October 5, 2009
National Prep Football Poll - Week 8
By Jamie DeMoney


URBANDALE, Iowa -- Booker T. Washington (Miami) is back in the National Prep Poll Top 25 for the first time since the end of the 2007 season. The Tornadoes are ranked No. 16 after their 35-28 upset of then-No. 3 Miami Northwestern on Saturday.

It's a similar story for No. 21 Northside (Warner Robins, Ga.), which also returns to the national poll for the first since '07. The Eagles knocked off previous No. 4-ranked Lowndes (Valdosta), 10-7.

Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.) is in at No. 24 one week after defeating Ohio power St. Xavier (Cincinnati). The Bluebirds' rankings resume was upgraded significantly when St. Xavier knocked off then-No. 12 Elder (Cincinnati) over the weekend.

The final spot in this week's Top 25 goes to two-time defending Washington 4A champion Skyline (Sammamish). The Spartans' only loss this season was September 18 to California's top-ranked team, No. 8 Oaks Christian, 28-25.

The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by high school sports journalist Jamie DeMoney with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The national Top 25 and regional Top 10's follow with won-loss records:

# School Record Note LW
1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas 4-0 beat No. 2 Byrnes, 42-34, on ESPNU 1

2. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes 5-1 nine-game win streak vs. out-of-state opponents snapped 2

3. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep 3-0 28 straight wins against in-state foes 5

4. Miami, Fla., Central 5-0 42-point average win margin 8

5. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius 6-0 edged previously unbeaten Massillon, 26-21 6

6. Cedar Hill, Texas 5-0 led by Texas-bound LB Aaron Benson 7

7. Lakeland, Fla. 4-0 has beaten No. 1 Aquinas in 5A state final three times since '04 9

8. Westlake Village, Calif., Oaks Christian 4-0 Malcolm Jones 332 rushing yards vs. Venice 11

9. Dallas, Texas, Skyline 5-0 drubbed Molina, 65-0 14

10. Loganville, Ga., Grayson 6-0 three shutouts this season 18

11. Peoria, Ariz., Centennial 6-0 averaging 46 points per game 13

12. Huntington Beach, Calif., Edison 5-0 beat area-ranked Mater Dei, 36-29 in double-OT 15

13. Round Rock, Texas, Stony Point 5-0 12 straight regular season wins 16

14. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha 5-0 plays regionally ranked Good Counsel Friday 17

15. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith 5-0 blasted Hickory, 63-3 19

16. Miami, Fla., Booker T. Washington 5-0 beat then-No. 3 Miami Northwestern, 35-28 NR

17. Jenks, Okla. 5-0 seeks 10th state crown in 14 years 20

18. River Ridge, La., John Curtis 4-0 23 straight wins against La. foes 21

19. Charlotte, N.C., Independence 7-0 won by 26 with soph backup QB 22

20. Denver, Colo., Mullen 5-0 defending 5A champion 25

21. Warner Robins, Ga., Northside 5-0 beat then-No. 4 Lowndes, 10-7 NR

22. Hampton, Va., Phoebus 5-0 needed last-second FG to avoid upset 23

23. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South 6-0 extended win streak to 20 games 24


24. Fort Thomas, Ky., Highlands 7-0 seven state titles last 13 years NR

25. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline 4-1 only loss to No. 8 Oaks Christian NR


Northeast Region
1. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep (3-0) (1)
2. Lansdale, Pa., North Penn (5-0) (2)
3. Harrisburg, Pa., Bishop McDevitt (5-0) (3)
4. Monroeville, Pa., Gateway (5-0) (4)
5. Philadelphia, Pa., Saint Josephs Prep (4-1) (5)
6. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional (3-0) (6)
7. McKeesport, Pa. (4-1) (7)
8. Jersey City, N.J., St. Peter's (2-1) (8)
9. Oradell, N.J., Bergen Catholic (3-1) --
10. Central Valley, N.Y., Monroe-Woodbury (5-0) (10)


East Coast Region
1. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes (5-1) (1)
2. Hyattsville, Md., DeMatha (5-0) (2)
3. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith (5-0) (3)
4. Charlotte, N.C., Independence (7-0) (4)
5. Hampton, Va., Phoebus (5-0) (5)
6. Olney, Md., Good Counsel (5-0) (6)
7. Matthews, N.C., Butler (5-0) (7)
8. Rock Hill, S.C. (6-0) (8)
9. Frederick, Md., Linganore (5-0) (9)
10. Fairfax, Va., Robinson (5-0) (10)


Southeast Region
1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) (1)
2. Miami, Fla., Central (5-0) (4)
3. Lakeland, Fla. (4-0) (5)
4. Loganville, Ga., Grayson (6-0) (6)
5. Miami, Fla., Booker T. Washington (5-0) --
6. River Ridge, La., John Curtis (4-0) (7)
7. Warner Robins, Ga., Northside (5-0) --
8. Jacksonville, Fla., Bolles (4-0) (8)
9. Madison, Miss., Madison Central (6-0) (9)
10. Memphis, Tenn., Memphis University (6-0) (10)


