1. De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.) -(8-0) *1
Last week: Beat Ygnacio Valley High, 35-7.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Pittsburg High
Outlook: Ygnacio Valley can at least take solace in the fact that it fought the nation's No. 1 team to its closest win since a 31-28 nail-biter against Mater Dei High on Sept. 23. De La Salle even looked human in the first half, trailing 7-6 at halftime. Of course, De La Salle still won convincingly, 35-7, despite having its streak of scoring at least 40 points stopped at four games. But the only streak that matters continued, as the Spartans won their 108th straight game thanks to 182 passing yards and two TDs by quarterback Matt Gutierrez.
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| Dave Camburn and the rest of the Central Bucks West High (Pa.) football team moved up one spot to No. 11 this week. |
2. Lakeland HS (Lakeland, Fla.) -(8-0) *2
Last week: Beat Bradenton Southeast High, 35-28.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Brandon High
Outlook: Lakeland passed its biggest test of the season thus far, holding on for a seven-point win over former nationally ranked Bradenton Southeast. Lakeland held highly touted QB Adrian McPherson to a season-low 188 passing yards and controlled the clock by running on all but three plays. Running back Torrince Ruth rushed for 133 yards and two TDs for the Dreadnaughts, who extended their state-record regular-season winning streak to 54 games.
3. Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pa.) -(9-0) *3
Last week: Beat State College High, 61-28.
Next game: Nov. 9 vs. Erie McDowell High
Outlook: Cathedral Prep surrendered its highest point total of the season on Friday, but it hardly mattered as Prep still won by 33 points. Running back Tim Dance rushed for 146 yards and three scores in the win. Prep's other offensive star was quarterback Ed Hinkel, who scored just about every way conceivable. Hinkel passed for a touchdown, ran for another and scored on a 90-yard punt return.
4. Jenks HS(Jenks, Okla.) -(9-0) *4
Last week: Beat Muskogee High, 31-0.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Tahlequah High
Outlook: All the talk this year about Jenks has centered around the offense. And rightfully so, as the team came into Friday's game against Muskogee averaging 46.5 points per game. But on Friday, the defense came through with its first shutout of the season in a 31-0 blanking of Muskogee, which mustered just 75 yards of total offense. On offense for Jenks, tailback Kejuan Jones rushed for 132 yards and a touchdown. Jenks closes its regular season this Friday against Tahlequah High before heading into the playoffs.
5. Poly HS (Long Beach, Calif.) -(8-0) *5
Last week: Beat Long Beach Jordan High, 35-0.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Long Beach Millikan High
Outlook: Poly remained hot on De La Salle's heels as the best team in California with a dominating 35-0 shutout of cross-town rival Long Beach Jordan on Friday. Running back Hershel Dennis continued his stellar junior season with 123 rushing yards and one TD on 23 carries. Poly is now 2-0 against fellow Long Beach schools this season, with a game against Long Beach Millikan on tap for this Friday.
6. St. Louis HS (Honolulu, Hawaii) -(11-0) *6
Last week: Beat Damien High(Iolani), 84-0.
Next game: Nov. 4 vs. Kamehemeha High
Outlook: If Friday's 84-0 win over Damien was a boxing match, it would have been called a TKO in the first round. St. Louis scored a state-record 77 points in the first half (42 in the first quarter), converting seven Damien turnovers into seven of those 11 TDs. The Crusaders' 11 first-half scores came on four passes, three rushes, two fumble returns, one interception and a punt return. The defense was simply dominant, giving up just 18 yards of total offense to Damien. For the season, the St. Louis offense is averaging 51.2 points and 435 yards per game.
7. St. Ignatius HS(Cleveland, Ohio) -(9-0) *7
Last week: Did not play.
Next game: Nov. 4 vs. Midpark High(Division I playoffs)
Outlook: After a week off, St. Ignatius should be more than prepared to get the playoffs rolling with an opening-round game against Midpark this Saturday. The Wildcats, led by quarterback Bryan Panteck, enter the postseason as the prohibitive favorites to win the Division I state title.
8. West Monroe HS (West Monroe, La.) -(9-0) *8
Last week: Beat Ouachita High, 35-0.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Ruston High
Outlook: West Monroe posted its second straight 35-0 win on Friday against Ouachita. For those of you good at math, you've already figured out that West Monroe has outscored its last two opponents 70-0. In Friday's win, West Monroe out-gained Ouachita 474 yards to 105. Running back J.J. Johnson rushed for 119 yards and one touchdown in the victory.
