Lots of Points & Few Changes in MaxPreps Top 25

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Only one team in last week's MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 tasted defeat over the weekend.

Former #15 Archbishop Moeller dropped its first game of the season, a 26-24 loss to Indianapolis Cathedral (Indiana).  It's the second week in a row that an Ohio power has dropped out of the Top 25.  St. Edward got as high as #9 before losing two weeks ago to #1 Don Bosco Prep; this past weekend the Eagles dropped their second straight with a 17-10 loss at the hand's of Cincinnati's St. Xavier, another team that has spent some time in the Top 25 this year.

All-in-all, this past weekend could be characterized with exploding scoreboards.

Eleven teams in the Xcellent 25 scored 50 points or more, including Armwood, which crush Strawberry Crest 80-0.  In all, six teams (Bishop Gorman, Camden County, Hamilton, Katy, Lake Travis and Warren Central) topped 50 points; three (Bellevue, DeSoto, Mallard Creek) topped the 60-point mark, one topped 70 (Gaffney).

Pittsburgh Central Catholic (Pennsylvania) falls out of the Top 25 after a 13-7 win over Gateway.

Here's this week's MaxPreps Xcellent 25 from Steve Spiewak:

1. Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 5-0, LW: #1
2. Armwood (FL) 7-0, LW: #2
3. Trinity (KY) 8-0, LW: #3
4. Miramar (FL) 6-0, LW: #5
5. DeSoto (TX) 7-0, LW: #4
6. Katy (TX) 7-0, LW: #6
7. Gaffney (SC) 8-0, LW: #7
8. Good Counsel (MD) 7-0, LW: #8
9. Bishop Gorman (NV) 8-1, LW: #10
10. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 5-1, LW: #11
11. Allen (TX) 7-0, LW: #9
12. Mallard Creek (NC) 8-0, LW: #12
13. Buford (GA) 8-0, LW: #13
14. Grayson (GA) 7-0, LW: #14
15. Trinity (TX) 8-0, LW: #16
16. Warren Central (IN) 9-0, LW: #17
17. Bellevue (WA) 8-0, LW: #18
18. Central (FL) 5-0, LW: #20
19. Lake Travis (TX) 7-0, LW: #21
20. Camden County (GA) 7-0, LW: #22
21. Harrison (MI) 8-0, LW: #19
22. Mentor (OH) 8-0, LW: NR
23. Daphne (AL) 8-0, LW: #24
24. Hamilton (AZ) 8-0, LW: #25
25. University (FL) 8-0, LW: NR

No Change at Top of MaxPreps' Xcellent 25; Two New Teams Enter Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Last week, MaxPreps.com's senior national high school writer Steve Spiewak joined me on High School Football America's radio show to discuss which teams have the best shot at winning the 2011 national championships.

Steve mentioned that all of the Top 10 team's in his Xcellent 25 have a great shot, but he felt that St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) would be in great position, if it beat #10 De La Salle (California) last Friday.  The Raiders, who have won two national titles, rolled past the Spartans 30-6 before a national television audience on ESPN2, but stay at #5 in the latest rankings released today.

The top eight remain the same from last week's ratings, with Archbishop Moeller (Ohio) and Servite (California) entering the Xcellent 25.  Falling out after losses were De La Salle and #14 Prattville.

Click here listen to Steve's national rankings chat with me on High School Football America from September 22nd.

MaxPreps Xcellent 25

1. Don Bosco Prep (NJ) 3-0, LW: #1
2. Armwood (FL) 4-0, LW: #2
3. Trinity (KY) 5-0, LW: #3
4. Allen (TX) 4-0, LW: #4
5. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) 3-0, LW: #5
6. DeSoto (TX) 5-0, LW: #6
7. Katy (TX) 4-0, LW: #7
8. Gaffney (SC) 6-0, LW: #8
9. St. Edward (OH) 5-0, LW: #12
10. Good Counsel (MD) 4-0, LW: #9
11. Bishop Gorman (NV) 5-1, LW: #13
12. Farmington Hills Harrison (MI) 5-0, LW: #15
13. Mallard Creek (NC) 5-0, LW: #16
14. Buford (GA) 6-0, LW: #17
15. Trinity (TX) 5-0, LW: #11
16. Bellevue (WA) 4-0, LW: #20
17. Warren Central (IN) 6-0, LW: #18
18. Grayson (GA) 4-0, LW: #19
19. Lake Travis (TX) 5-0, LW: #21
20. Archbishop Moeller (OH) 5-0, LW: NR
21. McEachern (GA) 4-0, LW: #22
22. Camden County (GA) 4-0, LW: #24
23. Servite (CA) 4-0, LW: NR
24. Columbus (FL) 3-0, LW: #25
25. Union (OK) 4-0, LW: #23

MaxPreps.com's Releases Small Schools Top 25 Preseason Poll

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

When Steve Spiewak, MaxPreps' senior national high school football writer, joined me on last Thursday's High School Football America radio show, he talked about his Preseason Top 25 Early Contenders Poll, but he also talked about releasing a Small Schools Top 25.