Midwest Region
1. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius (6-0) (1)
2. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South (6-0) (3)
3. Fort Thomas, Ky., Highlands (7-0) (4)
4. Cleveland, Ohio, Glenville (5-1) (5)
5. Cincinnati, Ohio, St. Xavier (5-1) (7)
6. Cincinnati, Ohio, Moeller (6-0) (6)
7. Chicago, Ill., St. Rita (6-0) --
8. Indianapolis, Ind., Cathedral (6-1) (8)
9. Dublin, Ohio, Coffman (6-0) (9)
10. Massillon, Ohio, Washington (5-1) --


Midlands Region
1. Denver, Colo., Mullen (5-0) (1)
2. Hutchinson, Kan. (5-0) (2)
3. Plymouth, Minn., Wayzata (5-0) (3)
4. South Jordan, Utah, Bingham (6-1) (4)
5. Eden Prairie, Minn. (5-0) (5)
6. Florissant, Mo., Hazelwood Central (6-0) (6)
7. Omaha, Neb., Millard South (6-0) (8)
8. Iowa City, Iowa, City High (6-0) (7)
9. West Des Moines, Iowa, Dowling Catholic (6-0) (9)
10. Kansas City, Mo., Rockhurst (4-2) (10)


Southwest Region
1. Cedar Hill, Texas (5-0) (1)
2. Peoria, Ariz., Centennial (6-0) (2)
3. Dallas, Texas, Skyline (5-0) (3)
4. Round Rock, Texas, Stony Point (5-0) (4)
5. Jenks, Okla. (5-0) (5)
6. The Woodlands, Texas (5-0) (6)
7. Katy, Texas (4-1) (7)
8. Tulsa, Okla., Union (4-1) (8)
9. Houston, Texas, North Shore (4-1) (9)
10. Tyler, Texas, John Tyler (5-0) (10)


West Coast Region
1. Westlake Village, Calif., Oaks Christian (4-0) (2)
2. Huntington Beach, Calif., Edison (5-0) (3)
3. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline (4-1) (4)
4. Anaheim, Calif., Servite (4-1) (5)
5. Mission Viejo, Calif. (5-0) (6)
6. Sacramento, Calif., Grant (5-0) (7)
7. Oceanside, Calif. (4-0) (8)
8. Los Angeles, Calif., Crenshaw (5-0) (9)
9. Kahuku, Hawaii (7-0) (10)
10. Lakewood, Calif. (4-1) --



Dropped out: No. 3 Miami, Northwestern (3-1); No. 4 Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes (5-1); No. 10 Ventura, Calif., St. Bonaventure (4-1); No. 12 Cincinnati, Elder (5-1). Northeast: No. 9 Wayne, N.J., Wayne Hills (3-1). Midwest: No. 10 Novi, Mich., Catholic Central (6-0).

FEATS OF THE WEEK: Top-ranked Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Aquinas defeated No. 2 Duncan, S.C., Byrnes, 42-34, before an estimated 15,000 fans at Lockhart Stadium and an ESPNU television audience. It was the first-ever meeting between the No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams in the National Prep Poll. Aquinas extended its winning streak to 28 games -- including three out-of-state wins -- despite being outgained by nearly a 2-to-1 margin. A kickoff and fumble recovery returned for touchdowns provided the margin of victory for the opportunistic Raiders. Byrnes quarterback Chas Dodd (Rutgers) threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns in a losing effort . . . The nation's second longest active win streak among 11-man teams ended when regionally ranked Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph's edged Wayne, Wayne Hills, 17-15. The Patriots had won 55 consecutive games dating back to the 2004 season. Smith Center, Kan., which defeated Ellis, 16-10, owns the longest current streak (72) . . . Just as the NFL record book is littered with the name Brett Favre, the Mississippi state high school record book now similarly features his nephew, Dylan Favre. The senior from Bay St. Louis, Miss., St. Stanislaus became the state's all-time leader in passing yardage (9,419) and passing touchdowns (108) in a 42-21 defeat of Leakesville, Greene County. Favre already owned the state record for passing touchdowns in a season (45) and passing yards in a single game.



This is Jamie DeMoney's 10th year compiling the World Features Syndicate/Associated Press National Prep Poll. He has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years and compiled the National Prep Poll since 1999. DeMoney has also compiled high school football and basketball rankings for Sporting News, School Sports, and RISE. DeMoney was managing editor of American Football Monthly and assistant national editor of All-Stater Sports/Highwired Sports. DeMoney is a graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism, and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

About the National Prep Poll: Compiled weekly weekly since 1987 and distributed by World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press, the National Prep Poll is the nation's second oldest weekly high school sports rankings. Doug Huff of ESPN RISE compiled the rankings from 1987 until 1999. Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season. The National Prep Poll is the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and Web sites around the United States by the Associated Press national wire service. The National Prep Poll is the first high school football and boys basketball poll to released in the preseason and during each week of the regular season. Criteria considered for the National Prep Poll rankings are strength of schedule, the ability to accomplish the ultimate goal on a team's schedule (i.e. winning a championship), impact players and performers, a team's coaching and recent tradition.

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October 6, 2008
National Prep Football Poll - Week 8
By Jamie DeMoney

Once again, the National Prep Poll is the FIRST "human" poll released each week and during the preseason.


KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Week 8 National Prep Football Poll features a pair of teams making their season Top 25 debuts.

No. 15 Louisville (Ky.) St. Xavier entered the national rankings for the first time since last season. The Tigers beat arch rival Louisville Trinity, 30-6, in front over 38,000 fans at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. Trinity, the defending 6A champion, was ranked No. 13 in last week's poll.

