No teams dropped out of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, but there was some shake-up near the top.
Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) soared into the top 10 after shutting out a Fountain Valley squad that entered the game undefeated. The Chargers are 9-0 and have overwhelmed opponents on both sides of the ball.
Experiencing a drop was DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.). The Stags barely survived a conference game against Bishop McNamara (Washington, D.C.), using a fourth-quarter touchdown to claim a 10-7 victory.
As playoffs get underway, the national picture will become much clearer in the coming weeks. Expect to see some current teams drop out and some new teams emerge as state tournaments play out around the country.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25
1. Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 9-0. Last Week: 1. Aquinas won easily against South Broward, 51-7. James White and Lamarcus Joyner each had two touchdowns for the Raiders, who will now prepare to tangle with Cypress Bay in a game televised nationally on the CBS College Sports Network.
2. Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), 10-1. Last Week: 2. Boiling Springs proved no match for the Rebels, as Byrnes rolled 53-0. Chas Dodd once again added to his lofty statistics this season, throwing for five touchdowns in the victory.
3. Cedar Hill (Texas), 10-0. Last Week: 3. Cedar Hill’s dominance on offense, defense, and special teams showed in its 52-7 victory against Nimitz. The Longhorns rested Ben Malena, but still got 147 yards and two touchdowns from Mason Hayes. The defense blanketed Nimitz the entire game, while versatile senior Elisha Olabode had a 50-yard punt return for a touchdown.
4. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 8-0. Last Week: 4. Don Bosco Prep looked extremely impressive over the weekend, as the Ironmen roughed up St. Peter’s Prep 42-9. Tony Jones torched the Marauders defense for three touchdowns in the first half, while the defense bottled up running back Savon Huggins, who gained only 52 yards on 21 carries.
5. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 8-0. Last Week: 5. The Lions overwhelmed a solid Santa Clara squad 63-14. Malcolm Jones notched touchdown rushes of 60 and 50 yards and added a 48-yard TD reception. The loss snapped Santa Clara’s 18-game home winning streak.
6. Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.), 11-0. Last Week: 7. Running back Anthony Hughes has been unstoppable lately for Centennial. The speedy senior rushed 22 times for 256 yards and five touchdowns to lead Centennial past Chavez 34-10.
7. Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 9-0. Last Week: 17. Edison makes a steep climb up the rankings after a dominating effort against previously unbeaten Fountain Valley. The Chargers stifled Fountain Valley’s offensive stars, running back Kyle Middlebrooks and quarterback Dominic Ragland. Running back Davion Orphey pioneered the offensive attack for Edison, rushing for 124 yards and two scores.
8. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), 10-0. Last Week: 8. Oscar Smith trounced Great Bridge 47-17 to win their 25th consecutive game. Quarterback Phillip Sims threw five touchdown passes — three to Charlie Ricks — to lead the way. Sophomore J.C. Coleman added 120 rushing yards as the Tigers move to 10-0 this season.
9. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), 11-0. Last Week: 9. Thanks in large part to the play of running back Temarco Tayler, Madison Central beat Greenville-Weston 56-0. Taylor scored twice on the ground to lead the Jaguars. L.J. Holling and Xavien Griffen also found the end zone for Madison Central, which appears to be on a collision course for South Panola for the 6A title.
10. Skyline (Dallas), 10-0. Last Week: 10. Perhaps no team has been as dominant in recent weeks as Skyline. The Raiders torched Sunset 56-0. Javia Hall threw for three scores to power Skyline to the easy win.
11. Dematha (Hyattsville, Md.), 10-0. Last Week: 6. DeMatha struggled to squeak out a 10-7 win against Bishop McNamara. A fourth-quarter touchdown by Marcus Coker made the difference for the Stags, who will now concentrate on capturing another WCAC title.
Jawaun Edwards led Butler to a victory against rival
Independence.
Ron McCann
With a 42-3 victory over Central Gwinnett, Grayson looks like the favorite in an extremely crowded AAAAA playoff bracket. Ean Pemberton, who rushed for 121 yards over the weekend, will pace the Rams.
13. Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 10-0. Last Week: 13. Butler notched one of its biggest wins in program history, traveling to Independence and escaping with a 31-24 victory. Juwuan Edwards rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns while the Butler defense intercepted Anthony Carrothers four times. Butler made a crucial defensive stand late in the fourth quarter to secure the win.
14. St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio), 11-0. Last Week: 12. The Wildcats overcame a sloppy performance to advance in the Division I playoffs with a 17-0 victory over Boardman. Mark Myers threw for 273 yards and two scores to set up a huge second-round battle with Glenville next weekend.
15. Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), 11-0. Last Week: 14. In the first round of the 5A playoffs, Highlands sailed to an easy, 60-13 victory against Montgomery County. Now healthy, quarterback Will Bardo scored two rushing touchdowns, as the Bluebirds are on track to capture their 19th state title.
16. Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.), 9-0. Last Week: 15. The Crusaders were idle and will prepare for the AAAA playoffs.
17. Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 9-0. Last Week: 16. Four total touchdowns from quarterback Bryce Jenkins were more than enough for the Patriots, as they pounded Lusher 36-0. Curtis, the favorite in class 2A, will likely have to defeat 9-1 Evangel Christian in its quest to win a 24th state title.
18. Jenks (Tulsa, Okla.), 10-0. Last Week: 18. Jenks executed at a near-flawless level in the first half against Page, taking a 49-7 lead into the locker room en route to a 56-21 final. Zach Langer continued his assault on opposing defense, hitting paydirt three times for Jenks.
19. Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), 9-0. Last Week: 19. Despite being slowed on defense by injuries, Grant nearly pitched another shutout against McClatchy. The Pacers won 62-6, allowing a late touchdown on a bomb pass. In nine games, Grant has only allowed 13 points.
20. Washington (Miami, Fla.), 9-0. Last Week: 20. The Tornadoes used a superb defensive performance to tear through Edison 37-0. A major challenge awaits next week in the form of the Central Rockets.
21. North Penn (Lansdale, Pa.), 10-0. Last Week: 21. Quarterback Todd Smolinsky set a team record with his 18th TD pass of the season as North Penn beat Pennridge 39-12. Craig Needhammer scored three times on the ground and topped the 1,000-yard mark for the Knights.
22. Lakeland (Fla.), 9-0. Last Week: 22. Lakeland overcame a slow start to wax Jenkins 36-6. DeMarcus Stanton scored two touchdowns for the Dreadnaughts, while the defense did not allow a first down in the second half.
23. Memphis University (Memphis, Tenn.), 10-0. Last Week: 23. The Owls were idle over the weekend as they prepare to defend their Division II state title.
24. Hutchinson (Kan.), 10-0. Last Week: 24. The playoffs began with a bang for Hutchinson, which opened the game against Liberal with 48 unanswered points. The Salt Hawks will take on Salina South in the second round of the 5A playoffs.
25. Crenshaw (Los Angeles), 9-0. Last Week: 25. In a major Los Angeles rivalry game, Crenshaw downed Dorsey 44-7. Defense was the key for Crenshaw, as the Cougars never let Dorsey cross the 50-yard line. Crenshaw is seeking to become the first City Section team to earn a Bowl Game bid.
