey) |
| #11 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) | (0-0) | 11 | #67 St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) |
| #12 St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) | (2-0) | 15 | Flanagan (Florida) |
| #13 Lake Travis (Texas) | (1-0) | 16 | Mansfield Summit (Texas) |
| #14 De La Salle (California) | (3-0) | 19 | St. Francis (Mountain View, California) |
| #15 Corona Centennial (California) | (3-0) | 20 | Narbonne (California) |
| #16 Colquitt County (Georgia) | (3-0) | 21 | Valdosta (Georgia) |
| #17 Warren Central (Indiana) | (3-0) | 17 | Lawrence Central (Indiana) |
| #18 Mentor (Ohio) | (2-0) | 27 | Glenville (Ohio) |
| #19 North Shore (Houston, TX) | (1-0) | 32 | Ridge Point (Texas) |
| #20 Dutch Fork (South Carolina) | (2-0) | 24 | Boiling Springs (South Carolina) |
| #21 Archbishop Hoban (Ohio) | (2-0) | 25 | Wayne (Huber Heights, Ohio) |
| #22 Mission Viejo (California) | (3-0) | 26 | Villa Park (California) |
| #23 Euless Trinity (Texas) | (1-0) | 33 | Sachse (Texas) |
| #24 Hoover (Alabama) | (1-1) | 6 | #38 Thompson (Alabama) |
| #25 Maryville (Tennessee) | (3-0) | 35 | Alcoa (Tennessee) |
| #26 Grayson (Georgia) | (1-1) | 5 | Marietta (Georgia) |
| #27 Rome (Georgia) | (2-0) | 34 | Kell (Georgia) |
| #28 Brentwood Academy (Tennessee) | (3-0) | 29 | International School of Broward (Florida) |
| #29 Central (Phenix City, AL) | (2-0) | 36 | Smiths Station (Alabama) |
| #30 Bingham (Utah) | (3-0) | 31 | Mountain Pointe (Arizona) |
| #31 Mallard Creek (North Carolina) | (1-0) | 37 | Phillip O. Berry (North Carolina) |
| #32 Orange Lutheran (California) | (2-1) | 39 | Heritage (California) |
| #33 Katy (Texas) | (0-1) | 23 | Atascocita (Texas) |
| #34 Oakland (Tennessee) | (1-1) | 40 | RePublic (Tennessee) |
| #35 Aledo (Texas) | (1-0) | 42 | Bentonville (Arkansas) |
| #36 Westlake (Austin, TX) | (1-0) | 43 | Cypress Ranch (Texas) |
| #37 Folsom (California) | (2-1) | 44 | Chaminade (California) |
| #38 Thompson (Alabama) | (2-0) | 45 | #24 Hoover (Alabama) |
| #39 Wekiva (Florida) | (2-0) | 55 | Winter Park (Florida) |
| #40 Cass Tech (Michigan) | (2-0) | 50 | Ford (Michigan) |
| #41 Deerfield Beach (Florida) | (2-0) | 59 | Westlake (Georgia) |
| #42 Oaks Christian (California) | (3-0) | 52 | Alemany (California) |
| #43 Colerain (Ohio) | (2-0) | 54 | Princeton (Ohio) |
| #44 Carol City (Florida) | (1-0) | 60 | #79 Columbus (Florida) |
| #45 University Lab (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) | (1-0) | 49 | Southern Lab (Louisiana) |
| #46 Chandler (Arizona) | (2-1) | 51 | Faith Lutheran (Nevada) |
| #47 St. Edward (Ohio) | (0-2) | 38 | Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pennsylvania) |
| #48 American Heritage (Plantation, Florida) | (1-1) | 76 | Miramar (Florida) |
| #49 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, New Jersey) | (0-1) | 18 | #93 Imhotep Charter (Pennsylvania) |
| #50 Pulaski Academy (Arkansas) | (2-0) | 53 | Ridgeway (Tennessee) |
| #51 Elder (Ohio) | (2-0) | 56 | Clarkson Football North (Canada) |
| #52 Plant (Florida) | (2-0) | 57 | Armwood (Florida) |
| #53 Walton (Georgia) | (3-0) | 58 | Idle |
| #54 Judson (Texas) | (1-0) | 61 | San Antonio Wagner (Texas) |
| #55 John Curtis (Louisiana) | (1-0) | 62 | Bishop Lynch (Texas) |
| #56 Duncanville (Texas) | (1-0) | 67 | South Oak Cliff (Texas) |
| #57 Centennial (Arizona) | (2-0) | NR | Cienega (Arizona) |
| #58 Saint Louis (Hawaii) | (2-0) | 63 | Kahuku (Hawaii) |
| #59 Lincoln-Way East (Illinois) | (2-0) | 64 | Andrew (Illinois) |
| #60 Chaminade-Madonna (Florida) | (1-1) | 66 | Blance Ely (Florida) |