No. 21 Olney (Md.) Good Counsel also moved into the Top 25 after beating its main rival. The Falcons defeated DeMatha, 42-21, in a game televised by ESPN2. DeMatha has won five consecutive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships, with four of the championship game wins coming against Good Counsel.


The National Prep Football Poll is compiled by high school sports journalist Jamie DeMoney with input from sportswriters, experts, and coaches. The preseason national Top 25 with expanded regional Top 25's follow with won-loss-tie records:


# School Record Note LW
1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas 4-0-0 state finalist 11 of last 17 years 1

2. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes 6-0-0 thumped defending Fla. 2B champ Pahokee, 38-12, on ESPNU 2

3. Euless, Texas, Trinity 5-0-0 500-plus total yards in 45-3 rout of Fossil Ridge 3

4. Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes 6-0-0 beat back-to-back 4A champ Northside, 24-7 4

5. Batesville, Miss., South Panola 6-0-0 topped state-ranked Olive Branch, 21-13 5

6. Corona, Calif., Centennial 4-0-0 QB Taylor Martinez a Nebraska recruit 6

7. Seffner, Fla., Armwood 5-0-0 only one TD allowed this season 7

8. Monroeville, Pa., Gateway 6-0-0 led by Ohio St.-bound LB Dorian Bell 8

9. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith 6-0-0 average win margin is 45-6 9

10. Long Beach, Calif., Poly 4-0-0 74 consecutive league wins 10

11. Houston, Texas, North Shore 3-0-0 state-record 73 straight regular season wins 11

12. Bastrop, La. 4-0-0 DT DeQuinta Jones committed to Michigan 12

13. Cleveland, Ohio, Glenville 7-0-0 league game win streak at 76 14

14. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline 5-0-0 has outscored foes 216-8 15

15. Louisville, Ky., St. Xavier 5-0-0 whipped then-No. 13 Trinity, 30-6 NR

16. Kingsland, Ga., Camden County 5-0-0 no foe has scored over 17 points last two seasons 16

17. Lakeland, Fla. 5-0-0 beat state-ranked Killian, 27-21 17

18. Ventura, Calif., St. Bonaventure 4-0-0 next plays No. 10 Poly 18

19. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius 6-1-0 only loss to No. 13 Glenville 20

20. Gaithersburg, Md., Quince Orchard 5-0-0 defending 4A titlist 22

21. Olney, Md., Good Counsel 5-0-0 beat rival DeMatha, 42-21, on ESPN2 NR

22. Ashburn, Va., Stone Bridge 6-0-0 average win margin is 42 points 21

23. Carmel, Ind. 7-0-0 beat then-unbeaten Warren Central, 31-17 24

24. Maryville, Tenn. 7-0-0 130-9 record during last 10 seasons 23

25. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South 6-0-0 averaging 50 points per game 25


Northeast Region
1. Monroeville, Pa., Gateway (6-0) (1)
2. Ramsey, N.J., Don Bosco Prep (3-1-0) (2)
3. Lansdale, Pa., North Penn (6-0-0) (4)
4. Montvale, N.J., St. Joseph Regional (3-0-0) (5)
5. Rochester, N.Y., Aquinas (5-0-0) (6)
6. Philadelphia, Pa., Cardinal O'Hara (6-0-0) (7)
7. Somerville, N.J., Immaculata (4-0-0) (8)
8. Bethel Park, Pa. (6-0-0) (9)
9. Oradell, N.J., Bergen Catholic (4-0-0) (10)
10. Harrisburg, Pa., Bishop McDevitt (6-0-0) --


East Coast Region
1. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes (6-0) (1)
2. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith (6-0-0) (2)
3. Gaithersburg, Md., Quince Orchard (5-0-0) (4)
4. Olney, Md., Good Counsel (5-0-0) (5)
5. Ashburn, Va., Stone Bridge (6-0-0) (3)
6. Hampton, Va., Phoebus (6-0-0) (6)
7. Charlotte, N.C., Independence (4-0-0) (7)
8. Roebuck, S.C., Dorman (6-0-0) (8)
9. Rock Hill, S.C., South Pointe (6-0-0) (9)
10. Matthews, N.C., Butler (5-0-0) --


Southeast Region
1. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) (1)
2. Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes (6-0-0) (2)
3. Batesville, Miss., South Panola (6-0-0) (3)
4. Seffner, Fla., Armwood (5-0-0) (4)
5. Bastrop, La. (4-0-0) (5)
6. Kingsland, Ga., Camden County (5-0-0) (6)
7. Lakeland, Fla. (5-0-0) (7)
8. Maryville, Tenn. (7-0-0) (8)
9. River Ridge, La., John Curtis (4-1-0) --
10. Deerfield Beach, Fla. (4-0-0) --


Midwest Region
1. Cleveland, Ohio, Glenville (7-0) (1)
2. Louisville, Ky., St. Xavier (5-0-0) --
3. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius (6-1-0) (4)
4. Carmel, Ind. (7-0-0) (5)
5. Park Ridge, Ill., Maine South (6-0-0) (6)
6. Cincinnati, Ohio, Elder (6-1-0) (7)
7. Greenwood, Ind., Center Grove (6-1-0) (8)
8. Hartland, Wis., Arrowhead (6-0-0) (9)
9. Grand Rapids, Mich., East Grand Rapids (6-0-0) --
10. Wheaton, Ill., Wheaton-Warrenville South (6-0-0) --


