Two new teams entered the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 presented by the Army National Guard in a weekend that saw significant changes throughout the rankings.
The St. Ignatius Wildcats (Cleveland, Ohio) cracked the top 25 this week after downing cross-state rival St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) 30-21. The Wildcats first made the Xcellent 25 earlier in the season, but dropped out after struggling to pull out victories in back-to-back weeks.
Chuck Kyle’s squad is now 9-0, and a favorite to repeat as Division 1 state champions.
Debuting in the Xcellent 25 this week were the Salt Hawks of Hutchinson (Kan.), a powerhouse in the state of Kansas. Hutchinson avenged a 2008 loss to Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.) by blasting the Hawklets 55-27 in their season opener, and have rolled ever since.
The Salt Hawks, winners of five-straight state titles, have simply not been challenged all season, winning by an average of 40 points per game en route to an 8-0 record.
After escaping with a 19-18, last-minute victory over St. Charles Catholic (Laplace, La.), the John Curtis Patriots (River Ridge, La.) fell from No. 7 to No. 14. Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.) and Skyline (Dallas, Texas) were among the teams that jumped up in the rankings.
Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas) and St. Xavier both dropped out of the rankings.
MaxPreps Xcellent 251. Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 7-0. Last Week: 1. George Smith’s Aquinas squad scored on its first seven possessions as the Raiders pounded McArthur 49-7. Five different players had touchdowns, highlighted by receiver Phillip Dorsett, who caught three TDs.
2. Byrnes (Dorman, S.C.), 8-1. Last Week: 2. Byrnes overcame a very tough Dorman squad by securing a 17-10 win. Marcus Lattimore had two touchdowns for the Rebels. The loss snapped Dorman’s 20-game regular-season winning streak. Byrnes has not lost a home game since the 2001 playoffs.
3. Cedar Hill (Texas), 8-0. Last Week: 3. With running back Ben Malena sitting out with an injury, Mason Hayes once again proved why Cedar Hill has one of the most potent offensive attacks in the nation. Hayes scored four touchdowns, leading the Longhorns to a 66-31 victory against MacArthur.
4. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 6-0. Last Week: 4. Don Bosco Prep survived a scare from longtime rival Bergen Catholic, as the Ironmen held on for a 28-20 victory. Senior Tony Jones did it all for Don Bosco Prep, rushing for 154 yards and all four of the team's touchdowns.
5. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 6-0. Last Week: 5. With three touchdown passes from Nick Montana and two rushing touchdowns from UCLA-bound Malcolm Jones, Oaks Christian shut down Carpinteria 43-0.
6. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 8-0. Last Week: 6. The Stags scored all 35 points in the first half and cruised to an easy 35-7 victory over Bishop O’Connell. Patrick Harbeson, a star lacrosse player for DeMatha, scored two touchdowns in the win.
7. Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.), 9-0. Last Week: 9. Centennial moves up in the rankings after yet another lopsided victory, this time pounding Red Mountain 52-14. Running back Anthony Hughes had a 200-yard rushing game and scored three times for the Coyotes.
8. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), 8-0. Last Week: 8. Phillip Sims threw for two touchdowns as the Tigers remained undefeated with a 38-12 victory over Nansemond River. Sophomore J.C. Coleman added 156 rushing yards for Oscar Smith.
9. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), 9-0. Last Week: 10. Madison Central continues to torch opponents as they prepare for a run at a 6A title. Temarco Taylor rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns for the Jaguars, who handled Grenada 55-20. Tobias Singleton had eight catches for 98 yards and one score, while Dehendrick Thompson added an interception return for a touchdown.
10. Skyline (Dallas, Texas), 8-0. Last Week: 17. Skyline makes a big jump in the rankings following a 61-21 victory against Creekview. The Raiders average nearly 49 points per game and have won every contest by double digits. With a deep playoff run almost certainly in Skyline’s forecast, a further move upward in the rankings is possible.
11. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 9-0. Last Week: 14. Grayson enjoys a bump in the rankings after a 56-0 victory over Meadowcreek. The win clinched a Region 8-AAAAA title for the Rams. Ean Pemberton rushed for 181 yards on 16 carries to lead the way.
12. Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 8-0. Last Week: 13. Providence gave Butler a scare, but the Bulldogs held on for a 35-28 win. Anthony Short rushed for two touchdowns to help overcome a sub-par game for quarterback Christian LeMay, who threw for only one score but was sacked seven times.
13. Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), 9-0. Last Week: 12. A 67-20 victory over Scott pushed Highlands’ record to 9-0. However, the Bluebirds fall in the rankings following the loss by previously-ranked St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), which Highlands beat earlier in the season.
14. Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 7-0. Last Week: 7. Bryce Jenkins scored on the Patriots’ last drive of the game to stave off the upset bid by St. Charles Catholic, as John Curtis narrowly won 19-18. It was the Patriots’ second win this season by just one point.
15. Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.), 8-0. Last Week: 15. Once again, Jameel Poteat led the Crusaders, who have made a habit of jumping on opponents early. Poteat ran for four touchdowns in the first half as Bishop McDevitt won easily over Carlisle, 43-6.
16. Edison (Hungtinton Beach, Calif.), 7-0. Last Week: 16. Quarterback Matt Viles threw for three scores and rushed for another as Edison continues to make a case to be California’s top team, beating Newport Harbor 34-6. The Chargers will host 6-1 Los Alamitos next week.
17. Jenks (Tulsa, Okla.), 8-0. Last Week: 16. In a showdown between two of the top teams in Oklahoma, Jenks prevailed over Bartlesville in a shootout, 63-40. Star junior running back Zack Langer had a career night, rushing for 294 yards and seven touchdowns.
18. St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio), 9-0. Last Week: NR. The Wildcats return to the rankings following a convincing 30-21 victory over Jesuit rival St. Xavier. St. Ignatius will be tested on Saturday in a game known as The Holy War — the team’s annual rivalry game against St. Edward.
19. Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), 8-0. Last Week: 20. Grant simply overwhelmed Kennedy 85-0 on Friday night. Running back Devontae Butler went off for five touchdowns, and the Pacers’ defense was once again dominant.
Quarterback Andrew Hendrix has Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)
gunning for a state title.
Jim Owens
Facing Cleveland power St. Edward, Moeller had an offensive outburst en route to a 40-10 victory. The Crusaders have proven to be the top team in Cincinnati and will be a difficult out for any team in Ohio’s Division I playoffs.
21. Washington (Miami, Fla.), 8-0. Last Week: 19. Washington came away with a 16-8 victory against Miami foe Jackson. Dwight Hopkins and Tony Gallon each scored for the Tornadoes, who moved to 8-0 with the win.
22. North Penn (Lansdale, Pa.), 8-0. Last Week: 21. North Penn pulled away from Souderton in the fourth quarter of a rainy affair, winning 27-6. Craig Needhammer rushed for 115 yards and one touchdown, and Dylan Harris added two field goals for the Knights.
23. Memphis University (Memphis, Tenn.), 9-0. Last Week: 23. The fine play of quarterback Barry Brunetti guided Memphis University to victory over rival Christian Brothers, 38-14. Brunetti tossed four touchdown passes while Keith McBride had a 5-yard touchdown run along with a 68-yard touchdown catch for the Owls.
24. Northside (Warner Robins, Ga.), 8-0. Last Week: 24. The Eagles continue their quest for an AAAAA state title, beating Tift County 27-13. Northside trailed 13-0 at half, but benefitted from three second-half scores from running back Briar Van Brunt, who totaled 146 yards on the game.
25. Hutchinson (Kan.) 8-0. Last Week: NR. The 8-0 Salt Hawks make their debut after steamrolling Kansas competition all season, including a 56-0 victory over Hays on Friday. Hutchinson also defeated Missouri power Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.) back in September. The team’s veer-option offense is averaging over 52 points per game.
Dropped out:Stony Point (Round Rock, Texas): Lost to Cedar Park 28-21
St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio): Lost to St. Ignatius 30-21
