After demolishing one of Florida’s top 6A title threats, Miami Central rose to seventh in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 football rankings this week.
Mark Miller, Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio)
Photo by Wayne Litmer
The Rockets outplayed Mainland on both sides of the ball, winning 34-3. Quarterback Jeffrey Godfrey and running back Brandon Gainer both played well, but the team’s defense really stood out against a potent Mainland offense.
Central appears to be on a collision course with Miami superpower Northwestern. The Rockets edged Northwestern in their first matchup in 2008, only to fall at the hands of the Bulls in the state playoffs.
Lowndes (Ga.) and Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.) also shot up the rankings following impressive victories. Traditional national power St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) enters the fray after handing Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) its first loss.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 1-0. Last Week: 1. Aquinas was idle this week as the team prepares for Boyd Anderson on Friday.
2. Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), 2-0. Last Week: 2. The Rebels continued their early-season momentum, smashing defending 3A state champion Myrtle Beach. Chas Dodd, who has committed to Rutgers, accounted for six touchdowns for the Rebels.
3. Elder (Cincinnati, Ohio), 2-0. Last Week: 4. Elder proved its mettle in a battle of Cincinnati powers, beating Colerain 20-7. Led by quarterback Mark Miller and receiver Tim O’Conner, the Panthers showed a very impressive passing attack but were equally effective on defense.
4. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.), 0-0. Last Week: 5. Notre Dame will be tested early, taking on Klein Oak (Spring, Texas) in the Herbstreit Varsity Football Series on Sept. 7.
5. Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), 1-0. Last Week: 6. A week after handing Venice (Fla.) a season-opening loss, the Tigers were idle over the weekend. In-state foe Indian River is up next on Friday.
6. Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.), 2-0. Last Week: 20. The Vikings shoot up the rankings after their second straight lopsided win. Coach Randy McPherson’s squad blasted a highly-regarded Peachtree Ridge team 51-17 and appear to be the early favorite in Georgia’s class AAAAA.
7. Central (Miami, Fla.), 1-0. Last Week: 13. In perhaps the most impressive win of any team in the Xcellent 25, Central manhandled a talented Mainland team 34-3. While the Sunshine State was well aware of the Rockets’ potent offense, the team’s defense was just as dominant. An Oct. 8 showdown against Northwestern looks to be one of the biggest games of the year.
8. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 1-0. Last Week: 7. DeMatha opened with a near-perfect 38-0 thrashing of Riverdale Baptist. Led by an enormous offensive line, the Stags pounded away for almost 300 yards rushing. Marcus Coker, who has committed to Iowa, had 173 of those yards.
9. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 1-0. Last Week: 8. The Lions rode the legs of Malcolm Jones to an opening victory against Alemany. The senior running back rolled up 277 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
10. John Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 1-0. Last Week: 9. A 35-7 victory over Mandeville was a great start to the Patriots’ 2009 campaign. John Curtis’ rushing attack and defense both looked formidable.
Scott Herting (16) helped lead No. 21 De La Salle to a season-opening 14-7 win.
Photo by Dennis Lee
11. Skyline (Sammamish, Wash.), 1-0. Last Week: 10. In the headline matchup at the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at Seattle’s Qwest Field, Skyline shutout one of Oregon’s top teams, Jesuit, 17-0. Linebacker Anthony DeMatteo led the charge. On offense, BYU-bound Jake Heaps threw for two touchdowns on over 150 yards.
12. Cedar Hill (Texas), 2-0. Last Week: 11. Joey McGuire’s Longhorns followed up a great win against DeSoto by dismantling Rider 28-0. Cedar Hill will be favored this week against Euless Trinity in a showdown between two of Texas’ best programs.
13. Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.), 2-0. Last Week: 18. Another week, another overwhelming performance by Centennial. The Coyotes won their 28th straight game thanks to big plays on both offense and defense, beating Chandler 61-38.
14. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), 3-0. Last Week: 14. The Jaguars weren’t at their best, but they were still able to pull away from Provine on Friday night. Quarterback Peyton Johnson threw two touchdowns in the win.
15. Northwestern (Miami, Fla.), 1-0. Last Week: 15. Junior Teddy Bridgewater showed some rust in throwing two interceptions, but the star quarterback rushed for two scores and tossed for a third as Northwestern thwarted Carol City 27-6 in its opener.
16. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 0-0. Last Week: 16. The Ironmen will open their season this weekend against California’s De La Salle. Greg Toal’s squad has looked good in summer scrimmages and should be ready for the Spartans.
17. Longview (Texas), 2-0. Last Week: 17. One week after Longview upset defending 5A-I state champion Allen, the Lobos continued their winning ways, cruising to a 31-7 win over Tyler Lee. Longview has another 5A power scheduled for Sept. 18 when it will travel to take on Lufkin.
18. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.), 1-0. Last Week: NR. Servite enters the rankings after an eye-opening performance against Pac-5 powerhouse Long Beach Poly. The Friars executed a masterful defensive performance led by defensive tackle Kirifi Taula. Senior quarterback Cody Fajardo completed his first 11 passes.
19. Bingham (South Jordan, Utah), 2-0. Last Week: 21. Fans in Utah are eagerly anticipating the Miners’ Monday showdown in Texas when the team will battle Euless Trinity as part of the Herbstreit Varsity Football Series.
20. Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), 3-0. Last Week: 22. Thanks to 514 yards of offense, the Bluebirds pounded Beechwood 48-20. Austin Collinsworth averaged more than 20 yards per carry and scored two touchdowns. Will Bardo led the team’s air attack.
21. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.), 1-0. Last Week: 19. The Spartans were victorious, but they struggled for the second straight year against Serra. Two second-half touchdowns by Terron Ward gave De La Salle a narrow win. De La Salle now travels to New Jersey for a rematch with Don Bosco Prep.
22. Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.), 1-0. Last Week: 23. In a season-opening rivalry game, Bishop McDevitt overcame a sloppy performance to beat Harrisburg 41-16. Running back Jameel Poteat had 126 yards for the Crusaders.
23. St. Bonaventure (Ventura, Calif.), 1-0. Last Week: 24. The Seraphs beat St. John Bosco 34-10 and brace for Long Beach Poly this week. Last year, the Jackrabbits held off St. Bonaventure 12-7, and the Seraphs hope to exact revenge.
24. St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), 2-0. Last Week: NR. No stranger to national rankings, the Bombers of St. Xavier make their inaugural appearance in the Xcellent 25 after traveling to Indianapolis and handing Cathedral its first loss. Steve Specht’s squad is led by quarterback Luke Massa and offensive lineman Matt James.
25. Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 2-0. Last Week: NR. In two games, the Bulldogs have outscored opponents 89-17. Quarterback Christian LeMay, one of the country’s top juniors, leads the team’s offense.
Dropped out
Katy (Texas): The Tigers were defeated by The Woodlands for the second straight season, this time losing at hone 31-27.
Destrehan (La.): After getting blasted in a game scrimmage by 3A champ Lutcher (La.), Destrehan needed a late touchdown to edge Helen Cox 25-22 in its season opener.
Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.): Cathedral lost a home game to Cinncinati power St. Xavier.
