And, down the stretch they come…..
With a month to go in the 2015 high school football season, the chase for our “mythical” national championship is really heating-up with Southern California powers St. John Bosco and Corona Centennial making a big move this week in our Top 25 that is created using our proprietary rankings algorithm. St. John Bosco and Corona Centennial hurdled former #2 Bishop Gorman (Nevada), which fell to #4.
St. John Bosco moved from #3 to #2, while Corona Centennial moved from #4 to #3. Barring an upset this week in the CIF-Southern Section Pac-5 playoffs, the Braves and Huskies will meet in two weeks in the sectional championship game with the winner moving-on to face, in all likelihood, #8 De La Salle in California’s Open Division championship.
Not only did Bosco and Centennial move-up, but they closed the gap on #1 Allen (Texas), which won its 55th straight game Friday night, beating DeSoto 41-40. Allen has won three straight High School Football America “mythical” titles and has been on-top throughout the 2015 regular season after preseason #1 De La Salle lost to Euless Trinity during the opening week of the regular season. Allen began the preseason ranked #2.
With former #14 American Heritage (Plantation, Florida), former #19 Chandler (Arizona) and former #24 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) losing, we have three new entrants in the Top 25 — Wayne (Ohio) at #22, Webb City (Missouri) at #23 and Mission Viejo (California) at #24.
Colerain (Ohio) busted into the Top 10 at #10 with an impressive win over former #32 Elder. Up next for the Cardinals is new Top 25’er Wayne in the Ohio Division 1 state semis. The winner should get #6 St. Edward in the title game, if the Eagles win their semifinal match-up.
In Florida, St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) continues to rebound from its fall from #5 earlier this year. The Raiders, who moved from #17 to #15 this week, have an interesting match-up this week against Mater Academy, which is coached by Rocco Casullo, who left STA at the end of last season after leading the school to two state titles.
High School Football America Top 25
#1 Allen Eagles (Texas)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #1
Rewind: beat DeSoto (Texas) 41-40
Fast Forward: vs. Arlington Martin (Texas), Friday
#2 St. John Bosco Braves (California)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #3
Rewind: beat Loyola (California) 52-14
Fast Forward: vs. Bishop Amat (California), Friday
#3 Corona Centennial Huskies (California)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #4
Rewind: beat Orange Lutheran (California) 49-27
Fast Forward: at Mater Dei (California), Friday
#4 Bishop Gorman Gaels (Nevada)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #2
Rewind: beat Arbor View (Nevada) 28-10
Fast Forward: at Reed (Nevada), Saturday
#5 Colquitt County Packers (Georgia)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #5
Rewind: beat Central Gwinnett (Georgia) 62-14
Fast Forward: vs. South Forsyth (Georgia), Friday
#6 St. Edward Eagles (Ohio)
Record: (12-1)
Previous Rank: #6
Rewind: beat Euclid (Ohio) 33-0
Fast Forward: vs. Stow-Munroe Falls (Ohio), Saturday
#7 IMG Academy Ascenders (Florida)
Record: (9-0)
Previous Rank: #7
Fast Forward: Season Completed
#8 De La Salle Spartans (California)
Record: (10-1)
Previous Rank: #8
Rewind: beat California (California) 47-0
Fast Forward: vs. Pittsburg (California), Friday
#9 Katy Tigers (Texas)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #9
Rewind: beat Cypress Ranch (Texas) 77-0
Fast Forward: vs. Friendswood (Texas), Friday
#10 Colerain Cardinals (Ohio)
Record: (12-1)
Previous Rank: #11
Rewind: beat Elder (Ohio) 41-11
Fast Forward: vs. Wayne (Ohio), Saturday
#11 Center Grove Trojans (Indiana)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #10
Rewind: Idle
Fast Forward: vs. Penn (Indiana), 6A championship game, Saturday
#12 Male Bulldogs (Kentucky)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #12
Rewind: beat Trinity (Kentucky) 20-19
Fast Forward: vs. Central Hardin (Kentucky), Friday
#13 DeMatha Stags (Maryland)
Record: (11-1)
Previous: #13
Rewind: beat Good Counsel (Maryland) 48-17
Fast Forward: Season Completed
#14 Gilman Greyhounds (Maryland)
Record: (10-1)
Previous Rank: #15
Fast Forward: Season Completed
#15 St. Thomas Aquinas Raiders (Florida)
Record: (10-1)
Previous Rank: #17
Rewind: beat Dwyer (Florida) 24-7
Fast Forward: vs. Mater Academy Charter (Florida), Friday
#16 Clay-Chalkville Cougars (Alabama)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #16
Rewind: beat Minor (Alabama) 50-14
Fast Forward: vs. Austin (Alabama), Friday
#17 Maryville Rebels (Tennessee)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #18
Rewind: beat Blackman (Tennessee) 42-7
Fast Forward: vs. Oakland (Tennessee), Friday
#18 La Salle Lancers (Ohio)
Record: (11-2)
Previous Rank: #21
Rewind: beat King’s (Ohio) 49-13
Fast Forward: vs. Perrysburg (Ohio), Friday
#19 Cibolo Steele Knights (Texas)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: #20
Rewind: beat San Antonio Brennan (Texas) 62-13
Fast Forward: vs. Del Rio (Texas), Friday
#20 St. Joseph Regional Green Knights (Montvale, New Jersey)
Record: (8-3)
Previous Rank: #22
Rewind: beat St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) 37-27
Fast Forward: vs. #21 Don Bosco Prep (New Jersey), Non-Public Group 4 championship, December 4th
#21 Don Bosco Prep Ironmen (New Jersey)
Record: (8-3)
Previous Rank: #23
Rewind: beat #24 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey) 27-21
Fast Forward: vs. #20 St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey), Non-Public Group 4 championship, December 4th
#22 Wayne Warriors (Ohio)
Record: (13-0)
Previous Rank: #27
Rewind: beat Hilliard Davidson (Ohio) 20-6
Fast Forward: vs. #10 Colerain (Ohio), Saturday
#23 Webb City Cardinals (Missouri)
Record: (14-0)
Previous Rank: #26
Rewind: beat Central 35-14
Fast Forward: vs. Kearney (Missouri), Missouri Class 4 state championship, Friday
#24 Mission Viejo Diablos (California)
Record: (12-0)
Previous Rank: NR
Rewind: beat Murrieta Valley (California) 42-21
Fast Forward: at Chino Hills (California), Friday
#25 Mainland Buccaneers (Florida)
Record: (11-1)
Previous Rank: #25
Rewind: beat Heritage (Florida) 21-14
Fast Forward: vs. Miami Central (Florida), Friday
Dropped-out: #14 American Heritage (Plantation, Florida), #19 Chandler (Arizona), #24 Bergen Catholic (New Jersey)
Jeff Fisher’s Editor’s Note: For the third straight year, High School Football America is using its propriety algorithm for its in-season Top 25 national rankings.
