10 surprise teams on the national scene

Everyone knew that Trinity (Euless, Texas) would be good.

The nation’s No. 1 team entering the season, the Trojans have hardly been a surprise in 2010. Having torn through their regular season schedule thus far, they currently boast a record of 7-0.

South Panola (Batesville, Miss.), which garnered a preseason rank of No. 4, has equally matched expectations, dismantling opponents in the first half and cruising to easy victories each weekend.

Like Trinity and South Panola, Grant (Sacramento, Calif.) also lived up to its billing following lofty preseason prognostications. The Pacers started the season at No. 5 and have risen to No. 3 in the Xcellent 25 Rankings presented by the Army National Guard thanks to a dominant effort thus far.



While top teams have performed as expected, there have been a number of surprise teams around the country that have defied the odds and opened eyes both locally and nationally.

MaxPreps looks at ten teams that have risen to the occasion in 2010 and have become relevant in the national rankings discussion:

Tupelo (Miss.), 5-1
Coming off an uncharacteristic losing season in which it finished 3-7, Tupelo was a preseason afterthought in the discussion of Mississippi's best teams. However, the Golden Wave has jumped out to a 5-1 record, including an impressive 48-34 victory over Southhaven. If Tupelo can do the unthinkable and defeat the South Panola, it will immediately become one of the biggest stories of the season.

Chaparral (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 8-0
While Hamilton was the talk of Arizona to start the season, Chaparral has emerged as one of the hottest teams in the state. The Firebirds are 7-0 and average a robust 51 points per game. Quarterback Connor Brewer has averaged 176 yards per game and versatile junior Davonte Neal has already scored 13 touchdowns. On defense, Chaparral has allowed only 54 total points. They're beginning to push Hamilton for the top spot in the Grand Canyon State.

St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio), 7-0
One of the Cleveland area's proudest programs, St. Edward entered 2010 having posted losing records in two of the past three seasons. Second-year head coach Rich Finotti has the Eagles flying high with victories over Mentor, Elder, and Cardinal Mooney. Upcoming games with St. Xavier, Archbishop Moeller, and the Holy War with rival St. Ignatius will show whether St. Edward is a legitimate Division I title contender.

Holy Spirit (Absecon, N.J.), 4-0
It was no secret that Holy Spirit was going to be good this year, but no one expected the Spartans to be this dominant. They sit at 4-0 and most recently pounded St. Joseph 35-0 in a game that was supposed to be a showdown between two of South Jersey's best teams. Stanford-bound linebacker Anthony Sarao has battled injury, but has still led a defense that has allowed only 13 points en route to a No. 105 ranking in the MaxPreps Freeman Rankings.

Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.), 7-0
Given the program’s success, it's hard to consider Highlands a surprise. Still, the undefeated Bluebirds were supposed to be rebuilding following a banner year in which they notched a win over Cincinnati power St. Xavier en route to a 15-0 season. Quarterback Patrick Towles, 6-foot-5, has thrown for 1,233 yards and 11 touchdowns, assuming a leadership role vacated by the likes of Austin Collinsworth and Will Bardo.



Calvert Hall (Baltimore), 7-0
Calvert Hall’s fine season went from being a Baltimore-area story to a tale of national significance when it beat Gilman 26-20. Prior to that game, only New Jersey's Don Bosco Prep had been able to defeat the Greyhounds. The Cardinals' defense has been stellar, bottling up Gilman star Darius Jennings in the second half and tallying three shutouts on the season.

Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Va.), 6-0
Mickey Thompson has quietly built Stone Bridge into one of Virginia’s finest programs. Following a 15-10 season-ending loss to Phoebus, a game in which Stone Bridge outgained the Phantoms, expectations were high for the Bulldogs. Thus far, they have played better than anyone could imagine, outscoring opponents 280-23. Stone Bridge appears to be a favorite to return to the Division 5 title game, where they’ll likely get another crack at Phoebus.

Curtis (University Place, Wash.), 6-0
With blowout wins over Auburn, Puyallup, and Graham-Kapowsin, it appears that Curtis is for real this season. Led by state player of the year candidate Rahmel Dockery, a state-champion high jumper who plays wide receiver, returns kicks and even punts, the Vikings have raced to a 6-0 start and could have the horses to bring home a 4A crown this season.

Goose Creek (S.C.), 7-0
After five consecutive four-loss seasons, Goose Creek is poised to buck the trend. Led by dual-threat quarterback Jaquan Marsh, who has accumulated nearly 1,000 total yards and scored 11 times, the Gators are undefeated and looming as a 4A-II title contender. Star recruit Brandon Shell, the No. 6 player in the class of 2011, has opened plenty of holes for Virgil Smalls, who has rushed for 13 touchdowns.

St. Thomas More (Lafayette, La.), 6-0
If St. Thomas More’s 4-0 start wasn’t enough to open eyes around Louisiana, its 42-17 rout of Acadiana, which previously had been ranked No. 2 in class 5A, definitely signaled to the Pelican State that the Cougars are for real. Running backs Joe Oliver LaPrairie and Jonathan Juneau have sparked the offense, while safety Sam Scofield has excelled in the secondary. The team is led by Jim Hightower, one of the most accomplished coaches in the state.