Compiled By Jason Hickman
MaxPreps.com
Indiana is best known in sports circles as a basketball state first - and everything else a distant second.
But an Indianapolis gridiron dynasty is beginning to shift that perception, and it's not the NFL's Colts.
Warren Central is high school football's new No. 1 in this week's MaxPreps/National Guard National Top 100 after moving to 9-0 Friday with a 34-3 win over Center Grove.
First-year head coach Steve Tutsie's program is averaging 50 points per game and has won all but two games by 30 points or more. Warren Central's toughest "test" was a 19-point victory over North Central Sept. 15.
The Warriors aren't a new player on the national scene and are vying to finish in the top 10 of the MaxPreps National Rankings for the third-consecutive season. The Indianapolis school settled in at No. 5 a year ago, and No. 8 in 2004.
Since 2001, the program is 72-7 with state titles in each of the past three seasons. The one thing Warren Central hasn't done is finish unbeaten, but that could change in 2006.
Last week's No. 1 - De La Salle, Calif. - dropped to No. 3, with Byrnes, S.C., John Curtis, La., and Southlake Carroll, Texas, filling out the top five.
MaxPreps National Rankings State Breakdown
Alabama
(46) Hoover (6-1), Defeated Vestavia Hills, 28-24
(50) Prattville (7-0), Defeated Lee, 38-0
Arkansas
(22) Rogers (7-0), Defeated Fayetteville, 48-30
California
(3) De La Salle (6-0), Defeated Liberty, 48-0
(12) Oaks Christian (6-0), Defeated Carpinteria, 63-7
(18) Santa Margarita (7-0), Defeated Mater Dei, 17-7
(44) St. Bonaventure (5-1), Defeated Santa Barbara, 43-0
(64) Notre Dame-Sherman Oaks (6-0), Defeated Alemany, 41-7
(77) Torrey Pines (6-0), Defeated Poway, 38-27
(79) Mater Dei (6-1), Lost to No. 18 Santa Margarita, 17-7
(90) Orange Lutheran (6-1), Lost to Servite, 28-21
(95) Pleasanton Foothill (6-0), Defeated California, 38-7
Colorado
(55) Mullen (7-0), Defeated Fairview, 42-7
Florida
(9) Lakeland (8-0), Defeated Jenkins, 78-0
Georgia
(67) Northside (7-0), Defeated Baldwin, 28-6
Hawaii
(96) St. Louis (7-0), Defeated Punahou, 33-27
Idaho
(26) Centennial (7-0), Defeated Meridian, 21-14
(31) Lake City (7-0), Defeated Post Falls, 56-20
Illinois
(8) Lincoln-Way East (8-0), Defeated Sandburg, 35-0
(13) St. Rita (7-1), Defeated No. 30 Mount Carmel, 7-6
(30) Mount Carmel (7-1), Lost to No. 13 St. Rita, 7-6
(40) East St. Louis (8-0), Defeated Collinsville, 63-6
(45) Wheaton-Warrenville South (8-0), Defeated Glenbard North, 34-7
(57) Bolingbrook (7-1), Defeated Joliet, 15-0
(73) Libertyville (8-0), Defeated Lake Forest, 36-14
(81) Fremd (7-1), Defeated Palatine, 42-14
(99) Normal (8-0), Defeated MacArthur, 48-14
Indiana
(1) Warren Central (9-0), Defeated Center Grove, 34-3
(58) Carmel (7-2), Defeated Davis, 20-7
(70) Plainfield (9-0), Defeated Greenwood, 61-20
Kansas
(19) Blue Valley (7-0), Defeated Ottawa, 68-0
(59) Hutchinson (7-0), Defeated Goddard, 45-13
Kentucky
(48) St. Xavier (7-1), Defeated Iroquois, 49-0
(72) Male (7-0), Defeated Butler, 62-14
Louisiana
(4) John Curtis (6-0), Defeated St. Charles Catholic, 40-0
(21) East St. John (7-0), Defeated Ehret, 62-21
(60) St. Paul (7-0), Defeated Northshore, 35-28
(100) West Monroe (7-0), Defeated Southwood, 42-27
Maryland
(78) Friendly (6-0), Defeated Surrattsville, 42-0