9. Westlake HS(Austin, Texas) -(8-0) *9
Last week: Beat Seguin High, 43-9.
Next game: Nov. 2 vs. Bowie High
Outlook: For the fourth straight game, Westlake scored more than 40 and held its opponent to less than 10 points. On Friday, Seguin was the latest victim of the Chaparrals' onward march toward the Class 5A Texas state title. The duo of running backs Brad Beavan and Scott Ballew did the damage for Westlake on the ground. Beavan rushed for 108 yards and three scores, while Ballew tallied 102 yards and two TDs.
10. Richmond County HS (Rockingham, N.C.) -(9-0) *10
Last week: Beat Anson County High, 28-0.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Hoke High
Outlook: After winning by just seven points the week before, Richmond County decided on Friday that it likes blowouts much better. The defense posted its sixth shutout in nine games by allowing just five first downs and less than 100 yards of offense from Anson County. The offense was led by Chris Covington, who rushed for three touchdowns.
11. Naperville Central HS (Naperville, Ill.) -(10-0) *11
Last week: Beat Fremd High, 36-6.
Next game: Nov. 4 vs. New Trier High(Class 6A playoffs)
Outlook: Naperville Central returned to its dominating ways with a 30-point win over Fremd in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs on Friday night. Central hadn't looked sharp the last few weeks of the regular season but played its best game in a month in the playoff opener. Quarterback Phil Horvath led the way over Fremd, throwing for 149 yards and a TD and scoring twice more on the ground. Naperville Central takes on New Trier in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs this Saturday.
12. Central Bucks West HS(Doylestown, Pa.) -(9-0) *12
Last week: Beat Pennsbury High, 37-0.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. North Penn High
Outlook: Central Bucks West established a new state record for consecutive wins with its 54th straight victory on Friday. The Bucks broke their own state record of 53, set from 1984-89. Defense was the story in the win over Pennsbury, as C.B. West surrendered just 88 yards and four first downs. The Bucks close the regular season this Friday against North Penn.
13. Mater Dei HS (Santa Ana, Calif.) -(7-1) *13
Last week: Beat Servite High, 31-21.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Santa Margarita High
Outlook: It should come as no surprise to anyone who has delved deep into the numbers that Mater Dei beat Servite by a score of 31-21 on Saturday. The game marked the third time this season Mater Dei has scored 31 points and also the third time the Monarchs have allowed 21 points. OK, so you had to delve deep into the numbers for that one. But that's what we're here for. In the area of more obvious stats, Mater Dei QB Matt Leinart passed for 305 yards and three scores in the win over Servite.
14. Katy HS (Katy, Texas) -(8-0) *14
Last week: Beat Alief Elsik High, 49-3.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Mayde Creek High
Outlook: If anyone can stop No. 9 Westlake in Texas, Katy just might be the team. After a 49-3 win over Alief Elsik on Saturday, Katy has outscored its last two opponents by a margin of 112-6. The Tigers have also only given up 23 points in their last six games. In the win over Elsik, quarterback Jared Kaspar threw for 201 yards and one TD.
15. Hackensack HS (Hackensack, N.J.) -(7-0) *15
Last week: Beat Bloomfield High, 8-0.
Next game: Nov. 4 vs. Eastside High
Outlook: After rolling to easy victories for most of the season, Hackensack finally had to grind one out on Saturday to stay unbeaten. The only score of the game came in the second quarter, when Bryan Rosser rushed for a 4-yard TD and then added a two-point conversion on a pass to Jermaine Sibdhannie. But the big concern for Hackensack if the health of star running back Kaliym Hazel, who injured his elbow on the second carry of the game and did not return.
16. Lincoln HS (Tallahassee, Fla.) -(8-0) *17
Last week: Beat Leon High, 41-25.
Next game: Nov. 2 vs. Columbia High
Outlook: Lincoln kept its claim on being the second-best team in Florida with a 16-point win over longtime rival Leon on Friday. Running back Mike Gilliam rushed for 255 yards and two TDs on 18 carries, putting him over the 1,500-yard mark for the season. Craphonso Thorpe tallied two scores -- one receiving, one on a kickoff return -- and intercepted a pass.
