Xcellent 25 National High School Football Rankings: Glenville returns

The Glenville Tarblooders (Cleveland, Ohio) made a triumphant return to the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Football Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, following an eye-opening 30-13 win against fellow Cleveland power St. Ignatius.

Glenville started the season in the Xcellent 25, but quickly dropped out following a loss in Week 1 to St. Ignatius, No. 14 in last week’s rankings. This time around, the Tarblooders left no doubt as to who was the top team in Region I, dominating the Wildcats in all aspects of play.

Senior defensive back Latwan Anderson, who transferred in the offseason from St. Edward, intercepted four passes and returned them for a whopping 196 yards, including a 99-yard interception return for a score. The Tarblooders are now favorites to capture Ohio’s Division I crown, but will next have to get past undefeated Solon.

Jacob Rudock continues to guide Aquinas to the No. 1 ranking.

Jim Redman

Emerging Peach State power North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.) entered the rankings at No. 25 this week. St. Ignatius, as well as Miami’s Booker T. Washington, both fell out. Washington lost to city rival Central.

MaxPreps Xcellent 25

1. Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 10-0. Last Week: 1. Aquinas once again rose to the occasion, blanking Cypress Bay 35-0 in a game televised nationally on the CBS College Sports Network. Rashad Greene returned a punt for a score while Vincent Mauro took a fumble recovery 60 yards to the end zone for the Raiders, who won their 34th consecutive game.

2. Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), 11-1. Last Week: 2. With a 58-0 win over White Knoll, Byrnes opened the playoffs with a bang. Marcus Lattimore rushed for three touchdowns to lead the Rebels on offense, while the defense allowed only six first downs.

3. Cedar Hill (Texas), 11-0. Last Week: 3. Cedar Hill overcame a Jackson Jeffcoat-led defense to beat Plano West 31-22. Jeffcoat sparked a defense that held Cedar Hill to its second-lowest offensive output of the season. However, the Longhorns were able to hold on for a victory thanks to 194 yards from running back Mason Hayes. Backfield mate Ben Malena, who has been plagued by injuries through the season, left the game and did not return.

4. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), 9-0. Last Week: 4. Tony Jones scored three more touchdowns to lead Don Bosco Prep to a 55-7 victory against Shore Conference power Red Bank Catholic. The Ironmen next will host Seton Hall Prep in the semifinals of the Non-Public Group IV bracket.

5. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 9-0. Last Week: 5. A 50-yard touchdown pass from Nick Montana to sophomore Jordan Payton got Oaks Christian rolling against Nordhoff en route to a 56-6 win. Malcolm Jones recorded the 99th touchdown run of his career for the Lions.

6. Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.), 12-0. Last Week: 6. Centennial once again won easily against Cibola thanks to solid play by its defense and special-teams units. Four different Coyotes had rushing touchdowns as part of a balanced offensive attack that led to a 48-14 victory.

7. Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 10-0. Last Week: 7. Davion Orphey scored on touchdown runs of 62 and 52 yards as Edison rolled to an easy 48-0 victory over Marina. The Chargers were without starting quarterback Matt Viles, who is still nursing an injury. Edison received the top seed in the loaded Pac-5 playoffs.

8. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), 11-0. Last Week: 8. Oscar Smith scored on its first five possessions to hammer Kempsville 49-13. The Tigers are prohibitive favorites to capture a Division 6 crown.

9. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), 12-0. Last Week: 9. A 63-27 blowout of Starkville in the opening round of the 6A playoffs showed that Madison Central has continued its momentum from the regular season. A second-round game against Olive Branch will be a major hurdle for the Jaguars.

10. Skyline (Dallas, Texas), 11-0. Last Week: 10. Skyline began its 5A-I title chase with a convincing 38-0 win against Rowlett. Javia Hall threw for 168 yards and two scores while running back Tony Drake gained 114 yards on the ground.

11. DeMatha (Hyattsville, Md.), 11-0. Last Week: 11. Marcus Coker compiled 142 rushing yards and two touchdowns to power DeMatha past WCAC foe Gonzaga 35-0. The Stags earned a date in the WCAC final next weekend against rival Our Lady of Good Counsel.