Massachusetts
(54) Mansfield (6-0), Defeated Franklin, 31-0
(63) Winthrop (6-0), Defeated Marblehead, 41-8
(84) Wayland (6-0), Defeated Concord-Carlisle, 28-0
Michigan
(14) Lowell (8-0), Defeated Northview, 48-0
(61) Nouvel Catholic Central (7-0), Defeated Glenn, 34-0
(76) Brother Rice (8-0), Defeated Divine Child, 42-6
(88) Davison (8-0), Defeated Haslett, 14-13
(92) East Grand Rapids (7-1), Defeated Forest Hills Central, 21-0
Minnesota
(15) Eden Prairie (7-0), Defeated Eastview, 35-7
(27) Cretin-Derham Hall (7-0), Defeated Forest Lake, 34-7
(83) Farmington (7-0), Defeated New Prague, 13-6
Mississippi
(20) Wayne County (8-0), Defeated Northeast Jones, 39-0
(62) South Panola (8-0), Defeated Tupelo, 35-9
Missouri
(71) Rock Bridge (7-0), Defeated Hickman, 48-0
(89) Blue Springs South (7-0), Defeated Oak Park, 10-7
(91) McCluer North (7-0), Defeated Holt, 56-7
New Jersey
(7) Don Bosco Prep (5-0), Defeated Hackensack, 35-7
(42) St. Peter's Prep (5-0), Defeated Ferris 55-14
New Mexico
(75) Mayfield (7-0), Defeated Onate, 33-7
New York
(23) St. Anthony's (6-0), Defeated Mt. St. Michael, 34-27
North Dakota
(28) Fargo South (8-0), Defeated West Fargo, 35-10
Ohio
(10) St. Xavier (6-1), Did not play
(16) Archbishop Moeller (5-2), Defeated Harrisburg, Pa., 26-0
(49) Davidson (8-0), Defeated Coffman, 13-7
(52) Colerain (8-0), Defeated Princeton, 44-6
(66) Sycamore (8-0), Defeated Hamilton, 52-18
(85) Lancaster (8-0), Defeated Newark, 34-33
Oregon
(11) Jesuit (6-0), Defeated Sunset, 63-15
(35) Westview (6-0), Defeated Beaverton, 21-14
(39) Lincoln (6-0), Defeated Franklin, 49-14
(47) Grant (6-0), Defeated Roosevelt, 34-22
Pennsylvania
(74) Parkland (7-0), Defeated Allentown Central Catholic, 48-14
(97) Harrisburg (6-1), Lost to No. 16 Archbishop Moeller, 26-0
South Carolina
(2) Byrnes (8-0), Defeated Clover, 42-13
(32) Summerville (8-0), Defeated Beaufort, 43-36
(86) Gaffney (8-0), Defeated Hillcrest, 49-7
Tennessee
(41) McCallie (7-1), Defeated Tyner Academy, 37-6
(43) Maryville (8-0), Did not play
(56) Dobyns-Bennett (8-0), Defeated Karns, 45-7
(65) Brentwood Academy (7-1), Briarcrest Christian, 53-7
(87) Riverdale (7-1), Defeated Smyrna, 49-0
Texas
(5) Southlake Carroll (6-0), Defeated Haltom, 52-14
(6) Euless Trinity (6-0), Defeated Dallas Jesuit, 29-7
(17) Cedar Hill (6-0), Defeated Arlington Lamar, 38-14
(25) Smithson Valley (7-0), Defeated San Antonio Lee, 42-3
(33) Westfield (7-0), Defeated Klein Forest, 7-6
(34) Katy (6-0), Defeated Alief Hastings, 41-13
(37) Giddings (6-0), Defeated La Grange, 20-12
(51) Texas (6-0), Defeated North Lamar, 30-21
(68) Cy-Fair (6-0), Defeated Langham Creek, 42-14
(69) Austin Westlake (4-1), Defeated Austin Anderson, 74-12
(82) North Shore (6-0), Defeated Rayburn, 42-0
(94) San Antonio Churchill (5-1), Defeated San Antonio Roosevelt, 14-7
(98) A&M Consolidated (5-1), Defeated Killeen Ellison, 45-14
Utah
(53) Bingham (9-0), Defeated American Fork, 42-28
Washington
(29) Auburn (7-0), Defeated Sumner, 49-21
(80) Prosser (7-0), Defeated Selah, 61-28
Wisconsin
(24) Kimberly (8-0), Defeated Kaukauna, 28-7
(36) Franklin (8-0), Defeated Bradford/Reuther, 21-19
(38) Menomonie (8-0), Defeated River Falls, 48-14
(93) Homestead (8-0), Defeated Cedarburg, 35-10