I applauded him for his foresight, because I did a similar thing back in the mid-90s when working at the sports director at WFMZ-TV.

The reason I liked the idea then, and like it just as much now, is it gives all the schools a fair shake at getting attention...no matter what their size.  Plus, in Pennsylvania it took care of the argument of whether a top flight Class 4A or 3A team with one loss should be ranked behind an unbeaten Class 2A or 1A school.

But, the fact remains, there are a lot of top-notch small schools out there!

Take Buford High School in Georgia, which grabs Spiewak's #1 preseason ranking in the Small School Top 25.

The Wolves have won four straight state titles playing in Class AA, which is the state's second smallest of five classifications.  Buford also has won seven titles in the last 10-years.  One for the thumb may be possible for the Wolves with 10 starters back from last year's 13-1 squad.

Then there's #2 John Curtis and #5 Evangel Christian Academy from Louisiana.  These two will battle for the state's 2A crown this year, but prior to a change in the way Louisiana classified its private schools, these two were playing for 5A and 4A championships in 2004...and winning them!

So without further adieu, here's Steve's Small School Preseason:

1. Buford (GA)
2. John Curtis (LA)
3. University (FL)
4. Heritage Hall (OK)
5. Evangel Christian Academy (LA)
6. Escalon (CA)
7. New Boston (TX)
8. Sierra Canyon (CA)
9. Dillon (SC)
10. Ursuline (OH)
11. Trinity Catholic (FL)
12. Daingerfield (TX)
13. Tatum (TX)
14. West Catholic (PA)
15. Madison County (FL)
16. Dunbar (MD)
17. Pewitt (TX)
18. North Florida Christian (FL)
19. Aberdeen (MS)
20. Leroy (AL)
21. American Heritage (FL)
22. Calhoun (GA)
23. Gretna (VA)
24. Coldwater (OH)
25. St. Joseph (Hammonton, NJ)

Click here to read more on the entire poll.

MaxPreps.com's High School Football Preseason Top 25 Early Contenders

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

You know that the high school football season isn't far away when national rankings start coming-out!

Several weeks ago, MaxPreps.com beat everyone to the punch when Senior Football Editor Steve Spiewak released his Preseason Top 25 Early Contenders.

Spiewak will join me on Sunday's NHSCA Sports Hour to talk about the poll, and why Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, New Jersey), looks like its going to take another run at a "mythical" national championship. The Ironmen finished #1 in MaxPreps' Xcellent 25 Rankings in 2009.

Here's the MaxPreps.com 2011 Preseason Top 25 Early Contenders....

1. Don Bosco Prep (NJ)
2. Armwood (FL)
3. De La Salle (CA)
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL)
5. Allen (TX)
6. Prattville (AL)
7. Trinity (TX)
8. Pleasant Grove (CA)
9. St. Edward (OH)
10. Bishop Gorman (NV)
11. Katy (TX)
12. South Panola (MS)
13. Centennial (CA)
14. Glades Central (FL)
15. Good Counsel (MD)
16. Harrison (MI)
17. Dwyer (FL)
18. Warren Central (IN)
19. St. Xavier (OH)
20. Trinity (KY)
21. Aledo (TX)
22. Oaks Christian (CA)
23. Bellevue (WA)
24. Chaparral (AZ)
25. Grayson (GA)

Click here read more from Spiewak about each team

Click here to listen to Sunday's show LIVE

New SportsPower.com National High School Football Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

High School Football America has teamed-up with SportsPower.com to provide my readers with it's national and state-by-state high school football rankings.

SportsPower.com releases its new rankings every Tuesday. The ranking are broken into five catagories...Mega, Large, Mid, Small and Other.

Here are the latest rankings through October 18th

PrepNation.com - Week 2 High School Football Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Only two teams in the PrepNation.com National Prep Poll played last weekend, and with both South Panola (Batesville, MS) and Hamilton (Chandler, AZ) winning, there are no changes in the latest poll.

PrepNation.com National Prep Poll
Week 2


1. Euless Trinity (TX) 
2. Plant (Tampa, FL) 
3. Abilene (TX) 
4. Lake Travis (Austin, TX) 
5. South Panola (Batesville, MS) 1-0
6. Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) 
7. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 
8. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 
9. Grant (Sacramento, CA) 
10. Hoover (AL) 
11. Hamilton (Chandler, AZ) 1-0
12. Good Counsel (Olney, MD) 
13. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) 
14. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 
15. Servite (Anaheim, CA) 
16. West Monroe (LA) 
17. Phoebus (Hampton, VA) 
18. Camden County (Kingsland, GA) 
19. Stony Point (Round Rock, TX) 
20. Dorman (Roebuck, SC) 
21. Manatee (Bradenton, FL) 
22. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 
23. LaSalle College (Wyndmoor, PA) 
24. Mission Viejo (CA) 
25. Wheaton-Warrenville South (Wheaton, IL)