Midlands Region
1. Blue Springs, Mo. (6-0) (1)
2. Kansas City, Mo., Rockhurst (5-1-0) (2)
3. Provo, Utah, Timpview (6-0-0) (3)
4. West Des Moines, Iowa, Valley (6-0-0) (4)
5. Eden Prairie, Minn. (6-0-0) (5)
6. Aurora, Colo., Grandview (6-0-0) (6)
7. Plymouth, Minn., Wayzata (6-0-0) (7)
8. Littleton, Colo., Columbine (6-0-0) (8)
9. Murray, Utah, Cottonwood (7-0-0) (9)
10. Omaha, Neb., Creighton Prep (6-0-0) (10)


Southwest Region
1. Euless, Texas, Trinity (5-0) (1)
2. Houston, Texas, North Shore (3-0-0) (2)
3. Plano, Texas (6-0-0) (3)
4. Abilene, Texas (6-0-0) (5)
5. Southlake, Texas, Carroll (4-0-0) (6)
6. The Woodlands, Texas (4-0-0) (9)
7. Allen, Texas (4-1-0) (7)
8. Peoria, Ariz., Centennial (5-0-0) (4)
9. Norman, Okla., North (5-0-0) (8)
10. Reno, Nev., McQueen (5-0-0) --


West Coast Region
1. Corona, Calif., Centennial (4-0) (1)
2. Long Beach, Calif., Poly (4-0-0) (2)
3. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline (5-0-0) (3)
4. Ventura, Calif., St. Bonaventure (4-0-0) (4)
5. Mission Viejo, Calif. (5-0-0) (5)
6. San Jose, Calif., Bellarmine Prep (4-0-0) (6)
7. Encino, Calif., Crespi (3-1-0) (8)
8. Oceanside, Calif. (4-0-0) (9)
9. Bellevue, Wash. (5-0-0) (10)
10. Lake Oswego, Ore. (5-0-0) --



Dropped out: Top 25: No. 13 Louisville, Ky., Trinity (4-1-0); No. 19 Cincinnati, Colerain (6-1-0). Northeast: No. 3 Everett, Mass. (4-1-0). East Coast: No. 10 Rock Hill, S.C., Northwestern (5-1-0). Southeast: No. 9 Warner Robins, Ga., Northside (5-1-0); No. 10 Apopka, Fla. (4-1-0). Midwest: No. 10 Chicago, St. Rita (5-1-0). Southwest: No. 10 Broken Arrow, Okla. (4-1-0). West Coast: No. 7 Santa Ana, Calif., Mater Dei (3-2-0).

FEATS OF THE WEEK: No. 11 Houston, North Shore set a new Texas record by winning its 73rd consecutive regular season game. The Mustangs beat Lufkin, 28-21, in the first game played since having their season delayed three weeks due to the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. In the process, North Shore stopped Lufkin's 27-game home winning streak . . . Nick Finger of Millbrook, N.Y., ran 41 times for 485 yards and set a new single-game state record for points scored. The senior running back had eight touchdowns and added five two-point conversions for a total of 58 points in a 66-57 defeat of Grahamsville, Tri-Valley . . . According to the Arizona Republic, Jeremiah Cornist of Avondale, La Joya set a Class 5A state single-game rushing record in a 42-41 defeat of Surprise, Valley Vista. The senior quarterback had 380 rushing yards on 24 carries with five rushing touchdowns and another score through the air . . . Regionally ranked Provo, Timpview set a Utah record with its 29th consecutive win. The Thunderbirds walloped Tooele, 40-7, in their 22nd win by 20 points or greater during the streak . . . A crowd of 38,872 at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium watched Louisville, Ky., St. Xavier upset then-No. 13 Louisville, Trinity, 30-6, in one of America's top rivalry games. Senior running back Deuce Finch led the Tigers with 152 rushing yards and one touchdown.
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PrepNation.com - September 19, 2008 10:40 PM
Week 5 National Prep Poll Scoreboard
PrepNation.com



Week 5 National Prep Poll Scoreboard
# Ranked Team Opponent

1. Euless, Texas, Trinity 24 No. 21 Allen 14
Reserve shows plenty as Trinity outlasts Allen, 24-14

Saturday, September 20, 2008

By KEITH WHITMIRE / The Dallas Morning News
kwhitmire@dallasnews.com

ALLEN Euless Trinity has a wealth of talented seniors, but a sophomore shouldered much of the load in Friday's 24-14 win over Allen.

With senior running back Dontrayevous Robinson, who is orally committed to Nebraska, in street clothes because of an undisclosed injury, sophomore Tevin Williams became the primary option for the area's No. 1 team.

Williams carried 30 times for 179 yards and two touchdowns as Trinity held off Allen, ranked No. 4 in the 5A area rankings.

"[There was] not much nervousness, it was just being able to get an opportunity, coaches believing in me," Williams said. "I just had to go out there and do my job."

Williams' first touchdown gave Trinity (3-0) a 7-0 lead. Trinity, No. 1 in several national rankings, never trailed.

Williams' second touchdown came on a critical fourth-down call from the 2-yard line to give Trinity a 17-7 lead.

Trinity managed just one more score in the second half. Williams got 16 of his carries in the second half with Allen threatening to pull within a touchdown.