Notes: Running back Darren Evans of No. 1 Warren Central, Ind., is having an All-American-caliber senior season. The future Virginia Tech Hokie entered the weekend with 1,555 yards and 33 touchdowns.No. 4 John Curtis, La., continued its season-long tear by dismantling previously-unbeaten St. Charles Catholic.No. 8 Lincoln-Way East, Ill., shut out its fourth opponent this season and extended its winning streak to 23-straight with a 35-0 win over Sandburg.Marc Tyler of No. 12 Oaks Christian, Calif., is averaging 189 all-purpose yards per game and has reached the end zone 17 times despite being an observer in the fourth quarter of most of the Warriors' games this season.Ohio's top two teams - No. 10 St. Xavier and No. 16 Archbishop Moeller - meet to end the regular season Oct. 27.No. 18 Santa Margarita, Calif., shot up 35 spots this week after knocking off previously unbeaten Mater Dei.Quarterback Joe Springer of No. 27 Cretin-Derham Hall, Minn., threw his first interception of the season over the weekend. Springer has thrown just one pick in 179 pass attempts, while racking up 2,002 yards and 21 touchdowns.Wide receiver A.J. Green of No. 32 Summerville, S.C., regarded by many as the nation's top junior, hauled in 10 passes for 180 yards and a touchdown in the Green Wave's 43-36 shootout win over Beaufort.After being kept in check over the past two weeks, No. 40 East St. Louis, Ill., got back to its high-scoring ways with a 63-point performance against Collinsville. The Flyers are averaging 41 points per game in 2006 and put up totals of 50, 52, 74, and 56 during the 2005 season.Hoover, Ala., achieved its highest ranking of the season at No. 46 after beating previously unbeaten Vestavia Hills, 28-24.No. 48 St. Xavier, Ky., meets No. 72 Male, a team averaging 57 points per game, Friday in the Bluegrass State's biggest game of the week...Apologize in advance for continuing to beat the drum of the No. 52 Colerain, Ohio, defense. The Cardinals are allowing 3.3 points per game this season with five shutouts.No. 54 Mansfield, Mass., has outscored opponents 208-20 this season.No. 56 Dobyns-Bennett, Tenn., is 29-3 dating back to 2004.No. 66 Sycamore, Ohio, is in the midst of one of the more remarkable transformations in the Buckeye State this season. The Aviators combined for just seven wins over the past two seasons, but have already won eight without a loss this year. This week's game against No. 52 Colerain should be a good indicator of exactly where Sycamore stands.No. 75 Mayfield is the only team from New Mexico to crack the Top 100 this season.No. 76 Brother Rice, Mich., could muster only 40 points in its previous three games, but exploded for a season-high 42 in a win over Divine Child.No. 80 Prosser, Wash., is the nation's highest scoring team, averaging 60 points per outing. Senior quarterback Kellen Moore has thrown for 2,460 yards and 38 touchdowns with three games remaining in the regular season.No. 96 St. Louis, Hawaii, will be the favorite going into the postseason on the Islands after beating Punahou for the second time in three weeks.Texas teams gobbled up 13 spots in the Top 100 this week to lead the nation, while Illinois continued its strong showing with nine. California also placed nine amongst the Top 100, while Ohio had six.
Photo: No. 1 Warren Central's Darren Evans. (By William Vragovic)