| #61 St. Xavier (Ohio) | (1-1) | 65 | Walnut Hills (Ohio) |
| #62 Loyola Academy (Illinois) | (2-0) | 72 | Mt. Carmel (Chicago) |
| #63 Cedar Grove (Georgia) | (3-0) | 73 | McEachern (Georgia) |
| #64 Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) | (2-0) | 74 | #92 Owasso (Oklahoma) |
| #65 St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) | (1-0) | 78 | #11 St. Joseph’s Prep (Pennsylvania) |
| #66 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) | (0-2) | 28 | Orem (Utah) |
| #67 Phillips Academy (Illinois) | (1-1) | 77 | Simeon (Illinois) |
| #68 North Gwinnett (Georgia) | (1-1) | 48 | Norcross (Georgia) |
| #69 Buford (Georgia) | (2-1) | 46 | Newton (Georgia) |
| #70 Southlake Carroll (Texas) | (1-0) | 79 | Colleyville Heritage (Texas) |
| #71 Hough (North Carolina) | (3-0) | 81 | Idle |
| #72 Blessed Trinity (Georgia) | (3-0) | 82 | Benedictine (Georgia) |
| #73 Wake Forest (North Carolina) | (2-0) | 83 | Leesville Road (North Carolina) |
| #74 Catholic (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) | (1-0) | 87 | Zachary (Louisiana) |
| #75 Gonzaga (Washington, DC) | (2-0) | 88 | #78 Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) |
| #76 DeMatha (Maryland) | (1-1) | 94 | Franklin (Maryland) |
| #77 Hewitt-Trussville (Alabama) | (1-1) | 75 | Oak Mountain (Alabama) |
| #78 Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey) | (1-0) | NR | #75 Gonzaga (Washington, DC) |
| #79 Columbus (Florida) | (2-0) | NR | #44 Carol City (Florida) |
| #80 Milton (Georgia) | (3-0) | NR | Idle |
| #81 Cy-Fair (Texas) | (1-0) | 89 | Cypress Park (Texas) |
| #82 East (Utah) | (2-1) | 91 | #2 Alen (Texas) |
| #83 Lone Peak (Utah) | (2-1) | NR | Highland (Utah) |
| #84 Liberty (Nevada) | (1-1) | 30 | #4 IMG Academy (Florida) |
| #85 Saguaro (Arizona) | (2-1) | 69 | Desert Mountain (Arizona) |
| #86 Westfied (Virginia) | (2-0) | 90 | Idle |
| #87 Fayetteville (Arkansas) | (2-0) | NR | Idle |
| #88 Pittsbugh Central Catholic (Pennsylvania) | (2-0) | 93 | North Allegheny (Pennsylvania) |
| #89 Klein Collins (Texas) | (1-0) | 95 | Clear Springs (Texas) |
| #90 Edna Karr (Louisiana) | (1-0) | 97 | Landry-Walker (Louisiana) |
| #91 Northwestern (Miami, Florida) | (1-1) | 84 | South Dade (Florida) |
| #92 Owasso (Oklahoma) | (1-1) | 22 | #64 Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) |
| #93 Imhotep Charter (Pennsylvania) | (1-1) | 41 | #49 St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, NJ) |
| #94 Starkville (Mississippi) | (3-0) | NR | Columbus (Mississippi) |
| #95 North Little Rock (Arkansas) | (1-0) | NR | Evangel Christian (Louisiana) |
| #96 Lausanne Collegiate (Tennessee) | (2-0) | 99 | Whitehaven (Tennessee) |
| #97 Charlotte Christian (North Carolina) | (2-0) | 100 | Pace Academy (Georgia) |
| #98 Christian Brothers College HS (Missouri) | (2-0) | NR | Chaminade (Missouri) |
| #99 JSerra (California) | (3-0) | NR | Pinnacle (Arizona) |
| #100 Wise (Maryland) | (1-0) | NR | Calvert Hall (Maryland) |
Dropped-out: No. 14 St. Frances Academy (Maryland), No. 47 Carmel (Indiana) No. 68 Cardinal Gibbons (Florida), No. 70 West Point (Mississippi), No. 71 Byrnes (South Carolina), No. 80 Evangel Christian (Louisiana), No. 85 Trinity, No. 86 St. Ignatius (Ohio), No. 92 Booker T. Washington (Miami, Florida), No. 96 Permian (Texas), No. 98 Midway (Texas)
*Mater Dei (California) forfeited its opening game victory against Bishop Amat (California) for using an ineligible player. However, because the player didn’t affect the on-field outcome, it is still calculated as a victory in our algorithm.