"We like Tevin. We like his maturity," Trinity coach Steve Lineweaver said. "The important thing he does is hang on to the football."

Williams' performance was crucial because Trinity's passing game, a key component in its first two wins, wasn't quite as sharp. Quarterback Denarius McGhee was 4-of-9 passing for 77 yards with an interception that led to Allen's first touchdown.

Allen quarterback Matt Brown had his own struggles through the air with two second-half interceptions. The first interception came on second-and-goal in the fourth quarter and was a huge momentum shift.

Allen (3-1) scored on its previous drive to cut the lead to 10, then forced Trinity to punt for the first time.

Trinity opened the second half with an 11-play touchdown drive to pull ahead, 24-7. It was a drive that would normally set the tone for a classic Trinity win, but Allen answered with its own 13-play scoring drive.

Jeremiah Williams, who finished with 89 yards, converted a fourth down with a 3-yard carry to keep the drive alive. Williams finished off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown.
Staff writer Matt Baker contributed to this report.

2. Fort Lauderdale, Fla., St. Thomas Aquinas Idle. Next: Sept. 26 at South Plantation

3. Duncan, S.C., Byrnes 38 Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln 0

4. Valdosta, Ga., Lowndes 51 Colquitt County 0

September 20, 2008 -
The states No. 1 ranked team in Class AAAAA took its first step toward a possible second-consecutive Region 1-AAAAA crown Friday night in impressive fashion.
For the Vikings, it was a step which carried on for 383 yards of total offense, leading to a 51-0 victory against Colquitt County.

Lowndes dominates Packers
By Bryan Fazio
The Valdosta Daily Times

VALDOSTA The states No. 1 ranked team in Class AAAAA took its first step toward a possible second-consecutive Region 1-AAAAA crown Friday night in impressive fashion.


For the Vikings, it was a step which carried on for 383 yards of total offense, leading to a 51-0 victory against Colquitt County.

Colquitt County and its heralded coach Rush Probst came in to Martin Stadium as a gun-slinging team, relying on the pass first to move the ball.

The Vikings defense stymied the Packers (1-3, 0-1 in Region 1-AAAAA) passing game, as Colquitt County threw for just 57 yards in the first half and 18 in the second.

It was a thoroughly dominating performance by the Vikings (4-0, 1-0), as big defensive plays led to scores in the first half, special teams picked up its play in the second and the junior varsity team performed well in the games closing quarter.

Its a great way to start out, Lowndes Coach Randy McPherson said. Im just so proud of the players. Our coaches had them ready to go, and the game plan worked great.

Colquitt County attempted to throw a wrench in the game plan early, as the Packers used the opening kick-off for a successful on-sides kick, but the Vikings defense showed why it has allowed just seven points throughout four games.

On Colquitt Countys second possession, quarterback John Michael Harrison looked to pass on third-and-six from his own 48-yard line but was met by Lowndes defensive lineman Chris Stinson.

Stinson dropped Harrison for four yards, picking up his first of two sacks adding to a total of three for the Vikings.

The Vikings looked to protect themselves from the pass all evening, leaving a three-man rush to contend with the Packers offensive line much of the night, and was still successful.

Most of the time we didnt rush but three guys, McPherson said. And we were still getting pressure.

Stinsons first sack led to a drive of big plays for the Vikings as Khary Franklin had a run of 13 yards, Tyler Hunter rushed for 23 yards and Greg Reid tallied 28. The four plays totaling 70 yards led to a 1-yard touchdown run by Hunter.

On the Packers next drive, the Vikings defense came up with a big play again, this time Gerald Demps caused a fumble by Traivon Littleton which was picked up by Stinson. On their ensuing drive, the Vikings made the mistake count when Reid scampered 25 yards for the score.

Reid finished the game with 70 yards on seven carries, and two touchdowns, including a 46-yard punt return in the third quarter.

Colquitt County fumbled the ball a total of four times, giving it to the Vikings three times.


5. Batesville, Miss., South Panola 28 No. 18 Apopka 18

Tigers run win streak to 79 by topping Florida's No. 1 team
Rod Walker rwalker@clarionledger.com September 20, 2008

BATESVILLE - South Panola's nation's best winning streak reached 79 games Friday.

And the top-ranked Tigers made a statement to the rest of the country in the process.

Playing before a live ESPNU audience, South Panola defeated Apopka High of Florida 28-18 in a matchup of two nationally ranked teams.

"It's monumental," said South Panola coach Lance Pogue. "They are the No. 1 6A team in Florida and they have 3,500 kids and we have 1,200. We wanted to take a challenge on. Anybody who saw this game knows they are an outstanding team with a lot of weapons. I told the players before we took the field that we were holding the flag for the state of Mississippi tonight, and I feel like we represented the state well."

South Panola, ranked No. 18 by USA Today and No. 16 by Rivals.com, improved to 4-0. Apopka, ranked No. 14 by Rivals, fell to 2-1.

"I think around the rest of the country, Mississippi football may go under-appreciated," said Jeff Zillgitt, a USA Today reporter who covered the game. "To see Mississippi's top team beat one of the best teams in Florida makes a big statement. Especially to see South Panola use their power game, mixed in with a little finesse."

Junior running back Nicholas Parker carried the bulk of the load for the Tigers, who haven't lost since Dec. 6, 2002. Parker, who replaced 2007 Mr. Football Tig Barksdale in the backfield this season, finished with a career-high 242 yards and scored all four touchdowns.

