Grayson's defense imposed its will on Miami Central in an impressive 35-3 victory.
Photo by Dennis Carter
Arguably the two most impressive wins in the country this weekend came from the nation's No. 1 and No. 2-ranked teams in the Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard.
On Friday night, No. 2 Grayson completely shutdown Florida power Miami Central. Its vaunted defense was as advertised, while its offense showed big-play potential.
No. 1 Manatee needed a dominant performance to hold a firm grip on the No. 1 spot, and it delivered. The Hurricanes trounced Miramar, which has played for a title in the state's largest classification in two of the past three years, 41-6.
Manatee started off slowly and the score was tied 6-6 at halftime. However, several big plays from Blake Keller and a balanced offensive attack allowed Manatee to turn a nailbiter into a blow out.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) both enter the rankings this week.
Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard1. (1) Manatee (Bradenton, Fla.), 1-0Manatee had an explosive second half to drill Miramar 41-6.
2. (2) Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 2-0After a season-opening victory against McEachern, Grayson looked even more impressive in a 35-3 romp over Central.
Story3. (3) Skyline (Dallas, Texas), 1-0Skyline overcame a stiff test from The Woodlands to claim a 42-28 win in its opener.
4. (4) Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), 2-0In its first in-state game this season, Santa Margarita dominated Jordan (Long Beach) 35-6.
Qwixcore5. (5) Bellevue (Wash.), 1-0In one of the most highly-anticipated games of the season, Bellevue held off Texas power Euless Trinity 31-24 in overtime.
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