The Colerain Cardinals lead the way for four Ohio high school football teams that are ranked in High School Football America’s Preseason Top 50.
Colerain, which finished #18 in last year’s Top 25, advanced to Ohio’s Division I state semifinals last season. The Cards, who have had an incredible decade run under head coach Tom Bolden, return almost its entire defense from last year’s 12-2 team. With early games against Indiana-power Warren Central, Cincinnati’s St. Xavier and two-time Ohio Division II champ La Salle on back-to-back-to-back weekends, we’ll find-out in-a-hurry how good Colerain is.
Two-time Ohio Division I champ St. Edward is closest to the Top 25 bubble at #26 in The Other 25, which ranks teams from #26 to #50. The Eagles finished #6 in the final 2015 national Top 25. Joining St. Edward from the Buckeye State is La Salle, which finished #15 in the nation last year. The Lancers begin 2016 ranked #29. 2015 Ohio Division III champ Archbishop Hoban begins the season ranked #50 in America.
Related: 2016 The Other 2016 Preseason Rankings
For those of you unfamiliar with our rankings, this is the fourth straight year that High School Football America will be using its proprietary algorithm to rank teams nationally, regionally and locally. What that means is, our computer does all the work, there’s no opinion involved. Over the past three seasons, our preseason poll included some opinion, but this year marks the first time that our algorithm is completely in-charge of determining our “mythical” national champ from start to finish.
High School Football America 2016 Preseason Top 25
#1 St. John Bosco Braves (Bellflower, California)
2015: 13-1
Final Ranking: #9
#2 IMG Academy Ascenders (Bradenton, Florida)
2015: 9-0
Final Ranking: #7
#3 Cedar Hill Longhorns (Texas)
2015: 9-2
Final Ranking: Not Ranked
#4 Mater Dei Monarchs (Santa Ana, California)
2015: 10-3
Final Ranking: #37
#5 Bishop Gorman Gaels (Las Vegas, Nevada)
2015: 15-0
Final Ranking: #4
#6 Katy Tigers (Texas)
2015: 16-0
Final Ranking: #3
#7 St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
2015: 13-1
Final Ranking: #12
#8 Grayson Rams (Loganville, Georgia)
2015: 13-1
Final Ranking: Not Ranked
#9 Cibolo Steele Knights (Texas)
2015: 14-1
Final Ranking: #31
#10 DeMatha Stags (Hyattsville, Maryland)
2015: 11-1
Final Ranking: #13
#11 Pittsburgh Central Catholic Vikings (Pennsylvania)
2015: 15-1
Final Ranking: #24
#12 Miami Central Rockets (Florida)
2015: 12-2
Final Ranking: #22
#13 St. Joseph Regional Green Knights (Montvale, NJ)
2015: 7-4
Final Ranking: #35
#14 Allen Eagles (Texas)
2015: 14-1
Final Ranking: #9
#15 Roswell Hornets (Georgia)
2015: 14-1
Final Ranking: #40
#16 Don Bosco Prep Ironmen (Ramsey, New Jersey)
2015: 9-3
Final Ranking: #20
#17 Westlake Chaparrals (Austin, Texas)
2015: 12-2
Final Ranking: #30
#18 Mallard Creek (Charlotte, North Carolina)
2015: 14-2
Final Ranking: #26
#19 Northwestern Trojans (Rock Hill, South Carolina)
2015: 14-1
Final Ranking: #50
#20 Colerain Cardinals (Cincinnati, Ohio)
2015: 12-2
Final Ranking: #18
#21 Lake Travis Cavaliers (Austin, Texas)
2015: 15-1
Final Ranking: #29
#22 Center Grove Trojans (Greenwood, Indiana)
2015: 14-0
Final Ranking: #10
#23 Good Counsel Falcons (Olney, Maryland)
2015: 7-4
Final Ranking: Not Ranked
#24 McGill-Toolen Yellowjackets (Mobile, Alabama)
2015: 13-1
Final Ranking: Not Ranked
#25 Trinity Christian Academy Conquerors (Jacksonville, Florida)
2015: 14-0
Final Ranking: #49
High School Football America’s The Other 25 (teams #26 through #50)
#26 St. Edward Eagles (Ohio)
#27 Corona Centennial Huskies (California)
#28 Jenks Trojans (Oklahoma)
#29 La Salle Lancers (Ohio)
#30 Gonzaga Eagles (Washington, D.C.)
#31 De La Salle Spartans (California)
#32 American Heritage Patriots (Plantation, Florida)
#33 Mill Creek Hawks (Georgia)
#34 St. Joseph’s Prep Hawks (Philadelphia)
#35 Trinity Shamrocks (Kentucky)
#36 Bergen Catholic Crusaders (New Jersey)
#37 Booker T. Washington Tornadoes (Florida)
#38 Clinton Arrows (Mississippi)
#39 St. John’s College High School Cadets (Washington, D.C.)
#40 Euless Trinity Trojans (Texas)
#41 Warren Central Warriors (Indiana)
#42 DeSoto Eagles (Texas)
#43 Colquitt County Packers (Georgia)
#44 Cass Tech Technicians (Michigan)
#45 Fayetteville Bulldogs (Arkansas)
#46 Brentwood Academy Eagles (Tennessee)
#47 Armwood Hawks (Florida)
#48 Southlake Carroll Dragons (Texas)
#49 Union Redskins (Oklahoma)
#50 Archbishop Hoban (Ohio)