"I sort of felt like Tig out there for a minute," Parker said. "But it was all the offensive line. We just wanted to play South Panola football and just run it."

After a scoreless first quarter, the Tigers and Blue Darters gave the estimated crowd of 8,500 an offensive show in the seesaw second quarter, when the two teams combined for 39 points.

Parker scored on a pair of 59-yard runs and a 1-yard run in the quarter and finished the first half with 168 yards rushing. His 1-yard score on the final play of the half, coming on a second effort after he appeared to be stopped, gave the Tigers a 21-18 lead.

Apopka's do-everything senior Jeremy Gallon, who has verbally committed to Michigan, threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another in the quarter.

Gallon finished with 160 yards rushing and passed for another 132, but a stingy South Panola defense stymied the Blue Darters QB in the second half.

"South Panola's a great team and they deserve everything they get," said Apopka coach Rick Darlington. "You can tell why they've won all those championships."

Parker's 71-yard TD gallop with 9 minutes, 22 seconds left in the game helped put the Darters away.

"Nick is just a phenomenal running back and he had a lot of big plays and bailed out out numerous times," said SP's Pogue, whose team scored twice after forcing Apopka turnovers.

"This win means a whole lot," said David Conner, SP's Dandy Dozen linebacker. "The whole state of Mississippi was rooting for us. We had the whole state of Mississippi on our backs and we wanted to bring it home for them."

While SP threw the ball more than past years in its first three games this season, the Tigers went back to their old, proven formula Friday.

Most of their damage came on the ground, but quarterback David Renfroe did connect on a 73-yard pass to Xavier Lee late in the first half to set up Parker's 1-yard run, the TD that proved to be the winning points.


6. Monroeville, Pa., Gateway 44 Penn-Trafford 8

Gateway steamrolls Penn-Trafford
By Michael Love, FOR THE TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, September 20, 2008

Gateway's high-powered offense -- featuring a lethal running attack and a quick-strike passing game -- was too much for Penn-Trafford Friday night.

The Warriors trailed the Gators, 41-0, at halftime and suffered a 44-8 loss at Pete Antimarino Stadium.

The game marked the return of the Victory Bell, an old steam-engine bell originally contested for by the former Trafford and Pitcairn high schools from 1924 to 1957.

Trafford became part of what is now Penn-Trafford in 1974, and Pitcairn merged into Gateway High School in 1958.

Numerous alumni from Trafford and Pitcairn high schools were on hand to celebrate.

The Gators, ranked No. 1 in Class AAAA in the WPIAL and the state, as well as No. 3 in the nation by USA Today, outgained Penn-Trafford, 351-81, in the first half.

"Gateway has a lot of weapons, and we just couldn't stop any of them," Penn-Trafford coach Art Tragesser said. "Their defense didn't allow us to get anything going offensively. We couldn't sustain drives the way we needed to."

Warriors senior quarterback Mike Brown completed 2 of 5 passes for 17 yards. He was intercepted once. Junior Matt Hyland also took snaps for Penn-Trafford and was 6-of-7 for 40 yards.

The Warriors (1-3, 1-1 Quad South) avoided the shutout in the fourth quarter, as reserve running back Christian Bosco scored from 10 yards out.

Senior Dan Puder led all Penn-Trafford runners with 34 yards on seven carries.

The Warriors finished the game with 212 yards of total offense.

Both teams began pulling their starters midway through the third quarter.

Junior quarterback Rob Kalkstein completed 13 of 18 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns for Gateway (4-0, 2-0). Two of the TD passes went to Ohio State recruit Corey Brown, who had four catches for 106 yards.

Senior tailback Brian Williams scored twice for the Gators on runs of 9 and 44 yards and finished with 94 yards on five carries.

Penn-Trafford senior tailback Jordan Curry broke his left hand in practice this week and was limited to a few plays on defense Friday. The hand was heavily protected, and Tragesser said he's not sure if and when Curry will be able to return to carrying the ball on offense.

Also, junior offensive lineman Zach Baker suffered a leg injury during Friday's game and was on crutches as the teams left the field following the game.

Penn-Trafford will look to bounce back next Friday as it hosts Connellsville at 7:30 p.m.

"We'll see what kind of character we have this week as we prepare for Connellsville," Tragesser said. "There's still a lot of football left to be played."



7. Seffner, Fla., Armwood 41 Brandon 0

8. Concord, Calif., De La Salle 27 Loyola 21

Eric Sondheimer:
Lori Shepler / Los Angeles Times

Loyola quarterback Stephen Rokus turns the corner for a big gain against De La Salle in the first quarter Saturday night.

September 21, 2008
There was disbelief, if not shock, from Los Angeles Loyola players as they left the field Saturday night trying to figure out how Concord De La Salle was able to rally for a 27-21 victory at Glendale High.

The Cubs (2-1), ranked No. 17 by The Times, did just about everything needed to win. They had no turnovers, committed few penalties and received 213 yards rushing and three touchdowns from Anthony Barr.

"We put together a plan and executed," Loyola Coach Jeff Kearin said.

The Cubs held a 21-19 lead with just over four minutes left and had consumed almost eight minutes of clock while driving from their own 20 to the De La Salle 16. Out came kicker Mauricio Alfonso to attempt a 33-yard field goal.

