Manatee remains No. 1 in this week's Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, as the undefeated Florida powerhouse opened up its playoff campaign with a convincing 65-12 victory over Northeast.
With Dwyer, St. Thomas Aquinas, Lincoln and Fort Pierce Central looming in the bracket, the Hurricanes still have a long way to go to repeat as Class 7A state champions.
With playoffs now underway in nearly every state, the rankings could see dramatic shifting over the next few weeks.
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playoff brackets and state champions from around the nation.
Xcellent 25 National Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
No. 2 Curtis may have yielded a touchdown last week, but it continues to prove it's one of the nation's best squads.
Photo by Roddy Johnson
Manatee opened up its quest for a second consecutive Class 7A state title with a 65-12 win over Northeast.
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Game recap2. (2) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 11-0The touchdown that Curtis allowed in its 50-6 victory over North Webster was the first the Patriots' defense had allowed in five games.
3. (3) Katy (Texas), 11-0In its Class 5A-II playoff opener, Katy throttled Westbury 77-7.
Box score4. (4) DeSoto (Texas), 11-0After a slow start, DeSoto cruised to a victory over Harker Heights.
5. (5) Bellevue (Wash.), 12-0Bellevue easily defeated Peninsula 40-3. It has now outscored its opponents by more than 500 points this season.