12. Grayson (Loganville, Ga.), 11-0. Last Week: 12. Grayson opened up its AAAAA title quest with a 21-14 victory over Marietta. Devin Gillespie rushed for 98 yards after star running back Ean Pemberton was lost due to injury.

13. Butler (Matthews, N.C.), 11-0. Last Week: 13. There was no letdown following a huge victory over Independence, as Butler cruised to a 47-20 victory over West Charlotte. Christian LeMay threw for five scores in the first half, helping the Bulldogs to the easy first-round win.

14. Bishop McDevitt (Harrisburg, Pa.), 10-0. Last Week: 16. Bishop McDevitt used five touchdowns from quarterback Matt Johnson to sail past local rival Harrisburg 42-24 in the AAAA playoffs. Sophomore Noah Spence added an 86-yard touchdown reception for the Crusaders, who continue to impress.

15. Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 10-0. Last Week: 17. Three touchdown passes from Bryce Jenkins gave Curtis an easy 64-0 win over Mangham. Opelousas Catholic awaits the Patriots in the second round of the 2A playoffs.

16. Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio), 11-1. Last Week: NR. Glenville makes a dazzling reappearance in the Xcellent 25 after dropping out following a season-opening loss to St. Ignatius. The Tarblooders exacted revenge against St. Ignatius, blasting the Wildcats 30-13 in the Division I playoffs. Latwan Anderson intercepted four passes for Glenville, who is now the favorite to win it all in Ohio.

17. Jenks (Tulsa, Okla.), 11-0. Last Week: 18. Jenks coasted to a victory over Yukon 44-6. Sawyer Kollmorgen threw touchdown passes on the Trojans’ first three possessions to put the game out of reach early. Zach Langer added two rushing touchdowns to continue his outstanding season.

18. Grant (Sacramento, Calif.), 10-0. Last Week: 19. Rival Burbank gave Grant a scare, but the Pacers survived with a 40-22 win. Devontae Butler found the end zone four times and helped seal the victory with an 18-yard touchdown run with less than 90 seconds to play.

19. Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), 12-0. Last Week: 15. Highlands continued its quest for an undefeated season, pounding Dixie Heights 49-0. It was a team effort for the Bluebirds, who received contributions from both Patrick Towles and Will Bardo.

20. North Penn (Landsale, Pa.), 11-0. Last Week: 21. North Penn overwhelmed Council Rock North, scoring on its first six possessions to win 39-12. Craig Needhammer punished the Indians’ defense to the tune of 139 yards and two touchdowns for the Knights, who hope to emerge from a loaded AAAA bracket.

Barry Brunetti does it all for Memphis University.

Chris Evans

21. Memphis University (Memphis, Tenn.), 11-0. Last Week: 23. Memphis University rises in the rankings following a 38-7 victory over Baylor. Barry Brunetti, the leader of the Owls’ offense, notched two scores both through the air and on the ground. Memphis University will take on Father Ryan next week in its attempt to repeat as Division II champions.

22. Hutchinson (Kan.), 11-0. Last Week: 24. Hutchinson continues to breeze through the playoffs, this week pummeling South 42-10. Josh Smith accounted for three rushing touchdowns for the Salthawks. The win sets up an intriguing semifinal matchup with Bishop Carroll next week.

23. Crenshaw (Los Angeles), 10-0. Last Week: 25. Crenshaw concluded a perfect regular season with a 46-0 win against Jefferson. Next week, the Cougars will begin the playoffs by hosting Birmingham.

24. Lakeland (Fla.), 10-0. Last Week: 22. The Dreadnaughts survived a major scare by outlasting city rival Kathleen 28-21. Jarred Haggins connected with Ben McRoy for a 63-yard touchdown with just 45 seconds left to give Lakeland its 16th straight win against Kathleen.

25. North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.), 11-0. Last Week: NR. North Gwinnett makes its Xcellent 25 debut following a 52-21 drubbing of Centennial in the opening round of the AAAAA playoffs. The Bulldogs are extremely talented and could make a run in a bracket crowded with outstanding teams.

Dropped out:
St. Ignatius (Cleveland, Ohio): Lost to Glenville
Washington (Miami, Fla.): Lost to Central (Miami, Fla.)