The kick came up short, and Derek Perio picked up the ball at the goal line and returned it 75 yards to the Loyola 25. Three plays later, quarterback Blake Wayne scored the winning touchdown on a one-yard run with 2:46 left, his third touchdown of the night.

It was another example of how De La Salle (2-0) once won 151 consecutive games -- by taking advantage of opportunities whenever they present themselves.

"That was pretty crazy," Kearin said. "It all comes down to they're a great team. All they needed was a crack in the dam."

Said Perio: "I was thinking, if this is short, I'm going to get it and make something of it. Our team just stepped up big time."

Loyola's defense was magnificent at times. The Cubs put together a goal-line stand in the second quarter in which three times De La Salle tried to run the ball in from the one-yard line and couldn't score.

And then there was Barr, a 6-foot-4, 223-pound junior with scholarship offers from USC, UCLA and Notre Dame. He carried the ball 30 times and scored touchdowns on runs of 35, six and one yard.

Last season at De La Salle, Loyola lost, 55-14. The Cubs are much improved, but the question is how the team will react to this loss.

"We're going to build on this," Kearin said. "We came back from the De La Salle drubbing a better team, and we're better after this."

Next up for Loyola is another tough nonleague game Friday against unbeaten Bellflower St. John Bosco.

Loyola jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on two Barr touchdown runs. The Spartans started to shut down Barr and open up their offense. Wayne completed a 19-yard touchdown pass to Michael Dosen on the first play of the second quarter to close to 14-7.

With just over a minute left before halftime, Wayne ran three yards for a touchdown on fourth down but the extra-point attempt failed, leaving Loyola ahead, 14-13.

9. Corona, Calif., Centennial 47 WC No. 7 Mater Dei 35

Eric Sondheimer:
A high school football thriller in Santa Ana

There's something quite offensive about Mater Dei, Corona Centennial squaring off, as Centennial comes away with a 47-35 victory.
Eric Sondheimer
September 20, 2008

It was exhausting and exhilarating sitting in the press box at Santa Ana Stadium on Friday night trying to keep track of every touchdown and every game-changing moment of another high school football classic involving Santa Ana Mater Dei and Corona Centennial.

In the end, No. 2-ranked Centennial (2-0) played effective defense in the second half against USC-bound quarterback Matt Barkley and relied on a four-touchdown performance from running back Arthur Burns to come away with a 47-35 victory over No. 3 Mater Dei (2-1).

These two teams combined for a state-record 1,302 yards last season when Mater Dei won, 51-37, but this one was at times crazier and more entertaining because of the big plays.

There was a 97-yard kickoff return by Ario Winston of Mater Dei. There was a 96-yard kickoff return by Ricky Marvray of Centennial. There was a 76-yard touchdown reception by Victor Blackwell of Mater Dei. Back and forth it went, with fans enthralled.

The game was producing so many memorable moments on offense that Mater Dei's 270-pound center, Bryan Kiernan, decided he needed some attention, so he intervened in the strangest play of the night, catching a screen pass from Barkley and running as if he were a running back. Mater Dei was penalized for an illegal catch.

Centennial held a 33-28 halftime lead on the strength of two touchdowns and 108 yards rushing from Burns, a 5-foot-10, 215-pound senior running back. He finished with 234 rushing.

The frantic first half was followed by a mostly quiet third quarter in which Centennial took control of the game with a 68-yard scoring drive on its first possession, with Burns scoring from the three for a 40-28 advantage.

One of Centennial's most dynamic players was Marvray, a senior receiver who has committed to UCLA. Besides displaying his speed on kickoff returns, he caught seven passes for 90 yards and delivered a crunching block that cleared the way for a 42-yard run by Burns.

College recruiters won't be waiting long to go after another receiver in this game, Blackwell, a quick sophomore who had receptions of 42, 76 and 20 yards.

There has never been a better time for bringing together top teams in non-league games. There's no more ducking tough opponents for football teams that aspire to be the best.

Credit the CIF state championship bowl games and the emphasis on strength of schedule in the selection process for forcing coaches to stop loading up on cupcake opponents.

It has helped create the excitement associated with top teams facing off long before the playoffs begin, such as Friday night's matchups of Centennial and Mater Dei and No. 4 Encino Crespi beating No. 6 Anaheim Servite, 21-20.

Next week, it's No. 7 Ventura St. Bonaventure (3-0) taking on the Celts (3-0). In three weeks, it's No. 1 Long Beach Poly playing St. Bonaventure. These are terrific matchups fueled by programs seeking recognition and respect.

Centennial's victory has huge bowl-game implications. By beating a team the stature of Mater Dei, the Huskies control their destiny. If they win out, they'll be a definite choice for the new open division bowl game or the Division I bowl.

And where does Centennial keep coming up with offensive standouts? Ryan Bass, the team's touchdown machine last season who gained 328 yards and scored four times against Mater Dei, has moved on to Arizona, and his replacement, Burns, was breaking tackles and carrying defenders all night.

eric.sondheimer@latimes.com


10. Houston, Texas, North Shore vs. LaMarque (canceled). Next: Sept. 27 at SW No. 6 Southlake Carroll

11. Chesapeake, Va., Oscar Smith 50 Great Bridge 14

Oscar Smith wallops Great Bridge in battle of unbeatens

By Jami Frankenberry
The Virginian-Pilot
September 19, 2008
CHESAPEAKE

Fans crammed into Colon L. Hall Stadium for a showdown between unbeaten teams Friday night.