17. Northside HS (Warner Robins, Ga.) -(8-0) *18
Last week: Beat Carver High, 42-6.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Baldwin High
Outlook: Northside continues to roll toward a big-time showdown with cross-town rival Warner Robins High on Nov. 10. But until then, Adam Butler helped keep Northside focused on the task at hand with a monster special teams performance in the win over Carver on Friday. Butler blocked two punts, got a piece of a third and blocked an extra-point attempt to lead Northside over Carver. Now we know why it's called "special" teams.
18. Gilman HS (Baltimore, Md.) -(8-0) *19
Last week: Beat Saint Mary's High, 35-6.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. State College High(Pa.)
Outlook: After giving up an uncharacteristic 34 points the week before, Gilman's defense returned to its usual stingy self in a 35-6 win over Saint Mary's on Friday night. Earl Johnson led the way on offense, tallying 83 rushing yards and two scores.
19. C.D. Hylton HS (Woodbridge, Va.) -(9-0) *20
Last week: Beat Osbourn High, 55-7.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Potomac High
Outlook: Hylton went with a running-back-by-committee approach against Osbourn on Friday night, and it worked. The trio of D.J. Walton, Brian Smithen and Karibi DeDe combined for 166 rushing yards and four TDs in the win over Osbourn. Hylton concludes its regular season this Friday against Potomac.
20. Lincoln-Way HS(New Lenox, Ill.) -(10-0) *21
Last week: Beat Thornton High, 35-14.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Pekin High(Class 6A playoffs)
Outlook: Lincoln-Way rolled in its Class 6A playoff opener on Friday night, beating Thornton by three touchdowns. University of Washington-bound quarterback Casey Paus provided that margin of victory with 199 passing yards and three scores through the air. Lou Foytik added two TD runs and a touchdown reception for L-W, which takes on Pekin in the second round of the playoffs this Friday.
21. Warner Robins HS(Warner Robins, Ga.) -(8-0) *22
Last week: Did not play.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. Macon Westside High
Outlook: To celebrate its entry into the Top 25 last week, Warner Robins decided to take the past weekend off. OK, so the team was already scheduled for a bye, but at least it was nice timing. Warner Robins will get back to action this Friday against Macon Westside before a monumental matchup against No. 17 Northside High in the season finale on Nov. 10.
22. Gadsden HS (Gadsden, Ala.) -(9-0) *23
Last week: Beat Southside High, 55-10.
Next game: Nov. 2 vs. Emma Sansom High
Outlook: Gadsden didn't disappoint in its first game since joining the Top 25, crushing Southside, 55-10, on Friday. Running back Dexter Davis racked up 213 yards and four touchdowns on just 11 carries, good for a gaudy 19.3 yards per carry.
23. Joliet Catholic Academy (Joliet, Ill.) -(10-0) *25
Last week: Beat Normal West High, 45-0.
Next game: Nov. 4 vs. Taylorville High(Class 4A playoffs)
Outlook: Joliet Catholic made a resounding statement in the opening round of the Illinois Class 4A playoffs, blanking Normal West, 45-0. The defense was dominant, allowing just four first downs and 65 yards of offense to Normal West. Joliet Catholic will take on Taylorville this Saturday in the second round of the playoffs.
24. St. Thomas Aquinas HS(Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) -(9-0) *NR
Last week: Beat South Plantation High, 48-0.
Next game: Nov. 3 vs. South Broward High
Outlook: St. Thomas Aquinas won its 22nd straight game on Friday to break into this week's Top 25. Aquinas blasted South Plantation, 48-0, to finally earn a spot in the rankings for a team we've had our eye on for quite some time. Justin Montgomery rushed for 178 yards and three TDs in the blowout victory.
25. Upper Arlington HS(Columbus, Ohio.) -(10-0) *NR
Last week: Beat Mount Vernon High, 48-0.
Next game: Nov. 4 vs. Huber Heights Wayne High(state playoffs)
Outlook: Upper Arlington also caught our attention with a 48-0 win on Friday night. Arlington's victory came in the final game of the regular season against Mount Vernon. The team now moves on to the postseason, where it will face 6-4 Huber Heights Wayne on Saturday in the opening round of the Region 3, Division I state playoffs.
Dropped out:
No. 16 Summerville High(S.C.) -- lost to Fort Dorchester High, 12-7.
No. 24 Kentwood High(Wash.) -- forced to forfeit two games earlier in the season.
*: last week's ranking
Material from SchoolSports.com.