Before long, the Southeastern District match-up was a mismatch.

Top-ranked Oscar Smith, showing off more variety than a lineup of Americas Got Talent, scored the first 43 points during a 50-14 victory over No.6 Great Bridge.

The Tigers (4-0, 3-0 Southeastern) had touchdowns from five players, reaching the end zone via traditional pass and run plays, and on an interception return, flea-flicker and end-around.

Quarterback Phillip Sims threw for 203 yards and three TDs and wide receiver Tim Smith added five receptions for 122 yards and two scores.

We just showed a lot of different things tonight, said Sims, who completed 11 of 18 passes without an interception. Weve been working on them in practice, but we really hadnt had a chance to show it. We brought everything out today.

Running back Perry Jones, a week after rushing for nearly 300 yards, finished with 52 yards and two first-quarter touchdowns. Roderick Benn returned an interception 35 yards as Oscar Smith built a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter.

Smith hauled in a 54-yard TD reception on a flea-flicker, while Shawn Roscoe scored on a 42-yard end-around. Roscoes score put the Tigers ahead 43-0 with 5:30 left before halftime.

We mixed it up a little bit,Smith said. Everybody was in a focused state of mind. This was a big game and we always come for big games.

It was a forgettable night for Great Bridge (3-1, 2-1).

The Wildcats, already without starting quarterback Brad Hudson (knee), lost backup Trey Bray to a neck injury late in the first quarter.

Bray was leveled by Jones, a linebacker, on a quarterback keeper and lay motionless while paramedics strapped him to a stretcher and transported him to Chesapeake Regional Medical Center. His status wasnt immediately known afterward.

Great Bridge was held to minus-8 total yards in the first half. Receivers Logan Heastie (4-49 receiving) and Carvin Powell (3-80, 2 TDs receiving) provided most of the offense.




12. Long Beach, Calif., Poly 26 Newport Harbor 2

Jackrabbits rough up Sailors again
Richardson, Barner carry the load in dominating victory.
By Bob Keisser, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 09/19/2008

LONG BEACH -
No one will blame Newport Harbor High if it avoids running into Long Beach Poly again anytime soon.

The Jackrabbits and Sailors met for the third time in little more than a calendar year and the result has been the same all three times, a one-sided Poly victory. The score Friday night at Veterans Stadium was 26-2 before a crowd of around 3,000.

Poly did it the usual way, with a rugged ground game that the Sailors couldn't handle and an oppressive defense that forced a key first-half turnover and held on a four-play sequence from the 5 to end the first half.

Melvin Richardson ran for 166 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns and Daveon Barner 86 on 19 with a score. Quarterback Morgan Fennell, who was 1-for-8 in the Jackrabbits' first game this season, the Aug. 30 date in Miami against defending national champ Northwestern High, rebounded with two key passes in the first half, one for a score.

"We always practice like it's a game, and all we wanted to do was pound the ball at them," said Richardson, who ran over and around Sailors all night, including a 68-yard burst in which he outran half of the Sailor defense. "I always prefer to run over people."

"We were pretty good for having three weeks off," Poly coach Raul Lara said. "Just in the way the kids performed and made sure that we executed."

Lara was hoping to pass the ball more Friday, but Fennell twisted an ankle so the team stayed on the ground in the second half. Fennell finished 4-for-9 for 75 yards, including a nice 37-yard touchdown pass to Richard Wheeler.

Richardson showed his considerable skills on the third scoring drive. On a simple third-and-3 inside run, Richardson hit the hole so fast that he already had an angle on the secondary as he veered toward the sideline. He then ran away from five Newport Harbor defenders in pursuit to complete the 68-yard scoring run.

Poly lost its focus in the third quarter. The Sailors got on the scoreboard on a safety when a punt snap sailed over the head of Poly's David Skara and out of the end zone, and Fennell threw an interception in Sailor territory.
Poly put the final touchdown on the board with an 87-yard drive keyed by Barner.

Poly's defense did an excellent job keeping tabs on JB Green, who had four touchdowns in the Sailors' 58-7 win over Aliso Niguel.

Green had a kick return of 48 yards but just six receptions for 35 yards. Danny Miller, who rushed for 113 yards last week, was held to 10 yards on seven carries.

bob.keisser@presstelegram.com




13. Bastrop, La. 40 Richwood 12

14. Louisville, Ky., Trinity 17 MW No. 6 St. Xavier 6

15. Cleveland, Ohio, Glenville 40 Lincoln West 0

16. Sammamish, Wash., Skyline 55 Lake Washington 0

17. Lakeland, Fla. 36 Winter Haven 13

18. Apopka, Fla. 18 No. 5 South Panola 28

19. Kingsland, Ga., Camden County Idle. Next: Sept. 26 at Windsor Forest
20. Cincinnati, Ohio, Colerain 35 Sycamore 14

21. Allen, Texas 14 No. 1 Euless Trinity 24

22. Carmel, Ind. 27 Lawrence North 6

23. Cleveland, Ohio, St. Ignatius 49 St. Francis (N.Y.) 14

24. Ashburn, Va., Stone Bridge 64 Loudoun Valley 13

25. Maryville, Tenn. 45 Powell 6